Evaluation of Luteolin in the Prevention of N-nitrosodiethylamine-induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using Animal Model System

Protective effects of Althaea officinalis L. extract against N-diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocellular carcinoma in male Wistar rats through antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, mitochondrial apoptosis and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathways

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the fourth cause of death due to cancer and includes 90% of liver tumors. Therefore, in this study, it was tried to show that Althaea officinalis L. flower extract (ALOF) can protect hepatocytes against N-diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced hepatocellular carcinoma. Totally, 70 Wistar rats were divided into seven groups (n = 10/group) of sham, DEN, treatment with silymarin (SIL; DEN + SIL), treatment with ALOF (DEN + 250 and 500 ALOF), and cotreatment with SIL and ALOF (DEN + SIL + 250 and 500 ALOF). At the end of the study, the serum levels of liver indices (albumin, total protein, bilirubin, C-reactive protein, ALT, AST, and ALP), inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β, IL-10, and TNF-α), and oxidants parameters (glutathione peroxidase [GPx], superoxide dismutase [SOD], catalase [CAT] activity along with nitric oxide [NO] levels) were evaluated. The level of Bax, Bcl-2, Caspase-3, p53, PI3K, mTOR, and AKT genes were measured. ALOF in cotreatment with SIL was able to regulate liver biochemical parameters, improve serum antioxidant indices, and decrease the level of proinflammatory cytokines significantly (p < .05). ALOF extract in both doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg in cotreatment with SIL caused a significant (p < .05) decrease in the p53-positive cells and a significant (p < .05) increase in Bcl-2-positive cells. Therefore, ALOF was able to modulate the proliferation of cancer cells and protect normal cells through the regulation of Bax/Bcl-2/p53 and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathways. It seems that ALOF can be used as a prodrug or complementary treatment in the protection of hepatocytes in induced damages caused by carcinogens.

Antioxidant and chemotherapeutic efficacies of seaweed-derived phlorotannins in cancer treatment: A review regarding novel anticancer drugs

The ineffectiveness of traditional cancer therapies due to drug resistance, nontargeted delivery, and chemotherapy-associated adverse side effects has shifted attention to bioactive phytochemicals. Consequently, research efforts toward screening and identification of natural compounds with anticancer properties have increased in recent years. Marine seaweed-derived bioactive compounds, such as polyphenolic compounds, have exhibited anticancer properties. Phlorotannins (PTs), a major group of seaweed-derived polyphenolic compounds, have emerged as powerful chemopreventive and chemoprotective compounds, regulating apoptotic cell death pathways both in vitro and in vivo. In this context, this review focuses on the anticancer activity of polyphenols isolated from brown algae, with a special reference to PTs. Furthermore, we highlight the antioxidant effects of PTs and discuss how they can impact cell survival and tumor development and progression. Moreover, we discussed the potential therapeutic application of PTs as anticancer agents, having molecular mechanisms involving oxidative stress reduction. We have also discussed patents or patent applications that apply PTs as major components of antioxidant and antitumor products. With this review, researcher may gain new insights into the potential novel role of PTs, as well as uncover a novel cancer-prevention mechanism and improve human health.

Advances in the Mechanism of Luteolin against Hepatocellular Carcinoma Based on Bioinformatics and Network Pharmacology

As one of the most common malignant tumors, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a rising incidence rate and also seriously endangers human life and health. According to research reports, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, intake of aflatoxin in the diet, and the effects of alcohol and other chemicals can induce an increase in the incidence of liver cancer. However, in the current clinical treatment of HCC, most of the drugs are chemical drugs, which have relatively large side effects and are prone to drug resistance. Therefore, the development of natural compounds to treat HCC has become a new treatment strategy. Several studies have shown that flavonoids have shown outstanding effects and exhibit strong tumor growth inhibitory effects in vivo experimental studies. Luteolin, as a natural flavonoid, has anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-oxidation, immune regulation, and other pharmacological effects. The anti-cancer mechanism of luteolin mainly directly acts on tumor cells to inhibit their growth, induce cell apoptosis, reduce tumor tissue angiogenesis, regulate long non-coding RNA, affect immunogenic cell death, and regulate autophagy. As well as improving the curative effect of radiotherapy and chemotherapy and chemoprevention. In this study, we evaluated the function of luteolin in regulating cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion will summarize and analyze luteolin and its mechanism of regulating HCC to improve the role of luteolin in the clinical prevention and treatment of HCC.

