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Bai J, Qin Q, Li S, Cui X, Zhong Y, Yang L, An L, Deng D, Zhao J, Zhang R, Bai S. Salvia miltiorrhiza inhibited lung cancer through aerobic glycolysis suppression. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 331:118281. [PMID: 38701934 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.118281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Lung cancer causes the most cancer deaths and needs new treatment strategies urgently. Salvia miltiorrhiza is a classical Chinese herb and a strong candidate for tumor treatment. The study found that the aqueous extract of Salvia miltiorrhiza (DSAE), ethanol extract of Salvia miltiorrhiza (DSEE), and its active components danshensu (DSS) and dihydrotanshinone I (DHI), exhibited antineoplastic effects in vivo and in vitro. Meanwhile, DSAE, DSEE, DSS, and DHI reduced glycolysis metabolites (ATP, lactate, and pyruvate contents) production, decreased aerobic glycolysis enzymes, and inhibited Seahorse indexes (OCR and ECAR) in Lewis lung cancer cells (LLC). Data suggests that aerobic glycolysis could be inhibited by Salvia miltiorrhiza and its components. The administration of DSS and DHI further reduced the level of HKII in lung cancer cell lines that had been inhibited with HK-II antagonists (2-deoxyglucose, 2-DG; 3-bromo-pyruvate, 3-BP) or knocked down with siRNA, thereby exerting an anti-lung cancer effect. Although DSS and DHI decreased the level of HKII in HKII-Knock-In lung cancer cell line, their anti-lung cancer efficacy remained limited due to the persistent overexpression of HKII in these cells. Reiterating the main points, we have discovered that the anti-lung cancer effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza may be attributed to its ability to regulate HKII expression levels, thereby inhibiting aerobic glycolysis. This study not only provides a new research paradigm for the treatment of cancer by Salvia miltiorrhiza, but also highlights the important link between glucose metabolism and the effect of Salvia Miltiorrhiza.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Bai
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China; Pharmacy department, JiNan authority hospital, Jinan, 250000, China
| | - Qiufeng Qin
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Shuying Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Xulan Cui
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Yixuan Zhong
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Lei Yang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Lin An
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Di Deng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Jinlan Zhao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Rong Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Shasha Bai
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
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Cui Y, Lan L, Lv J, Zhao B, Kong J, Lai Y. Chalcomoracin promotes apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. J Antibiot (Tokyo) 2024; 77:428-435. [PMID: 38724630 DOI: 10.1038/s41429-024-00732-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Chalcomoracin (CMR), a Diels-Alder adduct obtained from mulberry leaves, demonstrated wide-spectrum anti-cancer activity. Herein, we aimed to explore the function of CMR and how it works in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Human HCC cell lines Hep3B and SNU-387 were cultured and treated with various concentrations of CMR (1.5, 3, and 6 µM). Subsequently, the effects of CMR on cell viability, colony formation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion abilities were studied in vitro. Furthermore, the levels of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related proteins and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway-related proteins in cells under CMR exposure were detected using western blot. Experiments in vivo were conducted to examine the effects of CMR on tumor growth in HCC. CMR administration inhibited the viability and clonogenic, migration, and invasion abilities, as well as promoted cell apoptosis and ER stress in Hep3B and SNU-387 cells. In addition, CMR treatment reduced the phosphorylation levels of ERK, P38, and JNK in the MAPK pathway. Moreover, an in vivo study showed that CMR administration could inhibit tumorigenesis and MAPK pathway activity in HCC. Our data indicate that CMR has the potential to inhibit the development of HCC, potentially through the inhibition of the MAPK pathway. These findings suggest that CMR may have promising applications as an anticancer agent in future therapeutics for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongliang Cui
- Department of Hepatobiliary Pancreatic Surgery, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350028, China
| | - Liqin Lan
- Department of Intensive Care Unit, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350028, China
| | - Jiahui Lv
- Department of Hepatobiliary Pancreatic Surgery, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350028, China
| | - Bixing Zhao
- The United Innovation of Mengchao Hepatobiliary Technology Key Laboratory of Fujian Province, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350028, China
| | - Jinfeng Kong
- Department of Liver Disease, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350028, China.
| | - Yongping Lai
- Department of Hepatobiliary Pancreatic Surgery, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350028, China.
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Tie S, Tong T, Zhan G, Li X, Ouyang D, Cao J. Network pharmacology prediction and experiment validation of anti-liver cancer activity of Curcumae Rhizoma and Hedyotis diffusa Willd. Ann Med Surg (Lond) 2024; 86:3337-3348. [PMID: 38846818 PMCID: PMC11152801 DOI: 10.1097/ms9.0000000000002074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective This study aims to elucidate anti-liver cancer components and potential mechanisms of Curcumae Rhizoma and Hedyotis diffusa Willd (CR-HDW). Methods Effective components and targets of CR-HDW were identified from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) database. Liver cancer-related genes were collected from GeneCards, Gene-Disease Association (DisGeNET), and National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Protein-protein interaction networks, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment were conducted to analyze the identified genes. Molecular docking was used to simulate binding of the active components and their target proteins. Cell activity assay, western blot, and senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) experiments were conducted to validate core targets identified from molecular docking. Results Ten active compounds of CR-HDW were identified including quercetin, 3-epioleanic acid and hederagenin. The primary core proteins comprised Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), Protein Kinase B(AKT1), etc. The pathways for Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/ AKT, cellular senescence, Fork head boxO (FOXO) were revealed as important for anti-cancer activity of CR-HDW. Molecular docking demonstrated strong binding between liver cancer target proteins and major active components of CR-HDW. In-vitro experiments confirmed that hederagenin and 3-epioleolic acid inhibited HuH-7 cell growth, reduced expression of PI3K, AKT, and mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) proteins. Hederagenin also induced HuH-7 senescence. Conclusions In summary, The authors' results suggest that the CR-HDW component (Hederagenin, 3-epoxy-olanolic acid) can inhibit the proliferation of HuH-7 cells by decreasing PI3K, AKT, and mTOR. Hederagenin also induced HuH-7 senescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songyan Tie
- Hunan University of Chinese Medicine
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnostics in Chinese Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Tianhao Tong
- Hunan University of Chinese Medicine
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnostics in Chinese Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Gangxiang Zhan
- Hunan University of Chinese Medicine
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnostics in Chinese Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Xin Li
- Hunan University of Chinese Medicine
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnostics in Chinese Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Dan Ouyang
- Hunan University of Chinese Medicine
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnostics in Chinese Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Jianzhong Cao
- Hunan University of Chinese Medicine
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnostics in Chinese Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
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He Z, Liu X, Qin S, Yang Q, Na J, Xue Z, Zhong L. Anticancer Mechanism of Astragalus Polysaccharide and Its Application in Cancer Immunotherapy. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:636. [PMID: 38794206 PMCID: PMC11124422 DOI: 10.3390/ph17050636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) derived from A. membranaceus plays a crucial role in traditional Chinese medicine. These polysaccharides have shown antitumor effects and are considered safe. Thus, they have become increasingly important in cancer immunotherapy. APS can limit the spread of cancer by influencing immune cells, promoting cell death, triggering cancer cell autophagy, and impacting the tumor microenvironment. When used in combination with other therapies, APS can enhance treatment outcomes and reduce toxicity and side effects. APS combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors, relay cellular immunotherapy, and cancer vaccines have broadened the application of cancer immunotherapy and enhanced treatment effectiveness. By summarizing the research on APS in cancer immunotherapy over the past two decades, this review elaborates on the anticancer mechanism of APS and its use in cancer immunotherapy and clinical trials. Considering the multiple roles of APS, this review emphasizes the importance of using APS as an adjunct to cancer immunotherapy and compares other polysaccharides with APS. This discussion provides insights into the specific mechanism of action of APS, reveals the molecular targets of APS for developing effective clinical strategies, and highlights the wide application of APS in clinical cancer therapy in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqing He
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China; (Z.H.); (X.L.); (S.Q.); (Q.Y.); (J.N.)
| | - Xiyu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China; (Z.H.); (X.L.); (S.Q.); (Q.Y.); (J.N.)
| | - Simin Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China; (Z.H.); (X.L.); (S.Q.); (Q.Y.); (J.N.)
| | - Qun Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China; (Z.H.); (X.L.); (S.Q.); (Q.Y.); (J.N.)
| | - Jintong Na
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China; (Z.H.); (X.L.); (S.Q.); (Q.Y.); (J.N.)
| | - Zhigang Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China; (Z.H.); (X.L.); (S.Q.); (Q.Y.); (J.N.)
| | - Liping Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China; (Z.H.); (X.L.); (S.Q.); (Q.Y.); (J.N.)
- School of Pharmacy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
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Islam MR, Rauf A, Alash S, Fakir MNH, Thufa GK, Sowa MS, Mukherjee D, Kumar H, Hussain MS, Aljohani ASM, Imran M, Al Abdulmonem W, Thiruvengadam R, Thiruvengadam M. A comprehensive review of phytoconstituents in liver cancer prevention and treatment: targeting insights into molecular signaling pathways. Med Oncol 2024; 41:134. [PMID: 38703282 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-024-02333-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Primary liver cancer is a type of cancer that develops in the liver. Hepatocellular carcinoma is a primary liver cancer that usually affects adults. Liver cancer is a fatal global condition that affects millions of people worldwide. Despite advances in technology, the mortality rate remains alarming. There is growing interest in researching alternative medicines to prevent or reduce the effects of liver cancer. Recent studies have shown growing interest in herbal products, nutraceuticals, and Chinese medicines as potential treatments for liver cancer. These substances contain unique bioactive compounds with anticancer properties. The causes of liver cancer and potential treatments are discussed in this review. This study reviews natural compounds, such as curcumin, resveratrol, green tea catechins, grape seed extracts, vitamin D, and selenium. Preclinical and clinical studies have shown that these medications reduce the risk of liver cancer through their antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-angiogenic, and antimetastatic properties. This article discusses the therapeutic properties of natural products, nutraceuticals, and Chinese compounds for the prevention and treatment of liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Rezaul Islam
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Daffodil International University, Daffodil Smart City, Birulia, Savar, Dhaka, 1216, Bangladesh
| | - Abdur Rauf
- Department of Chemistry, University of Swabi, Anbar, 23561, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
| | - Shopnil Alash
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Daffodil International University, Daffodil Smart City, Birulia, Savar, Dhaka, 1216, Bangladesh
| | - Md Naeem Hossain Fakir
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Daffodil International University, Daffodil Smart City, Birulia, Savar, Dhaka, 1216, Bangladesh
| | - Gazi Kaifeara Thufa
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Daffodil International University, Daffodil Smart City, Birulia, Savar, Dhaka, 1216, Bangladesh
| | - Mahbuba Sharmin Sowa
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Daffodil International University, Daffodil Smart City, Birulia, Savar, Dhaka, 1216, Bangladesh
| | - Dattatreya Mukherjee
- Raiganj Government Medical College and Hospital, Pranabananda Sarani, Raiganj, 733134, West Bengal, India
| | - Harendra Kumar
- Dow University of Health Sciences, Mission Rd, New Labour Colony Nanakwara, Karachi, 74200, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Md Sadique Hussain
- School of Pharmacy, Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Mahal Road, Jagatpura, Jaipur, 302017, Rajasthan, India
| | - Abdullah S M Aljohani
- Department of Medical Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muhammad Imran
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 9004, 61413, Abha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Waleed Al Abdulmonem
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rekha Thiruvengadam
- Center for Global Health Research, Saveetha Medical College, Saveetha Institute of Medical & Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Saveetha University, Chennai, 600077, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - Muthu Thiruvengadam
- Department of Crop Science, College of Sanghuh Life Science, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029, South Korea
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Chen Q, Luo J, Liu J, Yu H, Zhou M, Yu L, Chen Y, Zhang S, Mo Z. Integrating single-cell and spatial transcriptomics to elucidate the crosstalk between cancer-associated fibroblasts and cancer cells in hepatocellular carcinoma with spleen-deficiency syndrome. J Tradit Complement Med 2024; 14:321-334. [PMID: 38707923 PMCID: PMC11068993 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtcme.2023.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Background and aim Most patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in China have been diagnosed with spleen deficiency syndrome (SDS), which accelerates the progression of HCC by disrupting the tumor microenvironment homeostasis. This study aimed to investigate the intercellular crosstalk in HCC with SDS. Experimental procedure An HCC-SDS mouse model was established using orthotopic HCC transplantation based on reserpine-induced SDS. Single-cell data analysis and cancer cell prediction were conducted using Seurat and CopyKAT package, respectively. Intercellular interactions were explored using CellPhoneDB and CellChat and subsequently validated using co-culture assays, ELISA and histological staining. We performed pathway activity analysis using gene set variation analysis and the Seurat package. The extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling was assessed using a gel contraction assay, atomic force microscopy, and Sirius red staining. The deconvolution of the spatial transcriptomics data using the "CARD" package based on single-cell data. Results and conclusion We successfully established the HCC-SDS mouse model. Twenty-nine clusters were identified. The interactions between cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) were significantly enhanced via platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) signaling in HCC-SDS. CAFs recruited in HCC-SDS lead to ECM remodeling and the activation of TGF-β signaling pathway. Deconvolution of the spatial transcriptome data revealed that CAFs physically surround cancer cells in HCC-SDS. This study reveals that the crosstalk of CAFs-cancer cells is crucial for the tumor-promoting effect of SDS. CAFs recruited by HCC via PDGFA may lead to ECM remodeling through activation of the TGF-β pathway, thereby forming a physical barrier to block immune cell infiltration under SDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuxia Chen
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510080, China
| | - Jin Luo
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510080, China
| | - Jiahui Liu
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510080, China
| | - He Yu
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510080, China
| | - Meiling Zhou
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510080, China
| | - Ling Yu
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, The Second Clinical College to Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Yan Chen
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510630, China
| | - Shijun Zhang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510080, China
| | - Zhuomao Mo
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 311113, China
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Jiang X, Li H, Liu Y. Cyclovirobuxine D inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma growth by inducing ferroptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Discov Oncol 2024; 15:96. [PMID: 38563866 PMCID: PMC10987414 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-024-00940-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one cancer with high death rates. Nowadays, there are no effective drugs to treat it. Cyclovirobuxine D (CVB-D) is the primary ingredient of the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Buxus microphylla. Here, we try to explore the impacts of CVB-D on human HCC cells and explain the potential mechanisms. METHODS HepG2 and Huh-7 cells were used for our experiments. The cell viability and half inhibitory concentration (IC50) were detected by MTT assays. The apoptosis ratio was examined by Annexin V-FITC/7AAD staining and flow cytometry (FCM). The Fe2+ content was examined by ferrous ion content assays. The malondialdehyde (MDA) content was evaluated by lipid peroxidation MDA assays. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was examined by the DCFH-DA probe. The expression of apoptotic markers (Bax and Bcl-2) and ferroptosis-related proteins (GPX4 and FSP1) was detected by western blotting. The in vivo curative effect of CVB was explored using xenograft models established in C-NKG mice. RESULTS The cell viability could be inhibited by CVB-D in HepG2 and Huh-7 cells. The IC50 value of CVB-D on HepG2 and Huh-7 cells are 91.19 and 96.29 µM at 48 h, and 65.60 and 72.80 µM at 72 h. FCM showed that the apoptosis rate was increased by CVB-D in HepG2 and Huh-7 cells. Next, ferrous ion content assays showed that the level of Fe2+ was increased by CVB-D in HepG2 and Huh-7 cells. Then, we found the level of MDA and ROS was increased by CVB-D. And the Fe2+ promotion by CVB-D could be reversed by Fer-1. Additionally, western blotting assays showed that the expression of GPX4 and FSP1 was inhibited by CVB-D in HepG2 and Huh-7 cells. Moreover, in vivo, CVB-D displayed excellent anticancer effects in HCC tumor-bearing C-NKG mice. CONCLUSION CVB-D suppresses the growth in HCC cells through ferroptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinru Jiang
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Section 5, No.2, Heping Road, Jinzhou, 121000, Liaoning, China
| | - Hongdan Li
- Life Science Institute, Jinzhou Medical University, Section 3, No.40, Songpo Road, Jinzhou, 121000, Liaoning, China.
