(E)-2,4-Bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butenal inhibits tumor growth via suppression of NF-κB and induction of death receptor 6

(E)-2-methoxy-4-(3-(4-methoxyphenyl)prop-1-en-1-yl)phenol alleviates inflammatory responses in LPS-induced mice liver sepsis through inhibition of STAT3 phosphorylation

Sepsis is a life-threatening disease with limited treatment options, and the inflammatory process represents an important factor affecting its progression. Many studies have demonstrated the critical roles of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) in sepsis pathophysiology and pro-inflammatory responses. Inhibition of STAT3 activity may therefore represent a promising treatment option for sepsis. We here used a mouse model to demonstrate that (E)-2-methoxy-4-(3-(4-methoxyphenyl)prop-1-en-1-yl)phenol (MMPP) treatment prevented the liver sepsis-related mortality induced by 30 mg/kg lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment and reduced LPS-induced increase in alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, and lactate dehydrogenase levels, all of which are markers of liver sepsis progression. These recovery effects were associated with decreased LPS-induced STAT3, p65, and JAK1 phosphorylation and proinflammatory cytokine (interleukin 1 beta, interleukin 6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha) level; expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and induced nitric oxide synthase were also reduced by MMPP. In an in vitro study using the normal liver cell line THLE-2, MMPP treatment prevented the LPS-induced increase of STAT3, p65, and JAK1 phosphorylation and inflammatory protein expression in a dose-dependent manner, and this effect was enhanced by combination treatment with MMPP and STAT3 inhibitor. The results clearly indicate that MMPP treatment prevents LPS-induced mortality by inhibiting the inflammatory response via STAT3 activity inhibition. Thus, MMPP represents a novel agent for alleviating LPS-induced liver sepsis.

Eco-friendly green synthesis of silver nanoparticles and their potential applications as antioxidant and anticancer agents

Eco-friendly green synthesis of nanoparticles using medicinal plants gained immense importance due to its potential therapeutic uses. In the current study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using water extract of Jurinea dolomiaea leaf and root at room temperature. MTT assay was used to study anticancer potential of AgNPs against cervical cancer cell line (HeLa), breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7), and mouse embryonic fibroblast (NIH-3 T3) cell line for toxicity evaluation. The antioxidant potential was evaluated using stable DPPH radicals. In addition, the apoptotic nuclear changes prompted by AgNPs in more susceptible HeLa cells were observed using fluorescence microscope through DAPI and PI staining. Physiochemical properties of biosynthesized AgNPs were characterized using various techniques. AgNPs were formed in very short time and UV-vis spectra showed characteristic absorption peak of AgNPs. SEM and TEM showed spherical shape of AgNPs and XRD revealed their crystalline nature. EDX analysis revealed high percentage of silver in green synthesized AgNPs. FTIR analysis indicated involvement of secondary metabolites in fabrication of AgNPs. In vitro cytotoxic and antioxidant study revealed that herb and biosynthesized AgNPs exhibited significant dose-dependent and time-dependent anticancer and antioxidant potential. Furthermore, study on normal cell line and microscopic analysis of apoptosis revealed that AgNPs exhibited good safety profile as compared to cisplatin and induces significant apoptosis effect. Based on the current findings, it is strongly believe that use of J. dolomiaea offers large scale production of biocompatible AgNPs that can be used as alternative anticancer agents against cancer cell lines tested.

Detailed investigation of anticancer activity of sulfamoyl benz(sulfon)amides and 1H-pyrazol-4-yl benzamides: An experimental and computational study

Cancer is the second leading cause of mortality worldwide. Therapeutic approach to cancer is a multi-faceted one, whereby many cellular/enzymatic pathways have been discovered as important drug targets for the treatment of cancer. A major disadvantage of most of the currently available anticancer drugs is their non-selective cytotoxicity towards cancerous as well as healthy cells. Another major hurdle in cancer therapy is the development of resistance to anticancer drugs. This necessitates the discovery of new molecules with potent and selective cytotoxic activity towards only cancerous cells, with minimum or no damage to the normal/healthy cells. Herein we report detailed investigation into the anticancer activity of sulfamoyl benz(sulfon)amides (1a-1g, 2a-2k) and 1H-pyrazol-4-yl benzamides (3a-3j) against three cancer cell lines, breast cancer cells (MCF-7), bone-marrow cancer cells (K-562) and cervical cancer cells (HeLa). For comparison, screening against healthy baby hamster kidney cells (BHK-21) was carried out. All compounds exhibited selective cytotoxicity towards cancerous cells. Cell cycle analysis was carried out using flow cytometry, followed by fluorescence microscopic analysis. DNA interaction and docking studies were also carried out.

