Linarin suppresses glioma through inhibition of NF-κB/p65 and up-regulating p53 expression in vitro and in vivo

Immune-inflammatory modulation by natural products derived from edible and medicinal herbs used in Chinese classical prescriptions

BACKGROUND

Edible and medicinal herbs1 (EMHs) refer to a class of substances with dual attribution of food and medicine. These substances are traditionally used as food and also listed in many international pharmacopoeias, including the European Pharmacopoeia, the United States Pharmacopoeia, and the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Some classical formulas that are widely used in traditional Chinese medicine include a series of EMHs, which have been shown to be effective with obvious characteristics and advantages. Notably, these EMHs and Chinese classical prescriptions2 (CCPs) have also attracted attention in international herbal medicine research because of their low toxicity and high efficiency as well as the rich body of experience for their long-term clinical use.

PURPOSE

Our purpose is to explore the potential therapeutic effect of EMHs with immune-inflammatory modulation for the study of modern cancer drugs.

STUDY DESIGN

In the present study, we present a detailed account of some EMHs used in CCPs that have shown considerable research potential in studies exploring modern drugs with immune-inflammatory modulation.

METHODS

Approximately 500 publications in the past 30 years were collected from PubMed, Web of Science and ScienceDirect using the keywords, such as natural products, edible and medicinal herbs, Chinese medicine, classical prescription, immune-inflammatory, tumor microenvironment and some related synonyms. The active ingredients instead of herbal extracts or botanical mixtures were focused on and the research conducted over the past decade were discussed emphatically and analyzed comprehensively.

RESULTS

More than ten natural products derived from EMHs used in CCPs are discussed and their immune-inflammatory modulation activities, including enhancing antitumor immunity, regulating inflammatory signaling pathways, lowering the proportion of immunosuppressive cells, inhibiting the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, immunosuppressive factors, and inflammatory mediators, are summarized.

CONCLUSION

Our findings demonstrate the immune-inflammatory modulating role of those EMHs used in CCPs and provide new ideas for cancer treatment in clinical settings.

Linarin Ameliorates Restenosis After Vascular Injury in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus via Regulating ADAM10-Mediated Notch Signaling Pathway

Vascular lesions frequently arise as complication in patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM). Presently, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and antithrombotic therapy serve as primary treatments. However, in-stent restenosis persists as a challenging clinical issue following PCI, lacking sustained and effective treatment. Linarin (LN) exhibits diverse pharmacological activities and is regarded as a potential drug for treating various diseases, including DM. But its specific role in restenosis after vascular injury in DM patients remains unclear. A rat model of diabetes-related restenosis was established to evaluate the role of LN on neointimal hyperplasia. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) stimulated by high glucose (HG, 30 mM) underwent LN treatment. Additionally, an overexpression plasmid of A disintegrin and metalloproteinases (ADAM10) was constructed to transfect VSMCs. We employed CCK-8, Brdu, wound-healing scratch, and transwell migration assays to evaluate the proliferation and migration of VSMCs. Furthermore, western blot and immunofluorescence assays were utilized to investigate the expressions of ADAM10 and the downstream Notch signaling pathway in vivo and in vitro models. LN notably alleviated intimal hyperplasia after vascular injury in DM rats and reduced the protein expression of ADAM10, alongside its downstream Notch1 signaling pathway-related proteins (Notch1, NICD and Hes1) in rat carotid artery tissues. LN effectively suppressed the proliferation and migration of VSMCs induced by HG, downregulating the protein expression of ADAM10, Notch1, NICD and Hes1. Moreover, our findings indicated that ADAM10 overexpression significantly reversed LN's effects on proliferation, migration, and the expression of Notch1 signaling pathway-related proteins in HG-treated VSMCs. LN demonstrates potential therapeutic efficacy in addressing restenosis after diabetic-related vascular injury, with the ADAM10 mediated Notch signaling pathway playing a pivotal role.

Network pharmacology and molecular docking-based strategy for predicting anti-tumour mechanism of linarin

The aim was to explore the anti-tumour mechanism of linarin (LIN) based on network pharmacology and molecular docking. PharmMapper database and GeneCards database were used to screen anti-tumour related targets of LIN. Enrichment analysis of GO and KEGG was conducted to predict the key targets and pathways. At last, LIN was docked with the key targets. ESR1, ESR2, EGFR, AR, TGFBR2, F2, MAPK10, MAPK14, CDK2 and HSP90AA1 were identified as the key targets. The key pathways included pathways in cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer and breast cancer. KEGG pathway maps indicated that the anti-tumour effect of LIN may be mainly achieved by intervening related targets in the following pathways: AR-HSP/AR-AR/PSA/proliferation and evading apoptosis;F2/GPCR/…/ROCK/tissue invasion and metastasis;F2/GPCR/…/Raf/MAPK signalling pathway/proliferation and sustained angiogenesis; EGFR/Grb2/…/Raf/MAPK signalling pathway/proliferation and sustained angiogenesis; ER/Oestrogen signalling pathway/proliferation;TGFBR2/Smad2/3/TGF-β signalling pathway/insensitivity to anti-growth signals; oxidative stress/KEAP1/NRF2/…/proliferation and evading apoptosis. LIN had strong binding activity with ESR2, EGFR, AR, CDK2 and HSP90AA1.