| | - Yang Liu
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Section 5, No.2, Heping Road, Jinzhou, 121000, Liaoning, China.
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Section 5, No.2, Heping Road, Jinzhou, 121000, Liaoning, China.
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Kong Q, Wang B, Zhong Y, Chen W, Sun J, Liu B, Dong J. Modified Bushen Yiqi Formula mitigates pulmonary inflammation and airway remodeling by inhibiting neutrophils chemotaxis and IL17 signaling pathway in rats with COPD. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 321:117497. [PMID: 38048893 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major global health concern characterized by pulmonary inflammation and airway remodeling. Traditional Chinese medicine, such as Modified Jiawei Bushen Yiqi Formula (MBYF), has been used as a complementary therapy for COPD in China. AIM OF THE STUDY To investigate the therapeutic potential of MBYF in a rat model of COPD induced by cigarette smoke (CS) exposure and explore the underlying mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS The COPD rat model was established through 24 weeks of CS exposure, with MBYF administration starting in the 9th week. Pulmonary function, histological analysis, inflammatory cell count and molecular assays were employed to assess the effects of MBYF on airway remodeling, pulmonary inflammation, neutrophils chemotaxis and the IL17 signaling pathway. RESULTS MBYF treatment effectively delayed airway remodeling, as evidenced by improved pulmonary function parameters. Histological examination and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid analysis revealed that MBYF mitigated CS-induced pulmonary inflammation by reducing inflammatory cell infiltration. Pharmacological network analysis suggested that MBYF may act through the IL17 signaling pathway to regulate inflammatory responses. RNA-sequencing and molecular assays indicated that MBYF inhibited neutrophils chemotaxis through downregulating the CXCL1/CXCL5/CXCL8-CXCR2 axis, and suppressed IL17A, IL17F and its downstream cytokines, including IL6, TNFα, IL1β, and COX2. Furthermore, MBYF inhibited the activation of NF-κB and MAPKs in the IL17 signaling pathway. CONCLUSION MBYF exhibits potential as an adjunct or alternative treatment for COPD, effectively mitigating CS-induced pulmonary inflammation and airway remodeling through the inhibition of neutrophil chemotaxis and IL17 signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Kong
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, China.
| | - Bin Wang
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yuanyuan Zhong
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Wenjing Chen
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Jing Sun
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Baojun Liu
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Jingcheng Dong
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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Chen Y, Song Z, Hou X, Liu J, Zheng C, Zhao X, Lv G, Li J, Xiu Y, Shi W, Zhao J, Yang H, Wang Y, Zhao J, Zhan X, Niu M, Zou W, Bai Z, Xiao X. Liuweiwuling Tablet relieves the inflammatory transformation of hepatocellular carcinoma by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 321:117406. [PMID: 37952733 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Liuweiwuling Tablet (LWWL) is a patented Chinese medicine approved by the Chinese National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). Clinically, it is used to treat a range of liver diseases that precede hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), including hepatitis, liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. LWWL is hypothesized to inhibit the inflammatory transformation of HCC, which may have a positive impact on the prevention and treatment of HCC. However, its exact mechanism of action remains unknown. AIM OF THE STUDY To investigate how LWWL is effective in the treatment of HCC and to validate the pathways involved in this process. MATERIALS AND METHODS An in vivo model of HCC induced by diethylnitrosamine (DEN) was established to study the effect of LWWL on the development of HCC. The rat serum was analyzed for aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT). The rat liver tissues were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and Masson's trichrome for pathological analysis. Rat liver tissue was subjected to transcriptome sequencing. Expression of inflammatory and liver fibrosis-related factors in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) and LX-2 cells was detected by QRT-PCR, ELISA and Western blot (WB). The expression of apoptosis and stemness genes in HepG2 and Huh7 cells was assessed through flow cytometry and QRT-PCR. Transcriptomics, network pharmacology, WB, and QRT-PCR were employed to validate the mechanisms associated with the amelioration of HCC development by LWWL. RESULTS LWWL significantly reduced the severity of hepatitis and liver fibrosis, the expression of tumor stemness genes, and the incidence of HCC. In addition, LWWL inhibited the release of inflammatory substances and nuclear accumulation of P65 protein in BMDMs as well as the conversion of LX-2 cells to fibroblasts. LWWL inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 and Huh7 cells, including the initiation of apoptosis and the reduction of stemness gene expression. Importantly, LWWL regulates the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway, which affects hepatic inflammation and cancer progression. CONCLUSION LWWL inhibited the occurrence and development of HCC by modulating the severity of hepatitis and liver fibrosis, indicating the potential clinical relevance of LWWL in preventing and treating HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611100, China; Department of Hepatology, the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100039, China
| | - Zheng Song
- Peking University 302 Clinical Medical School, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Xiaorong Hou
- College of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611100, China; Department of Hepatology, the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100039, China
| | - Jia Liu
- College of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611100, China
| | - Congyang Zheng
- Digestive Department of the Second Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Xiaomei Zhao
- College of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611100, China; Department of Hepatology, the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100039, China
| | - Guiji Lv
- Department of Hepatology, the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100039, China
| | - Junjie Li
- Department of Hepatology, the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100039, China
| | - Ye Xiu
- Department of Hepatology, the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100039, China
| | - Wei Shi
- Department of Hepatology, the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100039, China
| | - Jia Zhao
- Department of Hepatology, the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100039, China
| | - Huijie Yang
- Department of Hepatology, the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100039, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Hepatology, the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100039, China
| | - Jun Zhao
- Department of Hepatology, the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100039, China
| | - Xiaoyan Zhan
- Department of Hepatology, the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100039, China; National Key Laboratory of Kidney Diseases, Beijing, 100039, China
| | - Ming Niu
- Department of Hepatology, the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100039, China
| | - Wenjun Zou
- College of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611100, China.
| | - Zhaofang Bai
- College of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611100, China; Department of Hepatology, the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100039, China; National Key Laboratory of Kidney Diseases, Beijing, 100039, China.
| | - Xiaohe Xiao
- College of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611100, China; Department of Hepatology, the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100039, China; National Key Laboratory of Kidney Diseases, Beijing, 100039, China.
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Xu B, Jia Q, Liao X, Fan T, Mou L, Song Y, Zhu C, Yang T, Li Z, Wang M, Zhang Q, Liang L. Inositol hexaphosphate enhances chemotherapy by reversing senescence induced by persistently activated PERK and diphthamide modification of eEF2. Cancer Lett 2024; 582:216591. [PMID: 38097134 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2023.216591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/04/2024]
Abstract
Oxaliplatin is an important initial chemotherapy benefiting advanced-stage colorectal cancer patients. Frustratingly, acquired oxaliplatin resistance always occurs after sequential chemotherapy with diverse antineoplastic drugs. Therefore, an exploration of the mechanism of oxaliplatin resistance formation in-depth is urgently needed. We generated oxaliplatin-resistant colorectal cancer models by four representative compounds, and RNA-seq revealed that oxaliplatin resistance was mainly the result of cells' response to stimulus. Moreover, we proved persistent stimulus-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERs) and associated cellular senescence were the core causes of oxaliplatin resistance. In addition, we screened diverse phytochemicals for ER inhibitors in silico, identifying inositol hexaphosphate (IP6), whose strong binding was confirmed by surface plasmon resonance. Finally, we confirmed the ability of IP6 to reverse colorectal cancer chemoresistance and investigated the mechanism of IP6 in the inhibition of diphthamide modification of eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) and PERK activation. Our study demonstrated that oxaliplatin resistance contributed to cell senescence induced by persistently activated PERK and diphthamide modification of eEF2 levels, which were specifically reversed by combination therapy with IP6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binghui Xu
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710038, China; Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Infection and Immune Disease, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an 710038, China
| | - Qingan Jia
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710038, China; Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Infection and Immune Disease, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an 710038, China
| | - Xia Liao
- Department of Nutrition, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an JiaoTong University, Xi'an 710038, China
| | - Tian Fan
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710038, China
| | - Lei Mou
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710038, China
| | - Yuna Song
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710038, China
| | - Chunyu Zhu
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710038, China
| | - Tongling Yang
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710038, China; Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Infection and Immune Disease, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an 710038, China
| | - Zhixian Li
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710038, China
| | - Miao Wang
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710038, China
| | - Qiangbo Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.
| | - Lei Liang
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
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11
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Kong Q, Zhu H, Gong W, Deng X, Liu B, Dong J. Modified Bushen Yiqi formula enhances antitumor immunity by reducing the chemotactic recruitment of M2-TAMs and PMN-MDSCs in Lewis lung cancer-bearing mice. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 319:117183. [PMID: 37739106 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Modified Bushen Yiqi formula (MBYF) has shown efficacy as an herbal combination therapy with anti-PD-1 for lung cancer patients. However, the underlying mechanisms of its antitumor effects in lung cancer remain unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY This study aims to observe the antitumor effect of MBYF and explore its synergistic mechanism in combination with anti-PD-1 based on the tumor immune microenvironment. MATERIALS AND METHODS The antitumor effect of MBYF was assessed in Lewis Lung Cancer (LLC)-bearing mice by evaluating tumor volume, weight, and histology in five groups (model control, MBYF 8.125 g/kg, MBYF 16.25 g/kg, MBYF 32.50 g/kg, anti-PD-1). Mechanisms were analyzed using pharmacology network and tumor RNA-sequencing. Tumor-infiltrating immune cells were measured by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. Targets and pathways were validated through qRT-PCR, immuno-histochemistry, and western blotting. The synergistic effect of MBYF in combination with anti-PD-1 was validated in three groups (model control, anti-PD-1, anti-PD-1+MBYF 16.25 g/kg). RESULTS MBYF inhibited tumor growth and proliferation and demonstrated safety for the heart, liver, and kidney. Mechanistically, MBYF downregulated tumor proliferation by suppressing the expression of CCND1, CTNNB1, EGFR, and the PI3K-AKT/STAT3/ERK pathway. Furthermore, MBYF may upregulated the antitumor immunity (CD4+T cells, active CD8+ T cells, and NK cells) by reducing the infiltration of M2-TAMs and PMN-MDSCs. MBYF may inhibit the recruitment of M2-TAMs by downregulating the CCR5-CCLs axis and PMN-MDSCs by the CXCR2-CXCLs axis. In vivo study confirmed that MBYF enhanced the antitumor effect of anti-PD-1 therapy. CONCLUSION Modified Bushen Yiqi formula enhances antitumor immunity in the treatment of lung cancer by reducing the chemotactic recruitment of M2-TAMs and PMN-MDSCs, suggesting its potential as an adjunct therapy to enhance anti-PD-1 responses and improve treatment outcomes. Further research and clinical studies are needed to validate and expand upon these promising findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Kong
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Huahe Zhu
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Weiyi Gong
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Xiaohong Deng
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Baojun Liu
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Jingcheng Dong
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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12
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Lu S, Huang J, Zhang J, Wu C, Huang Z, Tao X, You L, Stalin A, Chen M, Li J, Tan Y, Wu Z, Geng L, Li Z, Fan Q, Liu P, Lin Y, Zhao C, Wu J. The anti-hepatocellular carcinoma effect of Aidi injection was related to the synergistic action of cantharidin, formononetin, and isofraxidin through BIRC5, FEN1, and EGFR. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 319:117209. [PMID: 37757991 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Aidi injection (ADI) is a popular anti-tumor Chinese patent medicine, widely used in clinics for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with remarkable therapeutic effects through multiple targets and pathways. However, the scientific evidence of the synergistic role of the complex chemical component system and the potential mechanism for treating diseases are ignored and remain to be elucidated. AIM OF THE STUDY This study aimed to elucidate and verify the cooperative association between the potential active ingredient of ADI, which is of significance to enlarge our understanding of its anti-HCC molecular mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS Firstly, the anti-HCC effect of ADI was evaluated in various HCC cells and the zebrafish xenograft model. Subsequently, a variety of bioinformatic technologies, including network pharmacology, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), meta-analysis of gene expression profiles, and pathway enrichment analysis were performed to construct the competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network of ADI intervention in HCC and to establish the relationship between the critical targets/pathways and the key corresponding components, which were involved in ADI against HCC in a synergistic way and were validated by molecular biology experiments. RESULTS ADI exerted remarkable anti-HCC in vitro cells and in vivo zebrafish model, especially that the Hep 3B2.1-7 cell showed substantial sensibility to ADI. The ceRNA network revealed that the EGFR/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway was identified as the promising pathway. Furthermore, the meta-analysis also demonstrated the critical role of BIRC5 and FEN1 as key targets. Finally, the synergistic effect of ADI was revealed by discovering the inhibitory effect of cantharidin on BIRC5, formononetin on FEN1 and EGFR, as well as isofraxidin on EGFR. CONCLUSION Our study unveiled that the incredible protective effect of ADI on HCC resulted from the synergistic inhibition effect of cantharidin, formononetin, and isofraxidin on multiple targets/pathways, including BIRC5, FEN1, and EGFR/PI3K/AKT, respectively, providing a scientific interpretation of ADI against HCC and a typical example of pharmacodynamic evaluation of other proprietary Chinese patent medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Lu
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Jiaqi Huang
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Jingyuan Zhang
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Chao Wu
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Zhihong Huang
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Xiaoyu Tao
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Leiming You
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Life Science, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Antony Stalin
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, China.