Potential effect of luteolin, epiafzelechin, and albigenin on rats under cadmium-induced inflammatory insult: In silico and in vivo approach

Introduction: Cadmium(Cd) an industrial poison present abundantly in the environment, causes human toxicity by an inflammatory process. Chronic exposure of cadmium can cause a number of molecular lesions that could be relevant to oncogenesis, through indirect or epigenetic mechanisms, potentially including abnormal activation of oncogenes and suppression of apoptosis by depletion of antioxidants. As induction of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 is linked to inflammatory processes, use of luteolin, epiafzelechin, and albigenin alone or in different combinations may be used as anti-inflammatory therapeutic agents. Methods: We, herein, performed in silico experiments to check the binding affinity of phytochemicals and their therapeutic effect against COX-2 in cadmium administered rats. Wistar albino rats were given phytochemicals in different combinations to check their anti-inflammatory activities against cadmium intoxication. The level of alanine aminotransferases (ALT), 4-hydroxynonenal (4HNE), 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), isoprostanes (IsoP-2α), COX-2, and malondialdehyde (MDA) were estimated with their respective ELISA and spectrophotometric methods. Results: The generated results show that phytocompounds possessed good binding energy potential against COX-2, and common interactive behavior was observed in all docking studies. Moreover, the level of ALT, 4HNE, 8-OHdG, TNF-α, IsoP-2α, malondialdehyde, and COX-2 were significantly increased in rats with induced toxicity compared to the control group, whereas in combinational therapy of phytocompounds, the levels were significantly decreased in the group. Discussion: Taken together, luteolin, epiafzelechin, and albigenin can be used as anti-inflammatory therapeutic agents for future novel drug design, and thus it may have therapeutic importance against cadmium toxicity.

Natural Small Molecules in Gastrointestinal Tract and Associated Cancers: Molecular Insights and Targeted Therapies

Gastric cancer is one of the most common cancers of the gastrointestinal tract. Although surgery is the primary treatment, serious maladies that dissipate to other parts of the body may require chemotherapy. As there is no effective procedure to treat stomach cancer, natural small molecules are a current focus of research interest for the development of better therapeutics. Chemotherapy is usually used as a last resort for people with advanced stomach cancer. Anti-colon cancer chemotherapy has become increasingly effective due to drug resistance and sensitivity across a wide spectrum of drugs. Naturally-occurring substances have been widely acknowledged as an important project for discovering innovative medications, and many therapeutic pharmaceuticals are made from natural small molecules. Although the beneficial effects of natural products are as yet unknown, emerging data suggest that several natural small molecules could suppress the progression of stomach cancer. Therefore, the underlying mechanism of natural small molecules for pathways that are directly involved in the pathogenesis of cancerous diseases is reviewed in this article. Chemotherapy and molecularly-targeted drugs can provide hope to colon cancer patients. New discoveries could help in the fight against cancer, and future stomach cancer therapies will probably include molecularly formulated drugs.

Potential anti-hepatocellular carcinoma properties and mechanisms of action of clerodane diterpenes isolated from Polyalthia longifolia seeds

Diterpenes are secondary metabolites that have attracted much attention due to their potential biological activities including anti-cancer potential. The aim of the current study is to assess the anticancer potential of the six known clerodane diterpenes (1–6) isolated from Polyalthia longifolia seeds and their underlying molecular mechanisms. These compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicity in vitro by using MTT assays. The “two-phase model” with NDEA and PB ad libitum was used for induction of HCC and sorafenib was used as the standard drug. Prophylactic studies were carried out for compounds 4/6 at both low (5 mg/kg b.w) and high (10 mg/kg b.w) doses. Based on the MTT assay results, the two best compounds, 4 and 6, were selected for in vivo studies. The results showed that treatment with compound 4/6 significantly restored the changes in biochemical parameters and liver morphology observed in (NDEA + PB)-induced HCC rats. Additionally, the docking studies showed that compound 4/6 interacted with several key proteins such as MDM2, TNF-α, FAK, thereby inhibiting these proteins and reversing the negative impacts of NDEA. In conclusion, our results suggested that compounds 4 and 6 are potential therapeutic agents for HCC, mostly due to their ability to control typical cancer pathways.

Network Pharmacology Integrated with Transcriptomics Deciphered the Potential Mechanism of Codonopsis pilosula against Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fourth main reason of cancer-related death. Codonopsis pilosula is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for patients with HCC. However, its potential mechanism for treatment of HCC remains unclear. Here, we used transcriptomics and network pharmacology to explore the potential molecular mechanisms of Codonopsis pilosula. In our study, twelve differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (5 upregulated and 7 downregulated) of Codonopsis pilosula treating HepG2 cells (a kind of HCC cell) were identified. Among the 12 DEGs, HMOX1 may play an essential role. Codonopsis pilosula mainly affects the mineral absorption pathway in HCC. We acquired 2957, 1877, and 255 targets from TCMID, SymMap, and TCMSP, respectively. Codonopsis pilosula could upregulate HMOX1 via luteolin, capsaicin, and sulforaphane. Our study provided new understanding of the potential pharmacological mechanisms of Codonopsis pilosula in treating HCC and pointed out a direction for further experimental research.

