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Zheng T, Zhang Z, Yu Z, Wang H, Lyu X, Han C. Investigation on the mechanisms of scorpion venom in hepatocellular carcinoma model mice via untargeted metabolomics profiling. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 138:112578. [PMID: 38959539 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.112578] [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: 01/28/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
Metabolic reprogramming is frequently accompanied by hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. Disrupted metabolites act as potential biomarkers and drug therapeutic targets for HCC. Peptide extract of scorpion venom (PESV) induces cytotoxic anti-proliferative effects and apoptosis in tumors. However, the action mechanisms of PESV remain unknown. This study aimed to explore the serum metabolic profiles of tumor-bearing mouse model. We generated an orthotopic HCC xenograft mouse model by implanting H22 cells into the left hepatic lobe of male C57BL/6 mice. After surgery, the mice were assigned to two groups randomly: PESV (PESV-treated 40 mg/kg daily, i.g.; n = 6) and control (treated with the solvent equally for 14 d, n = 6) groups. Based on an untargeted metabolomics approach using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry, differential metabolites were screened via univariate and multivariate data analyses. A total of 48 differential metabolites in negative ion mode and 63 in positive ion mode were identified in the serum samples. Furthermore, metabolic pathway analysis revealed that aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, amino acid pathway, glutathione metabolism, protein transports, protein digestion and absorption, and cAMP signaling pathways play vital roles in PESV-induced inhibition of tumors. These findings highlight the distinct changes in the metabolic profiles of HCC-bearing mice after PESV treatment, suggesting the potential of the identified metabolic molecules as therapeutic targets for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiancheng Zheng
- School of Clinical and Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Zhaoxiang Zhang
- School of Clinical and Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Zishang Yu
- School of Clinical and Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Hengxiao Wang
- School of Clinical and Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Xinxing Lyu
- School of Clinical and Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China; Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China.
| | - Chen Han
- School of Clinical and Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China; Department of clinical research center, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China.
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You X, Qiu J, Li Q, Zhang Q, Sheng W, Cao Y, Fu W. Astragaloside IV-PESV inhibits prostate cancer tumor growth by restoring gut microbiota and microbial metabolic homeostasis via the AGE-RAGE pathway. BMC Cancer 2024; 24:472. [PMID: 38622523 PMCID: PMC11017490 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-024-12167-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prostate cancer (PCa) is becoming the most common malignancy in men worldwide. We investigated the effect of astragaloside IV combined with PESV on the gut microbiota and metabolite of PCa mice and the process of treating PCa. METHODS Nude mice were genetically modified to develop tumors characteristic of PCa. The treatment of PCa mice involved the administration of a combination of astragaloside IV and peptides derived from scorpion venom (PESV). Feces were collected for both 16 S rDNA and metabolic analysis. Fecal supernatant was extracted and used for fecal transplantation in PCa mice. Tumor development was observed in both PCa mice and nude mice. Tumor histopathology was examined, and the expression of inflammatory factors and the AGE-RAGE axis in PCa tissues were analyzed. RESULTS PCa mice treated with Astragaloside IV in combination with PESV showed a significant reduction in tumor volume and weight, and stabilization of gut microbiota and metabolites. At the Genus level, significant differences were observed in Porphyromonas, Corynebacterium, Arthromitus and Blautia, and the differential metabolites were PA16_016_0, Astragaloside+, Vitamin A acid, Nardosinone, a-Nortestoster, D-Pantethine, Hypoxanthine, Pregnenolone, cinnamic acid, Pyridoxa, Cirtruline and Xanthurenate. There was a correlation between gut microbiota and metabolites. After the fecal transplantation, tumor growth was effectively suppressed in the PCa mice. Notably, both the mRNA and protein levels of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) were significantly decreased. Furthermore, the expression of inflammatory factors, namely NF-κB, TNF-α, and IL-6, in the tumor tissues was significantly attenuated. Conversely, upregulation of RAGE led to increased inflammation and reversed tumor growth in the mice. CONCLUSION Astragaloside IV combined with PESV could treat PCa by intervening in gut microbiota composition and metabolite by targeting RAGE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xujun You
- Department of Andrology, Shenzhen Bao'an Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 518101, Shenzhen, China
| | - Junfeng Qiu
- Department of Andrology, Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 518033, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qixin Li
- Department of Andrology, Shenzhen Bao'an Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 518101, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qing Zhang
- Department of Andrology, Shenzhen Bao'an Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 518101, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wen Sheng
- School of Rehabilitation Medicine and Health Care, Hunan University of Medicine, 418000, Huaihua, China
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hunan University of Medicine, 418000, Huaihua, China
| | - Yiguo Cao
- Department of Urology Surgery, Shenzhen Bao'an Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 518101, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Wei Fu
- Department of Andrology, Shenzhen Bao'an Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 518101, Shenzhen, China.