| | - Meilin Chen
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Jiaqi Li
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Yingying Tan
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Zhishan Wu
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Libo Geng
- Guizhou Yibai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, Guiyang, 550008, Guizhou, China.
| | - Zhiqi Li
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China; Beijing Key Laboratory for Quality Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Qiqi Fan
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China; Beijing Key Laboratory for Quality Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Pengyun Liu
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Yifan Lin
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Chongjun Zhao
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China; Beijing Key Laboratory for Quality Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Jiarui Wu
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
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Zhang S, Zhang X, Du J, Wang W, Pi X. Multi-target meridians classification based on the topological structure of anti-cancer phytochemicals using deep learning. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 319:117244. [PMID: 37777031 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) meridian is the key theoretical guidance of prescription against tumor in clinical practice. However, there is no scientific and systematic verification of therapeutic action of herbs under meridians context. Several studies have determined the Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) phytochemicals for intrinsic attribute or meridians classification based on artificial intelligence (AI) tools. However, it is challenging to represent the complex molecular structures with large heterogeneity through the current technologies. In addition, the multiple correspondence between herbs and meridians has not been paid much attention. AIM OF THE STUDY We aim to develop an AI framework to classify multi-target meridians through the topological structure of phytochemicals. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 354 anti-cancer herbs, their corresponding TCM meridians and 5471 ingredient compounds were collected from public databases of CancerHSP, ETCM, and Hit 2.0. The statistical analysis of herbal and compound datasets, clustering analysis of the associated cancers, and correlational analysis of meridian tropism were preliminary conducted. Then a deep learning (DL) hybrid model named GRMC consisting of graph convolutional network (GCN) and recurrent neural network (RNN) was employed to generate the meridian multi-label sequences based on molecular graph. RESULTS The curing herbs against tumors have tight relationships to lung, liver, stomach, and spleen meridians. These herbs behave different properties in curing certain cancer. Certain cancer types have co-occurrence such as ovarian, bladder and cervical cancer. Compounds have multitarget meridians with characteristics of higher-order correlations. Compared with the other state-of-the-art algorithms on the datasets and previous methods dealing with conventional fixed fingerprints of herbal compounds, the proposed GRMC has superior overall performance on testing dataset with the one error of 0.183, hamming loss of 0.112, mean averaged accuracy (MAA) of 0.855, mean averaged precision (MAP) of 0.891, mean averaged recall (MAR) of 0.812, and mean averaged F1 score (MAF) of 0.849. CONCLUSIONS The proposed method can predict multi-targeted meridians through neural graph features in herbal compounds and outperforms several comparison methods. It could provide a basis for understanding the molecular scientific evidence of TCM meridians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, No.174 Shazheng Road, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400044, PR China.
| | - Xianwei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, No.174 Shazheng Road, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400044, PR China.
| | - Jiayin Du
- School of Pharmacy, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, PR China.
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Cardiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, No. 181 Hanyu Road, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, PR China.
| | - Xitian Pi
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, No.174 Shazheng Road, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400044, PR China.
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Tu H, Feng Y, Wang W, Zhou H, Cai Q, Feng Y. Exploring the mechanism of bioactive components of Prunella vulgaris L. in treating hepatocellular carcinoma based on network pharmacology. Chem Biol Drug Des 2024; 103:e14413. [PMID: 38040415 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.14413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
In traditional Chinese Medicine, Prunella vulgaris L. (PVL) is potentially effective in the treatment of some human malignancies including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the detailed mechanism of action remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to decipher the constitutes of the bioactive ingredients of PVL, and its mechanism against HCC using network pharmacology and in vitro experiments. The bioactive components of PVL were obtained by Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology Database and Analysis platform database, and the targets of bioactive components of PVL was investigated by Swiss Target Prediction database. HCC related targets were obtained from GEO database, GeneCards database and DisGeNET database, and the gene ontology function annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were conducted for annotating the biological function of gene targets. A protein-protein interaction network was constructed using STRING database. Molecular docking of key bioactive ingredients was performed using AutoDock Vina. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were detected by cell counting kit-8 and flow cytometry, respectively. The expression level of the target genes of PI3K/Akt pathway were detected by qPCR. In the present work, 11 bioactive components of PVL were screened out, which acted on 177 potential targets. In addition, 13,517 genes were strongly associated with HCC pathogenesis, of which 158 targets are overlapped with PVL's targets. KEGG results identified 39 signaling pathways closely associated with the 158 targets. Molecular docking showed that the main bioactive components of PVL, kaempferol, morin, quercetin, luteolin, and spinasterol, had good binding activity with the core proteins in cancer biology such as AKT1, EGFR, SRC, ESR1, and PPARG. In vitro assays showed that quercetin, one of the main components of PVL extracts effectively inhibited HCC cell proliferation, and promoted apoptosis, which may be associated with PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. In summary, PVL may regulate HCC progression by regulating core targets such as AKT1, EGFR, SRC, ESR1, and PPARG, and acting on PI3K-Akt signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huahua Tu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, P.R. China
| | - Yanqing Feng
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, P.R. China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, P.R. China
| | - Huadong Zhou
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, P.R. China
| | - Qinghe Cai
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, P.R. China
| | - Yong Feng
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, P.R. China
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Peng Y, Wu X, Zhang Y, Yin Y, Chen X, Zheng D, Wang J. An Overview of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Treatment After Radical Resection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2023; 10:2305-2321. [PMID: 38143910 PMCID: PMC10743783 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s413996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
According to the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) system, radical resection of early stage primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) mainly includes liver transplantation, surgical resection, and radiofrequency ablation (RFA), which yield 5-year survival rates of about 70-79%, 41.3-69.5%, and 40-70%, respectively. The tumor-free 5-year rate for HCC patients undergoing radical resection only reach up to 13.7 months, so the prevention of recurrence after radical resection of HCC is very important for the prognosis of patients. The traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) takes the approach of multitarget and overall-regulation to treat tumors, it can also independently present the "component-target-pathway" related to a particular disease, and its systematic and holistic characteristics can provide a personalized therapy based on symptoms of the patient by treating the patient as a whole. TCM as postoperative adjuvant therapy after radical resection of HCC in Barcelona Clinic liver cancer A or B stages, and the numerous clinical trials confirmed that the efficacy of TCM in the field of HCC has a significant effect, not only improving the prognosis and quality of life but also enhancing patient survival rate. However, with the characteristics of multi-target, multi-component, and multi-pathway, the specific mechanism of Chinese medicine in the treatment of diseases is still unclear. Because of the positive pharmacological activities of TCM in combating anti-tumors, the mechanism studies of TCM have demonstrated beneficial effects on the regulation of immune function, chronic inflammation, the proliferation and metastasis of liver cancer cells, autophagy, and cell signaling pathways related to liver cancer. Therefore, this article reviews the mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine in reducing the recurrence rate of HCC after radical resection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichen Peng
- The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Hepatobiliary Department, Luzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese & Western Medicine, The Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xia Wu
- The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Hepatobiliary Department, Luzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese & Western Medicine, The Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yurong Zhang
- The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Hepatobiliary Department, Luzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yue Yin
- The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Hepatobiliary Department, Luzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xianglin Chen
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese & Western Medicine, The Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ding Zheng
- The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Hepatobiliary Department, Luzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jing Wang
- The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Hepatobiliary Department, Luzhou, People’s Republic of China
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Zhang C, Xiang H, Wang J, Shao G, Ding P, Gao Y, Xu H, Ji G, Wu T. Exploring the mechanism of Jianpi Huatan recipe in protecting hepatocellular carcinoma based on network pharmacology. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 317:116676. [PMID: 37279814 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.116676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Jianpi Huatan Recipe (JPHTR) is an effective prescription for delaying progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) provided by Longhua Hospital affiliated to Shanghai University of traditional Chinese Medicine, and it is consisted of nine traditional Chinese drugs, but the protective mechanism of JPHTR against HCC progression is unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY To study the mechanism of JPHTR preventing the progression of HCC based on the network pharmacology. MATERIALS AND METHODS The chemical component and potential gene targets of JPHTR and the important gene targets of HCC were obtained by retrieving traditional Chinese medicine network pharmacology analysis system (TCMNPAS) database. The data obtained from the database are used to construct the drugs-chemical component-targets network and protein-protein interaction network by using Cytoscape software and STRING database. The potential targets of JPHTR and HCC targets were imported into TCMNPAS-related modules in order to obtain the Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment pathways. Finally, we used HCC rat model to verify the vital signaling pathways predicted by network pharmacology. RESULTS A total of 197 potential compounds and 721 potential targets of JPHTR and 611 important gene targets of HCC were obtained. Through the experiment in vivo, it was found that JPHTR can reduce the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase, reduce the lipid droplets and inflammatory injury of liver tissue, and reduce the mRNA expression of Interleukin-6 (Il-6), Janus tyrosine Kinase2 (Jak2) and Forkhead box O3 (Foxo3) in FOXO pathway in the liver, thus delaying the development of HCC. CONCLUSION Through network pharmacology and rat experiments, it is preliminarily confirmed that JPHTR may delay the progression of HCC by regulating the expression of Il-6/Jak2/Foxo3 in FOXO signal pathway, which is expected to be a new therapeutic target for the protection of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caiyun Zhang
- Institute of Digestive Disease, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China; Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Hongjiao Xiang
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Junmin Wang
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Gaoxuan Shao
- Institute of Digestive Disease, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Peilun Ding
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Ying Gao
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Hanchen Xu
- Institute of Digestive Disease, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Guang Ji
- Institute of Digestive Disease, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Tao Wu
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.
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Tan X, Ma X, Dai Y, An J, Yu X, Li S, Liao Y, Pei T, Tang Y, Gui Y, Zhou S, Guo D, Deng Y, Hu K, Wang D. A large-scale transcriptional analysis reveals herb-derived ginsenoside F2 suppressing hepatocellular carcinoma via inhibiting STAT3. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 120:155031. [PMID: 37666060 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.155031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common type of cancer that shows great morbidity and mortality rates. However, there are limited available drugs to treat HCC. AIM The present work focused on discovering the potential anti-HCC compounds from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) by employing high-throughput sequencing-based high-throughput screening (HTS2) together with the liver cancer pathway-associated gene signature. METHODS HTS2 assay was adopted for identifying herbs. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis and computer-aided drug design (CADD) were used to identify key targets and screen the candidate natural products of herbs. Molecular docking, network pharmacology analysis, western blotting, immunofluorescent staining, subcellular fractionation experiment, dual-luciferase reporter gene assay, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) as well as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) were performed to validate the ability of compound binding with key target and inhibiting its function. Moreover, cell viability, colony-forming, cell cycle assay and animal experiments were performed to examine the inhibitory effect of compound on HCC. RESULTS We examined the perturbation of 578 herb extracts on the expression of 84 genes from the liver cancer pathway, and identified the top 20 herbs significantly reverting the gene expression of this pathway. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) was identified as one of the key targets of the liver cancer pathway by PPI network analysis. Then, by analyzing compounds from top 20 herbs utilizing CADD, we found ginsenoside F2 (GF2) binds to STAT3 with high affinity, which was further validated by the results from molecular docking, SPR and NMR. Additionally, our results showed that GF2 suppresses the phosphorylation of Y705 of STAT3, inhibits its nuclear translocation, decreases its transcriptional activity and inhibits the growth of HCC in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSION Based on this large-scale transcriptional study, a number of anti-HCC herbs were identified. GF2, a compound derived from TCM, was found to be a chemical basis of these herbs in treating HCC. The present work also discovered that GF2 is a new STAT3 inhibitor, which is able to suppress HCC. As such, GF2 represents a new potential anti-HCC therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Xiaofang Ma
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Yifei Dai
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jun An
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Xiankuo Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Shengrong Li
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Yile Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Tianli Pei
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Yuqin Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China; Clinical Bioinformatics Experimental Center, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450003, China
| | - Yu Gui
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Shiyi Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Dale Guo
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Yun Deng
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Kaifeng Hu
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China.
| | - Dong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China.
