Anti-tumor activity and relative mechanism of ethanolic extract of Marsdenia tenacissima (Asclepiadaceae) against human hematologic neoplasm in vitro and in vivo

C21 steroids from the roots of Marsdenia tenacissima

A phytochemical investigation of the dichloromethane soluble fraction of the ethanolic extract obtained from the roots of Marsdenia tenacissima led to the discovery of the sixteen undescribed pregnane C₂₁ steroids (1-16) and isolation of eleven known C₂₁ steroidal analogues (17-27). Their chemical structures were elucidated by one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and, high resolution-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and their absolute configurations were determined using electronic circular dichroism or single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The in vitro anti-proliferative effects of 1-16 were evaluated against HepG2 (human hepatocellular cancer), A549 (lung cancer), and MCF-7 (human breast cancer) cell lines. Even though some of them showed moderate cytotoxic activities, marsectohexol derivative 12 exhibited significant cytotoxicity against A549 cells with an IC₅₀ value of 5.2 μM.

Marsdenia tenacissima extract prevents the malignant progression of glioma through upregulating lncRNA MEG3 and SFRP1-dependent inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin pathway

BACKGROUND/AIM

Recent studies have highlighted the tumor-suppressive effect of Marsdenia tenacissima extract (MTE) on human cancers. This research unveils the potential impact of MTE on glioma and ascertains the relevant molecular mechanisms.

METHODS

Glioma cells were treated with MTE, with normal human astrocytes (NHAs) as controls. A battery of function experiments, including the CCK-8 viability test, colony formation assay, scratch migration assay, and Transwell invasion assay, was executed to address the responses of glioma cells to MTE treatment and gain or loss of function of lncMEG3, miR-542-3p, and SFRP1. FISH, RIP, and dual-luciferase reporter assays were adopted for assessing gene interactions. U251-GFP-Luc cells were delivered into nude mice through intracranial injection to develop an orthotopic glioma model for in vivo validation.

RESULTS

200 mg/mL MTE could suppress the proliferating, migrating, and invading properties of glioma cells but not affect those of NHAs. MTE treatment enhanced the expression of lncMEG3, which competes with SFRP1 for binding miR-542-3p. SFRP1 could inactivate the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Animal experimentation substantiated the antitumor activity and mechanism of MTE in nude mice.

CONCLUSIONS

MTE suppresses glioma via the lncMEG3/miR-542-3p/SFRP1/Wnt/β-catenin axis. These findings contribute to a theoretical basis for the use of MTE for glioma patients.

Anticarcinogenic effect of gold nanoparticles synthesized from Albizia lebbeck on HCT-116 colon cancer cell lines

Colon cancer is one of the major prevailing types of cancer worldwide. It has been the most important public health difficulty. Thus, we planned phytoconstituents arbitrated synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and examined their curative efficacy against the colon cancer (HCT-116) cells. In this current study, we formulated the AuNPs by using Albizia lebbeck (AL) aqueous leaf extract by the green method and synthesized AL-AuNPs were distinguished by UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), energy dispersive X-ray diffraction (XRD), selected area (electron) diffraction (SAED) pattern, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). Synthesized AL-AuNPs confirmed by the UV absorption highest at 535 nm and the crystal structure of AL-AuNPs was additionally established by XRD and SAED pattern. HR-TEM images explained the size and morphology allocation of nanoparticles. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of alkynes, aromatic compounds, and alkenes of biomolecules in AL-AuNPs. Furthermore, AL-AuNPs induced cytotoxicity at the IC₅₀ concentration 48 µg/ml and also induced apoptosis by enhanced ROS production, decreased ΔΨm, apoptotic morphological changes by AO/EtBr and altering pro and anti-apoptotic protein expressions were analyzed in HCT-116 colon cancer cells. The findings of this investigation proved that the AL-AuNPs were revealed the potential anticancer activity against colon cancer (HCT-116) cells.