Chemopreventive and Therapeutic Efficacy of Enhalus acoroides against Diethylnitrosamine Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Wistar Albino Rats

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the second most cause of death among the various cancers worldwide. Recent research searching an alternative therapy for cancer treatment without or less side effects. Many studies indicated the beneficial effects of Enhalus acoroides. There has been no scientific validation on antioxidant and chemopreventive potential of ethanolic extract E. acoroides against hepatoma. To assess the hepatoprotective activity of E. acoroides (EEEA) against DEN-induced hepatoma using Wistar albino rats. Animals were distributed into five groups, each containing six rats. To Group I - control rats - normal saline given. Groups II, III, IV and V rats were injection of DEN at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight i.p. to induce liver cancer. At the commencement of 6th week, Group III rats supplemented with EEEA at a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight/day upto 16 weeks. Group IV rats supplemented with EEEA for 1 week before the administration of DEN and continued till the sixteenth week. Group V supplementation of silymarin at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight at the beginning of 6th week after the injection of DEN and continued upto 16 weeks and considered as positive control rats. The efficiency of E. acoroides for its antioxidant hepatoprotective and activity evaluated in rats against DEN-induced liver damage. The hepatoprotective ability of EEEA at a dose of 200 mg/kg was examined against DEN at a dose of 100 mg/kg/b.w. induced hepatotoxicity and analysed by evaluating serum liver and kidney marker levels, lipid profile (TG, HDL, LDL and total cholesterol) and serum tumour markers (DNA, RNA, AFP and CEA). Supplementation of EEEA to DEN treated rats was determined by evaluating various antioxidant biomarkers (SOD, CAT, GPx, GSH, Vit E and Vit C). Histopathological studies and morphometric gross analysis were also support the consequences of this study. A significant improvement of antioxidant defence and declined MDA levels within the serum of EEEA treated animals compared to the DEN-induced hepatoma. The supplementation of EEEA declined the serum liver, kidney and serum tumour marker levels and lipid profile as comparatively to Group I rats. The histopathological changes were changed on supplementation of EEEA demonstrating its protecting effects on hepatocytes as comparatively to Group I rats. Our significances recognized that crude extract (ethanol) of E. acoroides revealed a potential impact against DEN-induced hepatoma and assists as a superior choice for chemopreventive treatments.

Medicinal plants used against hepatic disorders in Bangladesh: A comprehensive review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Liver disease is a major cause of illness and death worldwide which accounts for approximately 2 million deaths per year worldwide, 1 million due to complications of cirrhosis and 1 million due to viral hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma. That's why it is seeking the researchers' attention to find out the effective treatment strategies. Phytochemicals from natural resources are the main leads for the development of noble hepatoprotective drugs. The majority of the natural sources whose active compounds are currently employed actually have an ethnomedical use. Ethnopharmacological research is essential for the development of these bioactive compounds. These studies not only provide scientific evidence on medicinal plants utilized for particular therapeutic purposes, but they also ensure cultural heritage preservation. Plenty of experimental studies have been well-documented that the ethnomedicinal plants are of therapeutics' interest for the advanced pharmacological intervention in terms of hepatic disorders.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study summarizes the processes of hepatotoxicity induced by various toxins and explores identified hepatoprotective plants and their phytoconstituents, which can guide the extraction of novel phytochemical constituents from plants to treat liver injury. This review aimed to summarize the hepatoprotective activity of Bangladeshi medicinal plants where the bioactive compounds may be leads for the drug discovery in future.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Literature searches in electronic databases, such as Web of Science, Science Direct, SpringerLink, PubMed, Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar, Scopus, BanglaJOL, and so on, were performed using the keywords 'Bangladesh', 'ethnomedicinal plants', 'Hepatoprotective agents' as for primary searches, and secondary search terms were used as follows, either alone or in combination: traditional medicine, medicinal plants, folk medicine, liver, hepatitis, therapeutic uses, and anti-inflammatory. Besides, several books, including the book entitled "Medicinal plants of Bangladesh: chemical constituents and uses" authored by Abdul Ghani, were carefully considered, which contained pharmacological properties and phytoconstituents of many medicinal plants growing and traditionally available in Bangladesh. Among them, the most promising plant species with their latest therapeutic effects against hepatic disorders were deeply considered in this review.

RESULTS

The results of this study revealed that in most cases, therapy using plant extracts stabilized altered hepatic biochemical markers induced by hepatotoxins. Initially, we investigated 32 plant species for hepatoprotective activity, however after extensive literature searching; we observed that 20 plants offer good pharmacological evidence of hepatoprotective function. Consequently, most bioactive compounds derived from the herbs including berberine, thymoquinone, andrographolide, ursolic acid, luteolin, naringenin, genistein, quercetin, troxerutin, morin, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, chlorogenic acid, emodin, curcumin, resveratrol, capsaicin, ellagic acid, etc. are appeared to be effective against hepatic disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

Flavonoids, phenolic acids, monoterpenoids, diterpenoids, triterpenoids, alkaloids, chromenes, capsaicinoids, curcuminoids, and anthraquinones are among the phytoconstituents were appraised to have hepatoprotective activities. All the actions displayed by these ethnomedicinal plants could make them serve as leads in the formulation of drugs with higher efficacy to treat hepatic disorders.