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You X, Wu Y, Li Q, Sheng W, Zhou Q, Fu W. Astragalus–Scorpion Drug Pair Inhibits the Development of Prostate Cancer by Regulating GDPD4-2/PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway and Autophagy. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:895696. [PMID: 35847007 PMCID: PMC9277392 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.895696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: Prostate cancer (PCa) is an epithelial malignancy of the prostate that currently lacks effective treatment. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) can play an anticancer role through regulating the immune system, anti-tumor angiogenesis, regulating tumor cell apoptosis, autophagy dysfunction, and other mechanisms. This study attempted to explore the active ingredients and potential mechanism of action of the Astragalus–Scorpion (A–S) drug pair in PCa, in order to provide new insights into the treatment of PCa. Methods: Network pharmacology was used to analyze the A–S drug pair and PCa targets. Bioinformatics analysis was used to analyze the LncRNAs with significant differences in PCa. The expression of LC3 protein was detected by immunofluorescence. CCK8 was used to detect cell proliferation. The expressions of GDPD4-2, AC144450.1, LINC01513, AC004009.2, AL096869.1, AP005210.1, and BX119924.1 were detected by RT-qPCR. The expression of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and autophagy-related proteins were detected by western blot. LC-MS/MS was used to identify the active components of Astragalus and Scorpion. Results: A–S drug pair and PCa have a total of 163 targets, which were mainly related to the prostate cancer and PI3K/AKT pathways. A–S drug pair inhibited the formation of PCa, promoted the expression of LC3Ⅱ and Beclin1 proteins, and inhibited the expression of P62 and PI3K–AKT pathway proteins in PCa mice. Astragaloside IV and polypeptide extract from scorpion venom (PESV) were identified as the main active components of the A–S drug pair. GDPD4-2 was involved in the treatment of PCa by Astragaloside IV-PESV. Silencing GDPD4-2 reversed the therapeutic effects of Astragaloside IV-PESV by regulating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Conclusion: Astragaloside IV-PESV is the main active components of A–S drug pair treated PCa by regulating the GDPD4-2/PI3K–AKT/mTOR pathway and autophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xujun You
- Graduate School of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
- Department of Andrology, Shenzhen Bao’an Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yongrong Wu
- College of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Qixin Li
- Department of Andrology, Shenzhen Bao’an Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wen Sheng
- Andrology Laboratory, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Qing Zhou
- Department of Andrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
- *Correspondence: Qing Zhou, ; Wei Fu,
| | - Wei Fu
- Department of Andrology, Shenzhen Bao’an Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China
- *Correspondence: Qing Zhou, ; Wei Fu,
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Anti-Cancer Activity of Buthus occitanus Venom on Hepatocellular Carcinoma in 3D Cell Culture. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27072219. [PMID: 35408621 PMCID: PMC9000837 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27072219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most dominant primary liver cancer, which can be caused by chronic hepatitis virus infections and other environmental factors. Resection, liver transplantation, and local ablation are only a few of the highly effective and curative procedures presently accessible. However, other complementary treatments can reduce cancer treatment side effects. In this present work, we evaluated the activity of Moroccan scorpion venom Buthus occitanus and its fractions obtained by chromatography gel filtration against HCC cells using a 3D cell culture model. The venom was fractionated by gel filtration chromatography, each fraction and the crude venom was tested on normal hepatocytes (Fa2N-4 cells). Additionally, the fractions and the crude venom were tested on MCTSs (multicellular tumor spheroids), and this latter was generated by cultivate Huh7.5 cancer cell line with WI38 cells, LX2 cells, and human endothelial cells (HUVEC). Our results indicate that Buthus occitanus venom toxin has no cytotoxic effects on normal hepatocytes. Moreover, it is reported that F3 fraction could significantly inhibit the MCTS cells. Other Protein Separation Techniques (High-performance liquid chromatography) are needed in order to identify the most active molecule.
