Extracts of Celastrus Orbiculatus Inhibit Cancer Metastasis by Down-regulating Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Hypoxia-Induced Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

Celastrus orbiculatus Extract Inhibits Immune Inflammatory Thrombotic State of B-Lymphoma

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the inhibitory effect of Celastrus orbiculatus extracts (COE) on the proliferation of lymphoma cells and the immune regulation ability on inflammation and thrombophilia in vivo.

METHODS

The 38B9 lymphoma cells were treated with COE (160 µ g/mL) and CTX (25 µ mol/L). The apoptosis rate and cell cycle of each group were detected by flow cytometry. The secretion of inflammatory factors, including interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), in cell supernatant was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In vivo, BALB/c mice were subcutaneously injected with 38B9 lymphoma cells to establish lymphoma model. COE (3 mg·kg-1·d-1) and CTX (40 mg·kg-1·d-1) were administered to the model mice, respectively. The expression of plasma inflammatory factors (IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α) and thrombus indexes, including D-dimer (D-D), von Willebrand factor (vWF) and tissue factor (TF), were detected by ELISA before tumor bearing (1 d), after tumor formation (14 d) and after intervention (21 d). PicoGreen dsDNA was used to detect the level of serum neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). Flow cytometry was used to detect the expression of platelet activation marker calcium-dependent lectin-like receptor 2 (CLEC-2). The tumor growth and survival of mice were recorded.

RESULTS

The 38B9 lymphoma cells were apoptotic after the intervention of COE and CTX. The ratio of G2-M phase cells decreased in COE intervented cells compared with the control cells (P<0.05), and S phase cells decreased in CTX intervented cells (P<0.05). Also, the secretion level of IL-6 was significantly reduced after COE or CTX intervention (P<0.05), and IL-10 was significantly increased (P<0.05). Furthermore, the tumor mass was reduced, and the median survival time was longer in COE and CTX intervented tumor-bearing mice than in non-intervented mice. The significantly lower levels of TNF-α, IL-6, NETs, TF, DD and CLEC-2, as well as higher IL-10 were observed in COE and CTX treatment mice in comparision with the control mice (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

COE has a mild and stable anti-tumor effect, which can reduce the secretion of inflammatory factors by lymphoma cells and regulate thrombophilic state caused by tumor inflammatory microenvironment.

Liensinine inhibits progression of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma by regulating TGF-β1 /P-smad3 signaling through HIF-1a

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a high-grade malignant digestive system tumor with an insidious onset and unfavorable prognosis. Liensinine, a small molecule derived from plants, has been proven to have significant tumor suppressor activity in other cancers. However, there are no reports on whether liensinine can inhibit the proliferation or metastasis of ICC. This study aimed to explore the tumor-suppressive activity of liensinine in ICC and its underlying mechanisms. The phenotypic changes in ICC cells were monitored in vitro using cell function tests. Western blot and immunofluorescence analyses verified the efficacy of liensinine. Tumor-bearing nude mice were used to explore the effect of liensinine on tumors and its toxicity and side effects in vivo. Liensinine suppressed ICC cell proliferation and arrested the cell cycle at the G1 phase. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of ICC cells was also inhibited, thereby restraining their invasion and migration of tumor cells. In addition, this study found that the potential mechanism of liensinine inhibiting EMT may be via suppression of the TGF-β1/P-smad3 signaling pathway through hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1a). In vivo experiments showed that liensinine inhibited the growth of Hucc-T1 transplanted tumors in nude mice. Liensinine restrained the proliferation of ICC cells and suppressed EMT in ICC via the HIF-1a-mediated TGF-β1/P-smad3 signaling pathway.

Traditional Chinese medicine for prevention and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: A focus on epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent malignant cancers worldwide. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which endows epithelial cells with mesenchymal properties, plays an important role in the early stages of metastasis. Conventional cancer therapies have promising effects, but issues remain, such as high rates of metastasis and drug resistance. Thus, exploring and evaluating new therapies is an urgent need. Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) have been acknowledged for their multi-target and coordinated intervention effects against HCC. Accumulating evidence indicates that TCM can inhibit the malignancy of cells and the progression of EMT in HCC. However, studies on the effects of TCM on EMT in HCC are scarce. In this review, we summarized recent developments in anti-EMT TCMs and formulae, focusing on their underlying pharmacological mechanisms, to provide a foundation for further research on the exact mechanisms through which TCM affects EMT in HCC.

COE Inhibits Vasculogenic Mimicry by Targeting EphA2 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma, a Research Based on Proteomics Analysis

New strategies and drugs are urgently needed to improve the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) has been elucidated being associated with the progression of HCC and anti-VM could be a promising strategy. Celastrus orbiculatus extract (COE), a mixture of 26 compounds isolated from the Chinese Herb Celastrus Orbiculatus Vine, has been elucidated to be able to disrupt VM formation in HCC. This study aims to dissect and identify the potential targets of COE on anti-VM formation both in vitro and in vivo that are distinct from our previous study. Proteomics analysis was used to identify differential proteins in HCC cells treated with or without COE (Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD022203). Cells invasion was examined using Transwell. Matrigel was used to establish a 3-D culture condition for VM formation in vitro. RT-PCR and Western Blot were used to examine changes of mRNA and protein respectively. Clinical resected samples were applied to confirm association between VM formation and identified targets. Subcutaneous xenograft tumor model was established to observe tumor growth and VM formation in vivo. PAS-CD34 dual staining was used to detect VM in vivo. A total of 194 proteins were identified to be differentially expressed in HCC cells treated with or without COE. In the 93 down-regulated proteins EphA2 stood out to be regulated on both RNA and protein level. Disruption EphA2 using COE or NVP inhibited VM formation and decreased VM associated biomarkers. In xenograft mouse model, COE inhibited tumor growth and VM formation via down-regulating EphA2. Taken together, our results indicate that COE could be used in HCC treatment because of its promising anti-VM effect.

