Oxyphenbutazone promotes cytotoxicity in rats and Hep3B cellsvia suppression of PGE2 and deactivation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Gut Microbiota, Deranged Immunity, and Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Liver cancer, particularly hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is a significant gastrointestinal disease with a mortality rate as high as nearly 80% within five years. The disease's pathophysiology involves deranged immune responses and bile acid metabolism, with the gut microbiota (GM) playing a crucial role. Recent research highlights the potential of GM in influencing HCC treatment outcomes, especially regarding immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). However, few patients currently benefit from ICIs due to a lack of effective response biomarkers.

AIMS AND METHODS

This review aimed to explore the literature on HCC treatment issues, focusing on immune response, bile acid metabolism, and GM dysbiosis. This review included studies from PubMed, Medline, and major gastroenterology and hepatology meetings, using keywords like gut microbiota, immune system, liver cancer, and checkpoint inhibitors.

RESULTS

GM dysbiosis significantly impacts immune response and bile acid metabolism, making it a promising biomarker for ICI response. Modulating GM can enhance ICI treatment efficacy, although more research is needed to confirm its direct therapeutic benefits for HCC.

CONCLUSIONS

GM dysbiosis is integral to liver cancer pathogenesis and treatment response. Its modulation offers promising therapeutic avenues for improving HCC prognosis and response to immunotherapy.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Current Drug Therapeutic Status, Advances and Challenges

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common form of liver cancer, accounting for ~90% of liver neoplasms. It is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths and the seventh most common cancer worldwide. Although there have been rapid developments in the treatment of HCC over the past decade, the incidence and mortality rates of HCC remain a challenge. With the widespread use of the hepatitis B vaccine and antiviral therapy, the etiology of HCC is shifting more toward metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). Early-stage HCC can be treated with potentially curative strategies such as surgical resection, liver transplantation, and radiofrequency ablation, improving long-term survival. However, most HCC patients, when diagnosed, are already in the intermediate or advanced stages. Molecular targeted therapy, followed by immune checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy, has been a revolution in HCC systemic treatment. Systemic treatment of HCC especially for patients with compromised liver function is still a challenge due to a significant resistance to immune checkpoint blockade, tumor heterogeneity, lack of oncogenic addiction, and lack of effective predictive and therapeutic biomarkers.

Oxyphenbutazone ameliorates carfilzomib induced cardiotoxicity in rats via inhibition of oxidative free radical burst and NF-κB/IκB-α pathway

Carfilzomib (CFZ), a chemotherapeutic agent used for multiple myeloma treatments reported to cause high incidence of cardiac events either new onset and/or exacerbate formerly diagnosed heart failure with ventricular and myocardial dysfunction. Purpose: Current research designed to explore and examine the preventive effect of oxyphenbutazone in the CFZ -instigated cardiotoxicity. Methodology: Female Wistar Rats weighing 200-250 g selected randomly and grouped as follows: Group 1 designated as the Normal control and receive normal saline only. Group 2 served toxic control and exposed to CFZ (4 mg/kg, intraperitoneally [i.p.]). Group 3 & 4 served as treatment groups and administered with CFZ concomitantly orally fed with oxyphenbutazone at doses of 35 and 70 mg/kg/three times a week, respectively. The total duration of experimental protocol was of 21 days. After completion of the experiments animals subjected to blood collection using light ether anesthesia and serum was separated for biochemical analysis further. The serum levels of Mg+2, Ca+2 and cardiac enzymes (aspartate transaminase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK) and creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) levels were estimated. Later animals sacrificed and heart tissue isolated for further examinations. Intracellular proteins NFkB and IkBα were estimated by western blot. Results: The serum analysis revealed that CFZ administration significantly elevated the levels of LDH, CK and CKMB in CFZ exposed animals when compared to normal animals while administration of oxyphenbutazone significantly reduced these biochemical changes, Intracellular antioxidant enzymes and NF-kB in treatment groups as compared to disease control animals. Conclusion: Findings of the research protocol suggests significant injuries to cardiac tissues when animals exposed to CFZ and Oxyphenbutazone protected the cardiac tissues.