A small molecule, (E)-2-methoxy-4-(3-(4-methoxyphenyl) prop-1-en-1-yl) phenol suppresses tumor growth via inhibition of IkappaB kinase β in colorectal cancer in vivo and in vitro

Here we report that a novel synthesized compound (E)-2-methoxy-4-(3-(4-methoxyphenyl)prop-1-en-1-yl)phenol (MMPP) which exhibits better stability, drug-likeness and anti-cancer effect than (E)-2,4-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butenal (BHPB) that we previously reported. Of all newly synthesized BHPB analogues, MMPP showed the most significant inhibitory effect on colon cancer cell growth. Thus, we evaluated the anti-cancer effects and possible mechanisms of MMPP in vitro and in vivo. MMPP treatment (0-15 μg/mL) induced apoptotic cell death and enhanced the expression of cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-8 in a concentration dependent manner. Notably, the expression of death receptor (DR)5 and DR6 was significantly increased by MMPP treatment. Moreover, DR5 siRNA or DR6 siRNA transfection partially abolished MMPP-induced cell growth inhibition. Pull down assay and docking experiment showed that MMPP bound directly to IkappaB kinase β (IKKβ). It was noteworthy that IKKβ mutant (C99S) partially abolished MMPP-induced cell growth inhibition and enhanced expression of DR5 and DR6. In addition, MMPP enhanced TRAIL-induced apoptosis, cell growth inhibition and expression of DRs. In xenograft mice model, MMPP (2.5-5 mg/kg) suppressed tumor growth in a dose dependent manner. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that the expression levels of DR5 and DR6 and active caspase-3 were increased while the expression levels of PCNA and p-IKKβ were decreased in a dose dependent manner. Thus, MMPP may be a promising anti-cancer agent in colon cancer treatment.

(E)-2-methoxy-4-(3-(4-methoxyphenyl)prop-1-en-1-yl)phenol suppresses ovarian cancer cell growth via inhibition of ERK and STAT3

In the present study, we synthesized several non-aldehyde analogues of (E)-2,4-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butenal which showed anti-cancer effect. Interestingly, among the 16 compounds, we found that (E)-2-methoxy-4-(3-(4-methoxyphenyl)prop-1-en-1-yl)phenol (MMPP) showed the most significant anti-proliferative effect on PA-1 and SK-OV-3 ovarian epithelial cancer cells. MMPP treatment (0-15 µg/mL) induced apoptotic cell death, enhanced the expression of cleaved caspase-3, and cleaved caspase-9 in a concentration dependent manner. Notably, DNA binding activity of STAT3, phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 was significantly decreased by MMPP treatment. However, ERK siRNA augmented MMPP-induced inhibitory effect on cell growth rather than p38 siRNA or JNK siRNA. Moreover, combination treatment of MMPP with ERK inhibitor U0126 (10 µM) augmented MMPP-induced inhibitory effect on cell growth and DNA binding activity of STAT3, and enhanced expression of cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-9. In addition, STAT3 siRNA transfection augmented MMPP-induced cell growth inhibition. In PA-1 bearing xenograft mice model, MMPP (5 mg/kg) suppressed tumor growth significantly. Immunohistochemistry staining showed that the expression levels of p-ERK, PCNA, p-STAT3 were decreased while the expression level of caspase-3 was increased by MMPP treatment. Thus, MMPP may be a promising anti-cancer agent in ovarian epithelial cancer treatment.

