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Wanjari UR, Gopalakrishnan AV. Blood-testis barrier: a review on regulators in maintaining cell junction integrity between Sertoli cells. Cell Tissue Res 2024; 396:157-175. [PMID: 38564020 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-024-03894-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The blood-testis barrier (BTB) is formed adjacent to the seminiferous basement membrane. It is a distinct ultrastructure, partitioning testicular seminiferous epithelium into apical (adluminal) and basal compartments. It plays a vital role in developing and maturing spermatocytes into spermatozoa via reorganizing its structure. This enables the transportation of preleptotene spermatocytes across the BTB, from basal to adluminal compartments in the seminiferous tubules. Several bioactive peptides and biomolecules secreted by testicular cells regulate the BTB function and support spermatogenesis. These peptides activate various downstream signaling proteins and can also be the target themself, which could improve the diffusion of drugs across the BTB. The gap junction (GJ) and its coexisting junctions at the BTB maintain the immunological barrier integrity and can be the "gateway" during spermatocyte transition. These junctions are the possible route for toxicant entry, causing male reproductive dysfunction. Herein, we summarize the detailed mechanism of all the regulators playing an essential role in the maintenance of the BTB, which will help researchers to understand and find targets for drug delivery inside the testis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uddesh Ramesh Wanjari
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Bio-Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Tamil Nadu, Vellore, PIN 632014, India
| | - Abilash Valsala Gopalakrishnan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Bio-Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Tamil Nadu, Vellore, PIN 632014, India.
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2
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Neha, Ranjan P, Das P. Calcimycin mediates apoptosis in breast and cervical cancer cell lines by inducing intracellular calcium levels in a P2RX4-dependent manner. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2024; 1868:130535. [PMID: 38103757 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2023.130535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Calcimycin (A23187) is a polyether antibiotic and divalent cation ionophore, extracted from Streptomyces chartrecensis. With wide variety of antimicrobial activities, it also exhibits cytotoxicity of tumor cells. Calcimycin exhibit therapeutic potential against tumor cell growth; however, the molecular mechanism remains to be fully elucidated. Present study explores the mechanism of calcimycin-induced apoptosis cancer cell lines. METHODS Apoptotic induction in a dose-dependent manner were recorded with MTT assays, Phase contrast imaging, wound healing assay, fluorescence imaging by DAPI and AO/EB staining and FACS using cell line model. Mitochondrial potential was analyzed by TMRM assay as Ca2+ signaling is well known to be influenced and synchronized by mitochondria also. RESULTS Calcimycin induces apoptosis in dose dependent manner, also accompanied by increased intracellular calcium-level and expression of purinergic receptor-P2RX4, a ligand-gated ion channel. CONCLUSION Calcimycin tends to increase the intracellular calcium level, mRNA expression of ATP receptor P2RX4, and phosphorylation of p38. Blocking of either intracellular calcium by BAPTA-AM, P2RX4 expression by antagonist 5-BDBD, and phospho-p38 by SB203580, abrogated the apoptotic activity of calcimycin. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE Taken together, these results show that calcimycin induces apoptosis in P2RX4 and ATP mediated intracellular Ca2+ and p38 MAPK mediated pathway in both the cancer cell lines. This study explored a new mode of action for calcimycin in cancer that could be potentially employed in future studies for cancer therapeutic research. This study disentangles that the calcimycin-induced apoptotic cell death is P2RX4 and ATP involved, intracellular Ca2+ and p38 MAPK mediated pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha
- Centre for Genetic Disorders, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221,005, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Prashant Ranjan
- Centre for Genetic Disorders, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221,005, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Parimal Das
- Centre for Genetic Disorders, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221,005, Uttar Pradesh, India.
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3
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James A, Akash K, Sharma A, Bhattacharyya S, Sriamornsak P, Nagraik R, Kumar D. Himalayan flora: targeting various molecular pathways in lung cancer. Med Oncol 2023; 40:314. [PMID: 37787816 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-023-02171-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
The fatal amplification of lung cancer across the globe and the limitations of current treatment strategies emphasize the necessity for substitute therapeutics. The incorporation of phyto-derived components in chemo treatment holds promise in addressing those challenges. Despite the significant progressions in lung cancer therapeutics, the complexities of molecular mechanism and pathways underlying this disease remain inadequately understood, necessitating novel biomarker targeting. The Himalayas, abundant in diverse plant varieties with established chemotherapeutic potential, presents a promising avenue for investigating potential cures for lung carcinoma. The vast diversity of phytocompounds herein can be explored for targeting the disease. This review delves into the multifaceted targets of lung cancer and explores the established phytochemicals with their specific molecular targets. It emphasizes comprehending the intricate pathways that govern effective therapeutic interventions for lung cancer. Through this exploration of Himalayan flora, this review seeks to illuminate potential breakthroughs in lung cancer management using natural compounds. The amalgamation of Himalayan plant-derived compounds with cautiously designed combined therapeutic approaches such as nanocarrier-mediated drug delivery and synergistic therapy offers an opportunity to redefine the boundaries of lung cancer treatment by reducing the drug resistance and side effects and enabling an effective targeted delivery of drugs. Furthermore, additional studies are obligatory to understand the possible derivation of natural compounds used in current lung cancer treatment from plant species within the Himalayan region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abija James
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173229, India
| | - K Akash
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173229, India
| | - Avinash Sharma
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173229, India
| | - Sanjib Bhattacharyya
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chinese Traditional Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, 400715, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
- Department of Sciences, Nirma University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 382481, India
| | | | - Rupak Nagraik
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173229, India.
| | - Deepak Kumar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173229, India.
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4
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Choudhary N, Bawari S, Burcher JT, Sinha D, Tewari D, Bishayee A. Targeting Cell Signaling Pathways in Lung Cancer by Bioactive Phytocompounds. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3980. [PMID: 37568796 PMCID: PMC10417502 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15153980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is a heterogeneous group of malignancies with high incidence worldwide. It is the most frequently occurring cancer in men and the second most common in women. Due to its frequent diagnosis and variable response to treatment, lung cancer was reported as the top cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide in 2020. Many aberrant signaling cascades are implicated in the pathogenesis of lung cancer, including those involved in apoptosis (B cell lymphoma protein, Bcl-2-associated X protein, first apoptosis signal ligand), growth inhibition (tumor suppressor protein or gene and serine/threonine kinase 11), and growth promotion (epidermal growth factor receptor/proto-oncogenes/phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase). Accordingly, these pathways and their signaling molecules have become promising targets for chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agents. Recent research provides compelling evidence for the use of plant-based compounds, known collectively as phytochemicals, as anticancer agents. This review discusses major contributing signaling pathways involved in the pathophysiology of lung cancer, as well as currently available treatments and prospective drug candidates. The anticancer potential of naturally occurring bioactive compounds in the context of lung cancer is also discussed, with critical analysis of their mechanistic actions presented by preclinical and clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neeraj Choudhary
- Department of Pharmacognosy, GNA School of Pharmacy, GNA University, Phagwara 144 401, India
| | - Sweta Bawari
- Amity Institute of Pharmacy, Amity University, Noida 201 301, India
| | - Jack T. Burcher
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Bradenton, FL 34211, USA
| | - Dona Sinha
- Department of Receptor Biology and Tumor Metastasis, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata 700 026, India
| | - Devesh Tewari
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University, New Delhi 110 017, India
| | - Anupam Bishayee
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Bradenton, FL 34211, USA
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5
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Kaynak A, N’Guessan KF, Patel PH, Lee JH, Kogan AB, Narmoneva DA, Qi X. Electric Fields Regulate In Vitro Surface Phosphatidylserine Exposure of Cancer Cells via a Calcium-Dependent Pathway. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11020466. [PMID: 36831002 PMCID: PMC9953458 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11020466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide after heart disease. The current treatment options to fight cancer are limited, and there is a critical need for better treatment strategies. During the last several decades, several electric field (EF)-based approaches for anti-cancer therapies have been introduced, such as electroporation and tumor-treating fields; still, they are far from optimal due to their invasive nature, limited efficacy and significant side effects. In this study, we developed a non-contact EF stimulation system to investigate the in vitro effects of a novel EF modality on cancer biomarkers in normal (human astrocytes, human pancreatic ductal epithelial -HDPE-cells) and cancer cell lines (glioblastoma U87-GBM, human pancreatic cancer cfPac-1, and MiaPaCa-2). Our results demonstrate that this EF modality can successfully modulate an important cancer cell biomarker-cell surface phosphatidylserine (PS). Our results further suggest that moderate, but not low, amplitude EF induces p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), actin polymerization, and cell cycle arrest in cancer cell lines. Based on our results, we propose a mechanism for EF-mediated PS exposure in cancer cells, where the magnitude of induced EF on the cell surface can differentially regulate intracellular calcium (Ca2+) levels, thereby modulating surface PS exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmet Kaynak
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Kombo F. N’Guessan
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Priyankaben H. Patel
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
| | - Jing-Huei Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
| | - Andrei B. Kogan
- Department of Physics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
| | - Daria A. Narmoneva
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
| | - Xiaoyang Qi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-513-558-4025
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6
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She J, Feng N, Zheng W, Zheng H, Cai P, Zou H, Yuan Y, Gu J, Liu Z, Bian J. Zearalenone Exposure Disrupts Blood-Testis Barrier Integrity through Excessive Ca 2+-Mediated Autophagy. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13120875. [PMID: 34941713 PMCID: PMC8703826 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13120875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Zearalenone (ZEA), a common mycotoxin in grains and animal feeds, has been associated with male reproductive disorders. However, the potential toxicity mechanism of ZEA is not fully understood. In this study, in vivo and in vitro models were used to explore the effects of ZEA on the blood-testis barrier (BTB) and related molecular mechanisms. First, male BALB/C mice were administered ZEA orally (40 mg/kg·bw) for 5-7 d. Sperm motility, testicular morphology, and expressions of BTB junction proteins and autophagy-related proteins were evaluated. In addition, TM4 cells (mouse Sertoli cells line) were used to delineate the molecular mechanisms that mediate the effects of ZEA on BTB. Our results demonstrated that ZEA exposure induced severe testicular damage in histomorphology and an ultrastructural, time-dependent decrease in the expression of blood-testis barrier junction-related proteins, accompanied by an increase in the expression of autophagy-related proteins. Additionally, similar to the in vitro results, the dose-dependent treatment of ZEA increased the level of cytoplasmic Ca2+ and the levels of the autophagy markers LC3-II and p62, in conjunction with a decrease in the BTB junction proteins occludin, claudin-11, and Cx43, with the dislocation of the gap junction protein Cx43. Meanwhile, inhibition of autophagy by CQ and 3-MA or inhibition of cytoplasmic Ca2+ by BAPTA-AM was sufficient to reduce the effects of ZEA on the TM4 cell BTB. To summarize, this study emphasizes the role of Ca2+-mediated autophagy in ZEA-induced BTB destruction, which deepens our understanding of the molecular mechanism of ZEA-induced male reproductive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinjin She
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 Wenhui East Road, Yangzhou 225009, China; (J.S.); (N.F.); (W.Z.); (H.Z.); (P.C.); (H.Z.); (Y.Y.); (J.G.); (Z.L.)