Nuclear size rectification: A potential new therapeutic approach to reduce metastasis in cancer

Research on metastasis has recently regained considerable interest with the hope that single cell technologies might reveal the most critical changes that support tumor spread. However, it is possible that part of the answer has been visible through the microscope for close to 200 years. Changes in nuclear size characteristically occur in many cancer types when the cells metastasize. This was initially discarded as contributing to the metastatic spread because, depending on tumor types, both increases and decreases in nuclear size could correlate with increased metastasis. However, recent work on nuclear mechanics and the connectivity between chromatin, the nucleoskeleton, and the cytoskeleton indicate that changes in this connectivity can have profound impacts on cell mobility and invasiveness. Critically, a recent study found that reversing tumor type-dependent nuclear size changes correlated with reduced cell migration and invasion. Accordingly, it seems appropriate to now revisit possible contributory roles of nuclear size changes to metastasis.

Chemical Interrogation of Nuclear Size Identifies Compounds with Cancer Cell Line-Specific Effects on Migration and Invasion

Background: Lower survival rates for many cancer types correlate with changes in nuclear size/scaling in a tumor-type/tissue-specific manner. Hypothesizing that such changes might confer an advantage to tumor cells, we aimed at the identification of commercially available compounds to guide further mechanistic studies. We therefore screened for Food and Drug Administration (FDA)/European Medicines Agency (EMA)-approved compounds that reverse the direction of characteristic tumor nuclear size changes in PC3, HCT116, and H1299 cell lines reflecting, respectively, prostate adenocarcinoma, colonic adenocarcinoma, and small-cell squamous lung cancer. Results: We found distinct, largely nonoverlapping sets of compounds that rectify nuclear size changes for each tumor cell line. Several classes of compounds including, e.g., serotonin uptake inhibitors, cyclo-oxygenase inhibitors, β-adrenergic receptor agonists, and Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase inhibitors, displayed coherent nuclear size phenotypes focused on a particular cell line or across cell lines and treatment conditions. Several compounds from classes far afield from current chemotherapy regimens were also identified. Seven nuclear size-rectifying compounds selected for further investigation all inhibited cell migration and/or invasion. Conclusions: Our study provides (a) proof of concept that nuclear size might be a valuable target to reduce cell migration/invasion in cancer treatment and (b) the most thorough collection of tool compounds to date reversing nuclear size changes specific to individual cancer-type cell lines. Although these compounds still need to be tested in primary cancer cells, the cell line-specific nuclear size and migration/invasion responses to particular drug classes suggest that cancer type-specific nuclear size rectifiers may help reduce metastatic spread.

Targeting the crosstalk between canonical Wnt/β-catenin and inflammatory signaling cascades: A novel strategy for cancer prevention and therapy

Emerging scientific evidence indicates that inflammation is a critical component of tumor promotion and progression. Most cancers originate from sites of chronic irritation, infections and inflammation, underscoring that the tumor microenvironment is largely orchestrated by inflammatory cells and pro-inflammatory molecules. These inflammatory components are intimately involved in neoplastic processes which foster proliferation, survival, invasion, and migration, making inflammation the primary target for cancer prevention and treatment. The influence of inflammation and the immune system on the progression and development of cancer has recently gained immense interest. The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, an evolutionarily conserved signaling strategy, has a critical role in regulating tissue development. It has been implicated as a major player in cancer development and progression with its regulatory role on inflammatory cascades. Many naturally-occurring and small synthetic molecules endowed with inherent anti-inflammatory properties inhibit this aberrant signaling pathway, making them a promising class of compounds in the fight against inflammatory cancers. This article analyzes available scientific evidence and suggests a crosslink between Wnt/β-catenin signaling and inflammatory pathways in inflammatory cancers, especially breast, gastrointestinal, endometrial, and ovarian cancer. We also highlight emerging experimental findings that numerous anti-inflammatory synthetic and natural compounds target the crosslink between Wnt/β-catenin pathway and inflammatory cascades to achieve cancer prevention and intervention. Current challenges, limitations, and future directions of research are also discussed.