Biological effects of corosolic acid as an anti-inflammatory, anti-metabolic syndrome and anti-neoplasic natural compound

Accumulating evidence has indicated that corosolic acid exerts anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperlipidemic and anti-viral effects. More importantly, corosolic acid has recently attracted much attention due to its anticancer properties and innocuous effects on normal cells. Furthermore, the increasing proportion of obese and/or diabetic populations has led to an epidemic of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which frequently progresses to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Evidence has indicated that NAFLD is closely associated with the development of HCC and comprises a high risk factor. The present review summarizes the anticancer effects of corosolic acid in vitro and in vivo, and its related molecular mechanisms. It also describes the inhibitory effects of corosolic acid on the progression of NAFLD and its associated molecular mechanisms, providing guidance for future research on corosolic acid in NAFLD-related HCC prevention and treatment. To the best of our knowledge, a review of corosolic acid as an anticancer agent has not yet been reported. Due to its multitargeted activity in cancer cells, corosolic acid exerts anticancer effects when administered alone, and acts synergistically when administered with chemotherapeutic drugs, even in drug-resistant cells. In addition, as a novel tool to treat metabolic syndromes, corosolic acid uses the same mechanism in its action against cancer as that used in the progression of NAFLD-related HCC. Therefore, corosolic acid has been suggested as an agent for the prevention and treatment of NAFLD-related HCC.

Distributions of eight bioactive components in rat tissues administered Marsdenia tenacissima extract orally detected through UPLC-MS/MS

Marsdenia tenacissima (Roxb.) Wight et Arn. (M. tenacissima) is considered an anticancer medicine in traditional Chinese medicine, which is extensively used in clinical application since it has great therapeutic effects. Currently, although a number of articles have examined M. tenacissima in terms of its pharmacology and quality control, few have investigated the in vivo mechanism of M. tenacissima active ingredients. Previously, we have studied the pharmacokinetics of eight active ingredients after oral administration of M. tenacissima extracts in rat plasma. This study constructed a new scientific ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) approach to simultaneously quantify the contents of tenacissosides B, G, H and I, cryptochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, neochlorogenic acid and caffeic acid in rats orally administered M. tenacissima extract. The proposed approach was successfully used for investigating the distributions of those eight analytes in rat tissues, with digoxin being used as an internal control. The Eclipse Plus C₁₈ RRHD column was used for determination at a column temperature of 30°C. The mobile phase system consisted of acetonitrile and water (supplemented with 0.1% formic acid) under optimal gradient elution conditions. Afterwards, this approach was validated according to the requirements for the analysis of biological samples developed by the US Food and Drug Administration, including precision, accuracy, stability and matrix effects. Based on tissue distribution analysis, those eight analytes showed rapid distribution within all the tested tissues. With regard to organic acid distribution, it followed the order stomach > liver > kidney > small intestine > lung > spleen > heart, whereas the four steroids followed the order stomach > lung > spleen > small intestine > liver > kidney > heart. The present study lays the theoretical foundation for the use and development of M. tenacissima in clinical practice.

Transcriptomic response to cold of thermophilous medicinal plant Marsdenia tenacissima

Extracts from Marsdenia tenacissima, involving tenacissoside H, I and G, have been used as remedies of cancer, inflammation and asthma. Low temperature serves as one of the main factors constrain the planting expansion and quality of M. tenacissima, but its functional mechanism has been known scarcely for the lack of genomic information and transcriptional profile. Here we investigated the transcriptomic responses of M. tenacissima under cold stress to gain insight into the molecular mechanism of low temperature sensitivity. Total RNAs were collected from samples obtained at 4-time points (after 0, 3, 6 and 48 h cold treatments with 4 °C, respectively), then used for library construction and sequenced on the Illumina Hiseq™ 4000 platform. Passing quality assessments, 500794 transcripts, and 206137 unigenes were de novo assembly out in Trinity v2.4.0, holding contig N50 of 2566 bp and unigene mean length of 754 bp. 44.20% of assembled unigenes were annotated to the well-known public protein database on a basis of sequence similarity. Using statistical comparison of the fragments per kilo base of transcript per million reads mapped (FPKM) values between conditions, 6082 group-specific differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified and considered as cold-responsive genes, which contained copious transcription factors and active secondary metabolism. Among them, 43 unigenes were constantly up-regulated expression along with cold time, which mainly implicated in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, carbon metabolism, RNA and DNA metabolism. Conversely, 21 unigenes involved in photosynthesis, cell wall, protein degradation, and transporters were downregulated continually with cold timescale. Experimentally, MtEF1α was chosen as the best housekeeping gene. Functional enrichments found that damaging of cold stress on M. tenacissima may be ascribed to inability of photosynthesis, ribsome processing, flavonoid biosynthesis and terpenoids degradation. Correlation analysis between cold induced transcription factors and tenacissoside biosynthesis-related genes indicated that 3β-HSD significant positively correlated with bHLH51, and 4-MSO with NF-YB, GRAS3, Trihelix, FAR1, MYB60, MYBS1, bZIP43. Further promoter clone found MYB-binding site in the promoter of 4-MSO. In view of the reported cold tolerance of MYB60, it is recommended as a potential candidate suitable for future molecular design of exaptation cultivation with high bioactive constituents.