Rutin promotes osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) by increasing ECM deposition and inhibiting p53 expression

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are an important source of cells for bone regeneration. Although the utilization of MSCs along with growth factors and scaffolds is a beneficial clinical approach for bone tissue engineering, there is need for improvement on the effectiveness of MSC osteogenesis and differentiation. Rutin is a natural flavonoid and a major component for cell proliferation and bone development. However, studies on the mechanism through which rutin regulates osteogenesis and MSC differentiation are limited. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect and mechanisms of rutin on osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. MSCs were extracted from umbilical cords and treated with rutin, followed by the examination of osteogenesis-related markers. Rutin treatment promoted the differentiation of MSCs towards the osteogenic lineage rather than the adipogenic lineage and increased the expression of osteogenic markers. RNA sequencing and bioinformatic analysis indicated that rutin regulated p53, a key gene in regulating the osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. Additionally, cellular experiments showed that rutin-induced decrease in p53 expression increased the formation of extracellular matrix (ECM) by promoting p65 phosphorylation and caspase-3 cleavage. Conclusively, this study demonstrates the importance of rutin in osteogenesis and indicates that rutin possesses potential pharmaceutical application for bone regeneration and bone tissue engineering.

LncBIRC3-OT promotes the malignant progression of glioma by interacting with RELA to upregulate stanniocalcin-1 expression

Glioma is the most common malignant intracranial tumor, accounting for 80 % of all malignant brain tumors. Growing evidence suggests that lncRNAs are involved in the growth, angiogenesis, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance in a variety of tumors, including glioma. In this study, lncBIRC3-OT (NONHSAT159592.1), which is highly expressed in glioma, was screened by RNA-seq method and verified by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Subsequently, we knocked down the endogenous expression of lncBIRC3-OT in U87 and U251 cells and found that down-regulated lncBIRC3-OT inhibited cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion. Mechanically, lncBIRC3-OT could guide RELA protein to the stanniocalcin-1 (STC1) promoter, initiate STC1 transcription, and ultimately promote the progression of glioma. Together, these findings suggest that lncBIRC3-OT is an important regulator promoting glioma progression, and may be a promising therapeutic target for glioma.

Tumor-promoting properties of enolase-phosphatase 1 in breast cancer via activating the NF-κB signaling pathway

BACKGROUND

Evidence suggests that enolase-phosphatase 1 (ENOPH1) is involved in the progression of some certain types of cancers and acts as an oncogenic factor in tumor progression. The present study aimed to identify the central role of ENOPH1 in the progression of breast cancer (BC), a highly proliferative and aggressive disease.

METHODS AND RESULTS

ENOPH1 expression in BC tissues was explored based on the online resource and 40 paired fresh BC and para-carcinoma samples. Functional assays were performed to evaluate the biological effect of ENOPH1 on cell proliferation and migration in ENOPH1-silenced or overexpressing BC cell lines. Blockade of NF-κB by BAY11-7082 was performed to evaluate whether ENOPH1 exerted tumor-promoting properties via regulating the NF-κB signaling pathway. Results of the present study demonstrated that ENOPH1 expression was profoundly upregulated in BC tissues compared with adjacent breast tissues, and ENOPH1 expression was associated with cancer stage, node metastasis status, and overall survival. Functional assays demonstrated that ENOPH1 overexpression significantly accelerated BC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, while genetic knockdown of ENOPH1 yielded the opposite effects. Mechanistically, ENOPH1 activated the NF-κB pathway, as evidenced by increased expression of NF-κB downstream genes and enhanced NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation. Furthermore, the oncogenic properties of ENOPH1 in proliferation, migration, and invasion were restrained following inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicated the significance of ENOPH1 in promoting cell proliferation and invasion, mainly through activating the NF-κB pathway, suggesting that ENOPH1 might be an attractive prognostic factor and a potential target for BC therapy.

Semi-Synthesis of Flavonoid Glycosides and Their Anti-Inflammatory and Antitumor Activities towards Triple Negative Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND

Flavonoid glycosides are known to possess diverse bioactivities including antitumor and anti-inflammatory properties. Hesperetin is abundant in nature and can be used to synthesize bioactive flavonoids. This has the advantages of low cost, short synthetic steps, simple operation, and good yields.

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we aimed to synthesize bioactive flavonoids and flavonoid glycosides from hesperetin and evaluate the antitumor and anti-inflammatory activities of these compounds.

METHODS

A series of flavonoids and their derivatives were synthesized by methoxylation, oxidative dehydrogenation, benzylation, debenzylation, and deacetylation as well as using a modified peroxyacetone method and a glycoside condensation reaction. Their anti-inflammatory activities were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) production in LPS-induced RAW264.7 mouse macrophages. Their structures were characterized by HRMS, ¹ H-NMR, and ¹³ C-NMR, and their cytotoxicity on the human triple-negative breast cancer cell (TNBC) line, SUM 149, was tested by using the MST assay.