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18
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Zhu PL, Li JK, Jiang XL, Zhang SQ, Zhang Z, Wang Y, Zhang Z, Chen WQ, Yung KKL. A traditional prescription comprising Astragali Radix and Schisandra chinensis Fructus induces apoptosis and protective autophagy in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 312:116548. [PMID: 37100264 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.116548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) poses a growing challenge to global health efforts. The 5-year survival rate of HCC patients is still dismal. A traditional prescription Qi-Wei-Wan (QWW) comprising Astragali Radix and Schisandra chinensis Fructus has traditionally been used for HCC treatment according to traditional Chinese medicine theory, but the pharmacological basis is not clear. AIM OF THE STUDY This study aims to investigate the anti-HCC effects of an ethanolic extract of QWW (hereafter, QWWE) and the mechanism of action. MATERIALS AND METHODS An UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS method was developed to control the quality of QWWE. Two human HCC cell lines (HCCLM3 and HepG2) and a HCCLM3 xenograft mouse model were employed to investigate the anti-HCC effects of QWWE. The anti-proliferative effect of QWWE in vitro was determined by MTT, colony formation and EdU staining assays. Apoptosis and protein levels were examined by flow cytometry and Western blotting, respectively. Nuclear presence of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) was examined by immunostaining. Transient transfection of pEGFP-LC3 and STAT3C plasmids was performed to assess autophagy and determine the involvement of STAT3 signaling in QWWE's anti-HCC effects, respectively. RESULTS We found that QWWE inhibited the proliferation of and triggered apoptosis in HCC cells. Mechanistically, QWWE inhibited the activation of SRC and STAT3 at Tyr416 and Tyr705, respectively; inhibited the nuclear translocation of STAT3; lowered Bcl-2 protein levels, while increased Bax protein levels in HCC cells. Over-activating STAT3 attenuated the cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of QWWE in HCC cells. Moreover, QWWE induced autophagy in HCC cells by inhibiting mTOR signaling. Blocking autophagy with autophagy inhibitors (3-methyladenine and chloroquine) enhanced the cytotoxicity, apoptotic effect and the inhibitory effect on STAT3 activation of QWWE. Intragastric administration of QWWE at 10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg potently repressed tumor growth and inhibited STAT3 and mTOR signaling in tumor tissues, but did not significantly affect mouse body weight. CONCLUSION QWWE exhibited potent anti-HCC effects. Inhibiting the STAT3 signaling pathway is involved in QWWE-mediated apoptosis, while blocking mTOR signaling contributes to QWWE-mediated autophagy induction. Blockade of autophagy enhanced the anti-HCC effects of QWWE, indicating that the combination of an autophagy inhibitor and QWWE might be a promising therapeutic strategy for HCC management. Our findings provide pharmacological justifications for the traditional use of QWW in treating HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Li Zhu
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; Golden Meditech Center for NeuroRegeneration Sciences (GMCNS), HKBU, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China; HKBU Institute of Research and Continuing Education, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jun-Kui Li
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; Golden Meditech Center for NeuroRegeneration Sciences (GMCNS), HKBU, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China; HKBU Institute of Research and Continuing Education, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiao-Li Jiang
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; Golden Meditech Center for NeuroRegeneration Sciences (GMCNS), HKBU, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Shi-Qing Zhang
- Golden Meditech Center for NeuroRegeneration Sciences (GMCNS), HKBU, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China; JNU-HKUST Joint Laboratory for Neuroscience and Innovative Drug Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhu Zhang
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; Golden Meditech Center for NeuroRegeneration Sciences (GMCNS), HKBU, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; Golden Meditech Center for NeuroRegeneration Sciences (GMCNS), HKBU, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Zhang Zhang
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; Golden Meditech Center for NeuroRegeneration Sciences (GMCNS), HKBU, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wen-Qing Chen
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; Golden Meditech Center for NeuroRegeneration Sciences (GMCNS), HKBU, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ken-Kin-Lam Yung
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; Golden Meditech Center for NeuroRegeneration Sciences (GMCNS), HKBU, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China; HKBU Institute of Research and Continuing Education, Shenzhen, China.
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Kong Y, Zhu X, Zhang X, Li Z, Yin Y, Wang J, Jia H. Traditional Chinese medicine combined with radiofrequency ablation improves primary liver cancer outcomes: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Heliyon 2023; 9:e18591. [PMID: 37554780 PMCID: PMC10404954 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Traditional Chinese medicine and radiofrequency ablation are becoming increasingly important in the treatment of primary liver cancer. However, the clinical outcome of traditional Chinese medicine plus radiofrequency ablation is contentious. This study aimed to conduct a meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials to address this gap. METHODS Short-term efficacy, alpha-fetoprotein level, immune function, liver function, and quality of life outcomes in patients with primary liver cancer treated with Chinese herbal medicine adjuvant radiofrequency ablation were systematically reviewed. RESULTS Eighteen randomized controlled clinical trials with 1488 patients with primary liver cancer were included. The combination treatment significantly increased the objective remission rate and quality of patient survival compared to the control group. Combination treatment significantly improved immunity and liver function factors, including CD3, CD4, CD4/CD8, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin, and albumin levels. However, there were no statistical differences in CD8 levels across treatments. Trial sequential analysis showed that the cumulative Z-curve of the Objective response rate crossed the conventional and test sequence monitoring boundaries; however, it did not cross the required information size line. CONCLUSIONS Traditional Chinese medicine combined with radiofrequency ablation for primary liver cancer can effectively reduce alpha-fetoprotein and improve clinical efficacy, immune function, liver function, as well as the quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Kong
- School of Public Health, Southwestern Medical University, Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Collaborating Center of the National Institute of Health Data Sciences of China, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Xiaoning Zhu
- Hepatobiliary Department, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Xue Zhang
- School of Public Health, Southwestern Medical University, Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Collaborating Center of the National Institute of Health Data Sciences of China, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Zetian Li
- School of Public Health, Southwestern Medical University, Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Collaborating Center of the National Institute of Health Data Sciences of China, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Yue Yin
- Hepatobiliary Department, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Hepatobiliary Department, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Hong Jia
- School of Public Health, Southwestern Medical University, Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Collaborating Center of the National Institute of Health Data Sciences of China, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
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Song A, Ding T, Wei N, Yang J, Ma M, Zheng S, Jin H. Schisandrin B induces HepG2 cells pyroptosis by activating NK cells mediated anti-tumor immunity. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2023; 472:116574. [PMID: 37271225 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2023.116574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Pyroptosis, an inflammatory programmed cell death, has been suggested as a novel molecular mechanism for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with chemotherapeutic agents. Recent studies showed that natural killer (NK) cells could inhibit apoptosis and regulate the progression of pyroptosis in tumor cells. Schisandrin B (Sch B), a lignan isolated from Schisandrae chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. (Schisandraceae) Fructus, has various pharmacological activities including anti-cancer effects. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of NK cells on Sch B's regulation of pyroptosis in HCC cells and the molecular mechanisms implicated. The results showed that Sch B alone could decrease cell viability and induce apoptosis in HepG2 cells. However, Sch B induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells was transformed into pyroptosis in the presence of NK cells. The mechanisms underlying NK cell's effect on pyroptosis in Sch B-treated HepG2 cells was related to its activation of caspase 3-Gasdermin E (GSDME). Further studies revealed that NK cell induced caspase 3 activation was derived from its activation of perforin-granzyme B pathway. This study explored the effect of Sch B and NK cells on pyroptosis in HepG2 cells and revealed that perforin-granzyme B-caspase 3-GSDME pathway is involved in the process of pyroptosis. These results proposed an immunomodulatory mechanism of Sch B on HepG2 cells pyroptosis and suggested Sch B as a promising immunotherapy combination partner for the treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anping Song
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Tingting Ding
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Na Wei
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Jieren Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Mingyue Ma
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Shuguo Zheng
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, China; Laboratory of Pharmacology of Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, China.
| | - Huanhuan Jin
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, China; Laboratory of Pharmacology of Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, China.
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Li S, Hao L, Hu X, Li L. A systematic study on the treatment of hepatitis B-related hepatocellular carcinoma with drugs based on bioinformatics and key target reverse network pharmacology and experimental verification. Infect Agent Cancer 2023; 18:41. [PMID: 37393234 DOI: 10.1186/s13027-023-00520-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the major etiology of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the mechanism of hepatitis B-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV-related HCC) is still unclear. Therefore, understanding the pathogenesis and searching for drugs to treat HBV-related HCC was an effective strategy to treat this disease. PURPOSE Bioinformatics was used to predict the potential targets of HBV-related HCC. The reverse network pharmacology of key targets was used to analyze the clinical drugs, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and small molecules of TCM in the treatment of HBV-related HCC. METHODS In this study, three microarray datasets totally containing 330 tumoral samples and 297 normal samples were selected from the GEO database. These microarray datasets were used to screen DEGs. And the expression profile and survival of 6 key genes were analyzed. In addition, Comparative Toxicogenomics Database and Coremine Medical database were used to enrich clinical drugs and TCM of HBV-related HCC by the 6 key targets. Then the obtained TCM were classified based on the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Among these top 6 key genes, CDK1 and CCNB1 had the most connection nodes and the highest degree and were the most significantly expressed. In general, CDK1 and CCNB1 tend to form a complex, which is conducive to cell mitosis. Hence, this study mainly studied CDK1 and CCNB1. HERB database was used to predict small molecules TCM. The inhibition effect of quercetin, celastrol and cantharidin on HepG2.2.15 cells and Hep3B cells was verified by CCK8 experiment. The effects of quercetin, celastrol and cantharidin on CDK1 and CCNB1 of HepG2.2.15 cells and Hep3B cells were determined by Western Blot. RESULTS In short, 272 DEGs (53 upregulated and 219 downregulated) were identified. Among these DEGs, 6 key genes with high degree were identified, which were AURKA, BIRC5, CCNB1, CDK1, CDKN3 and TYMS. Kaplan-Meier plotter analysis showed that higher expression levels of AURKA, BIRC5, CCNB1, CDK1, CDKN3 and TYMS were associated with poor OS. According to the first 6 key targets, a variety of drugs and TCM were identified. These results showed that clinical drugs included targeted drugs, such as sorafenib, palbociclib and Dasatinib. and chemotherapy drugs, such as cisplatin and doxorubicin. TCM, such as the TCM flavor was mainly warm and bitter, and the main meridians were liver and lung. Small molecules of TCM included flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids and glycosides, such as quercetin, celastrol, cantharidin, hesperidin, silymarin, casticin, berberine and ursolic acid, which have great potential in anti-HBV-related HCC. For molecular docking of chemical components, the molecules with higher scores were flavonoids, alkaloids, etc. Three representative types of TCM small molecules were verified respectively, and it was found that quercetin, celastrol and cantharidin inhibited the proliferation of HepG2.2.15 cells and Hep3B cells along concentration gradient. Quercetin, celastrol and cantharidin decreased CDK1 expression in HepG2.2.15 and Hep3B cells, but for CCNB1, only cantharidin decreased CCNB1 expression in the two strains of cells. CONCLUSION In conclusion, AURKA, BIRC5, CCNB1, CDK1, CDKN3 and TYMS could be potential targets for the diagnosis and prognosis of HBV-related HCC. Clinical drugs include chemotherapeutic and targeted drug, traditional Chinese medicine is mainly bitter and warm TCM. Small molecular of TCM including flavonoids, terpenoids and glycosides and alkaloids, which have great potential in anti-HBV-related HCC. This study provides potential therapeutic targets and novel strategies for the treatment of HBV-related HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenghao Li
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 37 Shi-er-qiao Road, Chengdu, 610075, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
- Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 39 Shi-er-qiao Road, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Liyuan Hao
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 37 Shi-er-qiao Road, Chengdu, 610075, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
- Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 39 Shi-er-qiao Road, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoyu Hu
- Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 39 Shi-er-qiao Road, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
| | - Luya Li
- Department of Pharmacy Department, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, NO.12, Jian Kang Road, Shijiazhuang, 050010, Hebei, People's Republic of China
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Fang Gong Y, Hou S, Xu JC, Chen Y, Zhu LL, Xu YY, Chen YQ, Li MM, Li LL, Yang JJ, Yang Y. Amelioratory effects of astragaloside IV on hepatocarcinogenesis via Nrf2-mediated pSmad3C/3L transformation. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 117:154903. [PMID: 37301185 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.154903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Phosphorylated Smad3 isoforms are reversible and antagonistic, and the tumour-suppressive pSmad3C can shift to an oncogenic pSmad3L signal. In addition, Nrf2 has a two-way regulatory effect on tumours, protecting normal cells from carcinogens and promoting tumour cell survival in chemotherapeutics. Accordingly, we hypothesised that the transformation of pSmad3C/3L is the basis for Nrf2 to produce both pro- and/or anti-tumourigenic effects in hepatocarcinogenesis. Astragaloside IV (AS-IV), the major component of Astragalus membranaceus, exerts anti-fibrogenic and carcinogenic actions. Lately, AS-IV administration could delay the occurrence of primary liver cancer by persistently inhibiting the fibrogenesis and regulating pSmad3C/3 L and Nrf2/HO-1 pathways synchronously. However, effect of AS-IV on hepatocarcinogenesis implicated in the bidirectional cross-talking of pSmad3C/3 L and Nrf2/HO-1 signalling, especially which one contributes palpably than the other still remains unclear. PURPOSE This study aims to settle the above questions by using in vivo (pSmad3C+/- and Nrf2-/- mice) and in vitro (plasmid- or lentivirus- transfected HepG2 cells) models of HCC. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS The correlation of Nrf2 to pSmad3C/pSmad3L in HepG2 cells was analysed by Co-immunoprecipitation and dual-luciferase reporter assay. Pathological changes of Nrf2, pSmad3C, and pSmad3L in human HCC patients, pSmad3C+/- mice, and Nrf2-/- mice were gauged by immunohistochemical, haematoxylin and eosin staining, Masson, and immunofluorescence assays. Finally, western blot and qPCR were used to verify the bidirectional cross-talking of pSmad3C/3L and Nrf2/HO-1 signalling protein and mRNA in vivo and in vitro models of HCC. RESULTS Histopathological manifestations and biochemical indicators revealed that pSmad3C+/- could abate the ameliorative effects of AS-IV on fibrogenic/carcinogenic mice with Nrf2/HO-1 deactivation and pSmad3C/p21 transform to pSmad3L/PAI-1//c-Myc. As expected, cell experiments confirmed that upregulating pSmad3C boosts the inhibitory activity of AS-IV on phenotypes (cell proliferation, migration and invasion), followed by a shift of pSmad3L to pSmad3C and activation of Nrf2/HO-1. Synchronously, experiments in Nrf2-/- mice and lentivirus-carried Nrf2shRNA cell echoed the results of pSmad3C knockdown. Complementarily, Nrf2 overexpression resulted in the opposite result. Furthermore, Nrf2/HO-1 contributes to AS-IV's anti-HCC effect palpably compared with pSmad3C/3L. CONCLUSION These studies highlight that harnessing the bidirectional crosstalk pSmad3C/3 L and Nrf2/HO-1, especially Nrf2/HO-1 signalling, acts more effectively in AS-IV's anti-hepatocarcinogenesis, which may provide an important theoretical foundation for the use of AS-IV against HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Fang Gong
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immunopharmacology, Ministry of Education, 230032, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, China; School of Nursing, Anhui Medical University, No.15, feicui Road, Economic and Technological Development Zone, Hefei, China
| | - Shu Hou
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immunopharmacology, Ministry of Education, 230032, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, China
| | - Jia-Cheng Xu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immunopharmacology, Ministry of Education, 230032, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, China
| | - Yan Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immunopharmacology, Ministry of Education, 230032, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, China
| | - Le-Le Zhu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immunopharmacology, Ministry of Education, 230032, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, China
| | - Ying-Ying Xu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immunopharmacology, Ministry of Education, 230032, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, China
| | - Yu-Qing Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immunopharmacology, Ministry of Education, 230032, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, China
| | - Miao-Miao Li
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immunopharmacology, Ministry of Education, 230032, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, China
| | - Li-Li Li
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immunopharmacology, Ministry of Education, 230032, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, China
| | - Jing-Jing Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immunopharmacology, Ministry of Education, 230032, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, China; Department of Pharmacology, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yan Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immunopharmacology, Ministry of Education, 230032, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, China.