Paving Luteolin Therapeutic Potentialities and Agro-Food-Pharma Applications: Emphasis on In Vivo Pharmacological Effects and Bioavailability Traits

Luteolin is a naturally occurring secondary metabolite belonging to the class of flavones. As many other natural flavonoids, it is often found in combination with glycosides in many fruits, vegetables, and plants, contributing to their biological and pharmacological value. Many preclinical studies report that luteolin present excellent antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial, neuroprotective, cardioprotective, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory effects, and as a consequence, various clinical trials have been designed to investigate the therapeutic potential of luteolin in humans. However, luteolin has a very limited bioavailability, which consequently affects its biological properties and efficacy. Several drug delivery strategies have been developed to raise its bioavailability, with nanoformulations and lipid carriers, such as liposomes, being the most intensively explored. Pharmacological potential of luteolin in various disorders has also been underlined, but to some of them, the exact mechanism is still poorly understood. Given the great potential of this natural antioxidant in health, this review is aimed at providing an extensive overview on the in vivo pharmacological action of luteolin and at stressing the main features related to its bioavailability, absorption, and metabolism, while essential steps determine its absolute health benefits and safety profiles. In addition, despite the scarcity of studies on luteolin bioavailability, the different drug delivery formulations developed to increase its bioavailability are also listed here.

An Overview of Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Emphasis on Dietary Products and Herbal Remedies

The most common principal malignant tumor that accounts for ∼80% of cases of liver cancer across the world is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It is a multifacetedillness that is caused by several risk factors and often progresses in the context of underlying cirrhosis. It is tremendously difficult and essential for the screening of novel therapeutic medications to establish HCC preclinical models that are equivalent to clinical diseases settings, i.e., representing the tumor microenvironment of HCC. In the progress of HCC, numerous molecular cascades have been supposed to play a part. Sorafenib is the only drug permitted by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of HCC. Yet because of the increasing resistance to the drug and its toxicity, clinical treatment methods are not completely adequate. Newer treatment therapy options are essential for the management of HCC in patients. Natural compounds can be afforded by the patients with improved results with less toxicity and fewer side effects, among different methods of liver cancer treatment. The treatment and management of HCC with natural drugs and their phytoconstituents are connected to several paths that can prevent the occurrence and progress of HCC in several ways. The present review summarizes the etiology of HCC, molecular pathways, newer therapeutic approaches, natural dietary products, herbal plants and phytoconstituents for HCC treatment.

Cogent role of flavonoids as key orchestrators of chemoprevention of hepatocellular carcinoma: A review

Chemopreventive approaches with food-derived phytochemicals are progressively rising as a significant aspect of tumor management and control. Herein, we have showcased the major phytoconstituents belonging to the group of flavanoid, as anti-cancer agents used for the treatment and prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Sorafenib is the sole drug used for the treatment of advanced HCC, but its clinical application is limited because of its severe adverse effects and drug resistance. Diet-based chemoprevention seems to be the way forward for this disease of malignant nature. As HCC is derived from a chronic inflammatory milieu, the regular incorporation of bioactive phytochemicals in the diet will confer protection and prevent progression to hepatocarcinogenesis. Many preclinical studies proved that the health benefits of flavonoids confer cytotoxic potential against various types of cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma. As flavonoids with excellent safety profile are abundantly present in common vegetables and fruits, they can be better utilized for chemoprevention and chemosensitization in such chronic condition. This review highlights the plausible role of the eight most promising flavonoids (Curcumin, Kaempferol, Resveratrol, Quercetin, Silibinin, Baicalein, Galangin and Luteolin) as key orchestrators of chemoprevention in hepatocellular carcinoma with preclinical and clinical evidence. An attempt to address the challenges in its clinical translation is also included. This review also provides an insight into the close association of HCC and metabolic disorders which may further decipher the chemopreventive effect of dietary bioactive from a proof of concept to extensive clinical translation. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: According to GLOBOCAN 2020 database, it is estimated that 905,677 new cases of liver cancer and approximately 830,180 deaths related to that. The cancer incidence and mortality are almost similar as it is diagnosed at an advanced stage in patients where systemic drug therapy is the sole approach. Due to the emergence of multidrug resistance and drug-related toxicities, most of the patient can not adhere to the therapy regimen. Flavonoids are known to be a potential anticancer agent with an excellent safety profile. These are found to be effective preclinically against hepatocellular carcinoma through modulation of numerous pathways in hepatocarcinogenesis. But, the bioavailability issue, lack of well designed-validated clinical evidence, the possibility of food-drug interaction etc limit its clinical utility. The research inputs mainly to overcome pharmacokinetic issues along with suitable validation of efficacy and toxicity will be a critical point for establishing flavonoids as an effective, safe, affordable therapeutics.

Brown Algae Phlorotannins: A Marine Alternative to Break the Oxidative Stress, Inflammation and Cancer Network

According to the WHO, cancer was responsible for an estimated 9.6 million deaths in 2018, making it the second global leading cause of death. The main risk factors that lead to the development of this disease include poor behavioral and dietary habits, such as tobacco use, alcohol use and lack of fruit and vegetable intake, or physical inactivity. In turn, it is well known that polyphenols are deeply implicated with the lower rates of cancer in populations that consume high levels of plant derived foods. In this field, phlorotannins have been under the spotlight in recent years since they have shown exceptional bioactive properties, with great interest for application in food and pharmaceutical industries. Among their multiple bioactive properties, phlorotannins have revealed the capacity to interfere with several biochemical mechanisms that regulate oxidative stress, inflammation and tumorigenesis, which are central aspects in the pathogenesis of cancer. This versatility and ability to act either directly or indirectly at different stages and mechanisms of cancer growth make these compounds highly appealing for the development of new therapeutical strategies to address this world scourge. The present manuscript revises relevant studies focusing the effects of phlorotannins to counteract the oxidative stress-inflammation network, emphasizing their potential for application in cancer prevention and/or treatment.