Tenacigenin B ester derivatives from Marsdenia tenacissima actively inhibited CYP3A4 and enhanced in vivo antitumor activity of paclitaxel

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Marsdenia tenacissima (Roxb.) Wight et Arn is a vine distributed in southwest area of China and used in folk medicine for treatment of tumors. Recent decades of studies on this plant reveal its synergistic effects with certain anticancer drugs in cancer therapy. In our previous study, an extract ETA which contains total aglycones made from M. tenacissima significantly enhanced antitumor activity of paclitaxel in tumor-bearing mice. However, the effective constituents in ETA and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Reveal the active components in ETA as well as the molecular mechanism in enhancing antitumor efficacy of paclitaxel.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Main constituents in ETA were purified by chemical methods. Effects of the purified constituents on metabolic activity of CYP450 enzymes were evaluated in human liver microsomes. Ability of the constituents to enhance antitumor activity of paclitaxel were investigated in nude mice bearing HeLa tumors. Pharmacokinetic study was performed in SD rats. Molecular docking was carried out for investigation of drug-protein interactions.

RESULTS

Three main C₂₁ steroidal aglycones, 11α-O-tigloyl-12β-O-acetyl-tenacigenin B (MT1), 11α-O-2-methylbutanoyl-12β-O-tigloyl-tenacigenin B (MT2) and 11α-O-2-methylbutanoyl-12β-O-acetyl-tenacigenin B (MT3), together with tenacigenin B (MT4) was prepared from ETA. Among them, MT1, MT2 and MT3 strongly inhibit the metabolic activity of CYP3A4. MT2 also showed inhibitory effects on CYP2C8, CYP2B6 and CYP2C19. In HeLa tumor xenografts, MT1, MT2 and MT3 (30 mg/kg) did not affect tumor growth themselves, but significantly enhanced paclitaxel-induced growth inhibition. In addition, coadministration of MT2 with paclitaxel resulted in significant reduction of liver CYP2C8. In pharmacokinetic study, MT2 significantly increased the blood concentration of paclitaxel with increased AUC value by 2.2-5.3 folds. Molecular docking analysis suggested hydrophobic interaction modes of tenacigenin B derivatives with CYP3A4, and also the essential roles of the C-11 and C-12 ester groups for effective interaction with CYP3A4.

CONCLUSION

Our study proves that, 11α-O-tigloyl-12β-O-acetyl-tenacigenin B, 11α-O-2-methylbutanoyl-12β-O-tigloyl-tenacigenin B and 11α-O-2-methylbutanoyl-12β-O-acetyl-tenacigenin B, which are the main constituents of ETA, are active inhibitors of CYP3A4 with potential to increase therapeutic efficacy of anticancer drugs that are substrates of CYP3A4. Tenacigenin B derivatives with C-11 and C-12 ester group substitutions, or at least a large part of them, are active components in ETA and M. tenacissima to enhance in vivo antitumor efficacies of paclitaxel.