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Zhang H, Zhang H, Zhu J, Liu H, Zhou Q. PESV represses non-small cell lung cancer cell malignancy through circ_0016760 under hypoxia. Cancer Cell Int 2021; 21:628. [PMID: 34838012 PMCID: PMC8626912 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-021-02336-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for more than 80% of lung cancers, which is the most common malignant tumor worldwide. Polypeptide extract from scorpion venom (PESV) has been reported to inhibit NSCLC process. The present study aims to reveal the roles of PESV in NSCLC progression under hypoxia and the inner mechanism. Methods The expression levels of circular RNA 0016760 (circ_0016760) and microRNA-29b (miR-29b) were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Protein expression was determined by western blot and immunohistochemistry assays. Cell migration, invasion, proliferation and tube formation were investigated by transwell, cell colony formation, 3-(4,5-Dimethylthazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and tube formation assays. The impacts between PESV and circ_0016760 overexpression on tumor growth in vivo were investigated by in vivo tumor formation assay. Results Circ_0016760 expression was dramatically upregulated in NSCLC tissues and cells, compared with adjacent lung tissues and cells, respectively. PESV treatment downregulated circ_0016760 expression. Circ_0016760 silencing or PESV treatment repressed cell migration, invasion, proliferation and tube formation under hypoxia in NSCLC cells. Circ_0016760 overexpression restored the effects of PESV treatment on NSCLC process under hypoxia. Additionally, circ_0016760 acted as a sponge of miR-29b, and miR-29b bound to HIF1A. Meanwhile, miR-29b inhibitor impaired the influences of circ_0016760 knockdown on NSCLC process under hypoxia. Further, ectopic circ_0016760 expression restrained the effects of PESV exposure on tumor formation in vivo. Conclusion Circ_0016760 overexpression counteracted PESV-induced repression of NSCLC cell malignancy and angiogenesis under hypoxia through miR-29b/HIF1A axis. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-021-02336-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Zhang
- Department of Oncology, The First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, No.95 Shaoshan Middle Road, Yuhua District, Changsha, 410007, Hunan, China.
| | - Haojian Zhang
- Department of Oncology, The First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, No.95 Shaoshan Middle Road, Yuhua District, Changsha, 410007, Hunan, China
| | - Jiye Zhu
- Department of Oncology, The First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, No.95 Shaoshan Middle Road, Yuhua District, Changsha, 410007, Hunan, China
| | - Huan Liu
- Department of Oncology, The First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, No.95 Shaoshan Middle Road, Yuhua District, Changsha, 410007, Hunan, China
| | - Qin Zhou
- Department of Oncology, The First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, No.95 Shaoshan Middle Road, Yuhua District, Changsha, 410007, Hunan, China
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Schoenberg MB, Li X, Li X, Han Y, Börner N, Koch D, Guba MO, Werner J, Bazhin AV. The interactions between major immune effector cells and Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A systematic review. Int Immunopharmacol 2021; 101:108220. [PMID: 34673334 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2021.108220] [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: 06/13/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common liver neoplasm with high morbidity and mortality. Tumor immunotherapy might be promising adjuvant therapy for HCC after surgery. To better develop HCC immunotherapy, comprehensive understanding of cell-cell interactions between immune effector cells and HCC cells remains crucial. AIM To review the existing studies to summarize the cell-cell interactions between major immune effector cells and HCC cells providing new data for HCC immunotherapy. METHODS A systematic review was conducted by searching PubMed database covering all papers published in recent five years up to January 2020. The guidelines of the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews were firmly followed. RESULTS There are 9 studies researching the interactions between CD8+ T lymphocytes and HCC cells and 22 studies researching that between natural killer (NK) cells and HCC cells. Among the 9 studies, 6 studies reported that CD8+ T lymphocytes showed cytotoxicity towards HCC cells while 3 studies found CD8+ T lymphocytes were impaired by HCC cells. Among the 22 studies, 20 studies presented that NK cells could inhibit HCC cells. Two studies were found to report NK cell dysfunction in HCC. CONCLUSION Based on the systematic analysis, we concluded that CD8+ T lymphocytes and NK cells can inhibit HCC cells. While in turn, HCC cells can also result in the dysfunction of those effector cells through various mechanisms. Organoids and direct contact cell co-culture with primary HCC cells and TILs should be the most innovative way to investigate the interactions and develop novel immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Bo Schoenberg
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Xiaokang Li
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany; Department of Dermatology, Jinan Central Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Xinyu Li
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany; Department of Oncology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Yongsheng Han
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Nikolaus Börner
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Dominik Koch
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Markus Otto Guba
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany; Transplantation Center Munich, Hospital of the LMU, Campus Grosshadern, Munich, Germany
| | - Jens Werner
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany; Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Munich, Germany
| | - Alexandr V Bazhin
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany.