Synergistic Effect of Benzethonium Chloride Combined with Endoxan against Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Rats through Targeting Apoptosis Signaling Pathway

Combination therapy has been the trendy of care, particularly in cancer remedy, since it is a rational approach to increase response and tolerability and to diminish resistance. Hence, there is a growing interest in combining anticancer drugs to maximizing efficacy with minimum systemic toxicity through the delivery of lower drug doses. Therefore, in the present study, the value of combination between benzethonium chloride (benzo) and endoxan (endo) as anti-tumor drug sensitization of hepatocellular carcinoma HCC treatment were detected both in vitro and in vivo. Crystal violet test was performed to detect the proliferation of HepG2 cells treated with benzo or/and endo. In addition, the HCC rat model was established by diethylnitrosamine (DEN) administration. The antitumor effect was enhanced with the combined treatment of the two drugs, particularly in the group with benzo and endo. The results confirmed that the HCC condition was developed in response to lower expressions of caspase 3 and P53 which, in turn, was due to the overexpression of Bcl-2, and downregulation of cytochrome C. The treatment with benzo combined with endo caused significant activation of caspase-3 mediated apoptotic signals that could be responsible for its anti-HCC potential. Meantime, benzo combined with endo treatments could reduce the hepatocellular carcinogenesis by reducing the expression of MMP-9. Therefore, benzo and endo treatments may be a hopeful therapeutic drug for HCC. Also, more studies are recommended to feat the idea of this research for medical use.

A novel chemoprotective effect of tiopronin against diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocellular carcinoma in rats: Role of ASK1/P38 MAPK-P53 signalling cascade

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Oxidative stress contributes significantly to HCC pathogenesis. In this study, we investigated the possible chemoprotective effect of the thiol group-containing compound, tiopronin, against HCC induced chemically by diethylnitrosamine (DENA) in rats. In addition, we elucidated the possible underlying molecular mechanism. Adult male Wistar rats were divided into: Control group, DENA-treated group and tiopronin + DENA-treated group. Liver function tests (ALT, AST, ALP, albumin, total and direct bilirubin) as well as alpha fetoprotein (AFP) concentration were measured in the sera of samples. Oxidative stress biomarkers such as malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, catalase and glutathione peroxidase were measured in the liver tissue homogenates. Determination of the phosphorylated apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (phospho-ASK1), phospho-P38 and phospho-P53 proteins by western blotting, caspase 3 by immunofluorescence in addition to histopathological examination of the liver tissues were performed. Our results showed that tiopronin prevented the DENA-induced elevation of the liver function enzymes and AFP. It also preserved the activities of antioxidant enzymes as well as providing protection from the appearance of HCC histopathological features. Interestingly, tiopronin significantly decreased the expression level of phospho-ASK1, phospho-P38 and phospho-P53, caspase 3 in the liver tissues. These novel findings suggested that tiopronin is an antioxidant drug with a chemoprotective effect against DENA-induced HCC through maintaining the normal activity of ASK1/ P38 MAPK/ P53 signalling pathway.

Thiamin Regresses the Anticancer Efficacy of Methotrexate in the Amelioration of Diethyl Nitrosamine-Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Wistar Strain Rats

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer and occurs frequently in patients with liver cirrhosis. HCC is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality around the globe.Aim: This study assessed the effects of thiamin in the anticancer activity of methotrexate (MTX) in diethyl nitrosamine (DEN) induced hepatocellular Carcinoma in Wistar strain male rats.Method: Fifty rats were randomly segregated in five groups with 10 rats in each group. HCC was induced by single intraperitoneal (i.p) dose of DEN (200 mg/kg) and HCC promoter phenobarbital was used in the basal diet (0.05%) for 5 days per week until the termination of the study in all the rats except for the normal control (NC) group. Disease control (DC) was given no treatment, while DM (DEN + MTX) and DT (DEN + thiamin) groups were given MTX (5 mg/kg, i.p per week for 16 weeks) and thiamin (25 mg/kg, orally, daily for 16 weeks), respectively. DMT (DEN + MTX + thiamin) group was given the combined dose of MTX and thiamin. Histopathological study was carried out to confirm the liver function tests such as α-feto protein (AFP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), total bilirubin (TB), and total protein (TP) along with antioxidants vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), lipid per-oxidation (LPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase (CAT).Results: Results showed that liver biomarkers and antioxidants parameters were still abnormal in the DC group while DM group showed significant restoration, but DT group showed less significant normalization. DMT showed mild recovery of these parameters.Conclusion: The mechanism of action of MTX and thiamin is antiparallel to each other and hence their concomitant administration may lead to inefficient anticancer activity of MTX.