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Nannan Feng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 Wenhui East Road, Yangzhou 225009, China; (J.S.); (N.F.); (W.Z.); (H.Z.); (P.C.); (H.Z.); (Y.Y.); (J.G.); (Z.L.)
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Wanglong Zheng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 Wenhui East Road, Yangzhou 225009, China; (J.S.); (N.F.); (W.Z.); (H.Z.); (P.C.); (H.Z.); (Y.Y.); (J.G.); (Z.L.)
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Hao Zheng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 Wenhui East Road, Yangzhou 225009, China; (J.S.); (N.F.); (W.Z.); (H.Z.); (P.C.); (H.Z.); (Y.Y.); (J.G.); (Z.L.)
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Peirong Cai
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 Wenhui East Road, Yangzhou 225009, China; (J.S.); (N.F.); (W.Z.); (H.Z.); (P.C.); (H.Z.); (Y.Y.); (J.G.); (Z.L.)
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Hui Zou
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 Wenhui East Road, Yangzhou 225009, China; (J.S.); (N.F.); (W.Z.); (H.Z.); (P.C.); (H.Z.); (Y.Y.); (J.G.); (Z.L.)
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Yan Yuan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 Wenhui East Road, Yangzhou 225009, China; (J.S.); (N.F.); (W.Z.); (H.Z.); (P.C.); (H.Z.); (Y.Y.); (J.G.); (Z.L.)
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Jianhong Gu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 Wenhui East Road, Yangzhou 225009, China; (J.S.); (N.F.); (W.Z.); (H.Z.); (P.C.); (H.Z.); (Y.Y.); (J.G.); (Z.L.)
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Zongping Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 Wenhui East Road, Yangzhou 225009, China; (J.S.); (N.F.); (W.Z.); (H.Z.); (P.C.); (H.Z.); (Y.Y.); (J.G.); (Z.L.)
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Jianchun Bian
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 Wenhui East Road, Yangzhou 225009, China; (J.S.); (N.F.); (W.Z.); (H.Z.); (P.C.); (H.Z.); (Y.Y.); (J.G.); (Z.L.)
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Correspondence:
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7
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Kumar D, Sharma P, Shabu, Kaur R, Lobe MMM, Gupta GK, Ntie-Kang F. In search of therapeutic candidates for HIV/AIDS: rational approaches, design strategies, structure-activity relationship and mechanistic insights. RSC Adv 2021; 11:17936-17964. [PMID: 35480193 PMCID: PMC9033207 DOI: 10.1039/d0ra10655k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2020] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The HIV/AIDS pandemic is a serious threat to the health and development of mankind, which has affected about 37.9 million people worldwide. The increasing negative health, economic and social impacts of this disease have led to the search for new therapeutic candidates for the mitigation of AIDS/HIV. However, to date, there is still no treatment that can cure this disease. Furthermore, the clinically available drugs have numerous severe side effects. Hence, the synthesis of novel agents from natural leads is one of the rational approaches to obtain new drugs in modern medicinal chemistry. This review article is an effort to summarize recent developments with regards to the discovery of novel analogs with promising biological potential against HIV/AIDS. Herein, we also aim to discuss prospective directions on the progress of more credible and specific analogues. Besides presenting design strategies, the present communication also highlights the structure-activity relationship together with the structural features of the most promising molecules, their IC50 values, mechanistic insights and some interesting key findings revealed during their biological evaluation. The interactions with the amino acid residues of the enzymes responsible for HIV-1 inhibition are also discussed. This collection will be of great interest for researchers working in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinesh Kumar
- Sri Sai College of Pharmacy Manawala Amritsar-143001 Punjab India +91-9988902489
| | - Pooja Sharma
- Sri Sai College of Pharmacy Manawala Amritsar-143001 Punjab India +91-9988902489
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Research, Punjabi University Patiala India
| | - Shabu
- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM) Canal Road Jammu 180001 India
| | - Ramandeep Kaur
- Sri Sai College of Pharmacy Manawala Amritsar-143001 Punjab India +91-9988902489
| | - Maloba M M Lobe
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Buea P. O. Box 63 Buea Cameroon +237 685625811
| | - Girish K Gupta
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Sri Sai College of Pharmacy Badhani Pathankot-145001 Punjab India
| | - Fidele Ntie-Kang
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Buea P. O. Box 63 Buea Cameroon +237 685625811
- Institute for Pharmacy, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg Kurt-Mothes-Str. 3 06120 Halle (Saale) Germany +49 3455525043
- Institute of Botany, Technical University of Dresden Zellescher Weg 20b 01062 Dresden Germany
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8
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Dai X, Zhang X, Chen W, Chen Y, Zhang Q, Mo S, Lu J. Dihydroartemisinin: A Potential Natural Anticancer Drug. Int J Biol Sci 2021; 17:603-622. [PMID: 33613116 PMCID: PMC7893584 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.50364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Dihydroartemisinin (DHA) is an active metabolite of artemisinin and its derivatives (ARTs), and it is an effective clinical drug widely used to treat malaria. Recently, the anticancer activity of DHA has attracted increasing attention. Nevertheless, there is no systematic summary on the anticancer effects of DHA. Notably, studies have shown that DHA exerts anticancer effects through various molecular mechanisms, such as inhibiting proliferation, inducing apoptosis, inhibiting tumor metastasis and angiogenesis, promoting immune function, inducing autophagy and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. In this review, we comprehensively summarized the latest progress regarding the anticancer activities of DHA in cancer. Importantly, the underlying anticancer molecular mechanisms and pharmacological effects of DHA in vitro and in vivo are the focus of our attention. Interestingly, new methods to improve the solubility and bioavailability of DHA are discussed, which greatly enhance its anticancer efficacy. Remarkably, DHA has synergistic anti-tumor effects with a variety of clinical drugs, and preclinical and clinical studies provide stronger evidence of its anticancer potential. Moreover, this article also gives suggestions for further research on the anticancer effects of DHA. Thus, we hope to provide a strong theoretical support for DHA as an anticancer drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoshuo Dai
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province 450001, PR China
| | - Xiaoyan Zhang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province 450001, PR China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Cancer Chemoprevention, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province 450001, PR China.,State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province 450052, PR China
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province 450001, PR China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Cancer Chemoprevention, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province 450001, PR China
| | - Yihuan Chen
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province 450001, PR China
| | - Qiushuang Zhang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province 450001, PR China
| | - Saijun Mo
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province 450001, PR China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Cancer Chemoprevention, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province 450001, PR China
| | - Jing Lu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province 450001, PR China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Cancer Chemoprevention, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province 450001, PR China.,State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province 450052, PR China
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9
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Zhang H, Zhou F, Wang Y, Xie H, Luo S, Meng L, Su B, Ye Y, Wu K, Xu Y, Gong X. Eliminating Radiation Resistance of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer by Dihydroartemisinin Through Abrogating Immunity Escaping and Promoting Radiation Sensitivity by Inhibiting PD-L1 Expression. Front Oncol 2020; 10:595466. [PMID: 33194761 PMCID: PMC7656009 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.595466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Radiation resistance is linked to immune escaping and radiation sensitivity. In this study, we found that the PD-L1 expressions of non-killed tumor cells in NSCLC were enhanced after radiotherapy, and dihydroartemisinin (DHA) could synergistically enhance the antitumor effect of radiotherapy in NSCLC. A total of 48 NSCLC patients with sufficient tumor tissues for further analyses were enrolled. The PD-L1 expressions of NSCLC were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Cell apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry, and the relationship between the PD-L1 expression and radiation resistance was investigated in patient specimens, xenograft model, and cell lines. First, the results indicate that the PD-L1 expression of NSCLC was positively related with the radiation resistance. Second, we found that DHA could eliminate the radiation resistance and synergistically enhance the antitumor effect of radiotherapy in the NSCLC cells lines and xenograft model. Finally, mechanistically, DHA could inhibit the PD-L1 expression to avoid immune escaping by inhibiting TGF-β, PI3K/Akt, and STAT3 signaling pathways. In addition, DHA could activate TRIM21 and regulate the EMT-related proteins by inhibiting the PD-L1 so as to enhance the radiation sensitivity and eliminate radiation resistance to NSCLC. Collectively, this study established a basis for the rational design of integrated radiotherapy and DHA for the treatment of NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Fei Zhou
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yingying Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Huikang Xie
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shilan Luo
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lu Meng
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Bin Su
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Ye
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Kailiang Wu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Yaping Xu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaomei Gong
