Erianin suppresses proliferation and migration of cancer cells in a pyruvate carboxylase-dependent manner

Research progress on the regulatory and pharmacological mechanism of chemical components of Dendrobium

Dendrobium is a precious Chinese herbal medicine, which belongs to the genus Orchidaceae. Ancient records and modern pharmacological research show that Dendrobium has pharmacological effects such as anti-tumor, antioxidant regulating immunity and blood glucose, and anti-aging. Dendrobium contains polysaccharides, alkaloids, bibenzyl, sesquiterpenes, phenanthrene, polyphenols and other types of chemicals. Its pharmacological activity is closely related to these chemical components. For example, dendrobium extracts can achieve anti-tumor effects by inhibiting tumor cell proliferation and metastasis, promoting cell apoptosis and ferroptosis, or increasing cell sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs. It enhances immunity by regulating immune cell activity or cytokine release. In addition, it can alleviate neurodegenerative diseases by protecting nerve cells from apoptotic damage. In recent years, research reports on biologically active compounds in Dendrobium have shown a blowout growth, which makes us realize that it is meaningful to continuously update the research progress on the components and pharmacological regulatory mechanism of this traditional Chinese medicine. By classifying the collected chemical components according to different chemical structures and summarizing their pharmacological mechanisms, we investigated the current research progress of Dendrobium and provide a more comprehensive scientific foundation for the further development and clinical transformation of Dendrobium in the future.

Maurice M. Synthesis and Evaluation of 1,3-Disubstituted Imidazolidine-2,4,5-triones as Inhibitors of Pyruvate Carboxylase

Substituted imidazolidinetriones (IZTs) have been identified as potent inhibitors of pyruvate carboxylase (PC) through an in silico screening approach. Alkyl 2-(2,4,5-trioxo-3-substituted imidazolidin-1-yl)acetates (6i-6r) are the most potent of the series, with IC50 values between 3 and 12 μM, and several IZTs demonstrate high passive permeability across an artificial membrane. IZTs are mixed-type inhibitors with respect to pyruvate and noncompetitive with respect to ATP. This class of inhibitors appears to be selective for PC. Inhibitors in the IZT series do not inhibit the metalloenzymes human carbonic anhydrase II and matrix metalloprotease-12, and they do not inhibit the related biotin-dependent enzyme, guanidine carboxylase. Altogether, IZTs offer promise as PC inhibitors with potential downstream applications in cellular and in vivo systems.

Research progress on the pharmacological mechanism, in vivo metabolism and structural modification of Erianin

Erianin is an important bibenzyl compound in dendrobium and has a wide spectrum of pharmacological properties. Since Erianin was discovered, abundant results have been achieved in the in vitro synthesis, structural modification, and pharmacological mechanism research. Researchers have developed a series of simple and efficient in vitro synthesis methods to improve the shortcomings of poor water solubility by replacing the chemical structure or coating it in nanomaterials. Erianin has a broad anti-tumor spectrum and significant anti-tumor effects. In addition, Erianin also has pharmacological actions like immune regulation, anti-inflammatory, and anti-angiogenesis. A comprehensive understanding of the synthesis, metabolism, structural modification, and pharmacological action pathways of Erianin is of great value for the utilization of Erianin. Therefore, this review conducts a relatively systematic look back at Erianin from the above four aspects, to give a reference for the evolvement and further appliance of Erianin.

Anemoside B4, a new pyruvate carboxylase inhibitor, alleviates colitis by reprogramming macrophage function

OBJECTIVES

Colitis is a global disease usually accompanied by intestinal epithelial damage and intestinal inflammation, and an increasing number of studies have found natural products to be highly effective in treating colitis. Anemoside B4 (AB4), an abundant saponin isolated from Pulsatilla chinensis (Bunge), which was found to have strong anti-inflammatory activity. However, the exact molecular mechanisms and direct targets of AB4 in the treatment of colitis remain to be discovered.