RESULTS

Most of the compounds markedly reduced NO production in LPS-stimulated murine macrophages at the tested concentrations in a dose-dependent manner. Among these, compounds 1, 7, 9, and 17 showed significant anti-inflammatory activities against NO production in LPS-induced RAW264.7 mouse macrophages. In addition, they could also reduce the release of TNF-α and IL-6 in a concentration-dependent manner. Most of the tested compounds showed remarkable anti-human TNBC activities. Compounds 1b-1m, 1, and 3 showed a certain degree of growth inhibition effect on the human TNBC cell lines and their IC₅₀ values were all below 16.61 μM. In addition, compound 1l was the most cytotoxic with IC₅₀ values of 1.38±0.31 μM, while the other compounds were inactive with inhibition rates <50 % at the highest concentration tested (20 μM).

CONCLUSIONS

A novel series of flavonoids were synthesized from the natural flavonoid, hesperetin, including 17 new compounds. Screening tests indicated that most of these compounds reduced NO production in LPS-stimulated murine macrophages at concentrations of 15 to 60 μM, and the inhibition generally increased in a dose-dependent manner. Some compounds showed different degrees of cytotoxicity on the human TBNC cell lines, SUM 149.

Targeting long non-coding RNA PVT1/TGF-β/Smad by p53 prevents glioma progression

Glioma is a primary intracranial malignant tumor with poor prognosis, and its pathogenesis is unclear. This study discussed the impact of p53/lncRNA plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (lncRNA PVT1)/transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β)/Smad axis on the biological characteristics of glioma. Glioma and normal tissues were collected, in which relative lncRNA PVT1 and p53 expression was assessed. Pearson’s analysis was adopted for the correlation analysis between lncRNA PVT1 and p53. Short interfering RNA (siRNA) against lncRNA PVT1 (siRNA-PVT1), siRNA-p53 or both was transfected into the glioma cells to evaluate effects of lncRNA PVT1 and p53 on cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis. Mouse xenograft model of glioma was established to verify function of lncRNA PVT1 and p53 in vivo. Relationship among p53, lncRNA PVT1 and TGF-β/Smad was predicted and confirmed. Glioma tissues and cells showed downregulated p53 expression and increased lncRNA PVT1 expression. An adverse relationship was noted between p53 expression and lncRNA PVT1 expression. p53 was shown to be enriched in the lncRNA PVT1 promoter region and resulted in its suppression. p53 inhibited glioma cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and induced apoptosis as well as arrested tumor growth by downregulating lncRNA PVT1. LncRNA PVT1was found to bind to TGF-β and activate TGF-β/Smad pathway, promoting progression of glioma. Consequently, p53 exerts anti-oncogenic function on glioma development by suppressing lncRNA PVT1 and subsequently inactivating TGF-β/Smad pathway.

Bullatine A exerts anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting the ROS/JNK/NF-κB pathway and attenuating systemic inflammatory responses in mice

CONTEXT

Aconiti brachypodi Radix (Xue-shang-yi-zhi-hao) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine that is capable of anti-analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. Bullatine A (BA) is one of the major active ingredients of this plant, and most of the previous studies reported that it has anti-analgesic effects. However, the mechanism of BA anti-inflammatory remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigates the anti-inflammatory activities of BA, both in vitro and in vivo, and elucidates its mechanism.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In vitro, BA (10, 20, 40 and 80 μM) was added to 1 µg/mL of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated microglia BV2 cells and immortalized murine bone marrow-derived macrophages, respectively. After 6 h, the mRNA and protein levels of inflammatory factors were determined by real-time quantitative PCR and western blotting. In vivo, C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control, model (5 mg/kg dose of LPS) and treated groups (LPS with 5, 10 or 20 mg/kg dose of BA) to evaluate the anti-inflammatory efficacy of BA.

RESULTS

BA significantly inhibited LPS-induced expression of inflammatory factors, such as IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and COX-2. Further investigations showed that BA reduced the translocation of NF-κB p65 (38.5%, p < 0.01). BA also reduced the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) (11.2%, p < 0.05) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation (24.2%, p < 0.01). Furthermore, BA treatment attenuated the LPS-primed inflammatory response and liver and lung damage in vivo.

CONCLUSIONS

BA can inhibit the inflammatory response in part through the ROS/JNK/NF-κB signalling pathway, providing a theoretical basis for the clinical application of BA in the treatment of periphery inflammatory diseases.