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Yu YX, Wang S, Liu ZN, Zhang X, Hu ZX, Dong HJ, Lu XY, Zheng JB, Cui HJ. Traditional Chinese medicine in the era of immune checkpoint inhibitor: theory, development, and future directions. Chin Med 2023; 18:59. [PMID: 37210537 DOI: 10.1186/s13020-023-00751-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized cancer management and have been widely applied; however, they still have some limitations in terms of efficacy and toxicity. There are multiple treatment regimens in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that play active roles in combination with Western medicine in the field of oncology treatment. TCM with ICIs works by regulating the tumor microenvironment and modulating gut microbiota. Through multiple targets and multiple means, TCM enhances the efficacy of ICIs, reverses resistance, and effectively prevents and treats ICI-related adverse events based on basic and clinical studies. However, there have been few conclusions on this topic. This review summarizes the development of TCM in cancer treatment, the mechanisms underlying the combination of TCM and ICIs, existing studies, ongoing trials, and prospects for future development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Xuan Yu
- Graduate School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, China
- Oncology Department of Integrative Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No.2 Yinghua East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Shuo Wang
- Oncology Department of Integrative Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No.2 Yinghua East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Zhe-Ning Liu
- Graduate School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, China
- Oncology Department of Integrative Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No.2 Yinghua East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Xu Zhang
- Graduate School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, China
- Oncology Department of Integrative Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No.2 Yinghua East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Zi-Xin Hu
- Graduate School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, China
- Oncology Department of Integrative Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No.2 Yinghua East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Hui-Jing Dong
- Graduate School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, China
- Oncology Department of Integrative Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No.2 Yinghua East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Xing-Yu Lu
- Graduate School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, China
- Oncology Department of Integrative Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No.2 Yinghua East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Jia-Bin Zheng
- Oncology Department of Integrative Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No.2 Yinghua East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China.
| | - Hui-Juan Cui
- Oncology Department of Integrative Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No.2 Yinghua East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China.
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Pei T, Dai Y, Tan X, Geng A, Li S, Gui Y, Hu C, An J, Yu X, Bao X, Wang D. Yupingfeng San exhibits anticancer effect in hepatocellular carcinoma cells via the MAPK pathway revealed by HTS 2 technology. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 306:116134. [PMID: 36627003 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.116134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Yupingfeng San (YPFS) is a classic rousing prescription in Chinese medicine, with widly clinical application and remarkably curative effect. It consists of three herbs named Astragalus mongholicus Bunge (Huangqi), Atractylodes rubra Dekker (Baizhu) and Saposhnikovia divaricata (Turcz.) Schischk. (Fangfeng), and has a variety of pharmacological activities including immune regulation, antioxidant, anti-tumor, regulation of cytokines, etc. AIM OF THE STUDY: It has been proved that YPFS exerts its anti-tumor effect through enhancing the systemic and local immune responses in tumor patients, moreover, it has the direct tumor-suppressing effect and can reduce the adverse reactions caused by radiotherapy and chemotherapy drugs. Therefore, in this study, we explored the potential anti-HCC mechanism of YPFS based on HTS2 technology and systems pharmacology, aiming to provide a scientific basis for the clinical application of YPFS and a new strategy for Chinese medicine research. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this study, systems pharmacology plus high throughput sequencing-based high throughput screening (HTS2) technology, and experimental validation were used to investigate the therapeutic mechanisms and the chemical basis of YPFS in HCC treatment. Firstly, the potential therapeutic targets and signaling pathways of YPFS in the treatment of HCC were obtained through systems pharmacology. Subsequently, HTS2 technology combined with PPI network analysis were used to reveal potential therapeutic targets. Finally, the anti-HCC effects and underlying mechanisms of YPFS were further verified in vitro in human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. Moreover, the possible chemical basis was explored by drug target verification and molecular docking technology. RESULTS In total, 183 active ingredients were predicted by YPFS screening and 49 anti-HCC targets were further identified. Most of these targets were enriched into the "MAPK pathway", and the expression of 37 genes was significantly changed after herb treatment. Among them, 5 key targets, including VEGFA, GRB2, JUN, PDGFRB and CDC42, were predicted by protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis. According to our results, YPFS inhibited the proliferation, induced the apoptosis and caused cell cycle arrest of HCC cells. In addition, YPFS significantly reduced P38 gene expression. Fangfeng, one of the three herbs in YPFS, significantly down-regulated the expression of more target genes than that of the other two herbs. Lastly, as revealed by molecular docking analysis, 4'-O-glucosyl-5-O-methylvisamminol, an active ingredient identified in Fangfeng, showed a high affinity for P38. CONCLUSION Taken together, this study shows that YPFS possesses the activities of anti-proliferation and pro-apoptosis in treating HCC, which are achieved by inhibiting the MAPK signaling pathway. P38 is one of the critical targets of YPFS in treating HCC, which may be directly bound and inhibited by 4'-O-glucosyl-5-O-methylvisamminol, a compound derived from YPFS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianli Pei
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Yifei Dai
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Xue Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Aiai Geng
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Shengrong Li
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Yu Gui
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Chao Hu
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Jun An
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Xiankuo Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Xilinqiqige Bao
- Medical Innovation Center for Nationalities, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot City, 010110, China.
| | - Dong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China.
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Hugan Buzure Induces Autophagy and Apoptosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Inhibiting PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling Pathway. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2022. [DOI: 10.1155/2022/1618491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
This study explored the effects of Hugan Buzure (HBR) on cell apoptosis and autophagy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the molecular mechanisms of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. HepG2 and Huh7 cell viability was detected by the tetramethylazolium salt colorimetric (MTT) method. Cell proliferation was measured using the colony formation method. Hoechst 33258 staining and flow cytometry were employed to detect apoptosis. In addition, immunofluorescence was carried out to evaluate the expression of LC3. Western blot was performed to detect the expression of Bcl-2, Bax, Caspase-3, LC3, Beclin1, p62 (SQSTM1), and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signal pathway-related proteins in HCC cells. This work verified that HBR reduced HepG2 and Huh7 cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner. Treatment with HBR caused an obvious improvement of the apoptosis rate, accompanied by the increase in Bax/Bcl2, Caspase3, LC3II, and Beclin1 levels, respectively. Furthermore, HBR downregulated the expression of p62, p-PI3K, p-Akt, and p-mTOR proteins. HBR combined with HCQ enhanced HBR-induced apoptosis. In conclusion, HBR induced autophagy and apoptosis through PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, leading to HCC cell death. This research preliminarily suggested the potential role of HBR in the treatment of HCC.
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Zeng H, Wei X, Wang C. Fuzheng Kangai Decoction Restrains the Progression and Angiogenesis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Biomed Nanotechnol 2022. [DOI: 10.1166/jbn.2022.3484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Fuzheng Kangai decoction (FZKA) has been preliminarily proved to be effective in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study plans to investigate the clear role of FZKA on HCC progression. After establishing a HCC tumor-bearing mice model and treated with FZKA, the volumes and weights
of HCC tumor were monitored, and tumor pathology was analyzed by HE staining. The expression of the molecules related to angiogenesis, apoptosis and angiogenesis in tumor tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry, Western blot and qRT-PCR assays. In addition, HCC cells were administrated
with increasing concentrations of FZKA. Then the cell proliferation, migration and invasion ability were tested. In HCC tumor bearing mice, it was found that FZKA significantly decreased the tumor volumes, weights, aggravated tumor pathological damage, reduced VEGF, CD34, Bcl-2 expression,
but promoted the expression of Bax, cleaved caspase 3, Cyt-C in tumor tissues. Moreover, in vitro experiments demonstrated that FZKA co-incubation suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion ability of HCC cells. This study demonstrated that FZKA has the potential to inhibit
HCC progression by promoting apoptosis and inhibiting angiogenesis.
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27
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Water recovery from cleaning wastewater of traditional Chinese medicine processing via vacuum membrane distillation: Parameters optimization and membrane fouling investigation. Chem Eng Res Des 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cherd.2022.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Yagüe E, Sun H, Hu Y. East Wind, West Wind: Toward the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:1057817. [PMID: 36440293 PMCID: PMC9685990 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1057817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 08/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has used herbal remedies for more than 2,000 years. The use of complimentary therapies has increased dramatically during the last years, especially in the West, and the incorporation and modernization of TCM in current medical practice is gaining momentum. We reflect on the main bottlenecks in the modernization of arcane Chinese herbal medicine: lack of standardization, safety concerns and poor quality of clinical trials, as well as the ways these are being overcome. Progress in these areas will facilitate the implementation of an efficacy approach, in which only successful clinical trials lead to the molecular characterization of active compounds and their mechanism of action. Traditional pharmacological methodologies will produce novel leads and drugs, and we describe TCM successes such as the discovery of artemisinin as well as many others still in the pipeline. Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, cancer and cardiovascular disease are the main cause of mortality in the Western world and, with an increasing old population in South East Asia, this trend will also increase in the Far East. TCM has been used for long time for treating these diseases in China and other East Asian countries. However, the holistic nature of TCM requires a paradigm shift. By changing our way of thinking, from "one-target, one-drug" to "network-target, multiple-component-therapeutics," network pharmacology, together with other system biology methodologies, will pave the way toward TCM modernization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernesto Yagüe
- Division of Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - He Sun
- The State Key Laboratory of Core Technology in Innovative Chinese Medicine, Tasly Academy, Tasly Holding Group Co., Ltd., Tianjin, China
| | - Yunhui Hu
- Cloudphar Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China
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Wu X, Wei Z, Feng H, Chen H, Xie J, Huang Y, Wang M, Yao C, Huang J. Targeting Effect of Betulinic Acid Liposome Modified by Hyaluronic Acid on Hepatoma Cells In Vitro. J Pharm Sci 2022; 111:3047-3053. [PMID: 35779664 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2022.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Betulinic acid (BA) is a natural pentacyclic triterpenoid with broad-spectrum anticancer activity, which has great development potential as an anti-cancer drug. In this study, a novel hyaluronic acid (HA)-modified BA liposome (BA-L) was developed for use in targeted liver cancer therapy. The size, polymer dispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, and entrapment efficiency were measured. Cell viability, cell migration and clonogenicity, cellular uptake, immunohistochemistry of CD44, and protein expression of ROCK1/IP3/RAS were also investigated. BA, BA-L, and HA-BA-L had no inhibitory effect on the activity of LO2 normal hepatocytes, but they inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, with HA-BA-L exhibiting the most prominent inhibitory effect. Compared with the BA-L group, the expression of CD44 in HepG2 cells in the HA-BA-L group was decreased. The results of WB showed that BA, BA-L, and HA-BA-L downregulated the expression of ROCK1, IP3, and RAS in HepG2 cells, and the expression level in the HA-BA-L group was significantly decreased. The easily prepared HA-BA-L was demonstrated to be an excellent CD44-mediated intracellular delivery system capable of targeting effects. Further mechanistic research revealed that the inhibition of HA-BA-L on HepG2 cells may be mediated by blocking the ROCK1/IP3/RAS signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomei Wu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation, Department of Pharmacology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, PR China
| | - Zhumei Wei
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation, Department of Pharmacology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, PR China
| | - Hui Feng
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation, Department of Pharmacology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, PR China
| | - Hongli Chen
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation, Department of Pharmacology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, PR China
| | - Jiaxiu Xie
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation, Department of Pharmacology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, PR China
| | - Yupeng Huang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation, Department of Pharmacology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, PR China
| | - Mengyao Wang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation, Department of Pharmacology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, PR China
| | - Chanjuan Yao
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation, Department of Pharmacology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, PR China
| | - Jianchun Huang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation, Department of Pharmacology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, PR China.