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Chen H, Wang H, Yu X, Zhou S, Zhang Y, Wang Z, Huang S, Wang Z. ERCC6L promotes the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma through activating PI3K/AKT and NF-κB signaling pathway. BMC Cancer 2020; 20:853. [PMID: 32891122 PMCID: PMC7487553 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-020-07367-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Excision Repair Cross-Complementation group 6-like (ERCC6L) has been shown to exhibit carcinogenic effect in several malignant tumors. However, the function and molecular mechanism of the ERCC6L in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have not been investigated extensively. Methods Immunohistochemistry analyses were used to detect ERCC6L expression in a HCC tissue microarray, and the Chi-square test was used to assess the correlation between ERCC6L expression and patients’ clinicopathological features. shRNA was used to down-regulation ERCC6L expression in HCC cell lines. MTT assay, plate clone formation assay, flow cytometry, caspase 3/7 activity and migration assays were performed to evaluate the impact of ERCC6L on HCC cells in vitro. Nude mice xenograft models were used to assess the role of ERCC6L in vivo. The regulatory of mechanism of PI3K/AKT pathway was evaluated by western blotting. Results ERCC6L was highly expressed in HCC tissue compared with tumor adjacent tissues in 90 paired samples. ERCC6L expression positively correlated with gender, tumor encapsulation, and pathological stage. Patients with low ERCC6L expression had significantly longer OS than those with high ERCC6L expression. Knockdown of ERCC6L expression significantly inhibited proliferation, invasion and metastasis in vitro and tumor growth in vivo, and it promoted cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Mechanistic analyses revealed that PI3K/AKT and NF-κB signaling pathway were inhibited by silencing ERCC6L. Conclusion These results demonstrate that ERCC6L plays a critical role in HCC progression, and thereby might be a potential therapeutic target for HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Chen
- Institute of Basic Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250062, China
| | - Hengxiao Wang
- Institute of Basic Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250062, China
| | - Xiqiao Yu
- Institute of Basic Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250062, China
| | - Shuping Zhou
- Institute of Basic Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250062, China
| | - Yueying Zhang
- Institute of Basic Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250062, China
| | - Zhaopeng Wang
- Institute of Basic Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250062, China
| | - Shuhong Huang
- Institute of Basic Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250062, China
| | - Zhaoxia Wang
- Institute of Basic Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250062, China.
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Amirgholami N, Karampour NS, Ghadiri A, Tagavi Moghadam A, Ghasemi Dehcheshmeh M, Pipelzadeh MH. A. crassicauda, M. eupeus and H. lepturus scorpion venoms initiate a strong in vivo anticancer immune response in CT26-tumor mice model. Toxicon 2020; 180:31-38. [PMID: 32275983 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2020.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 03/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
In the present in vivo study the anticancer efficacy of the venoms from Androctonus crassicauda, Messobuthus eupeus and Hemiscorpius lepturus scorpions was investigated. In addition, we attempted to clarify whether the immune system is involved in this activity. Initially, the LD50 of the venoms from these scorpions were determined and their 0.1 and 0.2 LD50 were calculated. The toxicity of 0.1 and 0.2 LD50 was tested on healthy mice by daily SC administration of these venoms for 12 consecutive days. CT26 cells were inoculated by SC route in BALB/c mice to establish a sold tumor, and ten days later, the mice were treated with 0.1 and 0.2 LD50 doses of the venoms on daily basis for 12 consecutive days. The tumor volume was measured every 4 days. At day 13, the tumors from untreated-control and venom-treated groups were removed, weighed, and assessed by histopathological and immunohistochemical techniques. In addition, the levels of mRNA expression of IL-12, IFN-γ and IL-1β were measured by real-time PCR. All the venoms induced anticancer effects as evidenced by significant inhibition in tumor growth; significant increases in inflammatory and CD+-T cells and expression of mRNA IL-12 and IFN-γ in tumor microenvironment of venom-treated as compared to untreated-control. These findings demonstrated, for the first time, that sub-lethal doses of the venoms from these scorpions induce their in vivo anticancer effects by stimulating the immune system. Further studies, specifically designed to identify these active constituents are recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neda Amirgholami
- Toxicology Research Centre, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sceinces, Ahvaz, Iran.
| | - Neda Sistani Karampour
- Toxicology Research Centre, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sceinces, Ahvaz, Iran.
| | - Ata Ghadiri
- Department of Immunology, Medical School, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
| | | | - Mohamad Ghasemi Dehcheshmeh
- Department of Immunology, Medical School, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
| | - Mohammad Hassan Pipelzadeh
- Toxicology Research Centre, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sceinces, Ahvaz, Iran.