The Antitumor Activities of Marsdenia tenacissima

Marsdenia tenacissima (MT), a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, has long been used for thousands of years to treat asthma, tracheitis, rheumatism, etc. An increasing number of recent studies have focused on the antitumor effects of MT. The effects of MT on cancer are the result of various activated signaling pathways and inhibiting factors and the high expression levels of regulatory proteins. MT can inhibit different cancer types including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), malignant tumors, hepatic carcinoma, and so on. This article mainly focuses on the activities and mechanisms of MT. In addition, the efficacy and toxicity of MT are also discussed. Further studies of MT are required for improved medicinal utilization.

Marsdenia tenacissima: A Review of Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology

The stems and roots of Marsdenia tenacissima (Roxb.) Wight et Arn., a traditional Chinese medicine and Dai herbal medicine, have been widely used for the treatment of asthma, trachitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, cystitis, pneumonia and drug or food poisoning. Nowadays, the extract of Marsdenia tenacissima, under the trademark of "Xiao-ai-ping", is widely used in clinic for the treatment of different cancers in China. To date, approximately 196 chemical ingredients covering steroids, triterpenes and organic acids have been identified from different parts of this plant. Steroids are the major characteristic and bioactive constituents of this plant. Modern pharmacology has demonstrated that the crude extracts and steroids have various in vitro and in vivo pharmacological activities, such as multidrug resistance reversal, antitumor, anti-angiogenic, immunomodulation and anti-HIV activities. The multidrug resistance reversal of steroids provided evidence for the use of this herb in clinic. However, despite wide clinical application, clinical trials, quality control method, pharmacokinetic and toxicity research on Marsdenia tenacissima were seldom reported and deserved further efforts. The present review aimed to achieve a comprehensive and up-to-date investigation in ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology, clinical study, pharmacokinetics, toxicology and quality control of Marsdenia tenacissima. In addition, the possible perspectives and trends for future studies of Marsdenia tenacissima have also been put forward. It is believed that this review would provide a theoretical basis and valuable data for future in-depth studies and applications.

Cytotoxicity of anti-tumor herbal Marsdeniae tenacissimae extract on erythrocytes

Marsdeniae tenacissimae extract (MTE) has been used as an adjuvant medicine for cancer therapy for a long time. Although massive studies demonstrated its considerable anti-cancer effect, there is no research on its influence on erythrocytes, which are firstly interacted with MTE in the circulation. To investigate the influence of MTE on erythrocytes, we used a flow cytometer to detect the MTE-treated alternations of morphology, calcium concentration, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) level in erythrocytes. We used hemolysis under different osmotic solutions to evaluate the fragility of erythrocytes. Data showed that MTE treatment dose-dependently increased the ratio of erythrocyte fragmentation (P<0.001) and shrinking, and elevated the forward scatter (FSC) value (P<0.001) and calcium accumulation (P<0.001). MTE induced ROS production of erythrocytes under the high glucose condition (P<0.01) and consequently caused a rise in fragility (P<0.05). These results suggest that MTE induces cytotoxicity and aging in erythrocytes in a dose-dependent manner, and presents the possibility of impairment on cancer patients' circulating erythrocytes when MTE is used as an anti-cancer adjuvant medicine.

Marsdenia tenacissimae extraction (MTE) inhibits the proliferation and induces the apoptosis of human acute T cell leukemia cells through inactivating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway via PTEN enhancement

Marsdenia tenacissimae extraction (MTE) as a traditional Chinese herb has long been used to treat some diseases such as tumors in China. However, the potential effectiveness of MTE in leukemia has not yet been fully understood, and the related molecular mechanism is still unknown. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of MTE on the proliferation and apoptosis of Jurkat cells (T-ALL lines) and lymphocytes from T-ALL (T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia) patients. Firstly, CCK8 assays and flow cytometry assays revealed that MTE dose-dependently reduced the proliferation of Jurkat cells by arresting cell cycle at S phase. Secondly, Annexin V-FITC/PI-stained flow cytometry and TUNEL staining assays showed that MTE promoted the apoptosis of Jurkat cells. Mechanistically, MTE enhanced PTEN (phosphatases and tensin homolog) level and inactivated PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in Jurkat cells, which mediated the inhibition of cell proliferation by MTE and MTE-induced apoptosis. Finally, MTE significantly inhibited the proliferation and promoted the apoptosis of lymphocytes from T-ALL patients, compared with lymphocytes from healthy peoples. Taken together, these results reveal an unrecognized function of MTE in inhibiting the proliferation and inducing the apoptosis of T-ALL cells, and identify a pathway of PTEN/PI3K/AKT/mTOR for the effects of MTE on leukemia therapy.