Single-Cell Sequencing Analysis Identified ASTN2 as a Migration Biomarker in Adult Glioblastoma

Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive primary central nervous system malignant tumors. With the development of targeted sequencing and proteomic profiling technology, some new tumor types have been established and a series of novel molecular markers have also been identified. The 2021 updated World Health Organization classification of central nervous system tumors first mentioned the classification of adult glioma and pediatric glioma based on the molecular diagnosis. Thus, we used single-cell RNA sequencing analysis to explore the diversity and similarities in the occurrence and development of adult and pediatric types. ASTN2, which primarily encodes astrotactin, has been reported to be dysregulated in various neurodevelopmental disorders. Although some studies have demonstrated that ASTN2 plays an important role in glial-guided neuronal migration, there are no studies about its impact on glioblastoma cell migration. Subsequent single-cell RNA sequencing revealed ASTN2 to be a hub gene of a cell cluster which had a poor effect on clinical prognosis. Eventually, a western blot assay and a wound-healing assay first confirmed that ASTN2 expression in glioblastoma cell lines is higher than that in normal human astrocytes and affects the migration ability of glioblastoma cells, making it a potential therapeutic target.

The dark side of foetal bovine serum in extracellular vesicle studies

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been shown to be involved in cell-cell communication and to take part in both physiological and pathological processes. Thanks to their exclusive cargo, which includes proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids from the originating cells, they are gaining interest as potential biomarkers of disease. In recent years, their appealing features have been fascinating researchers from all over the world, thus increasing the number of in vitro studies focused on EV release, content, and biological activities. Cultured cell lines are the most-used source of EVs; however, the EVs released in cell cultures are influenced by the cell culture conditions, such as the use of foetal bovine serum (FBS). FBS is the most common supplement for cell culture media, but it is also a source of contaminants, such as exogenous bovine EVs, RNA, and protein aggregates, that can contaminate the cell-derived EVs and influence their cargo composition. The presence of FBS contaminants in cell-derived EV samples is a well-known issue that limits the clinical applications of EVs, thus increasing the need for standardization. In this review, we will discuss the pros and cons of using FBS in cell cultures as a source of EVs, as well as the protocols used to remove contaminants from FBS.

Phytochemistry, Pharmacology and Quality Control of Xiasangju: A Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula

As a traditional Chinese herbal formula, Xiasangju (XSJ) is widely used in China for antipyresis and influenza treatment. However, XSJ still fails to have a comprehensive summary of the research progress in the last decade. This review summarizes the advanced research on the extraction process, phytochemistry, pharmacological activity, and quality control of XSJ. Current research mainly focuses on quality control and the pharmacological effects of single herbs and active ingredients, but many pharmacological mechanisms of the formula are unclear. The development of active ingredients reflects the active characteristics of triterpenes, phenolic acids and flavonoids, but the hepatotoxicity of Prunella vulgaris L. has not been taken into account. XSJ has extensive historical practical experiences, while systematic clinical trials remain lacking. Therefore, it is necessary to study the active ingredients and define the mechanisms of XSJ to develop multiple applications, and further studies on the dose range between its hepatoprotective activity and hepatotoxicity are necessary to improve the safety of the clinical application. In this review, the current problems are discussed to facilitate the reference basis for the subsequent research on the development of XSJ and future application directions.

Preparation and pharmacokinetics in vivo of linarin solid dispersion and liposome

Objective

The current investigation aimed to determine the appropriate dosage form by comparing solid dispersion and liposome to achieve the purpose of improving the solubility and bioavailability of linarin.

Methods

Linarin solid dispersion (LSD) and linarin liposome (LL) were developed via the solvent method and the thin film hydration method respectively. The Transwell chamber model of Caco-2 cells was established to evaluate the absorption of drug. The pharmacokinetics of linarin, LSD and LL in rats after ig administration were carried out by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method.

Results

The solubility of LSD and LL was severally 3.29 times and 3.09 times than that of linarin. The permeation coefficients of LSD and LL were greater than 10⁻⁶, indicating that the absorption of LSD and LL were both better than linarin. The bioavailability of the LSD was 3.363 times higher than that of linarin, and the bioavailability of LL was 0.9886 times higher than that of linarin.

Conclusion

The linarin was more suitable for making solid dispersion to enhance its solubility and bioavailability.

The Mechanism Study of Common Flavonoids on Antiglioma Based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking

BACKGROUND

Glioma is the most common primary intracranial tumor in adult patients. Among them, glioblastoma is a highly malignant one with a poor prognosis. Flavonoids are a class of phenolic compounds widely distributed in plants and have many biological functions, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiaging, and anticancer. Nowadays, flavonoids have been applied to the therapy of glioma; however, the molecular mechanism underlying the therapeutic effects has not been fully elaborated. This study was carried out to explore the mechanism of selected active flavonoid compounds in treating glioma using network pharmacology and molecular docking approaches.

METHODS

Active ingredients and associated targets of flavonoids were acquired by using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) and Swiss TargetPrediction platform. Genes related to glioma were obtained from the GeneCards and DisGeNET databases. The intersection targets between flavonoid targets and glioma-related genes were used to construct protein-protein interaction (PPI) network via the STRING database, and the results were analyzed by Cytoscape software. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed and displayed by utilizing the Metascape portal and clusterProfiler R package. Molecular docking was carried out by iGEMDOCK and SwissDock, and the results were visually displayed by UCSF Chimera software.