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Wei C, Qiu J, Wu Y, Chen Z, Yu Z, Huang Z, Yang K, Hu H, Liu F. Promising traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of cholestatic liver disease process (cholestasis, hepatitis, liver fibrosis, liver cirrhosis). JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2022; 297:115550. [PMID: 35863612 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2022.115550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Cholestatic liver disease (CLD) is mainly characterized by cholestasis. If not treated, it will deteriorate to cholestatic hepatitis, liver fibrosis, liver cirrhosis, and even liver failure. CLD has a high clinical incidence, and limited treatment with single therapy. In the long-term clinical exploration, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been corroborated with unique therapeutic effects on the CLD process. AIM OF THIS REVIEW This paper summarizes the effective single and compound TCMs for the treatment of CLD. According to 4 important clinical stages of CLD: cholestasis, hepatitis, liver fibrosis, liver cirrhosis, pharmacological effects and mechanisms of 5 typical TCM examples are reviewed, aims to provide basis for clinical drug selection in different processes of CLD. MATERIALS AND METHODS Relevant scientific articles regarding therapeutic effects of TCM for the CLD were collected from different databases. We collated three single herbs including Artemisia scoparia Waldst. et Kit. or Artemisia capillaris Thunb. (Artemisiae Scopariae Herba, Yin Chen in Chinese), Paeonia lactiflora Pall. or Paeonia veitchii Lynch. (Paeoniae radix rubra, Chi Shao in Chinese), Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf (Poria, Fu Ling in Chinese), and two compound herbs of Huang Qi Decoction (HQD) and Yin Chen Hao Decoction (YCHD) to studied and analyzed. RESULTS We proposed five promising TCMs treatments for the important developmental stages of CLD. Among them, Yin Chen is an essential medicine for protecting liver and gallbladder, and its TCM prescription is also a promising strategy for cholestasis. Based on clinical evidence, high-dose application of Chi Shao is a clinical special treatment of cholestasis hepatitis. Fu Ling can regulate immune cells and increase antibody levels in serum, which is expected to be an emerging therapy to prevent cholestatic liver fibrosis to cirrhosis. HQD can be used as routine clinical medicine for liver fibrosis. In addition, YCHD can exert better comprehensive advantages with multiple components, can treat the whole course of CLD and prevent it from developing to the end-stage. CONCLUSION Yin Chen, Chi Shao, Fu Ling, HQD and YCHD have shown good clinical efficacy in controlling the development of CLD. Clinically, it is easier to curb the development of CLD by adopting graded diagnosis and treatment measures. We suggest that CLD should be risk stratified in clinical treatment to ensure personalized treatment for patients, so as to slow down the development of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunlei Wei
- Key Laboratory of Standardization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan, Chengdu, 611137, China.
| | - Jing Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Standardization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan, Chengdu, 611137, China.
| | - Yuyi Wu
- Key Laboratory of Standardization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan, Chengdu, 611137, China.
| | - Ziqiang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Standardization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan, Chengdu, 611137, China.
| | - Ziwei Yu
- Key Laboratory of Standardization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan, Chengdu, 611137, China.
| | - Zecheng Huang
- Key Laboratory of Standardization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan, Chengdu, 611137, China.
| | - Ke Yang
- Key Laboratory of Standardization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan, Chengdu, 611137, China.
| | - Huiling Hu
- Key Laboratory of Standardization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan, Chengdu, 611137, China.
| | - Fang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Standardization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan, Chengdu, 611137, China.
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Tumor-Targeting Polymer–Drug Conjugate for Liver Cancer Treatment In Vitro. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14214515. [PMID: 36365509 PMCID: PMC9653589 DOI: 10.3390/polym14214515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Bufalin (buf) has poor solubility in aqueous solution, poor tumor targeting, and many non-specific toxic and side effects. The advantages of high-molecular-weight polymer conjugates are that they can improve the water solubility of buf, prolong plasma half-life, and reduce non-specific toxicity. A novel water-soluble polymer–drug conjugate with buf and fluorescein pendants was prepared by the combination of reversible addition-fragmentation transfer (RAFT) polymerization and click chemistry. Its anticancer performance and cellular uptake behavior against liver cancer were investigated in vitro. The polymer–buf conjugates exhibit controlled release and tumor-targeting capabilities, showing promise for clinical applications.
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Chen SL, Lin WC, Chen YC, Chen JL, Wu YH, Yang SH, Chen HY. The association between mortality and use of Chinese herbal medicine among incident stage IV esophageal cancer patients: A retrospective cohort study with core herbs exploration. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:1018281. [PMID: 36278218 PMCID: PMC9582778 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1018281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Esophageal cancer (EC) remains a leading cause of death worldwide and in Taiwan. The prognosis of advanced-stage EC is notably poor, and the treatment options are limited. Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has been widely used as a complementary treatment for cancer, yet the long-term effect of CHM in stage IV EC remains unclear. The multi-institutional cohort obtained from the Chang Gung research database (CGRD) was used to study the long-term outcome of CHM use among incident stage IV EC patients from 1 January 2002, to 31 December 2018. All patients were followed up to 5 years or the occurrence of death. The overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival rates were conducted using Kaplan-Meier estimation. Overlap weighing and landmark analysis were used to eliminate confounding and immortal time biases. Furthermore, we demonstrated the core CHMs for stage IV EC by using the Chinese herbal medicine network (CMN) analysis on prescriptions. Nine hundred eighty-five stage IV EC patients were analyzed, including 74 CHM users and 911 non-CHM users. We found the use of CHM was associated with a higher 5-year overall survival rate than CHM nonusers (the cumulative probability: 19.52% versus 6.04%, log-rank test: p < 0.001, and the p < 0.001 with overlap weighting). In addition, the overall median survival time was about 7 months longer among CHM users. Moreover, the lower 1-, 3-, 5-year disease-specific survival rates were higher among CHM users. Additionally, the risk of all-cause mortality was lower among CHM users when considering accessible demographic covariates (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.59, 95%CI: 0.39, 0.89, p = 0.011). Furthermore, the CMN analysis revealed that CHMs improved health while relieving tumor burden. For example, Hedyotis diffusa Willd. was the core CHM with an anti-cancer effect, while Fritillaria thunbergii Miq and Sevilla maindronide Rochebrune were used together to relieve cancer-related gastrointestinal discomfort. The use of CHM seems safe and possibly beneficial among stage IV EC patients with a higher 5-year OS. Further clinical trials on CHM were guaranteed to explore the role of CHM in managing stage IV EC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Ling Chen
- Division of Chinese Internal and Pediatric Medicine, Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan Branch, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Chun Lin
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Branch, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chun Chen
- Department of Family Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Hospital and Health Care Administration, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jiun-Liang Chen
- Division of Chinese Internal and Pediatric Medicine, Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan Branch, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Hong Wu
- Division of Chinese Internal and Pediatric Medicine, Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan Branch, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Sien-Hung Yang
- Division of Chinese Internal and Pediatric Medicine, Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan Branch, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Hsing-Yu Chen
- Division of Chinese Internal and Pediatric Medicine, Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan Branch, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- *Correspondence: Hsing-Yu Chen,
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On the Core Prescriptions and Their Mechanisms of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Hepatitis B, Liver Cirrhosis, and Liver Cancer Treatment. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:5300523. [PMID: 36193202 PMCID: PMC9525786 DOI: 10.1155/2022/5300523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Background As a frequent cause of death in cancer patients, liver cancer usually occurs in hepatitis B and cirrhosis. In China, Chinese people have been using traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in treating various chronic liver diseases, which could effectively improve the symptoms and slow down the progression of liver diseases. However, due to the complexity rules of TCM prescription, their action mechanisms are still not clearly understood, which may affect the popularization of effective prescriptions. This study aims to identify the core TCM herbs in the treatment of hepatitis B, liver cirrhosis, and liver cancer so as to clarify the mechanism of action of the core herb networks. Methods There were 1,673 prescriptions for chronic liver diseases collected in this study, of which 854 were hepatic B prescriptions, 530 were for liver cirrhosis, and 289 were for liver cancer. The basic characteristics of herbal medicine were firstly explained via descriptive analysis, then the core prescriptions of herbal medicine were analyzed through association rule, and finally, the mechanism of core prescriptions was explored with the help of systematic network pharmacology and by applying such databases as TCMIP, HERB, OMIM, GeneCards, KEGG, and software like RStudio and Cytoscape. Results The rule of the core prescriptions in these cases was characterized by the application of herbs with both cold and warm properties, in which bitter herbs with cold property took priority. Tonifying deficiency, clearing heat, and activating blood circulations to remove stasis were common treatment principles for the three liver diseases. Turmeric Root Tuber (YuJin), White Peony Root (BaiShao), Bupleurum (ChaiHu), Salvia miltiorrhiza (DanShen), and Astragali Radix (HuangQi) were prescribed the most in hepatitis B treatment to invigorate the spleen and soothe the liver. Astragali Radix (HuangQi), Tuckahoe (FuLing), Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (BaiZhu), Fructus Polygoni Orientalis (ShuiHongHuaZi), and Curcumae Rhizome (EZhu) were most frequently applied in liver cirrhosis treatment to replenish qi and activate blood. Oldenlandia (BaiHuaSheSheCao), Bearded Scutellaria (BanZhiLian), Curcumae Rhizome (EZhu), and Cardamom (DouKou) were most frequently prescribed to eliminate cancer toxin, invigorate the spleen, and activate blood. These core herbs mainly act through signal transduction and immune system pathways, in which the PI3K-Akt pathway plays a key role. The core prescription for liver cirrhosis regulated more endocrine system pathways than the hepatitis B prescription, and liver cancer prescription regulated more nervous system-related pathways. Conclusion Three core prescriptions for hepatitis B, liver cirrhosis, and liver cancer treatment were identified, which acted mainly through signal transduction and immune system pathways to regulate immunity and cell growth and participate in inflammation inhibition, in which liver cancer prescription regulated more pathways, especially more nervous system-related pathways than the other two.
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Li X, Zhao Z, Sun Z, Sun Z, Ma G, Zhao X, Xu X, Yang M, Wu X, Wu H, Zou Q, Zhang J. Cytotoxic cycloartane triterpenoid saponins from Actaea vaginata and their mechanism of action. Carbohydr Res 2022; 521:108673. [PMID: 36148696 DOI: 10.1016/j.carres.2022.108673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
A further phytochemical investigation of the whole plants of Actaea vaginata afforded two new cycloartane triterpenoid saponins, (20S*,24R*)-15α,16β-diacetoxy-20,24-epoxy-9,19-cyclolanostane-3β,25-diol-3-O-β-d-xylopyranoside (1) and (20S)-15β,16β -diacetoxy-18,20-epoxy-3β,25-diol-24-oxo-9,19-cyclolanostan-3-O-β-D-xylo-pyrano-syl-25-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (2), together with four known compounds (3-6). Their structures were established on the basis of extensive analysis of NMR and HRESIMS data as well as by comparison with the reported data in the literature. All the isolates were evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cell line. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited weak cytotoxicity with IC50 values of 36.10 and 27.39 μM, respectively. In addition, beesioside I (6) was found to significantly inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis in HepG2 cells. A closer examination of underlying mechanism revealed that beesioside I could increase the levels of ROS and caspase-3 and promote phosphorylation of JNK in the JNK signaling pathway. Molecular modeling studies also shed further light on how beesioside I interacted with the key protein kinase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyuan Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Drug Discovery Based on Classic Chinese Medicine Prescription, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Zixuan Zhao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Drug Discovery Based on Classic Chinese Medicine Prescription, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Zhaocui Sun
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Drug Discovery Based on Classic Chinese Medicine Prescription, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Zhonghao Sun
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Drug Discovery Based on Classic Chinese Medicine Prescription, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Guoxu Ma
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Drug Discovery Based on Classic Chinese Medicine Prescription, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xiaohong Zhao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Drug Discovery Based on Classic Chinese Medicine Prescription, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xudong Xu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Drug Discovery Based on Classic Chinese Medicine Prescription, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Meihua Yang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Drug Discovery Based on Classic Chinese Medicine Prescription, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xianjin Wu
- Key Laboratory of Research and Utilization of Ethnomedicinal Plant Resources of Hunan Province and Key Laboratory of Hunan Higher Education for Western Hunan Medicinal Plant and Ethnobotany, Huaihua University, Huaihua, 418008, China
| | - Haifeng Wu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Drug Discovery Based on Classic Chinese Medicine Prescription, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China; Key Laboratory of Research and Utilization of Ethnomedicinal Plant Resources of Hunan Province and Key Laboratory of Hunan Higher Education for Western Hunan Medicinal Plant and Ethnobotany, Huaihua University, Huaihua, 418008, China.
| | - Qiongyu Zou
- Key Laboratory of Research and Utilization of Ethnomedicinal Plant Resources of Hunan Province and Key Laboratory of Hunan Higher Education for Western Hunan Medicinal Plant and Ethnobotany, Huaihua University, Huaihua, 418008, China.
| | - Ji Zhang
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Regional Modern Agriculture & Environmental Protection/Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Eco-Agricultura Biotechnology Around Hongze Lake, Huaiyin Normal University, Huaian, 223300, China.