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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10
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Luo Y, Guo Q, Zhang L, Zhuan Q, Meng L, Fu X, Hou Y. Dihydroartemisinin exposure impairs porcine ovarian granulosa cells by activating PERK-eIF2α-ATF4 through endoplasmic reticulum stress. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2020; 403:115159. [PMID: 32721431 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2020.115159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Dihydroartemisinin (DHA) is an artemisinin derivative commonly used in malaria therapy, and a growing number of studies have focused on the potent anticancer activity of DHA. However, the reproductive toxicity of anticancer drugs is a major concern for young female cancer patients. Previous studies have suggested that DHA can cause embryonic damage and affect oocyte maturation. Here, we explored the side effects of DHA exposure on ovarian somatic cells. We exposed porcine granulosa cells to 5 μM and 40 μM DHA for 24 h or 48 h in vitro. DHA inhibited granulosa cell viability in a dose-dependent manner and, in the 48 h treatment group, DHA enhanced the apoptotic rate. We observed that the levels of intracellular calcium, mitochondrial calcium, and ATP concentration were elevated with DHA treatment. In granulosa cells exposed to DHA, the mRNA levels of endoplasmic reticulum stress-related genes GRP78 and ATF4 were increased. Furthermore, analysis of the unfolded protein response signaling pathway showed that the protein levels of P-PERK, P-eIF2α, and ATF4 were upregulated by DHA exposure. These results demonstrate that in granulosa cells, DHA exposure induces endoplasmic reticulum stress that then activates the PERK/eIF2α/ATF4 signaling pathway, thus providing insight into the mechanism underlying DHA-induced reproductive toxicity, and giving reference to DHA use in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Luo
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Qing Guo
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Luyao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Qingrui Zhuan
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Lin Meng
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xiangwei Fu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yunpeng Hou
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
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11
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Emerging role of phytochemicals in targeting predictive, prognostic, and diagnostic biomarkers of lung cancer. Food Chem Toxicol 2020; 144:111592. [PMID: 32702507 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2020.111592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Lung-cancer is the foremost cause of cancer in humans worldwide, of which 80-85% cases are composed of non-small cell lung carcinoma. All treatment decisions depend on the pattern of biomarkers selection to enhance the response to the targeted therapies. Although advanced treatments are available for lung-cancer, the disease treatment remains not adequate. There are several synthetic chemotherapeutic agents available for the treatment of lung cancer. However, due to their toxic effect, survival rate is still 15-18%. Besides, medicinal plants are a huge reservoir of natural products that provide protective effects against lung cancer. Likewise, successful studies of potential phytochemicals in targeting lung-cancer biomarkers have created a novel paradigm for the discovery of potent drugs against lung-cancer. Hence, to defeat severe toxicity and resistance towards the synthetic drugs, detailed studies are required regarding the available phytochemicals and targets responsible for the treatment of lung-cancer. The present review provides a comprehensive information about the lung-cancer biomarkers under the classification of predictive, prognostic, and diagnostic type. Moreover, it discusses and enlists the phytochemicals with mode of action against different biomarkers, effective doses in in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies, the limitations associated with usage of phytochemicals as a drug to prevent/cure lung-cancer and the latest techniques employed to overcome such issues.
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12
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Abstract
Artemisinin (ART) and its derivatives are one of the most important classes of antimalarial agents, originally derived from a Chinese medicinal plant called Artemisia annua L. Beyond their outstanding antimalarial and antischistosomal activities, ART and its derivatives also possess both in-vitro and in-vivo activities against various types of cancer. Their anticancer effects range from initiation of apoptotic cell death to inhibition of cancer proliferation, metastasis and angiogenesis, and even modulation of the cell signal transduction pathway. This review provides a comprehensive update on ART and its derivatives, their mechanisms of action, and their synergistic effects with other chemicals in targeting leukemia cells. Combined with limited evidence of drug resistance and low toxicity profile, we conclude that ART and its derivatives, including dimers, trimers, and hybrids, might be a potential therapeutic alternative to current chemotherapies in combating leukemia, although more studies are necessary before they can be applied clinically.
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13
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Chen Y, Li R, Zhu Y, Zhong S, Qian J, Yang D, Jurczyszyn A, Beksac M, Gu C, Yang Y. Dihydroartemisinin Induces Growth Arrest and Overcomes Dexamethasone Resistance in Multiple Myeloma. Front Oncol 2020; 10:767. [PMID: 32500030 PMCID: PMC7242728 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.00767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2019] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery of artemisinin (ART) for malaria treatment won the 2015 Nobel Prize in Medicine, which inspired the rediscovery and development of ART for the treatment of other diseases including cancer. In this study, we investigated the potential therapeutic effect of ART and dihydroartemisinin (DHA) on multiple myeloma (MM) cells including primary MM cells and in 5TMM3VT mouse model. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments showed that DHA might be a more promising anti-MM agent with significantly improved efficacy compared to ART. Mechanistic analyses suggested that DHA activated the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway by interacting with ferrous (Fe2+) ions and oxygen to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS). Intriguingly, DHA could reverse the upregulated expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) protein, a typical mitochondrial apoptotic marker, induced by dexamethasone (Dexa) in MM. We further demonstrated that DHA treatment could overcome Dexa resistance and enhance Dexa efficacy in MM. Additionally, DHA combined with Dexa resulted in increased ROS production and cytochrome C translocation from the mitochondria to the cytoplasm, resulting in alterations to the mitochondrial membrane potential and caspase-mediated apoptosis. In summary, our study demonstrated that DHA was superior to ART in MM treatment and overcame Dexa resistance both in vitro and in vivo, providing a promising therapeutic strategy for MM therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Chen
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.,School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Rui Li
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuqi Zhu
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.,Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Sixia Zhong
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Jinjun Qian
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Dongqing Yang
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Artur Jurczyszyn
- Department of Hematology, Collegium Medicum, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Meral Beksac
- Department of Hematology, School of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Chunyan Gu
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.,School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Ye Yang
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.,Key Laboratory for Combination of Acupuncture and Chinese Materia Medica of Chinese Ministry of Education, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
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14
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Cheong DHJ, Tan DWS, Wong FWS, Tran T. Anti-malarial drug, artemisinin and its derivatives for the treatment of respiratory diseases. Pharmacol Res 2020; 158:104901. [PMID: 32405226 PMCID: PMC7217791 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2020.104901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Artemisinins are sesquiterpene lactones with a peroxide moiety that are isolated from the herb Artemisia annua. It has been used for centuries for the treatment of fever and chills, and has been recently approved for the treatment of malaria due to its endoperoxidase properties. Progressively, research has found that artemisinins displayed multiple pharmacological actions against inflammation, viral infections, and cell and tumour proliferation, making it effective against diseases. Moreover, it has displayed a relatively safe toxicity profile. The use of artemisinins against different respiratory diseases has been investigated in lung cancer models and inflammatory-driven respiratory disorders. These studies revealed the ability of artemisinins in attenuating proliferation, inflammation, invasion, and metastasis, and in inducing apoptosis. Artemisinins can regulate the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), promote cell cycle arrest, drive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and induce Bak or Bax-dependent or independent apoptosis. In this review, we aim to provide a comprehensive update of the current knowledge of the effects of artemisinins in relation to respiratory diseases to identify gaps that need to be filled in the course of repurposing artemisinins for the treatment of respiratory diseases. In addition, we postulate whether artemisinins can also be repurposed for the treatment of COVID-19 given its anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorothy H J Cheong
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 117593, Singapore
| | - Daniel W S Tan
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 117600, Singapore
| | - Fred W S Wong
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 117600, Singapore; Immunology Program, Life Science Institute, National University of Singapore, 117456, Singapore; Singapore-HUJ Alliance for Research and Enterprise, National University of Singapore, 138602, Singapore
| | - Thai Tran
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 117593, Singapore.