RESULTS

Eighty-four active flavonoid compounds and 258 targets overlapped between flavonoid targets and glioma-related genes were achieved. PPI network revealed potential therapeutic targets, such as AKT1, EGFR, VEGFA, MAPK3, and CASP3, based on their node degree. GO and KEGG analyses showed that core targets were mainly enriched in the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Molecular docking simulation indicated that potential glioma-related targets-MAPK1 and HSP90AA1 were bounded more firmly with epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) than with quercetin.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study indicated that selected active flavonoid compounds might play therapeutic roles in glioma mainly through the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Moreover, EGCG had the potential antiglioma activity by targeting MAPK1 and HSP90AA1.

Neuroimmunomodulatory Properties of Flavonoids and Derivates: A Potential Action as Adjuvants for the Treatment of Glioblastoma

Glioblastomas (GBMs) are tumors that have a high ability to migrate, invade and proliferate in the healthy tissue, what greatly impairs their treatment. These characteristics are associated with the complex microenvironment, formed by the perivascular niche, which is also composed of several stromal cells including astrocytes, microglia, fibroblasts, pericytes and endothelial cells, supporting tumor progression. Further microglia and macrophages associated with GBMs infiltrate the tumor. These innate immune cells are meant to participate in tumor surveillance and eradication, but they become compromised by GBM cells and exploited in the process. In this review we discuss the context of the GBM microenvironment together with the actions of flavonoids, which have attracted scientific attention due to their pharmacological properties as possible anti-tumor agents. Flavonoids act on a variety of signaling pathways, counteracting the invasion process. Luteolin and rutin inhibit NFκB activation, reducing IL-6 production. Fisetin promotes tumor apoptosis, while inhibiting ADAM expression, reducing invasion. Naringenin reduces tumor invasion by down-regulating metalloproteinases expression. Apigenin and rutin induce apoptosis in C6 cells increasing TNFα, while decreasing IL-10 production, denoting a shift from the immunosuppressive Th2 to the Th1 profile. Overall, flavonoids should be further exploited for glioma therapy.

Linarin, a Glycosylated Flavonoid, with Potential Therapeutic Attributes: A Comprehensive Review

Many flavonoids, as eminent phenolic compounds, have been commercialized and consumed as dietary supplements due to their incredible human health benefits. In the present study, a bioactive flavone glycoside linarin (LN) was designated to comprehensively overview its phytochemical and biological properties. LN has been characterized abundantly in the Cirsium, Micromeria, and Buddleja species belonging to Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, and Scrophulariaceae families, respectively. Biological assessments exhibited promising activities of LN, particularly, the remedial effects on central nervous system (CNS) disorders, whereas the remarkable sleep enhancing and sedative effects as well as AChE (acetylcholinesterase) inhibitory activity were highlighted. Of note, LN has indicated promising anti osteoblast proliferation and differentiation, thus a bone formation effect. Further biological and pharmacological assessments of LN and its optimized semi-synthetic derivatives, specifically its therapeutic characteristics on osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, might lead to uncovering potential drug candidates.

The Effects of P53 in the Globular Heads of the C1q Receptor in Gastric Carcinoma Cell Apoptosis Are Exerted via a Mitochondrial-Dependent Pathway

The globular heads of the C1q receptor (gC1qR), located in the B cell cytoplasm, perform important roles in many cellular processes. A recent studies reported a major role of mitochondrial apoptosis in several cancers, but there has been no report on gastric carcinoma (GC). In this study, the mechanism by which cell apoptosis is induced by gC1qR in GC was explored. Western blot showed that gC1qR and P53 protein levels were lower in GC tissues than in normal tissues. Cytotoxicity was dynamically increased in gC1qR-overexpressing GC cells compared to the control. CCK8 assay indicated that overexpression of gC1qR induced GC cell apoptosis, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, decreased the mitochondrial transmembrane potential and promoted mitochondrial apoptosis. Moreover, the P53 level increased in response to gC1qR. The viability, migration, and mitochondrial transmembrane potential of GC cells increased in association with decreased levels of ROS and mitochondrial apoptosis in the P53-silenced group. Collectively, our findings indicate that apoptosis of GC cells is enhanced when gC1qR overexpression is induced by P53-mediated mitochondrial apoptosis.

Anti-inflammatory effects of three withanolides isolated from Physalis angulata L. in LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cells through blocking NF-κB signaling pathway

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Physalis angulata L. is commonly used in many countries as popular medicine for the treatment of a variety of diseases such as malaria, hepatitis, dermatitis and rheumatism. But the anti-inflammatory active constituents of this medicinal plant and their molecular mechanism are still not elucidated clearly.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The aim of the study is to isolate and identify a series of compounds from the ethanolic extract of Physalis angulata L., and to investigate the anti-inflammatory activities in vitro and the molecular mechanism of physagulin A, physagulin C, and physagulin H.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In order to further understand the anti-inflammatory mechanism of the three compounds, their potential anti-inflammatory activities were investigated in vitro in LPS-activated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells by Griess assay, ELISA, Western blot and immunofluorescence methods in the present study.