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Juengpanich S, Shi L, Iranmanesh Y, Chen J, Cheng Z, Khoo AKJ, Pan L, Wang Y, Cai X. The role of natural killer cells in hepatocellular carcinoma development and treatment: A narrative review. Transl Oncol 2019; 12:1092-1107. [PMID: 31176993 PMCID: PMC6558093 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2019.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Revised: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A major obstacle for treatment of HCC is the inadequate efficacy and limitation of the available therapeutic options. Despite the recent advances in developing novel treatment options, HCC still remains one of the major causes of cancer morbidity and mortality around the world. Achieving effective treatment and eradication of HCC is a challenging task, however recent studies have shown that targeting Natural Killer cells, as major regulators of immune system, can help with the complete treatment of HCC, restoration of normal liver function and subsequently higher survival rate of HCC patients. Studies have shown that decrease in the frequency of NK cells, their dysfunction due to several factors such as dysregulation of receptors and their ligands, and imbalance of different types of inhibitory and stimulating microRNA expression is associated with higher rate of HCC progression and development, and poor survival outcome. Here in our review, we mainly focused on the importance of NK cells in HCC development and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarun Juengpanich
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, Province, China; School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Liang Shi
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, Province, China.
| | | | - Jiang Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, Province, China; Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
| | - Zhenzhe Cheng
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Aaron Kah-Jin Khoo
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4027, Australia.
| | - Long Pan
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, Province, China; School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Yifan Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, Province, China.
| | - Xiujun Cai
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, Province, China.
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Natural killer cells involved in tumour immune escape of hepatocellular carcinomar. Int Immunopharmacol 2019; 73:10-16. [PMID: 31078921 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2019.04.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Natural killer cells are the first line of host immune surveillance and play major roles in the defence against infection and tumours. Hepatic NK cells exhibit unique phenotypic and functional characteristics compared to circulating and spleen NK cells, such as higher levels of cytolytic activity and cytotoxicity mediators against tumour cells. However, the activities of NK cells may be reversed during tumour progression. Recent studies demonstrated that hepatic NK cells were exhausted in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and exhibited impaired cytolytic activity and decreased production of effector cytokines. The present review discusses current knowledge on the role of exhausted NK cells in promoting HCC development and the mechanisms contributing to tumour immune escape, including an imbalance of activating and inhibitory receptors on NK cells, abnormal receptor-ligand interaction, and cross-talk with immune cells and other stromal cells in the tumour environment. We provide a fundamental basis for further study of innate immunity in tumour progression and serve the purpose of exploring new HCC treatment strategies.
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Analgesic-antitumor peptide inhibits angiogenesis by suppressing AKT activation in hepatocellular carcinoma. Mol Cell Biochem 2018; 455:119-125. [PMID: 30535530 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-018-3475-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of leading causes of cancer-related death, and its increasing incidence worldwide is a cause for concern. The recombinant analgesic-antitumor peptide (rAGAP), a protein consisting of small ubiquitin-related modifier linked with a hexa-histidine tag, exhibited the antitumor activity in HepG2 tumors in our previous study. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of its antitumor activity was still elusive. In this work, we found that treatment with rAGAP reduced phosphorylation of AKT at non-toxic doses in HepG2 cells in vitro. More importantly, treatment of HepG2 cells with rAGAP downregulated protein expression of HIF-1α, suppressed activities of HIF, reduced secretion of VEGF and IL-8, and suppressed HepG2-induced tube formation by HUVEC, which was reversed by co-incubation with SC-79 (an AKT activator). Furthermore, in tumors of athymic mice with HepG2, treatment with rAGAP reduced phosphorylation of AKT, downregulated protein expression of HIF-1α and VEGF, and microvessel density marked by positive CD31 staining. Collectively, rAGAP inhibited angiogenesis by suppressing AKT activation, which partly explained its antitumor activity in HCC.