METHODS

The anti-inflammatory activities of AB4 were verified in LPS-induced cell models and 2, 4, 6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic (TNBS) or dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mice and rat models. The molecular target of AB4 was identified by affinity chromatography analysis using chemical probes derived from AB4. Experiments including proteomics, molecular docking, biotin pull-down, surface plasmon resonance (SPR), and cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) were used to confirm the binding of AB4 to its molecular target. Overexpression of pyruvate carboxylase (PC) and PC agonist were used to study the effects of PC on the anti-inflammatory and metabolic regulation of AB4 in vitro and in vivo.

RESULTS

AB4 not only significantly inhibited LPS-induced NF-κB activation and increased ROS levels in THP-1 cells, but also suppressed TNBS/DSS-induced colonic inflammation in mice and rats. The molecular target of AB4 was identified as PC, a key enzyme related to fatty acid, amino acid and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. We next demonstrated that AB4 specifically bound to the His879 site of PC and altered the protein's spatial conformation, thereby affecting the enzymatic activity of PC. LPS activated NF-κB pathway and increased PC activity, which caused metabolic reprogramming, while AB4 reversed this phenomenon by inhibiting the PC activity. In vivo studies showed that diisopropylamine dichloroacetate (DADA), a PC agonist, eliminated the therapeutic effects of AB4 by changing the metabolic rearrangement of intestinal tissues in colitis mice.

CONCLUSION

We identified PC as a direct cellular target of AB4 in the modulation of inflammation, especially colitis. Moreover, PC/pyruvate metabolism/NF-κB is crucial for LPS-driven inflammation and oxidative stress. These findings shed more light on the possibilities of PC as a potential new target for treating colitis.

Erianin Impedes the Proliferation and Metastatic Migration Through Suppression of STAT-3 Phosphorylation in Human Esophageal Cancer Cells

In this study, we have investigated erianin, a natural phenolic drug that impedes proliferation and metastatic migration through suppression of STAT-3 phosphorylation in human esophageal cancer cells. Eca-109 cells were treated with different concentrations of erianin (4, 8, 12 µM) for 24 h, and then cell proliferation, apoptosis, and metastatic markers were evaluated. Erianin-induced cytotoxicity and cell proliferation were examined using MTT and crystal violet staining techniques. The measurement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the study of apoptotic changes were conducted through flow cytometry. Furthermore, protein expression analyses via western blotting included an evaluation of JAK-STAT3, cell survival, cell cycle, proliferation, and apoptosis-related proteins. Moreover, erianin treatment-associated MMP expressions were studied by RT-PCR. In this study, erianin treatment induces substantial cytotoxicity and ROS production based on the concentrations in Eca-109 cells. Moreover, erianin inhibits the MAPK phosphorylation, proliferation, and metastatic protein in Eca-109 cells. STAT-3 is a crucial transcriptional factor that regulates numerous downstream proteins, such as proliferation, anti-apoptosis, and metastatic proteins. In this study, erianin treatment inhibited the protein expression of IL-6, IL-10, JAK-1, and p-STAT-3 expressions leading to induce apoptosis in Eca-109 cells. Moreover, erianin inhibited the expression of proliferation, metastatic, and anti-apoptotic markers in Eca-109 cells. Hence, erianin suppressed the JAK/STAT-3 signaling pathway and demonstrates potential as a chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of esophageal cancer.

Recent advances of antitumor leading compound Erianin: Mechanisms of action and structural modification

Erianin, a bioactive compound extracted from Dendrobium, a traditional Chinese medicine, exhibits remarkable anti-cancer properties through diverse molecular mechanisms and has attracted the attention of medicinal chemists. However, the low solubility in water, rapid metabolism and elimination from the body lead to poor bioavailability of Erianin, and greatly hinder its clinical application. The development of new Erianin derivatives is continuously proceed to improve its anticancer effects. In recent years, although important progress in the development of Erianin and the publication of some reviews in this aspect, the mechanism against various cancers, pharmacokinetic study, structural modification as well as structure-activity relationships have not been thoroughly considered. This review is aimed at providing complete picture regarding the above aspects by reviewing studies from 2000 to 2023.06. This review also supplies some important viewpoints on the design and future directions for the development of Erianin derivatives as possible clinically effective anticancer agents.