RESULTS

Physagulin A, physagulin C, and physagulin H could not only inhibit the release of NO, PGE₂, IL-6 and TNF-α, but also could down-regulate the expression of iNOS and COX-2 proteins. Furthermore, physagulin A, physagulin C, and physagulin H could remarkably block the degradation of IκB-α and the nuclear translocation of NF-κB/p65 in LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cells. However, none of them could inhibit the phosphorylation of MAPKs family proteins ERK, JNK and p38. Thus, the anti-inflammatory actions of physagulin A, physagulin C, and physagulin H were mainly due to the significant inhibition of NF-κB signaling pathway rather than MAPKs signaling pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

All the results clearly showed that physagulin A, physagulin C, and physagulin H demonstrated potent anti-inflammatory activity and can be used as novel NF-κB inhibitors. They are potential to be developed as an alternative or complementary agents for inflammatory diseases.

Identification of Secondary Metabolites in Flammulina velutipes by UPLC-Q-Exactive-Orbitrap MS

Flammulina velutipes is the fourth largest edible fungus in China with high nutritional value. In this paper, ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography tandem hybrid quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-Exactive-Orbitrap MS) was used to identify the secondary metabolites of F. velutipes. The metabolites were identified by comparing the retention time, accurate molecular weight, and MS2 data with standard databases of mzVault and mzCloud (compound: 17,000+) and BGI high-resolution accurate mass plant metabolome database (plant metabolite: 2500+). Finally, 26 secondary metabolites were preliminarily identified, including flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, organic acids, and steroids.

Thesium chinense Turcz.: An ethnomedical, phytochemical and pharmacological review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Thesium chinense Turcz. has been used to treat mastitis, pulmonitis, tonsillitis, iaryngopharyngitis and upper respiratory tract infections in the indigenous medicine of China for a long history. Presently, several pharmaceutics prepared by this medical herb have been clinically used for the therapy of infectious diseases.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

This review aims to comprehensively summarize the current researches on the ethnomedical, phytochemical and pharmacological aspects of T. chinense, and discuss their possible opportunities for the future research.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Extensive database searches, including Web of Science, SciFinder, Google Scholar and China Knowledge Resource Integrated, were performed using keywords such as 'Thesium chinense', 'Bai Rui Cao', and their chemical constituents. In addition, local classic herbal literature on ethnopharmacology and relevant textbooks were consulted to provide a comprehensive survey of this ethnomedicine.

RESULTS

Thirty four chemical constituents, including flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenoids, have been identified from T. chinense. Of which, flavonoids are the predominant and characteristic constituents. The crude extracts, the purified constituents, and commercial available pharmaceutics have displayed diverse in vitro and in vivo pharmacological functions (e.g. anti-inflammation, antimicrobial activity, analgesic effect, hepaprotection), and are particularly useful as a potential therapeutic agent against inflammation-related diseases.

CONCLUSIONS

T. chinense is an important ethnomedical medicine and possesses a satisfying effect for treating inflammation, microbial infection, and upper respiratory diseases. It has received plenty of researches on its phytochemical and pharmacological aspects since 1970s. These findings definitely establish the link between chemical composition and pharmacological application, and support the ethnomedical use of T. chinense in the indigenous medicine of China. However, chemical composition of this plant and the molecular mechanisms of purified constituents have not been comprehensively investigated, and thus the trace constituents and the therapeutic targets of bioactive constituents deserve a further exploration. Collectively, the researchers should pay more attention to a better understanding and application of this ethnomedical plant.

Anti-inflammatory chemical constituents of Flos Chrysanthemi Indici determined by UPLC-MS/MS integrated with network pharmacology

Flos Chrysanthemi Indici (FCI), the flower of Chrysanthemum indicum L., is a common functional food and a well-known traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Previous studies have revealed that FCI has anti-inflammatory activity, but little is known about its anti-inflammatory chemical profile. In this study, the potential anti-inflammatory constituents of FCI were investigated by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS) combined with the network pharmacology approach, and further confirmed on a LPS activated RAW264.7 macrophage model. As a result, a total of forty-two compounds, including thirty-two flavonoids, nine phenolic acids and one sesquiterpene, were identified. Among them, fourteen compounds including eight flavonoids (11, 17, 24, 28, 32, 39, 41 and 42) and six caffeoylquinic acids (3, 4, 5, 13, 15 and 20) were recognized as potential key anti-inflammatory constituents of FCI through network pharmacology analysis, because they accounted for 92% of the relative peak area in the UPLC-Q-TOF/MS chromatogram and acted on 87 of 97 the inflammatory targets of FCI. However, only 16 targets were shared between the flavonoids and caffeoylquinic acids, indicative of both acting on more different targets. Further the anti-inflammatory effects of the fourteen constituents were validated with the decreased levels of NO, TNF-α, IL-6 and PGE2 in RAW264.7 macrophage cells treated with LPS. Our results indicated that both flavonoids and caffeoylquinic acids were responsible for the anti-inflammatory effect of FCI through synergetic actions on multi-targets. Moreover, 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (15), luteolin (24) and linarin (28) were the most important active constituents of FCI and could be selected as chemical markers for quality control of FCI. Overall, the findings not only explore the anti-inflammatory chemical constituents of FCI, but also provide novel insights into the effective constituents and mechanism of TCMs.

