Inhibition of DDX3 and COX-2 by forskolin and evaluation of anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic effects on cervical cancer cells: molecular modelling and in vitro approaches

Inhibition of NF-kB and COX-2 by andrographolide regulates the progression of cervical cancer by promoting PTEN expression and suppressing PI3K/AKT signalling pathway

In the face of recent advances in Cervical cancer (CC) treatment, therapeutic and surgical procedures for CC management are still inadequate. In the current study for the first time Andrographolide (Andro) has been explored for its multitarget therapeutic efficacy on NF-kB, COX-2, and PI3K/AKT expressions together in CC. The expression levels of NF-kB, COX-2, PI3K and PTEN in the CC patient samples, both at mRNA and protein levels have shown significant association with poor survival and increased tumor aggressiveness. The binding efficacy of Andro was investigated using molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulations, and the protein and ligand complex for NF-kB and COX-2 has shown high binding energy. Andro displayed cytotoxicity by impeding the in-vitro proliferation of CC cells. Andro significantly supressed the NF-kB, COX-2, and PI3K expression and enhanced the expression levels of PTEN at protein levels in-vitro. Andro induced apoptosis in a dose dependent manner and significantly inhibited the migration and invasion of CC cells. Andro exhibited similar activity in-vivo and suppressed the CC tumor growth in xenograft C57BL/6 mice model. The anti-tumor activity of Andro, both in-vitro and in-vivo has shown considerable downregulation of NF-kB and COX-2 and induced apoptosis through impeding the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway. These findings from the above study projects, administration of Andro as an effective alternate safe compound to curtail and impede cervical cancer progression.

Evaluation of immunotherapy efficacy in gynecologic cancer

Various immunotherapies have demonstrated remarkable success over the past few decades, and have been approved for the treatment of different cancer types. However, patient responses to immunotherapy are variable, and approximately 50% of cases are refractory to these agents. Tumor biomarker-based stratification of cases may therefore help identify subpopulations that are sensitive/resistant to immunotherapy; it may also improve prediction of response in various cancers including gynecologic cancer. These biomarkers include the tumor mutational burden, microsatellite instability, mismatch repair deficiency, T cell-inflamed gene expression profile, programmed cell death protein 1 ligand 1, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, and numerous other genomic alterations. Future directions in the treatment of gynecologic cancer include the utilization of these biomarkers to select ideal candidates. This review focused on recent advances in the predictive ability of molecular biomarkers in patients with gynecologic cancer who undergo immunotherapy. The most recent developments in combined immunotherapy and targeted therapy strategies and novel immune interventions against gynecologic cancers have also been discussed.

Molecular docking, synthesis, and biological evaluation of 7-azaindole-derivative (7AID) as novel anti-cancer agent and potent DDX3 inhibitor:-an in silico and in vitro approach

The DEAD-box helicase family member DDX3 is involved in many diseases, such as viral infection, inflammation, and cancer. Many studies in the last decade have revealed the role of DDX3 in tumorigenesis and metastasis. DDX3 has both tumour suppressor and oncogenic effect, in the present study we have evaluated the expression levels of DDX3 in cervical squamous cell carcinoma at mRNA level via real-time PCR and protein level via Immunohistochemistry. DDX3 has become a molecule of interest in cancer biology that promotes drug resistance by adaptive response inevitably leading to treatment failure. One approach to avoid the development of resistant to disease is to create novel drugs that target the overexpressed proteins, we designed and synthesized a novel 7-azaindole derivative (7-AID) compound, {5-[1H-pyrrolo (2, 3-b) pyridin-5-yl] pyridin-2-ol]} that could lodge within the adenosine-binding pocket of the DDX3 (PDB ID: 2I4I). The binding efficacy of 7-AID compound with DDX3 was analysed by molecular docking studies. 7-AID was found to interact with the key residues Tyr200 and Arg202 from the Q-motif rendered by π-interactions and hydrogen bonds within the binding pocket with good docking score - 7.99 kcal/mol. The cytotoxicity effect of 7-AID compound was evaluated using MTT assay on human cervical carcinoma cells (HeLa) and breast cancer cells (MCF-7 and MDA MB-231) and the compound shown effective inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) on Hela cells 16.96 µM/ml and 14.12 and 12.69 µM/ml on MCF-7 and MDA MB-231, respectively. Further, the in-vitro, in-vivo anti-cancer and anti-angiogenic assessment of 7-AID compound was evaluated on Hela cells using scratch wound-healing assay, DAPI staining, cell cycle analysis, immunoblotting, and chorioallontoic membrane assay. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of derivative compound on DDX3 was investigated in HeLa, MCF-7, and MDA MB-231 cells at the mRNA and protein levels. The results showed that the 7-AID compound effectively inhibited DDX3 in a dose-dependent manner, and the findings suggest that the compound could be used as a potential DDX3 inhibitor.

Exposure to nanographene oxide induces gene expression dysregulation in normal human astrocytes

Objective. Nanographene oxide, an oxidation derivative of graphene, is considered to be one of the nanomaterials attractive for biomedical applications, although this nanomaterial is toxic. The increasing exploitation of graphene-based materials necessitates a comprehensive evaluation of the potential impact of these materials on the human health. Moreover, it is necessary to investigate in detail the mechanisms of its toxic effect on living cells particularly at the genome level. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of low doses of nanographene oxide on the expression of key regulatory genes in normal human astrocytes.

Methods. Normal human astrocytes, line NHA/TS, were exposed to low doses of nanographene oxide (1 and 4 ng/ml) for 24 h. RNA was extracted from the cells and used for cDNA synthesis. The expression levels of NAMPT, TSPAN13, BCAR3, BRCA1, PTGS2, P4HA1, and P4HA2 mRNAs as well as microRNAs were measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

Results. It was found that the low doses of nanographene oxide induced a dysregulation in the expression of the key regulatory genes in normal human astrocytes in dose-dependent (1 and 4 ng/ml) and gene-specific manner. Nanographene oxide also strongly suppressed the expression of NAMPT, BCAR3, and TSPAN13 genes and significantly up-regulated BRCA1, PTGS2, P4HA1, and P4HA2 ones with a more significant effect in P4HA1 and P4HA2 genes. The expression of miR-96-5p and miR-145-5p was also down-regulated in astrocytes treated with nanographene oxide in a dose-dependent manner.

Conclusion. The data obtained demonstrate that the low doses of nanographene oxide disturbed the genome functions by changing the expression levels of key regulatory genes in gene-specific and dose-dependent manner. Moreover, a higher dose of nanographene oxide induced more pronounced changes in expression of genes indicating for both genotoxic and neurotoxic possible effects in the normal human astrocytes.