A Network Pharmacology Approach to Reveal the Underlying Mechanisms of Artemisia annua on the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Objective

To investigate the potential active ingredients and underlying mechanisms of Artemisia annua (AA) on the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) based on network pharmacology.

Methods

In the present study, we used a network pharmacological method to predict its underlying complex mechanism of treating HCC. First, we obtained relative compounds of AA based on the traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology (TCMSP) database and collected potential targets of these compounds by target fishing. Then, we built HCC-related targets target by the oncogenomic database of hepatocellular carcinoma (OncoDB.HCC) and biopharmacological network (PharmDB-K) database. Based on the matching results between AA potential targets and HCC targets, we built a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network to analyze the interactions among these targets and screen the hub targets by topology. Furthermore, the function annotation and signaling pathways of key targets were performed by Gene Oncology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis using DAVID tools. Finally, the binding capacity between active ingredients and key targets was validated by molecular docking.

Results

A total of 19 main active ingredients of AA were screened as target prediction; then, 25 HCC-related common targets were seeked out via multiple HCC databases. The areas of nodes and corresponding degree values of EGFR, ESR1, CCND1, MYC, EGF, and PTGS2 were larger and could be easily found in the PPI network. Furthermore, GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that these key targets were significantly involved in multiple biological processes and pathways which participated in tumor cell proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, tumor invasion, and metastasis to accomplish the anti-HCC activity. The molecular docking analysis showed that quercetin could stably bind to the active pocket of EGFR protein 4RJ5 via LibDock.

Conclusion

The anticancer effects of AA on HCC were predicted to be associated with regulating tumor cell proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, tumor invasion, and metastasis via various pathways such as the EGFR signaling pathway, ESR1 signaling pathway, and CCND1 signaling pathway. It is suggested that AA might be developed as a broad-spectrum antitumor drug based on its characteristics of multicomponent, multipath, and multitarget.

Identification of diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, and candidate targeted agents for hepatitis B virus-associated early stage hepatocellular carcinoma based on RNA-sequencing data

Primary liver cancer is a rapidly progressing neoplasm with high morbidity and mortality rates. The present study aimed to identify potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, and candidate targeted agents for hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated early stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The gene expression profiles were extracted from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs), hub genes and the enrichment of signaling pathways were filtered out via a high-throughput sequencing method. The association between hub genes and the effects of the abnormal expression of hub genes on the rate of genetic variation, overall survival (OS), relapse-free survival (RFS), progression-free survival (PFS) and disease-free survival (DSS) of patients with HCC, as well as pathological stage and grade, were analyzed using different databases. A total of 1,582 DEGs were identified. Gene Ontology analysis revealed that the DEGs were mainly involved in the ‘oxidation-reduction process’, ‘steroid metabolic process’, ‘metabolic process’ and ‘fatty acid beta-oxidation’. Enrichment analysis of Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways revealed that the DEGs were mainly associated with ‘metabolic pathways’, ‘PPAR signaling pathway’, ‘fatty acid degradation’ and the ‘cell cycle’. A total of 8 hub genes were extracted. Additionally, the abnormal expression levels of hub genes were closely associated with the OS, RFS, PFS and DSS of patients, the pathological stage and the grade. Furthermore, abnormal expression levels of the 8 hub genes were found in >30% of all samples. Several small molecular compounds that may reverse the altered DEGs were identified based on Connectivity Map analysis, including phenoxybenzamine, GW-8510, resveratrol, 0175029-0000 and daunorubicin. In conclusion, the dysfunction of fat metabolic pathways, the cell cycle, oxidation-reduction processes and viral carcinogenesis may serve critical roles in the occurrence of HBV-associated early stage HCC. The identified 8 hub genes may act as robust biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis. Some small molecular compounds may be promising targeted agents against HBV-associated early stage HCC.

Hepatoprotective effect of Matricaria chamomilla aqueous extract against 1,2-Dimethylhydrazine-induced carcinogenic hepatic damage in mice

Dimethylhydrazine (DMH) is a potent colonic and hepatic carcinogen that is metabolized into oxyradicals causing liver injury and DNA mutations. Matricaria chamomilla is a well-documented medicinal herb that possesses anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antitumor activities and is commonly used to treat diverse ailments. The present study aimed to reveal the hepatoprotective effects of Matricaria chamomilla aqueous extract during an intermediate stage of colorectal cancer (CRC) in mice. Male Balb/c mice were divided into six groups: group A served as control, group B received chamomile extract (150 mg/Kg b.w.) orally for 12 weeks, and groups C-F received weekly intraperitoneal injections of DMH (20 mg/Kg b.w.) once a week for 12 weeks. In addition to DMH, groups D and F received chamomile during the initiation and post-initiation stages, respectively. Blood and liver samples were collected for biochemical and molecular analyses. The results showed that DMH induced hepatic injury in mice as shown by significant increase in serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase. The changes in biochemical parameters were accompanied by activation of the Wnt signaling pathway leading to increased hepatocytes proliferation as well as inflammation evidenced by high levels of pro-inflammatory enzymes cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). The results also showed potential hepatoprotective effects of chamomile extract against DMH-induced liver injury, proliferation and inflammation. Chamomile restored the biochemical and molecular parameters and this improvement was more pronounced in mice pretreated with the extract. In conclusion, chamomile extract may exert its hepatoprotective activities against DMH probably due to the antioxidant, antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory properties of its flavonoids.