C21 steroid-enriched fraction refined from Marsdenia tenacissima inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma through the coordination of Hippo-Yap and PTEN-PI3K/AKT signaling pathways

Marsdenia tenacissimae extraction (MTE), a traditional herbal medicine, has exhibited anti-tumor effects on a variety of cancers. However, its effectiveness and the mechanism of action in Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been fully understood. In the present study, we demonstrate that C21 steroid-enriched fraction from MTE, which contains five main C21 steroids (FR5) exhibits obvious pharmacological activities on HCC cells in vitro and in vivo. FR5 induces apoptosis and inhibits proliferation and migration of HepG2 and Bel7402 cells in a dose and time dependent manner. Furthermore, in HCC cells, we found that FR5 inhibits Hippo pathway, leading to inactivation of YAP and increase of PTEN. Enhanced PTEN results in the inhibition of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, inhibiting cell proliferation by FR5 and FR5-induced apoptosis. Moreover, it was proved that FR5 treatment could inhibit tumor growth in a HCC xenograft mouse model, and immunohistochemistry results showed FR5 treatment resulted in down-regulation of Bcl-2 and YAP, and up-regulation of PTEN and PI3K. Taken together, we found that FR5 effectively inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis of HCC cells through coordinated inhibition of YAP in the Hippo pathway and AKT in the PI3K-PTEN-mTOR pathway, and suggest FR5 as a potential therapy for HCC.

Marsdeniae tenacissima extract-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis in hepatoma carcinoma cells is mediated through the p53/nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway

An extract from a traditional Chinese herb, Marsdeniae tenacissima (trade name, Xiao-Ai-Ping) has been approved for use on the Chinese market as a cancer chemotherapeutic agent for decades. Previous studies have demonstrated the cytostatic and pro-apoptotic effects of M. tenacissima extract (MTE) in multiple cancer cells. However, the contributions of MTE to the proliferation and apoptosis of hepatoma carcinoma cells and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, Bel-7402 cells were incubated with increasing concentrations of MTE ranging from 0–320 µl/ml to explore the effects and potential mechanisms of MTE on the proliferation and apoptosis of Bel-7402 cells. 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfopheny)-2H-tetrazolium, inner salt and propidium iodide (PI)-stained flow cytometry assays demonstrated that MTE significantly suppressed the proliferation of Bel-7402 cells in a dose-dependent manner by arresting the cell cycle at S phase (P<0.05). Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate PI-stained flow cytometry confirmed the significantly pro-apoptotic effect of MTE at both 160 and 240 µl/ml (P<0.001). Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis demonstrated that MTE (both 160 and 240 µl/ml) induced a significant downregulation of B-cell lymphoma (Bcl)-2 (P<0.01), upregulation of Bcl-2-associated X protein (P<0.01) and activation of caspase-3 (P<0.05). Furthermore, a significant downregulation of murine double minute-2 (MDM2) (P<0.001) and activation of p53 (P<0.001) in Bel-7402 cells following treatment with 160 or 240 µl/ml MTE was observed, accompanied by the inhibition of the nuclear factor (NF)-κB pathway (P<0.001). These results suggested that MTE inhibited growth and exhibited pro-apoptotic effects in Bel-7402 cells, which was mediated by downregulation of the MDM2-induced p53-dependent mitochondrial apoptosis pathway and blocking the NF-κB pathway. Overall, these data serve as preliminary identification of the significant roles of MTE in hepatic carcinoma cells, and suggest that MTE may be a promising candidate for hepatocellular carcinoma therapy.

Using Molecular Docking Analysis to Discovery Dregea sinensis Hemsl. Potential Mechanism of Anticancer, Antidepression, and Immunoregulation

Background:

Dregea sinensis Hemsl. plant of the genus Dregea volubilis (Asclepiadaceae), plays a vital role in anticancer, antidepression, and immunoregulation. Steroidal glycosides are the main constituents of this herb, which were significant biological active ingredients.