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15
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Kam MYY, Yap WSP. An oxidatively stressful situation: a case of Artemisia annua L. Biotechnol Genet Eng Rev 2020; 36:1-31. [PMID: 32308142 DOI: 10.1080/02648725.2020.1749818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Artemisinin (ART) is an antimalarial compound that possesses a variety of novel biological activities. Due to the low abundance of ART in natural sources, agricultural supply has been erratic, and prices are highly volatile. While heterologous biosynthesis and semi-synthesis are advantageous in certain aspects, these approaches remained disadvantageous in terms of productivity and cost-effectiveness. Therefore, further improvement in ART production calls for approaches that should supplement the agricultural production gap, while reducing production costs and stabilising supply. The present review offers a discussion on the elicitation of plants and/or in vitro cultures as an economically feasible yield enhancement strategy to address the global problem of access to affordable ART. Deemed critical for the manipulation of biosynthetic potential, the mechanism of ART biosynthesis is reviewed. It includes a discussion on the current biotechnological solutions to ART production, focusing on semi-synthesis and elicitation. A brief commentary on the possible aspects that influence elicitation efficiency and how oxidative stress modulates ART synthesis is also presented. Based on the critical analysis of current literature, a hypothesis is put forward to explain the possible involvement of enzymes in assisting the final non-enzymatic transformation step leading to ART formation. This review highlights the critical factors limiting the success of elicitor-induced modulation of ART metabolism, that will help inform strategies for future improvement of ART production. Additionally, new avenues for future research based on the proposed hypothesis will lead to exciting perspectives in this research area and continue to enhance our understanding of this intricate metabolic process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Yit Yee Kam
- School of Biosciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia , Semenyih, Malaysia
| | - Winnie Soo Ping Yap
- School of Biosciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia , Semenyih, Malaysia
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16
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Taleghani A, Emami SA, Tayarani-Najaran Z. Artemisia: a promising plant for the treatment of cancer. Bioorg Med Chem 2020; 28:115180. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2019.115180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Revised: 09/28/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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17
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Li J, Li TX, Ma Y, Zhang Y, Li DY, Xu HR. Bursopentin (BP5) induces G1 phase cell cycle arrest and endoplasmic reticulum stress/mitochondria-mediated caspase-dependent apoptosis in human colon cancer HCT116 cells. Cancer Cell Int 2019; 19:130. [PMID: 31123429 PMCID: PMC6521404 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-019-0849-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Bursopentin (BP5) is a multifunctional pentapeptide found in the chicken bursa of Fabricius. Recent study indicated that BP5 significantly stimulates expression of p53 protein in colon cancer HCT116 cells. However, the effects and underlying mechanisms of BP5 on HCT116 cell proliferation remain largely unclear. Methods Analyses of cell viability, cell cycle arrest as well as apoptosis were performed to study the actions of BP5 on HCT116 cells. Western blot analyse was assayed to measure the cell cycle-related and apoptosis-related proteins. Specific siRNAs targeting IRE1, ATF-6, and PERK were used for IRE1, ATF-6, and PERK knockdown, respectively. Cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected using a H2DCF-DA green fluorescence probe. Cytosolic free Ca2+ concentrations and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) were measured using Fluo-3 AM and JC-1 stains, respectively. Results BP5 possessed strong inhibitory effects on the cell growth and induced apoptosis in HCT116 cells. Mechanistically, BP5 arrested the cell cycle at G1 phase by increasing p53 and p21 expression and decreasing cyclin E1-CDK2 complex expression. BP5 treatment dramatically activated the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-mediated apoptotic pathway, as revealed by the significantly enhanced expression of unfolded protein response (UPR) sensors (IRE1α, ATF6, PERK) as well as downstream signaling molecules (XBP-1s, eIF2α, ATF4 and CHOP), and by the significantly altered the BP5-induced phenotypic changes in IRE1, ATF6, and PERK knockdown cells. Additionally, BP5-induced ER stress was accompanied by the accumulation of cytosolic free Ca2+ and intracellular ROS. Furthermore, BP5 treatment resulted in the increase of Bax expression, the decrease of Bcl-2 expression and the reduction of ΔΨm, subsequently causing a release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria into the cytoplasm and finally enhancing the activities of caspase-9 and -3. In addition, z-VAD-fmk, a pan-caspase inhibitor, markedly rescued BP5-induced cell viability reduction and reduced BP5-induced apoptosis. Conclusions Our present results suggest that BP5 has an anticancer capacity to arrest cell cycle at G1 phase and to trigger ER stress/mitochondria-mediated caspase-dependent apoptosis in HCT116 cells. Therefore, our findings provide insight into further investigations of the anticancer activities of BP5. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12935-019-0849-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Li
- 1Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 People's Republic of China.,2Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Senile Diseases, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 People's Republic of China
| | - Tian-Xiang Li
- 3Department of Clinical Medicine, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang, 222000 People's Republic of China
| | - Yao Ma
- 1Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 People's Republic of China.,2Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Senile Diseases, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 People's Republic of China
| | - Yong Zhang
- 1Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 People's Republic of China.,2Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Senile Diseases, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 People's Republic of China
| | - De-Yuan Li
- 4Key Lab of Animal Disease Diagnosis and Immunology, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 People's Republic of China
| | - Hai-Rong Xu
- 1Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 People's Republic of China.,2Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Senile Diseases, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 People's Republic of China.,5Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for the Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 People's Republic of China
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18
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Tsuda K, Miyamoto L, Hamano S, Morimoto Y, Kangawa Y, Fukue C, Kagawa Y, Horinouchi Y, Xu W, Ikeda Y, Tamaki T, Tsuchiya K. Mechanisms of the pH- and Oxygen-Dependent Oxidation Activities of Artesunate. Biol Pharm Bull 2018; 41:555-563. [PMID: 29607928 DOI: 10.1248/bpb.b17-00855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Artemisinin was discovered in 1971 as a constituent of the wormwood genus plant (Artemisia annua). This plant has been used as an herbal medicine to treat malaria since ancient times. The compound artemisinin has a sesquiterpene lactone bearing a peroxide group that offers its biological activity. In addition to anti-malarial activity, artemisinin derivatives have been reported to exert antitumor activity in cancer cells, and have attracted attention as potential anti-cancer drugs. Mechanisms that might explain the antitumor activities of artemisinin derivatives reportedly induction of apoptosis, angiogenesis inhibitory effects, inhibition of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) activation, and direct DNA injury. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation is involved in many cases. However, little is known about the mechanism of ROS formation from artemisinin derivatives and what types of ROS are produced. Therefore, we investigated the iron-induced ROS formation mechanism by using artesunate, a water-soluble artemisinin derivative, which is thought to be the underlying mechanism involved in artesunate-mediated cell death. The ROS generated by the coexistence of iron(II), artesunate, and molecular oxygen was a hydroxyl radical or hydroxyl radical-like ROS. Artesunate can reduce iron(III) to iron(II), which enables generation of ROS irrespective of the iron valence. We found that reduction from iron(III) to iron(II) was activated in the acidic rather than the neutral region and was proportional to the hydrogen ion concentration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katsunori Tsuda
- Department of Medical Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Tokushima Graduate School
| | - Licht Miyamoto
- Department of Medical Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Tokushima Graduate School
| | - Shuichi Hamano
- Department of Cell and Immunity Analytics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Tokushima Graduate School
| | - Yuri Morimoto
- Major in Laboratory Science, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Tokushima University
| | - Yumi Kangawa
- Major in Laboratory Science, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Tokushima University
| | - Chika Fukue
- Major in Laboratory Science, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Tokushima University
| | - Yoko Kagawa
- Major in Laboratory Science, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Tokushima University
| | - Yuya Horinouchi
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Tokushima Graduate School
| | - Wenting Xu
- Department of Medical Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Tokushima Graduate School
| | - Yasumasa Ikeda
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Tokushima Graduate School
| | - Toshiaki Tamaki
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Tokushima Graduate School
| | - Koichiro Tsuchiya
- Department of Medical Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Tokushima Graduate School
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19
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Zhang Y, Xu G, Zhang S, Wang D, Saravana Prabha P, Zuo Z. Antitumor Research on Artemisinin and Its Bioactive Derivatives. NATURAL PRODUCTS AND BIOPROSPECTING 2018; 8:303-319. [PMID: 29633188 PMCID: PMC6102173 DOI: 10.1007/s13659-018-0162-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2018] [Accepted: 03/27/2018] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is the leading cause of human death which seriously threatens human life. The antimalarial drug artemisinin and its derivatives have been discovered with considerable anticancer properties. Simultaneously, a variety of target-selective artemisinin-related compounds with high efficiency have been discovered. Many researches indicated that artemisinin-related compounds have cytotoxic effects against a variety of cancer cells through pleiotropic effects, including inhibiting the proliferation of tumor cells, promoting apoptosis, inducing cell cycle arrest, disrupting cancer invasion and metastasis, preventing angiogenesis, mediating the tumor-related signaling pathways, and regulating tumor microenvironment. More importantly, artemisinins demonstrated minor side effects to normal cells and manifested the ability to overcome multidrug-resistance which is widely observed in cancer patients. Therefore, we concentrated on the new advances and development of artemisinin and its derivatives as potential antitumor agents in recent 5 years. It is our hope that this review could be helpful for further exploration of novel artemisinin-related antitumor agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunqin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Guowei Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Shuqun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Dong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - P Saravana Prabha
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Zhili Zuo
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China.