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.

Functional characterization of anti-cancer sphingolipids from the marine crab Dromia dehanni

Sphingolipids have been considered for many years only as structural components of membranes. It is now acknowledged that they are also involved in controlling cellular processes such as proliferation.The present work was designed to find the anticancer activity of the crab Dromia dehanni hemolymph in in-vivo and in vitro with special reference to the anticancer compound sphingolipids isolation and characterization. The active fraction of the purified hemolymph was subjected to NMR and ESI-MS/MS analysis. The ESI-MS/MS spectrum exhibited intense signals for sodiated molecular ions [M + Na]⁺ of sphingomyelins (SM) identified as N-2-O-Acetyl-12 pentadecenoyl sphingosine phosphorylcholine, N-9-eicosenoyl- sphinganine phosphocholine and the corresponding dehydro sphingomyelin, N-9-eicosenoyl- dehydro- sphinganine phosphocholine along with the ions at m/z 147, 184 characteristic of phosphocholine. The present study revealed D. dehaani might be a great source for the novel anti-cancer compounds which can be used for human benefits.

Implication of nano-antioxidant therapy for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma using PLGA nanoparticles of rutin

Aim: The present work describes the development of poly(lactic co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) of rutin (RT) for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma in rats. Materials & methods: RT-loaded PLGA NPs (RT-PLGA-NPs) were prepared by double emulsion evaporation method. Further these are optimized by Box–Behnken design. PLGA NPs were evaluated for size, polydispersity index, drug-loading capacity, entrapment, gastric stability, in vitro drug release, in vivo preclinical studies and biochemical studies. Results: Preclinical evaluation of RT-PLGA-NPs for anticancer activity through oral route exhibited significant improvement in hepatic, hematologic and renal biochemical parameters. Highly superior activity was observed in regulating oxidative stress and inflammatory markers, antioxidant enzymes, cytokines and inflammatory mediators and their role on plasma membrane ATPases responsible for destruction in liver tissues. Conclusion: Histopathological evaluation indicated reduced incidence of hepatic nodules, necrosis formation, infiltration of inflammatory cells, blood vessel inflammation and cell swelling with RT-PLGA-NP treatment along with considerable downregulation in the levels of proinflammatory cytokines.

Fabrication, optimization, and characterization of umbelliferone β-D-galactopyranoside-loaded PLGA nanoparticles in treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: in vitro and in vivo studies

Umbelliferone β-D-galactopyranoside (UFG), isolated from plants, exhibits promising inhibitory action on numerous diseases. The present research was initiated to develop a suitable delivery system for UFG with an intention to enhance its therapeutic efficacy against diethyl nitrosamine (DEN)-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Wistar rats. UFG-loaded polymeric nanoparticles prepared by sonication were scrutinized for average size, drug loading capacity, zeta potential, and drug release potency in animals. HCC cell lines HuH-7 and Hep G2 were used for in vitro cytotoxic investigation. Several hepatic, nonhepatic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory biochemical parameters were estimated to establish the anticancer potential of UFG nanoformulation. Microscopical and histopathological investigations were also undertaken to substantiate the results of our work. Umbelliferone β-D-galactopyranoside-loaded poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles (UFG-PLGA-NP) with particle size of 187.1 nm and polydispersity index 0.16 were uniform in nature with 82.5% release of the total amount of drug after 48 h. Our study successfully established the development and characterization of UFG-PLGA-NP with noticeable effect against both in vivo and in vitro models. The anticancer potential of UFG-PLGA-NP was brought about by the management of DEN-induced reactive oxygen species generation, mitochondrial dysfunction, proinflammatory cytokines alteration, and induction of apoptosis. Positive zeta potential on the surface of UFG-PLGA-NP would have possibly offered higher hepatic accumulation of UFG, particularly in the electron-dense mitochondria organelles, and this was the take-home message from this study. Our results demonstrated that such polymer-loaded delivery systems of UFG can be a better option and can be further explored to improve the clinical outcomes against hepatic cancer.

Anti-cancer effects of Ajwa dates (Phoenix dactylifera L.) in diethylnitrosamine induced hepatocellular carcinoma in Wistar rats

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for major cancer-related deaths despite current advanced therapies. Treatment and prognosis of HCC is better in patients with preserved liver function. Many natural products including ajwa dates (Phoenix dactylifera L.), are claimed to have hepatoprotective and HCC inhibitory effects, but most lack scientific validation. To prove our hypothesis, we attempted to evaluate the HCC inhibitory effects, and other beneficial properties of the aqueous extract of ajwa dates (ADE) in a rat model of diethylnitrosamine (DEN) induced liver cancer.