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Relationship between Intestinal Microflora and Hepatocellular Cancer Based on Gut-Liver Axis Theory. CONTRAST MEDIA & MOLECULAR IMAGING 2022; 2022:6533628. [PMID: 35965618 PMCID: PMC9359835 DOI: 10.1155/2022/6533628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The intestinal microflora is a bacterial group that lives in the human digestive tract and has a long-term interdependence with the host. Due to the close anatomical and functional relationship between the liver and the intestine, the intestinal flora affects liver metabolism via the intestinal-hepatic circulation, thereby playing an extremely important role in the pathological process of liver inflammation, chronic fibrosis, and liver cancer. In recent years, the rapid development of technologies in high-throughput sequencing and genomics has opened up possibilities for a broader and deeper understanding of the crosstalk between the intestinal flora and the occurrence and development of liver cancer. This review aims to summarize the mechanisms by which the gut microbiota changes the body's metabolism, through the gut-liver axis, thereby affecting the occurrence and development of primary liver cancer. In addition, the potential regulation of intestinal microflora in the treatment of liver cancer is discussed.
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Zhu X, Chen X, Wang G, Lei D, Chen X, Lin K, Li M, Lin H, Li D, Zheng Q. Picropodophyllin Inhibits the Proliferation of Human Prostate Cancer DU145 and LNCaP Cells <i>via</i> ROS Production and PI3K/AKT Pathway Inhibition. Biol Pharm Bull 2022; 45:1027-1035. [DOI: 10.1248/bpb.b21-01006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xuejie Zhu
- Yantai Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Tumor Metabolism, School of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Binzhou Medical University
| | - Xiaojie Chen
- Yantai Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Tumor Metabolism, School of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Binzhou Medical University
| | - Guoli Wang
- Yantai Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Tumor Metabolism, School of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Binzhou Medical University
| | - Dan Lei
- Yantai Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Tumor Metabolism, School of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Binzhou Medical University
| | - Xiaoyu Chen
- Yantai Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Tumor Metabolism, School of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Binzhou Medical University
| | - Kehao Lin
- Yantai Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Tumor Metabolism, School of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Binzhou Medical University
| | - Minjing Li
- Yantai Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Tumor Metabolism, School of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Binzhou Medical University
| | - Haiyan Lin
- Yantai Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Tumor Metabolism, School of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Binzhou Medical University
| | - Defang Li
- Yantai Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Tumor Metabolism, School of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Binzhou Medical University
| | - Qiusheng Zheng
- Yantai Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Tumor Metabolism, School of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Binzhou Medical University
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Mechanism of a Herbal Formula Associated with Prognosis and Immune Infiltration in LIHC: Transcriptomics Analysis and Molecular Dynamics Simulations. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2022; 2022:6084321. [PMID: 35754689 PMCID: PMC9217603 DOI: 10.1155/2022/6084321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Background The aim of this study is to explore the interactions between effective monomers of herbal formulas and their therapeutic targets using systems biology approaches which may be a promising approach to unraveling their underlying mechanisms. Shentao Ruangan decoction (STRGD), which has been experimentally, clinically demonstrated to be effective in treating liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC), was selected. Methods Bioactive ingredients and drug targets of STRGD were retrieved from the traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology database and analysis platform and BATMAN-TCM databases. LIHC-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and key modules were identified by a weighted gene coexpression network analysis using The Cancer Genome Atlas data. The Kaplan–Meier analysis was used to investigate the relationship between STRGD tumor targets and patients survival. The CIBERSORT deconvolution algorithm was used to analyze the correlation between STRGD tumor targets and infiltrating immune cells. Enrichment analysis was used to analyze biological functions. Interactions between STRGD compounds and LIHC-immune-related genes were investigated using molecular docking and MDS. Results We identified 24 STRGD tumor targets, which were found to be correlated with survival and the level of immune cell infiltration in LIHC patients. Immune infiltration, gene set enrichment, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses highlighted the roles of T and B cell subsets, which were both related to activator protein 1 (AP1), in STRGD action. Docking studies and HPLC indicated that tanshinone IIA is the main compound of STRGD in LIHC treatment, and MDS showed that the potential LIHC-immune-related targets 1FOS and 1JUN firmly bind to tanshinone IIA. Conclusions The mechanisms of STRGD in improving the immune and survival status of LIHC patients include interactions between STRGD compounds and LIHC-immune-related targets. The findings of this study can guide research studies on the potential usefulness of tanshinone IIA in the development of drugs targeting 1JUN and 1FOS for the treatment of LIHC.
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Qin B, Zeng Z, Xu J, Shangwen J, Ye ZJ, Wang S, Wu Y, Peng G, Wang Q, Gu W, Tang Y. Emodin inhibits invasion and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via regulating autophagy-mediated degradation of snail and β-catenin. BMC Cancer 2022; 22:671. [PMID: 35715752 PMCID: PMC9206273 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-09684-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Previous studies reported that emodin extracted from Rheum palmatum L. exerts antiproliferation and antimetastatic effects in a variety of human cancer types. However, the role of emodin in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unknown. Methods EdU and colony formation assays were performed to evaluate the effects of emodin on proliferation. The mobility capacities of HCC treated with emodin were evaluated using wound healing assay. Transwell invasion and migration assays were performed to evaluate anti-migratory and anti-invasive effects of emodin on HCC. Annexin V-FITC/PI was performed to analyze the apoptosis. PI stain was performed to analyze cell cycle. RNA sequencing technology was used to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) induced by emodin in HCC. The impact of emodin on autophagic flux in HepG2 cells was examined by mCherry-GFP-LC3 analysis. Western blot was used to assess the protein expressions of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), autophagy, PI3K/AKT/mTOR and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Results We found that emodin inhibited the growth of HepG2 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In addition, emodin inhibited cell proliferation, induced S and G2/M phases arrest, and promoted apoptosis in HepG2 cells. The migration and invasion of HepG2 cells were also suppressed by emodin. Enrichment analysis revealed that DEGs involved in cell adhesion, cancer metastasis and cell cycle arrest. Moreover, western bolt results show that emodin-induced autophagy promotes Snail and β-catenin degradation. We also found that blocking autophagic flux after emodin treatment caused EMT reversal. Furthermore, the PI3K agonist Y-P 740 significantly reversed the phosphorylation levels of GSK3β and mTOR. These results indicated that emodin induced autophagy and inhibited the EMT in part through suppression of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and Wnt/β-catenin pathways. Conclusion Our study indicated that emodin inhibited cell metastasis in HCC via the crosstalk between autophagy and EMT. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-022-09684-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binyu Qin
- Institute of Tumor, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Science and Technology Innovation Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhili Zeng
- Institute of Tumor, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Science and Technology Innovation Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianliang Xu
- Hepatobilliary Surgery Department, The Third affiliated Hospital of Su Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jing Shangwen
- Science and Technology Innovation Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zeng Jie Ye
- Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shutang Wang
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanheng Wu
- Gillion ITM Research Institute, Guangzhou Hongkeyuan, Guangzhou, China
| | - Gongfeng Peng
- Gillion ITM Research Institute, Guangzhou Hongkeyuan, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qi Wang
- Science and Technology Innovation Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Wenyi Gu
- Gillion ITM Research Institute, Guangzhou Hongkeyuan, Guangzhou, China. .,Australian Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, QLD, Brisbane, 4072, Australia.
| | - Ying Tang
- Institute of Tumor, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China. .,Science and Technology Innovation Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China. .,Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
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Zhang L, Ke W, Zhao X, Lu Z. Resina Draconis extract exerts anti-HCC effects through METTL3-m6A-Survivin axis. Phytother Res 2022; 36:2542-2557. [PMID: 35443090 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.7467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide. Herbal medicines have become an important treasure reservoir for anti-HCC drugs because of their high efficiency and low toxicity. Herein, we investigated whether a 75% ethanol extract from Resina Draconis (ERD) exhibited comprehensive anti-HCC effects both in vivo and in vitro. We revealed that ERD effectively inhibited proliferation and triggered apoptosis of HCC cells in a dose- and time-dependent maner, posing no apparent apoptotic toxicity to normal liver cells. Moreover, ERD significantly inhibited the migration, invasion and metastasis of HCC cells. Importantly, ERD treatment effectively inhibited the growth of xenograft HCC in nude mice with low toxicity and low side effects. Molecular mechanism analysis showed that ERD strongly reduced the expression of anti-apoptotic protein Survivin, ultimately leading to the cleavage activation of apoptosis executive proteins such as Caspase 3 and Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Survivin gene silencing apparently sensitized the apoptotic effect induced by ERD. Further experiments revealed that ERD inhibited N6-methyladenosine (m6 A) modification in Survivin mRNA by downregulating Methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) expression and reducing the binding rate of METTL3 and Survivin mRNA. Together, our findings suggest that ERD can be severed as a novel anti-HCC natural product by targeting METTL3-m6 A-Survivin axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linlin Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Weiwei Ke
- Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Xiangxuan Zhao
- Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Zaiming Lu
- Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
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Yuan F, Gao Q, Tang H, Shi J, Zhou Y. Ophiopogonin‑B targets PTP1B to inhibit the malignant progression of hepatocellular carcinoma by regulating the PI3K/AKT and AMPK signaling pathways. Mol Med Rep 2022; 25:122. [PMID: 35169857 PMCID: PMC8864608 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2022.12638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Ophiopogonin‑B (OP‑B) is a bioactive component from the root of Ophiopogon japonicus, which can exert anticancer effects on multiple malignant tumors. The present study aimed to uncover the effects of OP‑B on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the underlying mechanisms. An HCC‑xenografted mouse model was established and subsequently treated with OP‑B (15 and 75 mg/kg) to observe the effects of OP‑B on HCC progression and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) expression in vivo. The HCC cell line MHCC97‑H was transfected with either PTP1B overexpression (Ov)‑PTP1B or empty vector control, and then exposed to different concentrations of OP‑B. Subsequently, PTP1B expression, cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion and angiogenesis were evaluated by western blotting, reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR, Cell Counting Kit‑8, colony formation, TUNEL staining, wound healing, Transwell and tube formation assays. The expression of phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)/AKT and adenosine 5'‑monophosphate‑activated protein kinase (AMPK) was also assessed by western blot assay. The results showed that OP‑B inhibited tumor growth and the expression of Ki67, CD31, VEGFA and PTP1B in HCC xenograft model. The expression of PTP1B in HCC cells was also inhibited by OP‑B in a concentration‑dependent manner. Results from the in vitro studies revealed that OP‑B suppressed cell proliferation, migration, invasion and angiogenesis, and promoted apoptosis of HCC cells. However, PTP1B overexpression reversed the effect of OP‑B on HCC cells. PI3K/AKT was inactivated and AMPK was activated by OP‑B exposure in HCC cells, and PTP1B overexpression blocked these effects. In conclusion, OP‑B effectively inhibited the progression of HCC both in vivo and in vitro. These effects may depend on downregulating PTP1B expression, thereby inactivating the PI3K/AKT pathway and activating the AMPK pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Yuan
- Department of Liver Disease, Suzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215101, P.R. China
| | - Qian Gao
- Department of Liver Disease, Suzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215101, P.R. China
| | - Hailin Tang
- Department of Liver Disease, Suzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215101, P.R. China
| | - Jun Shi
- Department of Liver Disease, Suzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215101, P.R. China
| | - Yiqun Zhou
- Department of Liver Disease, Suzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215101, P.R. China
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Effects of Traditional Chinese Medicine Adjuvant Therapy on the Survival of Patients with Primary Liver Cancer. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2022; 2022:9810036. [PMID: 35341138 PMCID: PMC8947932 DOI: 10.1155/2022/9810036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Aim This study aims to evaluate whether adjuvant traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) can improve the survival of patients with primary liver cancer (PLC). Methods A total of 1,859 patients with PLC at Beijing Ditan Hospital between August 2008 and September 2017 were included. The patients were divided into TCM and control groups according to whether the patients took TCM for ≥3 months. There were 1,111 patients in the TCM group and 748 in the control group. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to analyze the factors affecting the 3-year survival of patients with PLC. To reduce selection bias, 1 : 1 propensity score matching (PSM) was performed between the two groups. The overall survival outcomes were evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier (K-M) survival curve, and the log-rank test was used to compare the differences in survival curves. Results After multivariate Cox regression analysis, TCM was an independent favorable factor for the 3-year survival of patients with PLC (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 0.359, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.292-0.441, P < 0.001). Before and after PSM, the 3-year overall survival rates were 33.3% and 54% in the control group and 79.7% and 69.7% in the TCM group, respectively. The 3-year mortality risk in the TCM group was lower than that in the control group for different PLC subgroups. Conclusions TCM adjuvant therapy increased the 3-year overall survival rate of patients with PLC.
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Network Pharmacology Integrated with Transcriptomics Deciphered the Potential Mechanism of Codonopsis pilosula against Hepatocellular Carcinoma. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2022; 2022:1340194. [PMID: 35388300 PMCID: PMC8977304 DOI: 10.1155/2022/1340194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
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.