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China.
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Dihydroartemisinin suppresses pancreatic cancer cells via a microRNA-mRNA regulatory network. Oncotarget 2018; 7:62460-62473. [PMID: 27613829 PMCID: PMC5308739 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.11517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2015] [Accepted: 08/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite improvements in surgical procedures and chemotherapy, pancreatic cancer remains one of the most aggressive and fatal human malignancies, with a low 5-year survival rate of only 8%. Therefore, novel strategies for prevention and treatment are urgently needed. Here, we investigated the mechanisms underlying the anti-pancreatic cancer effects dihydroartemisinin (DHA). Microarray and systematic analysis showed that DHA suppressed proliferation, inhibited angiogenesis and promoted apoptosis in two different human pancreatic cancer cell lines, and that 5 DHA-regulated microRNAs and 11 of their target mRNAs were involved in these effects via 19 microRNA-mRNA interactions. Four of these microRNAs, 9 of the mRNAs and 17 of the interactions were experimentally verified. Furthermore, we found that the anti-pancreatic caner effects of DHA in vivo involved 4 microRNAs, 9 mRNAs and 17 microRNA-mRNA interactions. These results improve the understanding of the mechanisms by which DHA suppresses proliferation and angiogenesis and promotes apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells and indicate that DHA, an effective antimalarial drug, might improve pancreatic cancer treatments.
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21
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Zhang B, Zhang Z, Wang J, Yang B, Zhao Y, Rao Z, Gao J. Dihydroartemisinin sensitizes Lewis lung carcinoma cells to carboplatin therapy via p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase activation. Oncol Lett 2018; 15:7531-7536. [PMID: 29740482 PMCID: PMC5934725 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2018.8276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2016] [Accepted: 07/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), a semi-synthetic derivative of artemisinin isolated from the traditional Chinese herb Artemisia annua, is an effective novel antimalarial agent. Studies have suggested that it also exhibits anticancer effects when administered alone or in combination with conventional chemotherapeutic agents. The present study investigated the therapeutic effect of DHA combined with carboplatin (CBP) on Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cells and the possible underlying molecular mechanisms. MTT and clonogenic assays demonstrated that the proliferation activity of LLC cells was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by DHA combined with CBP. In addition, flow cytometry analysis revealed that cell cycle arrest was induced at the G0/G1 phase and apoptosis was induced following treatment with the combination. When administered in combination with CBP, DHA exhibited more effective anticancer activity compared with DHA or CBP used alone, via increased apoptosis. Following treatment with DHA with or without CBP, the expression of phosphorylated-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), which can be inhibited with the selective inhibitor SB202190, was detected by western blotting. To summarize, the results of the present study indicated that DHA may sensitize LLC cells to CBP therapy via the activation of p38MAPK, which suggests that a combined treatment of DHA and CBP may be a potential novel therapeutic schedule for lung adenocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bicheng Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, P.R. China
| | - Zhimin Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Wuhan General Hospital of Guangzhou Command, People's Liberation Army, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, P.R. China
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Oncology, General Hospital of Jinan Command, People's Liberation Army, Jinan, Shandong 250031, P.R. China
| | - Bo Yang
- Department of Oncology, Wuhan General Hospital of Guangzhou Command, People's Liberation Army, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, P.R. China
| | - Yong Zhao
- Department of Oncology, Wuhan General Hospital of Guangzhou Command, People's Liberation Army, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, P.R. China
| | - Zhiguo Rao
- Department of Oncology, Wuhan General Hospital of Guangzhou Command, People's Liberation Army, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, P.R. China
| | - Jianfei Gao
- Department of Oncology, Wuhan General Hospital of Guangzhou Command, People's Liberation Army, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, P.R. China
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22
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Toxicity and related mechanisms of dihydroartemisinin on porcine oocyte maturation in vitro. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2018; 341:8-15. [DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2018.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2017] [Revised: 12/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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23
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Gao X, Luo Z, Xiang T, Wang K, Li J, Wang P. Dihydroartemisinin Induces Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Mediated Apoptosis in HepG2 Human Hepatoma Cells. TUMORI JOURNAL 2018; 97:771-80. [DOI: 10.1177/030089161109700615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Aims and Background Previous studies showed that dihydroartemisinin (DHA) possessed antitumor activity in many human tumor cells through the induction of apoptosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of DHA on apoptosis in the human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2 and the possible molecular mechanisms involved. Methods The inhibitory effect of DHA on HepG2 cells was measured by MTT assay. The percentage of apoptotic cells was detected by flow cytometry with double staining of fluorescein isothiocyanate-annexin V/propidium iodide. The intracellular production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) were detected by fluorescence spectrophotometry. Protein expression of GADD153, Bcl-2 and Bax in HepG2 cells was examined by Western blot and immunocytochemistry. Results DHA significantly inhibited proliferation of HepG2 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The apoptosis rates in HepG2 cells treated with 0, 50, 100 and 200 mol/L DHA for 24 hours were 2.53 ± 0.88%, 24.85 ± 3.63%, 35.27 ± 5.92% and 48.53 ± 7.76%, respectively. Compared with the control group, DHA significantly increased ROS generation and [Ca2+]i level (P <0.05), with the generation of ROS preceding the increase in [Ca2+]i. An increase in GADD153 and Bax expression and a decrease in Bcl-2 were observed in DHA-treated cells. Pretreatment with the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine could attenuate the effects of DHA in the experiments. Conclusion DHA could inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis in HepG2 cell lines through increasing the intracellular production of ROS and [Ca2+]i. Endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis may contribute to this effect by regulating the expression of GADD153, proapoptotic Bax, and antiapoptotic Bcl-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoling Gao
- Institute of Life Science, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, PR China
| | - Ziguo Luo
- Institute of Life Science, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, PR China
| | - Tingxiu Xiang
- Molecular Oncology and Epigenetics Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, PR China
| | - Kejian Wang
- Department of Anatomy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, PR China
| | - Jian Li
- Institute of Life Science, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, PR China
| | - Pilong Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, PR China
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From ancient herb to modern drug: Artemisia annua and artemisinin for cancer therapy. Semin Cancer Biol 2017; 46:65-83. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2017.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 339] [Impact Index Per Article: 48.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2017] [Revised: 02/15/2017] [Accepted: 02/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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Song FX, Wang L, Liu H, Wang YL, Zou Y. Brain cell apoptosis inhibition by butylphthalide in Alzheimer's disease model in rats. Exp Ther Med 2017; 13:2771-2774. [PMID: 28587340 PMCID: PMC5450572 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2017.4322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2016] [Accepted: 03/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that butylphthalide protects the brain of Alzheimer's disease (AD) model rats by inhibiting apoptosis. Ninety Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into drug, control and blank groups of 30 rats in each. The rats in the drug and control groups were treated to induce AD. Then, the rats in the drug group were administered with butylphthalide daily, the rats in the AD control group were given normal saline, and the rats in the healthy group were fed routinely. All rats were sacrificed after 30 days; the brain tissues were used for testing for apoptosis by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl-transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) staining method, for determining mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), ERK and P21 protein by western blot analysis, and their cognate mRNA levels by RT-PCR. The results of the TUNEL staining indicated that apoptosis of the brain tissues of rats in the drug group was significantly less than that in the control group and blank group. The protein expression levels of MAPK in the drug group were significantly lower than that in the control group, but higher than that in the normal healthy group (P<0.05). The mRNA expression levels of MAPK in the drug group were significantly lower than those in the control group, but higher than those in the normal healthy group (P<0.05). Based on these results, butylphthalide showed a protective apoptosis-inhibition effect on the brain tissues of the AD rats and this seems to be a consequence of its inhibition of the expressions of MAPK mRNA and MAPK protein in the brain of the rat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fu-Xia Song
- Department of Neurology, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai, Shandong 264000, P.R. China
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai, Shandong 264000, P.R. China
| | - Hong Liu
- Department of Neurology, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai, Shandong 264000, P.R. China
| | - Ying-Li Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Yantai Yeda Hospital, Yantai, Shandong 264000, P.R. China
| | - Yong Zou
- Department of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai, Shandong 264000, P.R. China
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Jana S, Iram S, Thomas J, Hayat MQ, Pannecouque C, Dehaen W. Application of the Triazolization Reaction to Afford Dihydroartemisinin Derivatives with Anti-HIV Activity. Molecules 2017; 22:molecules22020303. [PMID: 28218680 PMCID: PMC6155659 DOI: 10.3390/molecules22020303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2017] [Revised: 02/10/2017] [Accepted: 02/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Artemisinin and synthetic derivatives of dihydroartemisinin are known to possess various biological activities. Post-functionalization of dihydroartemisinin with triazole heterocycles has been proven to lead to enhanced therapeutic potential. By using our newly developed triazolization strategy, a library of unexplored fused and 1,5-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole derivatives of dihydroartemisinin were synthesized in a single step. All these newly synthesized compounds were characterized and evaluated for their anti-HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) potential in MT-4 cells. Interestingly; three of the synthesized triazole derivatives of dihydroartemisinin showed activities with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values ranging from 1.34 to 2.65 µM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sampad Jana
- Molecular Design and Synthesis, Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Shabina Iram
- Department of Plant Biotechnology, Atta-Ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences (ASAB), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), H-12 Islamabad, Pakistan.