Lysophosphatidic Acid Triggers Apoptosis in HeLa Cells through the Upregulation of Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily Member 21

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), a naturally occurring bioactive phospholipid, activates G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), leading to regulation of diverse cellular events including cell survival and apoptosis. Despite extensive studies of the signaling pathways that mediate LPA-regulated cell growth and survival, the mechanisms underlying the apoptotic effect of LPA remain largely unclear. In this study, we investigated this issue in HeLa cells. Our data demonstrate that LPA induces apoptosis in HeLa cells at pathologic concentrations with a concomitant upregulation of the expression of TNFRSF21 (tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 21), also known as death receptor number 6 (DR6) involved in inflammation. Moreover, treatment of cells with LPA receptor (LPAR) antagonist abolished the DR6 upregulation by LPA. LPA-induced DR6 expression was also abrogated by pertussis toxin (PTX), an inhibitor of GPCRs, and by inhibitors of PI3K, PKC, MEK, and ERK. Intriguingly, LPA-induced DR6 expression was specifically blocked by dominant-negative form of PKCδ (PKCδ-DN). LPA-induced DR6 expression was also dramatically inhibited by knockdown of ERK or CREB. These results suggest that activation of the MEK/ERK pathway and the transcription factor CREB mediate LPA-induced DR6 expression. More interestingly, knockdown of DR6 using siRNA approach remarkably attenuated LPA-induced apoptosis. In conclusion, our results suggest that LPA-induced apoptosis in HeLa cells is mediated by the upregulation of DR6 expression.

Novel synthetic (E)-2-methoxy-4-(3-(4-methoxyphenyl) prop-1-en-1-yl) phenol inhibits arthritis by targeting signal transducer and activator of transcription 3

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a severely debilitating chronic autoimmune disease that leads to long-term joint damage. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3)-targeted small molecules have shown promise as therapeutic drugs for treating RA. We previously identified (E)-2,4-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butenal (BHPB), a tyrosine-fructose Maillard reaction product, as a small molecule with potent anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic properties, mediated through the inhibition of STAT3 activation. The aim of this study was to develop a novel BHPH derivative with improved anti-arthritic properties and drug-likeness. We designed and synthesised (E)-2-methoxy-4-(3-(4-methoxyphenyl) prop-1-en-1-yl) phenol (MMPP), a novel synthetic BHPB analogue, and investigated its anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic activities in experimentally-induced RA. We showed that MMPP strongly inhibited pro-inflammatory responses by inhibiting in vitro STAT3 activation and its downstream signalling in murine macrophages and human synoviocytes from patients with RA. Furthermore, we demonstrated that MMPP exhibited potent anti-arthritic activity in a collagen antibody-induced arthritis (CAIA) mouse model in vivo. Collectively, our results suggest that MMPP has great potential for use in the treatment of RA.

Anti-cancer effect of bee venom on colon cancer cell growth by activation of death receptors and inhibition of nuclear factor kappa B

Bee venom (BV) has been used as a traditional medicine to treat arthritis, rheumatism, back pain, cancerous tumors, and skin diseases. However, the effects of BV on the colon cancer and their action mechanisms have not been reported yet. We used cell viability assay and soft agar colony formation assay for testing cell viability, electro mobility shift assay for detecting DNA binding activity of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and Western blotting assay for detection of apoptosis regulatory proteins. We found that BV inhibited growth of colon cancer cells through induction of apoptosis. We also found that the expression of death receptor (DR) 4, DR5, p53, p21, Bax, cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-8, and cleaved caspase-9 was increased by BV treatment in a dose dependent manner (0–5 μg/ml). Consistent with cancer cell growth inhibition, the DNA binding activity of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) was also inhibited by BV treatment. Besides, we found that BV blocked NF-κB activation by directly binding to NF-κB p50 subunit. Moreover, combination treatment with BV and p50 siRNA or NF-κB inhibitor augmented BV-induced cell growth inhibition. However, p50 mutant plasmid (C62S) transfection partially abolished BV-induced cell growth inhibiton. In addition, BV significantly suppressed tumor growth in vivo. Therefore, these results suggested that BV could inhibit colon cancer cell growth, and these anti-proliferative effects may be related to the induction of apoptosis by activation of DR4 and DR5 and inhibition of NF-κB.