METHODS

Thirty-two male rats were divided into four groups of eight each as follows, Group A: untreated control; Group B: DEN control (180 mg/kg bw), Group C: DEN + ADE 0.5 g/kg bw; and Group D: DEN +1.0 g/kg bw. Rats from all groups were assessed for liver cancer progression or inhibition by evaluating histological, biochemical, antioxidant enzyme status, cytokines and gene expression profiles.

RESULTS

DEN treatment Groups (B, C, D) showed histological features of HCC and in rats treated with ADE (Groups C, D) partial to complete reversal of normal liver architecture was observed. Antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR), glutatione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT) were increased, while the liver enzymes alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels and lipid peroxidation were significantly decreased in Group C and Group D compared to Group B. Pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-1β,, GM-CSF) were increased in the serum of rats in Group B while the anti-tumor cytokines (IL-2, IL-12) were increased in ADE treated Groups (C, D). In addition, Alpha-Feto Protein (AFP) and IL-6 gene expression levels were upregulated in Group B, while they were significantly downregulated in ADE treated Groups (C, D).

CONCLUSIONS

ADE helped in the reversal of DEN damaged liver towards normal. Restoration of anti-oxidant enzymes, liver enzymes, cytokines balance and gene expression to normal levels following ADE treatment indicates that ADE improves liver function and inhibits HCC. ADE can, therefore, be used together with conventional therapeutics for HCC.

Protective effects of Celastrol on diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocellular carcinoma in rats and its mechanisms

Celastrol, an active ingredient of Tripterygium Wilfordii, is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, which has attracted interests for its potential anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-tumor effect of Celastrol against diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in rats and furthermore, to explore the underlying mechanism. Sprague-Dawley rats were intragastrically administered with DEN (10mg/kg) for 6 days every week and persisting 16 weeks. The number of nodules was calculated. Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) staining was used to evaluate the hepatic pathological lesions. The levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and alpha fetoprotein (AFP) were analyzed by Elisa kits, and the protein levels of p53, Murine double minute (MDM) 2, Bax, Bcl-2, Bcl-xl, cytochrome C, Caspase-3, Caspase-9 and Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) were analyzed by western blot. The results showed that Celastrol could significantly decrease the mortality, the number of tumor nodules and the index of liver in the Celastrol groups compared with DEN-treated group. Moreover, Celastrol obviously improved the hepatic pathological lesions and decreased the elevated levels of ALT, AST, ALP and AFP. Meanwhile, Celastrol suppressed the expression of the protein MDM2, activated the intrinsic mitochondrial apoptosis pathway induced by p53, inhibited anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl, induced the pro-apoptotic Bax, cytochrome C, PARP and caspases. These results suggested that Celastrol had a good therapeutic action in reversing DEN-induced HCC rats, which may be associated with the apoptosis of hepatoma cells induced by Celastrol.

Melatonin Activates Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Apoptosis in Rats with Diethylnitrosamine-Induced Hepatocarcinogenesis

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most lethal human cancers worldwide because of its high incidence, its metastatic potential and the low efficacy of conventional treatment. Inactivation of apoptosis is implicated in tumour progression and chemotherapy resistance, and has been linked to the presence of endoplasmic reticulum stress. Melatonin, the main product of the pineal gland, exerts anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic and anti-angiogenic effects in HCC cells, but these effects still need to be confirmed in animal models. Male Wistar rats in treatment groups received diethylnitrosamine (DEN) 50 mg/kg intraperitoneally twice/once a week for 18 weeks. Melatonin was given in drinking water at 1 mg/kg/d, beginning 5 or 12 weeks after the start of DEN administration. Melatonin improved survival rates and successfully attenuated liver injury, as shown by histopathology, decreased levels of serum transaminases and reduced expression of placental glutathione S-transferase. Furthermore, melatonin treatment resulted in a significant increase of caspase 3, 8 and 9 activities, polyadenosine diphosphate (ADP) ribose polymerase (PARP) cleavage, and Bcl-associated X protein (Bax)/Bcl-2 ratio. Cytochrome c, p53 and Fas-L protein concentration were also significantly enhanced by melatonin. Melatonin induced an increased expression of activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6), C/EBP-homologous protein (CHOP) and immunoglobulin heavy chain-binding protein (BiP), while cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression decreased. Data obtained suggest that induction of apoptosis and ER stress contribute to the beneficial effects of melatonin in rats with DEN-induced HCC.

Tumor progression locus 2 ablation suppressed hepatocellular carcinoma development by inhibiting hepatic inflammation and steatosis in mice

Background

Tumor progression locus 2 (TPL2), a serine-threonine kinase, functions as a critical regulator of inflammatory pathways and mediates oncogenic events. The potential role of Tpl2 in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development remains unknown.

Methods

Both wild-type and Tpl2 knockout male mice were initiated by a hepatic carcinogen (diethylnitrosamine, i.p. with a single dose of 25 mg.kg⁻¹)at 2 weeks of age, and then were given the high carbohydrate diet feeding to induce hepatic steatosis, inflammation, adenoma and HCC for 24 weeks.