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Yan YQ, Xie J, Wang JF, Shi ZF, Zhang X, Du YP, Zhao XC. Scorpion inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2018; 243:645-654. [PMID: 29486578 PMCID: PMC6582398 DOI: 10.1177/1535370218762514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 02/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most malignant diseases worldwide. The unfavorable clinical outcome and poor prognosis are due to high rates of recurrence and metastasis after treatments. Some scholars of traditional Chinese medicine suggested that endogenous wind-evil had played an important role in metastasis of malignant tumor. Therefore, the drug of dispelling wind-evil could be used to prevent cancer metastasis and improve the poor prognosis. So we wondered whether Scorpion, one of the most important wind calming drugs, has antitumor effect especially in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis of HCC in this research. We found that Scorpion-medicated serum could inhibit proliferation, induce apoptosis, and decrease migration and invasion capacity of Hepa1-6 cells in vitro. Meanwhile, we observed that water decoction of Scorpion restrained tumor growth and metastasis in nude mouse of HCC metastasis models. Further experiments showed that Scorpion could suppress EMT, which is characterized by increased epithelial marker E-cadherin expression and decreased mesenchymal markers N-cadherin and Snail expression following Scorpion treatment both in vitro and in vivo. These results suggested that the Scorpion could inhibit Hepa1-6 cells' invasion and metastasis in part by reversing EMT and providing a possible potential approach for preventing HCC metastasis. Impact statement The unfavorable clinical outcome and poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are due to high rates of recurrence and metastasis after treatments. Here we found Scorpion, one of the most important wind calming drugs, has antitumor effect. Scorpion-medicated serum inhibited the proliferation, induced apoptosis, and decreased migration and invasion capacity of Hepa1-6 cells in vitro. Water decoction of Scorpion restrained tumor growth and metastasis in nude mouse of HCC metastasis models. Further experiments showed that Scorpion could suppress EMT of HCC both in vitro and in vivo. Our results suggested that the Scorpion could inhibit Hepa1-6 cells' invasion and metastasis in part by reversing EMT and providing a possible potential approach for preventing HCC metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Quan Yan
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
- Department of Aerospace Physiology, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Juan Xie
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Jing-Fu Wang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, the Third Affiliated Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Zhao-Feng Shi
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Xiang Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Yong-Ping Du
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Xing-Cheng Zhao
- Department of Aerospace Physiology, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
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Xu J, Jiang Y, Wan L, Wang Q, Huang Z, Liu Y, Wu Y, Chen Z, Liu X. Feeding recombinant E. coli with GST-mBmKTX fusion protein increases the fecundity and lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans. Peptides 2017; 89:1-8. [PMID: 28088444 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2017.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2016] [Revised: 01/05/2017] [Accepted: 01/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Scorpion venom could be a useful treatment for a variety of diseases, such as cancer, epilepsy and analgesia. BmKTX is a polypeptide extracts from scorpion venom (PESV), which have attracted much attention from researchers in recent years. mBmKTX is a mutant polypeptide according to the amino acid sequence of BmKTX. We expressed it with the vector pGEX-4T-1 in Escherichia coli, and Caenorhabditis elegans were used as the animal model and fed with the strains. In this study, the expression of pGEX-mBmKTX was analyzed by SDS-PAGE, and GST-mBmKTX purified from pGEX-mBmKTX as a glutathione S-transferase (GST)-tagged fusion protein is approximately 30kDa. The secondary structure prediction shows that mBmKTX is mainly composed of approximately 13% β-sheet and 86% loop. A food clearance assay and brood size assay indicated that the worms fed pGEX-mBmKTX ate more and had greater fecundity than those fed the empty vector. A lifespan analysis demonstrated that mBmKTX could significantly prolong the lifespan of C. elegans, with an increase of 22.5% compared with the control. Behavioral assays confirmed that mBmKTX had no influence on the locomotion of C. elegans. In addition, microarray analysis and quantitative real-time PCR demonstrated that there are 320 differentially expressed genes, 182 of which are related to reproduction, growth and lifespan. In conclusion, the data suggested that mBmKTX has potential utility for increasing fecundity and animal survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Xu
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Ministry of Education, and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Yajie Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Ministry of Education, and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Lu Wan
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Ministry of Education, and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Qi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Ministry of Education, and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Zebo Huang
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Ministry of Education, and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Biotechnology Drug Candidates, School of Biosciences and Biopharmaceutics, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yongmei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Ministry of Education, and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Yingliang Wu
- School of Life Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Zongyun Chen
- School of Life Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Xin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Ministry of Education, and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.
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