Anti-inflammatory action of physalin A by blocking the activation of NF-κB signaling pathway

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Physalis Calyx seu Fructus is typically used to treat inflammatory diseases such as upper respiratory tract infection and acute tonsillitis in clinical practice of China. Physalin A, a main active ingredient of this traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has been reported for its significant anti-tumor activity. However, most reports focused on the studies of its anti-tumor activity, the anti-inflammatory activity of physalin A and its molecular mechanism are still not elucidated clearly.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The aim of the study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory activities both in vitro and in vivo and molecular mechanism of physalin A.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The potential anti-inflammatory properties of physalin A were evaluated in vitro by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 macrophage cells, and in vivo via two typical acute inflammation murine models. Some important inflammation-related molecules were analyzed by enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blotting.

RESULTS

The results showed that physalin A inhibited carrageenan-induced paw edema of rats and capillary permeability of mice induced by acetic acid in vivo. Furthermore, physalin A also significantly reduced the release of inflammatory mediators nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in RAW 264.7 in vitro. Further investigations indicated that physalin A can down-regulate the high expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in a dose-dependent manner. Physalin A remarkably blocked the degradation of inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa B alpha (IκB-α) and the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 induced by LPS in RAW 264.7 cells. However, physalin A did not significantly inhibit the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) family proteins c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) or extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) or p38.

CONCLUSIONS

All the results clearly illustrated that the anti-inflammatory action of physalin A is due to the inactivation of NF-κB signal pathway, but is irrelevant to the MAPKs pathway.

Chrysanthemum indicum L.: A Comprehensive Review of its Botany, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology

Chrysanthemum indicum L. (C. indicum L.), a member of the Compositae family, is a perennial plant that has been used as a traditional medicine for more than 2000 years in China and is widely used for the treatment of Pemphigus, swelling, pain, and scrofula. To date, more than 190 chemical constituents have been isolated and identified from this plant, including flavonoids, terpenoids, phenylpropanoids, and phenolic acids. Numerous modern studies have shown that extracts or monomeric compounds from C. indicum L. have several pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory anti-oxidation, antipathogenic microorganism, anticancer, immune regulation, and hepatoprotective effects. However, resource availability, the research on the mechanism, and quality control are still insufficient, which deserves further efforts. In this paper, the advances in botany, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of C. indicum L were reviewed. We hope that this review can provide important information for traditional Chinese medicine, phytochemistry, synthetic and medicinal chemistry researchers for making full use of C. indicum L. resource.

Ethanol extract of Chrysanthemum zawadskii Herbich induces autophagy and apoptosis in mouse colon cancer cells through the regulation of reactive oxygen species

Background

Recent research has suggested that autophagy can provide a better mechanism for inducing cell death than current therapeutic strategies. This study investigated the effects of using an ethanol extract of Chrysanthemum zawadskii Herbich (ECZ) to induce apoptosis and autophagy associated with reliable signal pathways in mouse colon cancer CT-26 cells.

Methods

Using ECZ on mouse colon cancer CT-26 cells, cell viability, annexin V/propidium iodide staining, acridine orange staining, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and western blotting were assayed.

Results

ECZ exhibited cytotoxicity in CT-26 cells in a dose-dependent manner. ECZ induced apoptosis was confirmed by caspase-3 activation, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage, and increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, it was shown that ECZ induced autophagy via the increased conversion of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3II, the degradation of p62, and the formation of acidic vesicular organelles. The inhibition of ROS production by N-Acetyl-L-cysteine resulted in reduced ECZ-induced apoptosis and autophagy. Furthermore, the inhibition of autophagy by 3-methyladenine resulted in enhanced ECZ-induced apoptosis via increased ROS generation.

Conclusion

These findings confirmed that ECZ induced ROS-mediated autophagy and apoptosis in colon cancer cells. Therefore, ECZ may serve as a novel potential chemotherapeutic candidate for colon cancer.