Objective:

The objective of this study is to recognize the mechanism of anticancer, antidepression, and immunoregulation of D. sinensis Hemsl.

Materials and Methods:

Seventy-two steroidal glycosides of D. sinensis Hemsl. were evaluated on the docking behavior of tumor-associated proteins (PI3K, Akt, mTOR), depression-related proteins (MAO-A, MAO-B) and immune-related proteins (tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α], tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 [TNFR2], interleukin-2Rα [IL-2Rα]) using Discovery Studio version 3.1 (Accelrys, San Diego, USA).

Results:

The molecular docking analysis revealed that mostly steroidal glycosides of D. sinensis Hemsl. exhibited powerful interaction with the depression-related protein (MAO-A) and the immune-related proteins (TNFR2, IL-2Rα). Some ligands exhibited high binding energy for the tumor-associated proteins (PI3K, Akt, mTOR) and the immune-related protein (TNF-α), but MAO-B showed none interaction with the ligands.

Conclusion:

This study has paved better understanding of steroidal glycosides from D. sinensis Hemsl. as potential constituents to the prevention of associated cancer, depression and disorders of immunoregulation.

SUMMARY

The ligand database was consist of 72 steroidal glycosides from Dregea sinensis Hemsl

Steroidal glycosides had the potential to dock with the tumor-associated proteins (PI3K, Akt, mTOR)

Steroidal glycosides were bounded with MAO-A rather than MAO-B, accorded with the inhibitor selectivity of MAOs, can be considered as potent candidate inhibitors of MAO-A

72 ligands got high interaction with TNFR2 and IL-2Rα, regard the steroidal glycoside as powerful candidate inhibitors of TNFR2 and IL-2Rα.

Abbreviations used: PI3K: Phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase; Akt: Protein kinase B; mTOR: Mammalian target of rapamycin; MAO-A: Monoamine oxidase A; MAO-B: Monoamine oxidase B; TNF-α: Tumor necrosis factor α; TNFR2: Tumor necrosis factor receptor 2; IL-2Rα: The alpha subunit (CD25) of the interleukin-2 receptor; DS: Discovery Studio; PDB: Protein Database Bank; 3D: three-dimensional.

Marsdeniae tenacissimae extract (MTE) suppresses cell proliferation by attenuating VEGF/VEGFR2 interactions and promotes apoptosis through regulating PKC pathway in human umbilical vein endothelial cells

Marsdeniae tenacissimae extract (MTE), commonly known as Xiao-Ai-Ping in China, is a traditional Chinese herb medicine capable of inhibiting proliferation and metastasis and boosting apoptosis in various cancer cells. However, little is known about the contribution of MTE towards tumor angiogenesis and the underlying mechanism. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of MTE on the proliferation and apoptosis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and the molecular mechanism. 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfopheny)-2H-tetrazolium, inner salt (MTS) and PI-stained flow cytometry assays revealed that MTE dose-dependently reduced the proliferation of HUVECs by arresting cell cycle at S phase (P < 0.05). Annexin V-FITC/PI-stained flow cytometry confirmed that MTE (160 μL·L^-1) enhanced the apoptosis of HUVECs significantly (P < 0.001). Real-time quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot analyses showed an increase in Bax expression and a sharply decline in Bcl-2 expression; caspase-3 was activated simultaneously in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). Further study observed the dose-dependent down-regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor-2 (VEGFR-2), P2Y6 receptor (P2Y6R), and chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL-2), along with the activation of PKC Δ and up-regulation of p53 in a dose-dependent manner in MTE-treated selected cells (P < 0.05). Collectively, the results from the present study suggested that MTE suppressed the proliferation by attenuating CCL-2-mediated VEGF/VEGFR2 interactions and promoted the apoptosis through PKCΔ-induced p53-dependent mitochondrial pathway in HUVECs, supporting that MTE may be developed as a potent anti-cancer medicine.