Chemical Constituents, Bioactivities, and Pharmacological Mechanisms of Dendrobium officinale: A Review of the Past Decade

Dendrobium officinale, a plant in the Orchidaceae family, has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Sweet and slightly cold in nature, it can invigorate the stomach, promote fluid production, nourish Yin, and dissipate heat. Over the past decade, more than 60 compounds have been derived from D. officinale, including flavonoids, bibenzyl, and phenanthrene. Various studies have explored the underlying pharmacological mechanisms of these compounds, which have shown antitumor, hypoglycemic, hypertensive, gastrointestinal-regulatory, visceral organ protection, antiaging, and neurorestorative effects. This paper presents a systematic review of the structural classification, biological activity, and pharmacological mechanisms of different chemical components obtained from D. officinale over the past decade. This review aims to provide a reference for future study and establish a foundation for clinical applications. Furthermore, this review identifies potential shortcomings in current research as well as potential directions and methodologies in future plant research.

Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors Derived from Erianin and Its Derivatives

Multi-target histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors can be designed by introducing dominant structures of natural products to enhance activity and efficacy while avoiding the toxicity from other targets. In this study, we reported a series of novel HDAC inhibitors based on erianin and amino erianin upon pharmacophore fusion strategy. Two representative compounds, N-hydroxy-2-(2-methoxy-5- (3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethyl)phenoxy)acetamide and N-Hydroxy-8-((2-methoxy-5- (3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethyl)phenyl)amino)octanamide, possessed good inhibitory effect against five cancer cells tested (IC50 =0.30-1.29 μΜ, 0.29-1.70 μΜ) with strong HDAC inhibition, and low toxicity toward L02 cells, which were selected for subsequent biological studies in PANC-1 cells. They were also found to promote the intracellular generation of reactive oxygen species, cause DNA damage, block the cell cycle at G2/M phase, and activate the mitochondria-related apoptotic pathway to induce cell apoptosis, which are significant for the discovery of new HDAC inhibitors.

Erianin inhibits the growth and metastasis through autophagy-dependent ferroptosis in KRASG13D colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Approximately 40% of CRC patients are KRAS sequence variation, including KRAS G13D mutation (KRAS^G13D) CRC patients, accounting for approximately 8% of all KRAS mutations in CRC patients and showing little benefit from anti-EGFR therapy. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new and effective anticancer agents in patients with KRAS^G13D CRC. Here, we identified a natural product, erianin, that directly interacted with purified recombinant human KRAS^G13D with a Kd of 1.1163 μM, which also significantly improve the thermal stability of KRAS^G13D. The cell viability assay showed that KRAS^G13D cells were more sensitive to erianin than KRAS^WT or KRAS^G12V cells. In vitro, results showed that erianin suppressed the migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of KRAS^G13D CRC cells. Furthermore, erianin induced ferroptosis, as evidenced by the accumulation of Fe²⁺ and reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxidation, and changes in the mitochondrial morphology of KRAS^G13D CRC cells. Interestingly, we also found that erianin-induced ferroptosis was accompanied by autophagy. Moreover, the occurrence of erianin-induced ferroptosis is reversed by autophagy inhibitors (NH4Cl and Bafilomycin A1) and ATG5 knockdown, suggesting that erianin-induced ferroptosis is autophagy-dependent. In addition, we evaluated the inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis by erianin in vivo using a subcutaneous tumor model and a spleen-liver metastasis model, respectively. Collectively, these data provide novel insights into the anticancer activity of erianin, which is valuable for the further discussion and investigation of the use of erianin in clinical anticancer chemotherapy for KRAS^G13D CRC.