Anticancer activities of TCM and their active components against tumor metastasis

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has the characteristics of multiple targets, slight side effects and good therapeutic effects. Good anti-tumor effects are shown by Traditional Chinese Medicine prescription, Chinese patent medicine, single Traditional Chinese Medicine and Traditional Chinese medicine monomer compound. Clinically, TCM prolonged the survival time of patients and improved the life quality of patients, due to less side effects. Cancer metastasis is a complex process involving numerous steps, multiple genes and their products. During the process of tumor metastasis, firstly, cancer cell increases its proliferative capacity by reducing autophagy and apoptosis, and then the cancer cell capacity is stimulated by increasing the ability of tumors to absorb nutrients from the outside through angiogenesis. Both of the two steps can increase tumor migration and invasion. Finally, the purpose of tumor metastasis is achieved. By inhibiting autophagy and apoptosis of tumor cells, angiogenesis and EMT outside the tumor can inhibit the invasion and migration of cancer, and consequently achieve the purpose of inhibiting tumor metastasis. This review explores the research achievements of Traditional Chinese Medicine on breast cancer, lung cancer, hepatic carcinoma, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer and other cancer metastasis in the past five years, summarizes the development direction of TCM on cancer metastasis research in the past five years and makes a prospect for the future.

Celastrus Orbiculatus Extracts Inhibit the Metastasis through Attenuating PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling Pathway in Human Gastric Cancer

BACKGROUND

Rapamycin receptor inhibitors have been applied in the clinic and achieved satisfactory therapeutic effect recently. The mechanisms did not clearly show how the Celastrus Orbiculatus Extracts (COE) inhibited the expression of the mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) in human gastric cancer cells. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the COE inhibited the metastasis through the mTOR signaling pathway in human gastric cancer MGC-803 cells.

METHODS

The abnormal expression level of mTOR protein was detected by immunohistochemistry in human gastric cancer tissue. The MGC-803/mTOR- cells were constructed by knockdown of mTOR using lentivirus infection technique. The human gastric cancer MGC-803/mTOR- cells were treated with different concentrations (20, 40, 80 μg/ml) of COE for 24 hours. The ability of cell metastasis was analyzed by the cell invasion and migration assay. The expression levels of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway were detected by Western Blotting.

RESULTS

COE inhibited the proliferation, invasion and migration of MGC-803/mTOR- cells in a concentrationdependent manner. The expression of E-cadherin protein increased, and the expression of N-cadherin and Vimentin decreased simultaneously in the MGC-803/mTOR- cells. 4EBP1, p-4EBP1, P70S6k, p-P70S6k, mTOR, p-mTOR, PI3K and Akt proteins in MGC-803/mTOR- cells were reduced in a dose-dependent manner.

CONCLUSION

COE could not only inhibit cell growth, invasion and migration, but also inhibit the epithelialmesenchymal transition of gastric cancer cells. The molecular mechanism of COE inhibited the metastasis which may be related to the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signal pathway. This study provides ideas for the development of new anti-gastric cancer drugs.

Asparagus Polysaccharide Suppresses the Migration, Invasion, and Angiogenesis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells Partly by Targeting the HIF-1α/VEGF Signalling Pathway In Vitro

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) plays a key role by triggering the transcriptional activation of a number of genes involved in migration, invasion, and angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Thus, suppressing tumour growth by targeting the HIF-1α/VEGF signalling pathway represents a promising strategy for the treatment of HCC. In our previous studies, we found that asparagus polysaccharide (ASP) suppressed the proliferation and promoted the apoptosis of HCC cells both in vivo and in vitro. To further explore the potential mechanisms of the antitumor effects of ASP in HCC, we investigated effects of ASP on the migration, invasion, and angiogenesis of HCC cells (SK-Hep1 and Hep-3B) using an in vitro experimental model. First, we found that ASP effectively suppressed the proliferation of the SK-Hep1 and Hep-3B cells but did not cause significant cytotoxicity in normal liver cells (L-O2). Then, we found that ASP inhibited the migration and invasion of the SK-Hep1 and Hep-3B cells and HCC cells-induced angiogenesis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Mechanistic studies revealed that the inhibition of migration, invasion, and angiogenesis by ASP in the SK-Hep1 and Hep-3B cells might occur via the downregulation of HIF-1α/VEGF signalling pathway. Finally, our results also showed that the inhibition of HIF-1α by ASP may be mediated through the downregulation of the phosphorylation levels of AKT, mTOR, and ERK. In conclusion, our results suggest that ASP suppresses the migration, invasion, and angiogenesis of HCC cells partly via inhibiting the HIF-1α/VEGF signalling pathway.

Ursolic Acid Inhibits Tumor Growth via Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Colorectal Cancer Cells

Ursolic acid (UA), a natural pentacyclic triterpenoid, is a promising compound for cancer prevention and therapy. However, its mechanisms of action have not been well elucidated in colorectal cancer cells. Here, using cultured human colon cancer cell lines SW620 and HCT116, this assay demonstrates that UA reduces cell viability, inhibits cell clone formation, and induces caspase-3 mediated apoptosis. Additional experiments show that UA inhibits cell migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), including E-cadherin, Vimentin, Integrin, Twist, and Zeb1 biomakers. These results suggest that UA inhibits cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis in colorectal cancer cells by affecting mechanisms that regulate EMT. Taken together, the results suggested that the anti-proliferation and anti-metastasis activities of UA was through EMT inhibition in colorectal cancer.