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Zheng Y, Zhang W, Xu L, Zhou H, Yuan M, Xu H. Recent Progress in Understanding the Action of Natural Compounds at Novel Therapeutic Drug Targets for the Treatment of Liver Cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 11:795548. [PMID: 35155196 PMCID: PMC8825370 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.795548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is the third most common cause of cancer-related death following lung and stomach cancers. As a highly lethal disease, liver cancer is diagnosed frequently in less developed countries. Natural compounds extracted from herbs, animals and natural materials have been adopted by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practices and reported to be effective in the development of new medications for the treatment of diseases. It is important to focus on the mechanisms of action of natural compounds against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), particularly in terms of cell cycle regulation, apoptosis induction, autophagy mediation and cell migration and invasion. In this review, we characterize novel representative natural compounds according to their pharmacologic effects based on recently published studies. The aim of this review is to summarize and explore novel therapeutic drug targets of natural compounds, which could accelerate the discovery of new anticancer drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannan Zheng
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Engineering Research Center of Shanghai Colleges for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) New Drug Discovery, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenhui Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Engineering Research Center of Shanghai Colleges for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) New Drug Discovery, Shanghai, China
| | - Lin Xu
- Engineering Research Center of Shanghai Colleges for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) New Drug Discovery, Shanghai, China.,School of Chinese Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hua Zhou
- Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Man Yuan
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Engineering Research Center of Shanghai Colleges for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) New Drug Discovery, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongxi Xu
- Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Targets and Potential Mechanism of Scutellaria baicalensis in Treatment of Primary Hepatocellular Carcinoma Based on Bioinformatics Analysis. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:8762717. [PMID: 35190740 PMCID: PMC8858046 DOI: 10.1155/2022/8762717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/08/2022]
Abstract
Objective To analyze the target and potential mechanism of Scutellaria baicalensis (SB) in the treatment of HCC based on bioinformatics, so as to provide suggestions for the diagnosis, treatment, and drug development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods The regulated gene targets of SB were screened by gene expression pattern clustering and differential analysis of gene expression data of HepG2 cells treated with SB at 0 h, 1 h, 3 h, 6 h, 12 h, and 24 h. The module genes related to HCC were identified by the weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA). KEGG and GO enrichment were used to analyze the molecular function and structure of the module, and GSEA was used to evaluate the different functional pathways between normal people and patients with HCC. Then, the module gene was used for univariate Cox proportional hazard analysis and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression analysis to build a prognostic model. The protein-protein interaction network (PPI) was used to analyze the core genes regulated by SB (CGRSB) of the module, and the survival curve revealed the CGRSB impact on patient survival. The CIBERSORT algorithm combined with correlation analysis to explore the relationship between CGRSB and immune infiltration. Finally, the single-cell sequencing technique was used to analyze the distribution of CGRSB at the cellular level. Results SB could regulate 903 genes, of which 234 were related to the occurrence of HCC. The prognosis model constructed by these genes has a good effect in evaluating the survival of patients. KEGG and GO enrichment analysis showed that the regulation of SB on HCC mainly focused on some cell proliferation, apoptosis, and immune-related functions. GSEA enrichment analysis showed that these functions are related to the occurrence of HCC. A total of 24 CGRSB were obtained after screening, of which 13 were significantly related to survival, and most of them were unfavorable factors for patient survival. The correlation analysis of gene expression showed that most of CGRSB was significantly correlated with T cells, macrophages, and other functions. The results of single-cell analysis showed that the distribution of CGRSB in macrophages was the most. Conclusion SB has high credibility in the treatment of HCC, such as CDK2, AURKB, RRM2, CENPE, ESR1, and PRIM2. These targets can be used as potential biomarkers for clinical diagnosis. The research also shows that the p53 signal pathway, MAPK signal pathway, apoptosis pathway, T cell receptor pathway, and macrophage-mediated tumor immunity play the most important role in the mechanism of SB in treating HCC.
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Li X, Yu H, Gong Y, Wu P, Feng Q, Liu C. Fuzheng Xiaozheng prescription relieves rat hepatocellular carcinoma through improving anti-inflammation capacity and regulating lipid related metabolisms. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2022; 284:114801. [PMID: 34748868 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.114801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Fuzheng Xiaozheng prescription (FZXZP) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that was derived from Sanjiasan, a famous decoction documented in the book of Wenyilun in Ming dynasty. Based on our years' clinic application, FZXZP demonstrated satisfactory therapeutic effects in cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatments. However, the underlying mechanisms are still largely unknown. AIM OF STUDY In this study, we aim to systematically evaluate the intervention effects of FZXZP on rat HCC and deeply elucidate the underlying regulative mechanisms on rat HCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS The HCC rats were induced by using diethylnitrosamine (DEN) and two doses of FZXZP were adopted to treat the HCC rats. Liver phenotype, blood chemistry and liver histopathology were used to evaluate the intervention effects. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was conducted to analyze the components of FZXZP. Finally, miRNA-Seq and mRNA-Seq were performed to investigate the regulative mechanisms of FZXZP on rat HCC and qRT-PCR was carried out to verify the accuracies of the two RNA-Seqs. RESULTS Results of liver phenotypes, blood chemistry and liver histopathology demonstrated that FZXZP significantly alleviated the liver damage, inhibited the progresses of HCC. Nine potential components were identified from FZXZP, and anti-cancer prediction suggested that almost all of them were reported to show an anti-cancer effect. Mechanistically, FZXZP was found to promote the lipid related metabolisms, improve the anti-inflammation ability by activating PPAR signaling pathway, arachidonic acid metabolism, bile secretion, etc. CONCLUSION: our results suggested that FZXZP significantly alleviated the rat HCC, mechanistically by improving the anti-inflammation ability and promoting the lipid related metabolisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Li
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, PR China
| | - Han Yu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, PR China
| | - Yanju Gong
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, PR China
| | - Peijie Wu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, PR China
| | - Quansheng Feng
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, PR China
| | - Chao Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, PR China.
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Apatinib and Ginsenoside-Rb1 Synergetically Control the Growth of Hypopharyngeal Carcinoma Cells. DISEASE MARKERS 2022; 2022:3833489. [PMID: 35069931 PMCID: PMC8776476 DOI: 10.1155/2022/3833489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Background Apatinib is an anticancer drug known to inhibit the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) through regulating tyrosine kinases. Drug resistance and reduced activity in various cancers is the matter of great concern; thus, researchers opt to use combination of the two or more drugs. So far, its gynergetic anticancer role with a traditional Chinese drug Ginsenoside-Rb1 (G-Rb1) has not been studied in cancers including hypopharyngeal carcinoma. Objective The current study is aimed at investigating the anticancer synergetic effects of G-Rb1 and apatinib in hypopharyngeal carcinoma. Methods The synergetic effects of both drugs on cell proliferation, wound healing and cell migration, and cell apoptosis were studied in hypopharyngeal carcinoma cells. Furthermore, the xenograft rat model was generated, and tumor inhibition was monitored after treating rats with both drugs as mono- and combination therapy. In addition, protein expression and localization were performed by western blotting and immunofluorescent staining, respectively. Results The analyses of the data showed that combination therapy of apatinib and G-Rb1 significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, and wound healing capability of hypopharyngeal carcinoma cells. Moreover, the glycolysis rate of the cells in the combination therapy (apatinib and G-Rb1) group was significantly decreased as compared to that in the monotherapy group or no treatment group, suggesting that the glycolysis inhibition led to the inhibition of tumor growth. Moreover, the combination therapy on xenograft rats dramatically reduced the tumor size. Furthermore, combination therapy also exhibited an increased count of CD3+ and CD4+ T cells, as well as the ratio between CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Conclusion Interestingly, a combination of apatinib and G-Rb1 induced more tumor cell apoptosis and reduced cell proliferation than the individual drug treatment and promote antitumor immunity by enhancing immunomodulatory molecules. Thus, we believe that this study could serve as a valuable platform to assess the synergetic anticancer effects of the herbal as well as synthetic medicines.
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Yang X, Sun J, Wen B, Wang Y, Zhang M, Chen W, Zhao W, He C, Zhong X, Liu Y, Li T, Sun H, He S. Biejiajian Pill Promotes the Infiltration of CD8 + T Cells in Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Regulating the Expression of CCL5. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:771046. [PMID: 34899325 PMCID: PMC8661106 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.771046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor-infiltrating CD8+T lymphocytes are mostly associated with a favorable prognosis in numerous cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Biejiajian Pill (BJJP) is a common type of traditional Chinese medicine that is widely used in the treatment of HCC in China. Previous studies showed that BJJP suppressed the growth of HCC cells both in vivo and in vitro, by exerting direct cytotoxic effects on tumor cells. The present study demonstrated that in addition to direct cytotoxicity, BJJP inhibits the growth of tumor cells by promoting the infiltration of CD8+T cells into the tumor in H22-bearing mice. Mechanistically, chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5) was identified as one of the most highly expressed chemokines by tumor cells in vivo after treatment with BJJP. Additionally, CCL5 was knocked down in H22 cells and the results showed that knockdown of the gene significantly impaired the infiltration of CD8+T cells in vivo. Furthermore, the effects of BJJP on human HCC cell lines were assessed in vitro. Similarly, cells treated with BJJP had higher expression of CCL5 mRNA, which was consistent with increased levels of CCL5 protein in human tumor cells. These findings provide new insights into the anticancer effects of BJJP, which regulated the expression of CCL5 and the infiltration of CD8+T cells. The results, therefore, suggest that BJJP has great potential application in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuemei Yang
- Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jialing Sun
- Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bin Wen
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hospital of PLA, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mingjia Zhang
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weicong Chen
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenting Zhao
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chunyu He
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaodan Zhong
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yang Liu
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tong Li
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haitao Sun
- Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Songqi He
- Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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Fu K, Wang C, Ma C, Zhou H, Li Y. The Potential Application of Chinese Medicine in Liver Diseases: A New Opportunity. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:771459. [PMID: 34803712 PMCID: PMC8600187 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.771459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver diseases have been a common challenge for people all over the world, which threatens the quality of life and safety of hundreds of millions of patients. China is a major country with liver diseases. Metabolic associated fatty liver disease, hepatitis B virus and alcoholic liver disease are the three most common liver diseases in our country, and the number of patients with liver cancer is increasing. Therefore, finding effective drugs to treat liver disease has become an urgent task. Chinese medicine (CM) has the advantages of low cost, high safety, and various biological activities, which is an important factor for the prevention and treatment of liver diseases. This review systematically summarizes the potential of CM in the treatment of liver diseases, showing that CM can alleviate liver diseases by regulating lipid metabolism, bile acid metabolism, immune function, and gut microbiota, as well as exerting anti-liver injury, anti-oxidation, and anti-hepatitis virus effects. Among them, Keap1/Nrf2, TGF-β/SMADS, p38 MAPK, NF-κB/IκBα, NF-κB-NLRP3, PI3K/Akt, TLR4-MyD88-NF-κB and IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathways are mainly involved. In conclusion, CM is very likely to be a potential candidate for liver disease treatment based on modern phytochemistry, pharmacology, and genomeproteomics, which needs more clinical trials to further clarify its importance in the treatment of liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Yunxia Li
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
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Chinese Medicine Leptochloa chinensis Inhibits the Malignant Behaviors of Renal Cell Carcinoma 786-O Cells by Regulating the mTOR Pathway. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2021; 2021:5122380. [PMID: 34675984 PMCID: PMC8526199 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5122380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Background Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a common malignant tumor of the urinary system that seriously threatens human life and health. This study aims to explore the role of the traditional Chinese medicine Leptochloa chinensis in the pathogenesis of RCC. Meanwhile, this study also revealed the molecular biological mechanism of its antitumor activity. Methods Human RCC 786-O cells were cultured in the RPMI-1640 medium, which contains different concentrations of Leptochloa chinensis (1,000, 3,000, and 9,000 μg/ml). MTT and flow cytometry assays were used to detect the viability of 786-O cells. Transwell and wound healing assays were used to detect cell metastasis. The protein expression was observed by western blot analysis. Results Leptochloa can inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in RCC 786-O cells. In addition, Leptochloa can weaken the migration and invasion of 786-O cells. More importantly, Leptochloa can block the mTOR pathway by inhibiting the protein expression of p-mTOR. Moreover, the high concentration of Leptochloa chinensis has a better inhibitory effect on 786-O cells. Conclusion The traditional Chinese medicine Leptochloa chinensis inhibits the viability and metastasis of 786-O cells by blocking the mTOR pathway.
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Liu Z, Ma H, Lai Z. Revealing the potential mechanism of Astragalus membranaceus improving prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma by combining transcriptomics and network pharmacology. BMC Complement Med Ther 2021; 21:263. [PMID: 34663301 PMCID: PMC8522094 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-021-03425-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has special advantages in relieving HCC, while Astragalus membranaceus is commonly used in TCM treatment. However, its underlying mechanisms for treatment of HCC are unclear. Methods Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of Astragalus membranaceus treatment in HepG2 cells were identified, and Astragalus membranaceus-gene network was constructed. The hub genes were then obtained via protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), Gene Ontology (GO), and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) were subsequently performed. Furthermore, prognosis genes related to HCC from The Cancer Genome Atlas Program (TCGA) was identified to explore the correlation between Astragalus membranaceus treatment and prognosis of HCC. Finally, Astragalus membranaceus-component-target network was established through SymMap. Results Twenty five DEGs (15 up-regulated and 10 down-regulated) of Astragalus membranaceus treatment in HepG2 cells were identified. Among the 25 genes, MT1F, MT1G, MT1X and HMOX1 may play essential roles. Astragalus membranaceus mainly affects the Mineral absorption pathway in HCC. A total of 256 genes (p < 0.01) related to prognosis of HCC were identified, and MT1G is a common gene between prognosis genes and DEGs. Furthermore, Astragalus membranaceus may directly down-regulate MT1G through daidzein to promote ferroptosis of HCC cells and improve prognosis for HCC. Conclusion Our study provided new understandings of the pharmacological mechanisms by which Astragalus membranaceus improves the prognosis of HCC, and showed that the combination of transcriptomics and network pharmacology is helpful to explore mechanisms of TCM and traditional medicines from other nations. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12906-021-03425-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhili Liu
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China. .,Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (East China Normal University), Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China.
| | - Huihan Ma
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, China.,Department of Neurology, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Zelin Lai
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (East China Normal University), Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China.
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