Cincumol prevents malignant phenotype of colorectal cancer cell line HCT116 via inhibiting PI3K/AKT signaling in vitro

PURPOSE

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common human cancer along with higher incidence and mortality, and this study aimed to identify the effect of cincumol on CRC and its potential mechanisms.

METHODS

CRC cell line HCT116 was used as the material. Cell proliferation was evaluated by CCK-8 assay, and cell migration was detected by scratch test and Transwell assay. TUNEL staining assay was used to evaluate cell apoptosis. The expression of target genes was detected by qualitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot assays.

RESULTS

Cincumol significantly reduced the proliferative and migratory rate and enhanced apoptotic rate of HCT116 cells. Meanwhile, the elevated levels of RBUsuh, Nicd and Tace was also observed in cincumol-treated HCT116 cells. Moreover, our findings revealed that additional cincumol inhibited the expression of p-PI3K and p-AKT, suggesting the inhibition of PI3K/AKT signaling might be involved in the protective role of cincumol on the malignant phenotypes of CRC cells in vitro.

CONCLUSIONS

Cincumol inhibited the malignant phenotypes of CRC cells in vitro through inactivating PI3K/AKT signaling, suggesting that cincumol might be a potential anti-CRC agent.

The roles of ERIANIN in tumor and innate immunity and its' perspectives in immunotherapy

Traditional Chinese medicine has been used in China for thousands of years. In 2022, the 14th Five-Year Plan for the Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine was released, aiming to enhance traditional Chinese medicine health services and improve policies and systems for high-quality traditional Chinese medicinal development by 2025. ERIANIN, the main component of the traditional Chinese medicine Dendrobium, plays an important role in anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antitumor, antiangiogenic, and other pharmacological effects. ERIANIN has broad-spectrum antitumor effects, and its tumor-suppressive effects have been confirmed in the study of various diseases, such as precancerous lesions of the stomach, gastric cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, bladder cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, osteosarcoma, colorectal cancer, leukaemia, nasopharyngeal cancer and melanoma through the multiple signaling pathways. Thus, the aim of this review was to systematically summarise the research on ERIANIN with the aim of serving as a reference for future research on this compound and briefly discuss some future perspectives development of ERIANIN in combined immunotherapy.

The role of NLRP3 inflammasome in digestive system malignancy

Digestive system malignancies, the most common types of cancer and a major cause of death in the worldwide, are generally characterized by high morbidity, insidious symptoms and poor prognosis. NLRP3 inflammasome, the most studied inflammasome member, is considered to be crucial in tumorigenesis. In this paper, we reviewed its pro-tumorigenic and anti-tumorigenic properties in different types of digestive system malignancy depending on the types of cells, tissues and organs involved, which would provide promising avenue for exploring new anti-cancer therapies.

Natural products targeting glycolysis in cancer

Many energy metabolism pathways exist in cancer, including glycolysis, amino acid metabolism, fatty acid oxidation, and mitochondrial respiration. Tumor cells mainly generate energy through glycolysis to maintain growth and biosynthesis of tumor cells under aerobic conditions. Natural products regulate many steps in glycolysis and targeting glycolysis using natural products is a promising approach to cancer treatment. In this review, we exemplify the relationship between glycolysis and tumors, demonstrate the natural products that have been discovered to target glycolysis for cancer treatment and clarify the mechanisms involved in their actions. Natural products, such as resveratrol mostly found in red grape skin, licochalcone A derived from root of Glycyrrhiza inflate, and brusatol found in Brucea javanica and Brucea mollis, largely derived from plant or animal material, can affect glycolysis pathways in cancer by targeting glycolytic enzymes and related proteins, oncogenes, and numerous glycolytic signal proteins. Knowledge of how natural products regulate aerobic glycolysis will help illuminate the mechanisms by which these products can be used as therapeutics to inhibit cancer cell growth and regulate cellular metabolism. Systematic Review Registration: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/, https://clinicaltrials.gov/, http://lib.zzu.edu.cn/.