Results

Tpl2 knockout mice had significantly lower incidences of liver tumor and developed hepatocellular adenoma only, which is contrast to wild-type mice where they all developed HCC. Tpl2 knockout mice had significantly down-regulated phosphorylation of JNK and ERK, and levels of mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (Il-1β, Il-18, Mcp-1 and Nalp3), which correlated with the reduced incidence and number of hepatic inflammatory foci. Furthermore, Tpl2 ablation resulted in decreased hepatic steatosis and expression of de novo lipogenesis related markers (ACC, SCD1, SREBP1C and AKT phosphorylation), as well as reduction of endoplasmic reticulum stress biomarkers PERK and eIF-2a.

Conclusion

The study revealed for the first time that Tpl2 plays a significant role in promoting HCC development by its pro-inflammatory effect, which suggested that Tpl2 could be a molecular target for HCC prevention.

Inhibition of diethylnitrosamine-initiated alcohol-promoted hepatic inflammation and precancerous lesions by flavonoid luteolin is associated with increased sirtuin 1 activity in mice

BACKGROUND

Chronic and excessive alcohol consumption is an established risk for hepatic inflammation and carcinogenesis. Luteolin is one of the most common flavonoids present in plants and has potential beneficial effects against cancer. In this study, we examined the effect and potential mechanisms of luteolin supplementation in a carcinogen initiated alcohol-promoted pre-neoplastic liver lesion mouse model.

METHODS

C57BL/6 mice were injected with diethylnitrosamine (DEN) [i.p. 25 mg/kg of body weight (BW)] at 14 days of age. At 8 weeks of age mice were group pair-fed with Lieber-DeCarli liquid control diet or alcoholic diet [ethanol (EtOH) diet, 27% total energy from ethanol] and supplemented with a dose of 30 mg luteolin/kg BW per day for 21 days.

RESULTS

DEN-injected mice fed EtOH diet displayed a significant induction of pre-neoplastic lesions, a marker associated with presence of steatosis and inflammation. Dietary luteolin significantly reduced the severity and incidence of hepatic inflammatory foci and steatosis in DEN-injected mice fed EtOH diet, as well the presence of preneoplastic lesions. There was no difference on hepatic protein levels of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) among all groups; however, luteolin supplementation significantly reversed alcohol-reduced SIRT1 activity assessed by the ratio of acetylated and total forkhead box protein O1 (FoXO1) and SIRT1 target proliferator-activated receptor gamma, coactivator 1 alpha (PGC1α).

CONCLUSIONS

Dietary intake of luteolin prevents alcohol promoted pre-neoplastic lesions, potentially mediated by SIRT1 signaling pathway.

Tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) exerts antitumor effects by inducing apoptosis and autophagy in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common types of liver cancers with high recurrence rate and mortality rate. Recent studies have indicated that tetramethylpyrazine (TMP), a purified chemical extracted from Ligusticum wallichii Franchat (ChuanXiong), possessed antitumor effects on HCC, but detailed mechanism remains unclear. Our study aims at investigating the antitumor effect of TMP on HCC and its underlying mechanism. We found that TMP inhibited cell proliferation of HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent way, and xenograft tumor models also indicated that high concentrations of TMP administration inhibited tumor growth. Next, flow cytometric analysis and transmission electron microscope images showed that TMP enhanced cell apoptosis in HepG2 cells, and western blot results showed that TMP promoted cleavage of caspase-3 and PARP in vitro and in vivo. We also found that TMP caused autophagy in HCC in vitro and in vivo. In order to examine the role of autophagy in TMP-induced apoptosis, 3-methyladenine (3-MA) was used to block the action of autophagy. Our data showed TMP-induced autophagy might be a pro-apoptosis process in HCC. Furthermore, the results of anti-oxidative enzymes and oxidation-sensitive fluorescent probe 2, 7-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) indicated that TMP induced ROS generation and inhibition of ROS diminished the anticancer function of TMP. In conclusion, our studies provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying the antitumor effect of TMP and suggest that TMP can be a novel therapeutic regimen for HCC.

Protective effect of luteolin on cigarette smoke extract-induced cellular toxicity and apoptosis in normal human bronchial epithelial cells via the Nrf2 pathway

Luteolin, one of the most common abundant flavonoids in vegetables and herbs, has antitumor effects on various tumors by inducing apoptosis, antioxidant effects and inhibition of angiogenesis. However, the potential chemoprevention of luteolin on lung cell damage and its related mechanism(s) are not fully known. The present study evaluated the protective effects of luteolin on cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-induced toxicity and apoptosis in normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells and explored its underlying mechanism(s). MTT assay showed that pretreatment with luteolin increased CSE-decreased cell viability (p<0.05). Luteolin increased cellular glutathione (GSH) levels but decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation (p<0.05). Cytometry assay and western blot analysis showed that luteolin attenuated CSE-induced apoptosis and apoptosis‑related protein activation, including caspase‑3, -8 and -9 (p<0.05). The expression of CSE-induced

NAD(P)H

quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were decreased significantly by luteolin (p<0.05). Furthermore, luteolin attenuated CSE-induced apoptosis, noticeably reduced CSE-induced expression of NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), NQO1 and HO-1 using a small interfering RNA (siRNA) transfection assay. The data demonstrated that CSE-induced oxidative damage and apoptosis through the Nrf2 pathway was inhibited by luteolin and it may serve as a chemopreventive agent for the prevention and treatment of lung cancer.