(E)-4-(3-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)allyl)-2-methoxyphenol inhibits growth of colon tumors in mice

In our previous study, we found that (E)-2,4-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butenal showed anti-cancer effect, but it showed lack of stability and drug likeness. We have prepared several (E)-2,4-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butenal analogues by Heck reaction. We selected two compounds which showed significant inhibitory effect of colon cancer cell growth. Thus, we evaluated the anti-cancer effects and possible mechanisms of one compound (E)-4-(3-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)allyl)-2-methoxyphenol in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we found that (E)-4-(3-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)allyl)-2-methoxyphenol induced apoptotic cell death in a dose dependent manner (0-15 μg/ml) through activation of Fas and death receptor (DR) 3 in HCT116 and SW480 colon cancer cell lines. Moreover, the combination treatment with (E)-4-(3-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)allyl)-2-methoxyphenol and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) inhibitor, phenylarsine oxide (0.1 μM) or signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) inhibitor, Stattic (50 μM) increased the expression of Fas and DR3 more significantly. In addition, (E)-4-(3-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)allyl)-2-methoxyphenol suppressed the DNA binding activity of both STAT3 and NF-κB. Knock down of STAT3 or NF-κB p50 subunit by STAT3 small interfering RNA (siRNA) or p50 siRNA magnified (E)-4-(3-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)allyl)-2-methoxyphenol-induced inhibitory effect on colon cancer cell growth. Besides, the expression of Fas and DR3 was increased in STAT3 siRNA or p50 siRNA transfected cells. Moreover, docking model and pull-down assay showed that (E)-4-(3-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)allyl)-2-methoxyphenol directly bound to STAT3 and NF-κB p50 subunit. Furthermore, (E)-4-(3-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)allyl)-2-methoxyphenol inhibited colon tumor growth in a dose dependent manner (2.5 mg/kg-5 mg/kg) in mice. Therefore, these findings indicated that (E)-4-(3-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)allyl)-2-methoxyphenol may be a promising anti-cancer agent for colon cancer with more advanced research.

Piperlongumine inhibits lung tumor growth via inhibition of nuclear factor kappa B signaling pathway

Piperlongumine has anti-cancer activity in numerous cancer cell lines via various signaling pathways. But there has been no study regarding the mechanisms of PL on the lung cancer yet. Thus, we evaluated the anti-cancer effects and possible mechanisms of PL on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells in vivo and in vitro. Our findings showed that PL induced apoptotic cell death and suppressed the DNA binding activity of NF-κB in a concentration dependent manner (0-15 μM) in NSCLC cells. Docking model and pull down assay showed that PL directly binds to the DNA binding site of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p50 subunit, and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis showed that PL binds to p50 concentration-dependently. Moreover, co-treatment of PL with NF-κB inhibitor phenylarsine oxide (0.1 μM) or p50 siRNA (100 nM) augmented PL-induced inhibitory effect on cell growth and activation of Fas and DR4. Notably, co-treatment of PL with p50 mutant plasmid (C62S) partially abolished PL-induced cell growth inhibition and decreased the enhanced expression of Fas and DR4. In xenograft mice model, PL (2.5-5 mg/kg) suppressed tumor growth of NSCLC dose-dependently. Therefore, these results indicated that PL could inhibit lung cancer cell growth via inhibition of NF-κB signaling pathway in vitro and in vivo.

Anticancer effect of tectochrysin in colon cancer cell via suppression of NF-kappaB activity and enhancement of death receptor expression

Background

Flavonoids are a diverse family of natural phenolic compounds commonly found in fruits and vegetables. Epidemiologic studies showed that flavonoids also reduce the risk of colon cancer. Tectochrysin is one of the major flavonoids of Alpinia oxyphylla Miquel. However, the anti-cancer effects and the molecular mechanisms of tectochrysin in colon cancer cells have not yet been reported. We investigated whether tectochrysin could inhibit colon cancer cell growth at 1, 5, 10 μg/ml. In in vivo study, we injected a tectochrysin treatment dose of 5 mg/kg to each mouse.

Results

Tectochrysin suppressed the growth of SW480 and HCT116 human colon cancer cells. The expression of DR3, DR4 and Fas were significantly increased, and pro-apoptotic proteins were also increased. Tectochrysin treatment also inhibited activity of NF-κB. A docking model indicated that tectochrysin binds directly to the p50 unit. In in vivo, tumor weights and volumes in mice were reduced when treated with tectochrysin. Tectochrysin leads to apoptotic cell death in colon cancer cells through activation of death receptors expression via the inhibition of NF-κB.

Conclusions

Tectochrysin can be a useful agent for the treatment of colon cancer cell growth as well as an adjuvant agent for chemo-resistant cancer cells growth.