| | - Joice Thomas
- Molecular Design and Synthesis, Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Muhammad Qasim Hayat
- Department of Plant Biotechnology, Atta-Ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences (ASAB), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), H-12 Islamabad, Pakistan.
| | - Christophe Pannecouque
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Wim Dehaen
- Molecular Design and Synthesis, Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
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Artemisinin and Its Derivatives as a Repurposing Anticancer Agent: What Else Do We Need to Do? Molecules 2016; 21:molecules21101331. [PMID: 27739410 PMCID: PMC6272993 DOI: 10.3390/molecules21101331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2016] [Accepted: 09/30/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Preclinical investigation and clinical experience have provided evidence on the potential anticancer effect of artemisinin and its derivatives (ARTs) in the recent two decades. The major mechanisms of action of ARTs may be due to toxic-free radicals generated by an endoperoxide moiety, cell cycle arrest, induction of apoptosis, and inhibition of tumor angiogenesis. It is very promising that ARTs are expected to be a new class of antitumor drugs of wide spectrum due to their detailed information regarding efficacy and safety. For developing repurposed drugs, many other characteristics of ARTs should be studied, including through further investigations on possible new pathways of anticancer effects, exploration on efficient and specific drug delivery systems-especially crossing biological barriers, and obtaining sufficient data in clinical trials. The aim of this review is to highlight these achievements and propose the potential strategies to develop ARTs as a new class of cancer therapeutic agents.
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Zhang S, Shi L, Ma H, Li H, Li Y, Lu Y, Wang Q, Li W. Dihydroartemisinin induces apoptosis in human gastric cancer cell line BGC-823 through activation of JNK1/2 and p38 MAPK signaling pathways. J Recept Signal Transduct Res 2016; 37:174-180. [DOI: 10.1080/10799893.2016.1203942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shuyi Zhang
- Endoscopy Center, Tianjin Union Medicine Center, Tianjin, China
| | - Lei Shi
- Endoscopy Center, Tianjin Union Medicine Center, Tianjin, China
| | - Hongwen Ma
- Endoscopy Center, Tianjin Union Medicine Center, Tianjin, China
| | - Hongzhou Li
- Endoscopy Center, Tianjin Union Medicine Center, Tianjin, China
| | - Yanru Li
- Endoscopy Center, Tianjin Union Medicine Center, Tianjin, China
| | - Ying Lu
- Endoscopy Center, Tianjin Union Medicine Center, Tianjin, China
| | - Qiaoping Wang
- Endoscopy Center, Tianjin Union Medicine Center, Tianjin, China
| | - Wen Li
- Endoscopy Center, Tianjin Union Medicine Center, Tianjin, China
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Abstract
This report is designed to study the ability of the combined treatment with gemcitabine (Gem) and dihydroartemisinin (DHA) to induce apoptosis in a non-small-cell lung cancer cell line (A549 cells). This combination treatment synergistically inhibited cell growth by inducing apoptosis, and this synergistic action was not associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS). Although either Gem or DHA induced a significant increase in ROS generation, the combination treatment did not further enhance ROS level. Compared with single drugs, the combination treatment significantly potentiated Bak activation, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, caspase-9 and -3 activation, indicating the important role of the Bak-mediated intrinsic apoptosis pathway in the synergistic action, which was further verified by the significant prevention of the cytotoxicity of the combination treatment by inhibiting one of caspase-9, -3 and Bcl-xL or silencing Bak. In addition, the combination treatment also synergistically activated caspase-8, and inhibition of Fas and caspase-8 presented significant prevention on the cytotoxicity of the combination treatment, indicating that the Fas-caspase-8-mediated extrinsic apoptosis pathway partially participated in the synergistic action. Collectively, the present study demonstrates a strong synergistic action of the combined treatment with Gem and DHA in inducing apoptosis of A549 cells via both the Bak-mediated intrinsic pathway and the Fas-caspase-8-mediated extrinsic pathway.
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Artemisinins: Pharmacological actions beyond anti-malarial. Pharmacol Ther 2014; 142:126-39. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2013.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 309] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2013] [Accepted: 11/26/2013] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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Liu LK, Wu HF, Guo ZR, Chen XJ, Yang D, Shu YQ, Zhang JN. Targeted Efficacy of Dihydroartemisinin for Translationally Controlled Protein Expression in a Lung Cancer Model. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2014; 15:2511-5. [DOI: 10.7314/apjcp.2014.15.6.2511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
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Yoon SW, Jeong JS, Kim JH, Aggarwal BB. Cancer Prevention and Therapy: Integrating Traditional Korean Medicine Into Modern Cancer Care. Integr Cancer Ther 2013; 13:310-31. [PMID: 24282099 DOI: 10.1177/1534735413510023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In spite of billions of dollars spent on cancer research each year, overall cancer incidence and cancer survival has not changed significantly in the last half century. Instead, the recent projection from the World Health Organization suggests that global cancer incidence and death is expected to double within the next decade. This requires an "out of the box" thinking approach. While traditional medicine used for thousands of years is safe and affordable, its efficacy and mechanism of action are not fully reported. Demonstrating that traditional medicine is efficacious and how it works can provide a "bed to bench" and "bench to bed" back approach toward prevention and treatment of cancer. This current review is an attempt to describe the contributions of traditional Korean medicine (TKM) to modern medicine and, in particular, cancer treatment. TKM suggests that cancer is an outcome of an imbalance of body, mind, and spirit; thus, it requires a multimodal treatment approach that involves lifestyle modification, herbal prescription, acupuncture, moxibustion, traditional exercise, and meditation to restore the balance. Old wisdoms in combination with modern science can find a new way to deal with the "emperor of all maladies."