Exosomes derived from microRNA-199a-overexpressing mesenchymal stem cells inhibit glioma progression by down-regulating AGAP2

Accumulating evidence has implied that microRNAs (miRNAs) are implicated in glioma progression, and genetically engineered mesenchymal stem cells can help to inhibit tumor growth of glioma. Herein we hypothesized that miR-199a could be delivered by mesenchymal stem cells to glioma cells through exosomes and thus prevent the glioma development by down-regulating ArfGAP with GTPase domain, ankyrin repeat and PH domain 2 (AGAP2). The expression pattern of miR-199a and AGAP2 was characterized in glioma tissues and cells using RNA polymerase chain reaction quantification, immunohistochemical staining and Western blot assays. Mesenchymal stem cells transfected with miR-199a mimic or their derived exosomes were co-cultured with U251 cells. The biological behaviors as well as chemosensitivity of U251 cells were assessed to explore the involvement of miR-199a/AGAP2 in glioma. MiR-199a was poorly expressed in glioma tissue and cells while AGAP2 was highly expressed. Mesenchymal stem cells delivered miR-199a to the glioma cells via the exosomes, which resulted in the suppression of the proliferation, invasion and migration of glioma cells. Besides, mesenchymal stem cells over-expressing miR-199a enhanced the chemosensitivity to temozolomide and inhibited the tumor growth in vivo. Taken together, mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomal miR-199a can inhibit the progression of glioma by down-regulating AGAP2.

The influence of serum-supplemented culture media in a transwell migration assay

Our work cautions against the use of serum-supplemented culture media in a transwell migration assay when using chemoattractants other than FBS. At 24 h, a 5% foetal bovine serum (FBS) gradient caused BV2 microglia to migrate toward the lower compartment of the transwell apparatus. Interestingly, FBS-supplemented media in the absence of a gradient also resulted in notable microglia migration. Serum can therefore confound the interpretation of a transwell migration assay when another chemoattractant is used.

Yifei Tongluo, a Chinese Herbal Formula, Suppresses Tumor Growth and Metastasis and Exerts Immunomodulatory Effect in Lewis Lung Carcinoma Mice

This study was aimed to investigate the anti-tumor, anti-metastasis and immunomodulatory effects of Yifei Tongluo (YFTL), a Chinese herbal formula, in Lewis lung carcinoma mice and to explore the underlying mechanisms. LLC cells were inoculated subcutaneously in C57BL/6 mice to establish the Lewis lung carcinoma model. We observed that YFTL effectively inhibited tumor growth and prolonged the overall survival of tumor-bearing mice. Additionally, YFTL treatment resulted in a significantly decreased number of surface lung metastatic lesions compared with the model control group. Meanwhile, TUNEL staining confirmed that the tumors from YFTL-treated mice exhibited a markedly higher apoptotic index. The results suggest that Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPKs) pathways may be involved in YFTL-induced apoptosis. The results show that YFTL also inhibited the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-2, MMP-9, N-cadherin, and Vimentin expression, but increased E-cadherin expression. Mechanistic studies indicated that YFTL could suppress the angiogenesis and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of the tumor through Akt/ERK1/2 and TGFβ1/Smad2 pathways. In addition, YFTL also showed immunomodulatory activities in improving the immunosuppressive state of tumor-bearing mice. Therefore, our findings could support the development of YFTL as a potential antineoplastic agent and a potentially useful anti-metastatic agent for lung carcinoma therapy.

Porf-2 = Arhgap39 = Vilse: A Pivotal Role in Neurodevelopment, Learning and Memory

Small GTP-converting enzymes, GTPases, are essential for the efficient completion of many physiological and developmental processes. They are regulated by GTPase activating proteins (GAPs) and guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs). Arhgap39, also known as preoptic regulatory factor-2 (Porf-2) or Vilse, a member of the Rho GAP group, was first identified in 1990 in the rat CNS. It has since been shown to regulate apoptosis, cell migration, neurogenesis, and cerebral and hippocampal dendritic spine morphology. It plays a pivotal role in neurodevelopment and learning and memory. Homologous or orthologous genes are found in more than 280 vertebrate and invertebrate species, suggesting preservation through evolution. Not surprisingly, loss of the Arhgap39/Porf-2 gene in mice manifests as an embryonic lethal condition. Although Arhgap39/Porf-2 is highly expressed in the brain, it is also widely distributed throughout the body, with potential additional roles in oncogenesis and morphogenesis. This review summarizes, for the first time, the known information about this gene under its various names, in addition to considering its transcripts and proteins. The majority of findings described have been made in rats, mice, humans, and fruit flies. This work surveys the known functions, functional mediators, variables modifying expression and upstream regulators of expression, and potential physiological and pathological roles of Arhgap39/Porf-2 in health and disease.

Apolipoprotein C1 promotes prostate cancer cell proliferation in vitro

Here, we aimed to investigate the carcinogenic effects of apolipoprotein C1 (APOC1) in prostate cancer (PCa). APOC1 expression was evaluated in PCa and normal prostate specimens, and lentivirus-mediated RNA interference was used to knockdown APOC1 in DU145 cells. The effects of APOC1 silencing on cell proliferation, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis were assessed. APOC1 expression was much higher in PCa tissues than in normal tissues. Moreover, APOC1 silencing inhibited cell proliferation and colony formation, arrested cell cycle progression, and enhanced apoptosis in DU145 cells. Additionally, APOC1 silencing decreased survivin, phospho-Rb, and p21 levels and increased cleaved caspase-3 expression. These data supported the procarcinogenic effects of APOC1 in the pathogenesis of PCa and suggested that targeting APOC1 may have applications in the treatment of PCa.