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Affiliation(s)
- Seong Woo Yoon
- Department of Korean Internal Medicine, Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital at Gangdong, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Soo Jeong
- Department of Korean Internal Medicine, Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital at Gangdong, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Hye Kim
- The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Bharat B Aggarwal
- The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
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Sun H, Meng X, Han J, Zhang Z, Wang B, Bai X, Zhang X. Anti-cancer activity of DHA on gastric cancer—an in vitro and in vivo study. Tumour Biol 2013; 34:3791-800. [DOI: 10.1007/s13277-013-0963-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2013] [Accepted: 06/20/2013] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
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ApoG2 induces ER stress-dependent apoptosis in gastric cancer cells in vitro and its real-time evaluation by bioluminescence imaging in vivo. Cancer Lett 2013; 336:260-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2013.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2012] [Revised: 02/17/2013] [Accepted: 03/14/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Artemisinin induces A549 cell apoptosis dominantly via a reactive oxygen species-mediated amplification activation loop among caspase-9, -8 and -3. Apoptosis 2013; 18:1201-13. [DOI: 10.1007/s10495-013-0857-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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Zhang JL, Wang Z, Hu W, Chen SS, Lou XE, Zhou HJ. DHA regulates angiogenesis and improves the efficiency of CDDP for the treatment of lung carcinoma. Microvasc Res 2013; 87:14-24. [PMID: 23466284 DOI: 10.1016/j.mvr.2013.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2012] [Revised: 02/04/2013] [Accepted: 02/21/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), a semisynthetic derivative of artemisinin, has been shown to exhibit anti-angiogenic and anti-tumor effects apart from its antimalarial activity. In this study, we demonstrate that the combined treatment of cisplatin (CDDP) and DHA exerts a strong, synergistic anti-proliferative effect in human lung carcinoma cells, including A549 and A549/DDP cells, with an average combination index below 0.7. Moreover, the in vivo anti-tumor efficacy of CDDP treatment was increased by DHA. The enhanced anti-cancer activities were also accompanied by reduced tumor microvessel density, increased CDDP concentration within A549 and A549/DDP xenograft BALB/c athymic mice models and suppressed expression of the vascularization-related proteins HIF-1α and VEGF both in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, the level of apoptosis in the tumor cells increased with the combined treatment of DHA and CDDP. Taken together, our results indicate that a combination of DHA and CDDP treatments synergistically affects tumor angiogenesis, and these results provide a clear rationale for the investigation of these drugs in future clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Li Zhang
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, People's Republic of China
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Huang M, Lu JJ, Huang MQ, Bao JL, Chen XP, Wang YT. Terpenoids: natural products for cancer therapy. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2012; 21:1801-18. [DOI: 10.1517/13543784.2012.727395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 180] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Lu WF, Chen SF, Wen ZY, Li Q, Chen JH. In vitroevaluation of efficacy of dihydroartemisinin-loaded methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)/poly(l-lactic acid) amphiphilic block copolymeric micelles. J Appl Polym Sci 2012. [DOI: 10.1002/app.38518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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Development of artemisinin compounds for cancer treatment. Invest New Drugs 2012; 31:230-46. [DOI: 10.1007/s10637-012-9873-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 155] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2012] [Accepted: 08/21/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Kong R, Jia G, Cheng ZX, Wang YW, Mu M, Wang SJ, Pan SH, Gao Y, Jiang HC, Dong DL, Sun B. Dihydroartemisinin enhances Apo2L/TRAIL-mediated apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells via ROS-mediated up-regulation of death receptor 5. PLoS One 2012; 7:e37222. [PMID: 22666346 PMCID: PMC3364248 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0037222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2011] [Accepted: 04/15/2012] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), a semi-synthetic derivative of artemisinin, has recently shown antitumor activity in various cancer cells. Apo2 ligand or tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (Apo2L/TRAIL) is regarded as a promising anticancer agent, but chemoresistance affects its efficacy as a treatment strategy. Apoptosis induced by the combination of DHA and Apo2L/TRAIL has not been well documented, and the mechanisms involved remain unclear. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Here, we report that DHA enhances the efficacy of Apo2L/TRAIL for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. We found that combined therapy using DHA and Apo2L/TRAIL significantly enhanced apoptosis in BxPC-3 and PANC-1 cells compared with single-agent treatment in vitro. The effect of DHA was mediated through the generation of reactive oxygen species, the induction of death receptor 5 (DR5) and the modulation of apoptosis-related proteins. However, N-acetyl cysteine significantly reduced the enhanced apoptosis observed with the combination of DHA and Apo2L/TRAIL. In addition, knockdown of DR5 by small interfering RNA also significantly reduced the amount of apoptosis induced by DHA and Apo2L/TRAIL. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE These results suggest that DHA enhances Apo2L/TRAIL-mediated apoptosis in human pancreatic cancer cells through reactive oxygen species-mediated up-regulation of DR5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Kong
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People's Republic of China
| | - Guang Jia
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhuo-xin Cheng
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People's Republic of China
| | - Yong-wei Wang
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People's Republic of China
| | - Ming Mu
- Department of Biology, School of Agriculture and Life Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Shuang-jia Wang
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People's Republic of China
| | - Shang-ha Pan
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People's Republic of China
| | - Yue Gao
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong-chi Jiang
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People's Republic of China
| | - De-li Dong
- Department of Pharmacology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Bei Sun
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People's Republic of China
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Zhang CZ, Zhang H, Yun J, Chen GG, Lai PBS. Dihydroartemisinin exhibits antitumor activity toward hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro and in vivo. Biochem Pharmacol 2012; 83:1278-89. [PMID: 22342732 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2012.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2012] [Revised: 01/31/2012] [Accepted: 02/01/2012] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), a semi-synthetic derivative of artemisinin isolated from the traditional Chinese herb Artemisia annua L., has been shown to exhibit inhibitory effects on human cancer cells. However, its antitumor ability toward hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been studied. In this study, we demonstrated that DHA significantly inhibited HCC cell growth in vitro and in vivo via inducing G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. The induction of p21 and the inhibition of cyclin B and CDC25C contributed to DHA-induced G2/M arrest. DHA-induced apoptosis was associated with mitochondrial membrane depolarization, release of cytochrome c, activation of caspases, and DNA fragmentation. Activation of caspase 9 and caspase 3, but not caspase 8, was detected in DHA-treated cells. Attenuation of apoptosis in cells pretreated with Z-VAD-FMK suggested the involvement of caspase cascade. Furthermore, p53 facilitated apoptosis caused by DHA. Bcl-2 family proteins were also responsible for DHA-induced apoptosis. DHA exposure decreased Mcl-1 expression but increased the levels of Noxa and active Bak. Bak was released from the Mcl-1/Bak complex due to the decline of Mcl-1. Further study revealed that Mcl-1 was rapidly degraded in DHA-treated cells and that DHA-induced apoptosis was largely inhibited by overexpression of Mcl-1 or RNAi-mediated decrease of Bak and Noxa. In a HCC-xenograft mouse model, the intraperitoneal injection of DHA resulted in significant inhibition of HCC xenograft tumors. Taken together, our data, for the first time, demonstrate the potential antitumor activity of DHA in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Zhiyi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China; Department of Pathology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China; Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong
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Jeong SJ, Koh W, Kim B, Kim SH. Are there new therapeutic options for treating lung cancer based on herbal medicines and their metabolites? JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2011; 138:652-661. [PMID: 22032843 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2011.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2011] [Revised: 10/10/2011] [Accepted: 10/11/2011] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED ETHONOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Lung cancer is one of the most lethal cancers in terms of mortality and incidence worldwide. Despite intensive research and investigation, treatment of lung cancer is still unsatisfactory due to adverse effects and multidrug resistance. Recently, herbal drugs have been recognized as one of attractive approaches for lung cancer therapy with little side effects. Furthermore, there are evidences that various herbal medicines have proven to be useful and effective in sensitizing conventional agents, prolonging survival time, preventing side effects of chemotherapy, and improving quality of life (QoL) in lung cancer patients. AIM AND METHODS OF THE STUDY Nevertheless, the underlying molecular targets and efficacy of herbal medicines in lung cancer treatment still remain unclear. Thus, we reviewed traditionally used herbal medicines and their phytochemicals with antitumor activity against lung cancer from peer-reviewed papers through Scientific Database Medline, Scopus and Google scholar. CONCLUSIONS We suggest that herbal medicines and phytochemicals can be useful anti-cancer agents for lung cancer treatment by targeting molecular signaling involved in the regulation of angiogenesis, metastasis and severe side effects, only provided quality control and reproducibility issues were solved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soo-Jin Jeong
- Cancer Preventive Material Development Research Center, College of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Antitumor activity of artemisinin and its derivatives: from a well-known antimalarial agent to a potential anticancer drug. J Biomed Biotechnol 2011; 2012:247597. [PMID: 22174561 PMCID: PMC3228295 DOI: 10.1155/2012/247597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 234] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2011] [Accepted: 08/29/2011] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Improvement of quality of life and survival of cancer patients will be greatly enhanced by the development of highly effective drugs to selectively kill malignant cells. Artemisinin and its analogs are naturally occurring antimalarials which have shown potent anticancer activity. In primary cancer cultures and cell lines, their antitumor actions were by inhibiting cancer proliferation, metastasis, and angiogenesis. In xenograft models, exposure to artemisinins substantially reduces tumor volume and progression. However, the rationale for the use of artemisinins in anticancer therapy must be addressed by a greater understanding of the underlying mechanisms involved in their cytotoxic effects. The primary targets for artemisinin and the chemical base for its preferential effects on heterologous tumor cells need yet to be elucidated. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the recent advances and new development of this class of drugs as potential anticancer agents.
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Decrock E, Vinken M, Bol M, D'Herde K, Rogiers V, Vandenabeele P, Krysko DV, Bultynck G, Leybaert L. Calcium and connexin-based intercellular communication, a deadly catch? Cell Calcium 2011; 50:310-21. [PMID: 21621840 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceca.2011.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2011] [Revised: 05/03/2011] [Accepted: 05/05/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Ca(2+) is known as a universal messenger mediating a wide variety of cellular processes, including cell death. In fact, this ion has been proposed as the 'cell death master', not only at the intracellular but also at the intercellular level. The most direct form of intercellular spread of cell death is mediated by gap junction channels. These channels have been shown to propagate cell death as well as cell survival signals between the cytoplasm of neighbouring cells, reflecting the dual role of Ca(2+) signals, i.e. cell death versus survival. Its precursor, the unopposed hemichannel (half of a gap junction channel), has recently joined in as a toxic pore connecting the intracellular with the extracellular environment and allowing the passage of a range of substances. The biochemical nature of the so-called intercellular cell death molecule, transferred through gap junctions or released/taken up via hemichannels, remains elusive but several studies pinpoint Ca(2+) itself or its messenger inositol trisphosphate as the responsible masters in crime. Although direct evidence is still lacking, indirect data including Ca(2+) involvement in intercellular communication and cell death, and effects of intercellular communication on intracellular Ca(2+) homeostasis, support this hypothesis. In addition, hemichannels and their molecular building blocks, connexin or pannexin proteins, may exert their effects on Ca(2+)-dependent cell death at the intracellular level, independently from their channel functions. This review provides a cutting edge overview of the current knowledge and underscores the intimate connection between intercellular communication, Ca(2+) signalling and cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elke Decrock
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences - Physiology Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
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Wang SJ, Sun B, Cheng ZX, Zhou HX, Gao Y, Kong R, Chen H, Jiang HC, Pan SH, Xue DB, Bai XW. Dihydroartemisinin inhibits angiogenesis in pancreatic cancer by targeting the NF-κB pathway. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2011; 68:1421-30. [PMID: 21479633 DOI: 10.1007/s00280-011-1643-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2011] [Accepted: 03/26/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Dihydroartemisinin (DHA) has recently shown antitumor activity in human pancreatic cancer cells. However, its effect on antiangiogenic activity in pancreatic cancer is unknown, and the mechanism is unclear. This study was aimed to investigate whether DHA would inhibit angiogenesis in human pancreatic cancer. METHODS Cell viability and proliferation, tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), nuclear factor (NF)-κB DNA-binding activity, expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin (IL)-8, cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 were examined in vitro. The effect of DHA on antiangiogenic activity in pancreatic cancer was also assessed using BxPC-3 xenografts subcutaneously established in BALB/c nude mice. RESULTS DHA inhibited cell proliferation and tube formation of HUVECs in a time- and dose-dependent manner and also reduced cell viability in pancreatic cancer cells. DHA significantly inhibited NF-κB DNA-binding activity, so as to tremendously decrease the expression of NF-κB-targeted proangiogenic gene products: VEGF, IL-8, COX-2, and MMP-9 in vitro. In vivo studies, DHA remarkably reduced tumor volume, decreased microvessel density, and down-regulated the expression of NF-κB-related proangiogenic gene products. CONCLUSIONS Inhibition of NF-κB activation is one of the mechanisms that DHA inhibits angiogenesis in human pancreatic cancer. We also suggest that DHA could be developed as a novel agent against pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang-Jia Wang
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 23 Youzheng Str, Nangang, Harbin, People's Republic of China
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Popescu R, Heiss EH, Ferk F, Peschel A, Knasmueller S, Dirsch VM, Krupitza G, Kopp B. Ikarugamycin induces DNA damage, intracellular calcium increase, p38 MAP kinase activation and apoptosis in HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cells. Mutat Res 2011; 709-710:60-6. [PMID: 21392513 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2011.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2010] [Revised: 02/28/2011] [Accepted: 03/02/2011] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Ikarugamycin (IKA) is an antibiotic with strong antiprotozoal and cytotoxic activity. The purpose of our work was to provide insight into the mechanism of action characterizing the cytotoxic effect of IKA in HL-60 leukemia cells in order to evaluate its potential as an antineoplastic agent. Cell viability was reduced in response to IKA (IC(50) of 221.3nM), while the amount of HL-60 cells with a subdiploid DNA content increased significantly after 24h. Apoptotic cell death was confirmed by the cleavage of caspase-9, -8 and -3 using immunoblotting. Single cell gel electrophoresis pointed to an early genotoxic effect. Monitoring of intracellular calcium ([Ca(2+)](i)) levels by flow cytometric analysis of Fluo-3-AM fluorescence indicated an increase in cytosolic calcium that correlated with the cleavage of caspases. In addition, IKA triggered the activation of p38 MAP kinase which was partly dependent on elevated [Ca(2+)](i) concentrations and contributed to caspase activation. The data demonstrate that IKA induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells through genotoxicity and caspase activation which was in part correlated to an increase in intracellular calcium levels and activation of p38 MAP kinase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruxandra Popescu
- Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
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Aditya N, Patankar S, Madhusudhan B, Murthy R, Souto E. Arthemeter-loaded lipid nanoparticles produced by modified thin-film hydration: Pharmacokinetics, toxicological and in vivo anti-malarial activity. Eur J Pharm Sci 2010; 40:448-55. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2010.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2010] [Accepted: 05/09/2010] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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The anti-cancer activity of dihydroartemisinin is associated with induction of iron-dependent endoplasmic reticulum stress in colorectal carcinoma HCT116 cells. Invest New Drugs 2010; 29:1276-83. [PMID: 20607588 DOI: 10.1007/s10637-010-9481-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2010] [Accepted: 06/15/2010] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), the main active metabolite of artemisinin derivatives, is among the artemisinin derivatives possessing potent anti-malarial and anti-cancer activities. In the present study, we found that DHA displayed significant anti-proliferative activity in human colorectal carcinoma HCT116 cells, which may be attributed to its induction of G1 phase arrest and apoptosis. To further elucidate the mechanism of action of DHA, a proteomic study employed two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was performed. Glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), which is related with endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER stress), was identified to be significantly up-regulated after DHA treatment. Further study demonstrated that DHA enhanced expression of GRP78 as well as growth arrest and DNA-damage-inducible gene 153 (GADD153, another ER stress-associated molecule) at both mRNA and protein levels. DHA treatment also led to accumulation of GADD153 in cell nucleus. Moreover, pretreatment of HCT116 cells with the iron chelator deferoxamine mesylate salt (DFO) abrogated induction of GRP78 and GADD153 upon DHA treatment, indicating iron is required for DHA-induced ER stress. This result is consistent with the fact that the anti-proliferative activity of DHA is also mediated by iron. We thus suggest the unbalance of redox may result in DHA-induced ER stress, which may contribute, at least in part, to its anti-cancer activity.
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Orellana JA, Hernández DE, Ezan P, Velarde V, Bennett MVL, Giaume C, Sáez JC. Hypoxia in high glucose followed by reoxygenation in normal glucose reduces the viability of cortical astrocytes through increased permeability of connexin 43 hemichannels. Glia 2010; 58:329-43. [PMID: 19705457 DOI: 10.1002/glia.20926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Brain ischemia causes more extensive injury in hyperglycemic than normoglycemic subjects, and the increased damage is to astroglia as well as neurons. In the present work, we found that in cortical astrocytes from rat or mouse, reoxygenation after hypoxia in a medium mimicking interstitial fluid during ischemia increases hemichannel activity and decreases cell-cell communication via gap junctions as indicated by dye uptake and dye coupling, respectively. These effects were potentiated by high glucose during the hypoxia in a concentration-dependent manner (and by zero glucose) and were not observed in connexin 43(-/-) astrocytes. The responses were transient and persistent after short and long periods of hypoxia, respectively. The persistent responses were associated with a progressive reduction in cell viability that was prevented by La(3+) or peptides that block connexin 43 (Cx43) hemichannels or by inhibition of p38 MAP kinase prior to hypoxia-reoxygenation but not by treatments that block pannexin hemichannels. Block of Cx43 hemichannels did not affect the reduction in gap junction mediated dye coupling observed during reoxygenation. Cx43 hemichannels may be a novel therapeutic target to reduce cell death following stroke, particularly in hyperglycemic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan A Orellana
- Departamento de Ciencias Fisiológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Alameda 340, Santiago, Chile.
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