Total flavonoid aglycones extract in Radix scutellariae inhibits lung carcinoma and lung metastasis by affecting cell cycle and DNA synthesis

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Radix Scutellariae (Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, RS), a traditional herbal medicine commonly used to treat inflammation, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, bacterial and viral infections, is reported to treat lung cancer by supplements of modern medicine. The total flavonoid aglycones extract (TFAE) from RS is the most important composition for the pharmacodynamic effects. The present study was designed to evaluate the anti-lung tumor effect of TFAE on A549 cells and A549 cell nude mice xenografts. The aim of the study is to investigate the effect and mechanism of TFAE treating non-small cell lung cancer both in vitro and in vivo.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The anti-tumor activity of TFAE in vitro was investigated using the MTT assay. The changes of cell invasion and migration were detected by Transwell assay and tube formation experiments were used to detect the anti-angiogenic effect. The anti-tumor effects of TFAE in vivo were evaluated in A549 cell nude mice xenografts. The mechanism of TFAE was detected by flow cytometry technology, western blot assay and immuno-histochemistry assay.

RESULTS

In vitro, TFAE inhibited the proliferation, invasion and migration of A549 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In vivo, TFAE by oral administration at 100mg/kg for 30 days decreased the tumor volume and tumor weight in A549 cell xenograft by 25.5% with no statistical significance (P<0.05) compared to the cis-platinum positive control group (30.0%). The cell cycle and DNA synthesis experiment illustrated that TFAE could induce A549 cell cycle to arreste in S phase and DNA synthesis in A549 cells be inhibited, while TFAE had no influence on apoptosis of A549 cells. Western Blot assay demonstrated that the treatment of TFAE could make Cyclin D1 decrease and p53 increase both in vitro and in vivo.

CONCLUSION

TFAE displayed the inhibition effects of non-small cell lung cancer both in vitro and in vivo and the underlying mechanism might be related to the increased p53 protein expression and decreased Cyclin D1 expression, leading to cell cycle arrested in S phase and the decrease of DNA synthesis.

Marsdenia tenacissima extract suppresses A549 cell migration through regulation of CCR5-CCL5 axis, Rho C, and phosphorylated FAK

Marsdenia tenacissima, a traditional Chinese medicine, is long been used to treat various diseases including asthma, cancer, trachitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, cystitis, and pneumonia. Although Marsdenia tenacissima has been demonstrated to have strong anti-tumor effects against primary tumors, its effect on cancer metastasis remains to be defined, and the molecular mechanism underlying the anti-metastatic effect is unknown. In the present study, we investigated the effects of XAP (an extract of Marsdenia tenacissima) on A549 lung cancer cell migration and explored the role of CCR5-CCL5 axis in the anti-metastatic effects of XAP. Our resutls showed that XAP inhibited A549 lung cancer cell migration and invasion in a dose-dependent manner. The protein levels of CCR5, but not CCR9 and CXCR4, were decreased by XAP. The secretion of CCL5, the ligand of CCR5, was reduced by XAP. XAP down-regulated Rho C expression and FAK phosphorylation. In conclusion, XAP inhibited A549 cell migration and invasion through down-regulation of CCR5-CCL5 axis, Rho C, and FAK.

[Clinical value of Tongguanteng (Radix seu Herba Marsdeniae Tenacissimae) extract combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a Meta-analysis]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of Tongguanteng (Radix seu Herba Marsdeniae Tenacissimae) extract combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NCSLC) compared with chemotherapy alone.

METHODS

Databases including Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Biology Medicine Disc, Wanfang, and MEDLINE were searched until April 1, 2014. Two assessors independently reviewed each trial. The primary outcome was the effective rate (ER) of Tongguanteng (Radix seu Herba Marsdeniae Tenacissimae) extract combined with chemotherapy. The secondary outcomes included quality of life improvement rate (QOLIR) and adverse reactions. Statistical calculations were performed by using Cochrane Collaboration Review Manager 5.2.

RESULTS

A total of 888 patients from 15 studies, 13 randomized controlled trials (RCT) and two controlled clinical trials, were included. Compared with chemotherapy alone, Tongguanteng (Radix seu Herba Marsdeniae Tenacissimae) extract plus chemotherapy significantly improved ER [Risk ratio (RR) = 1.32, 95% CI, (1.14, 1.54)] (based on 15 studies) and QOLIR [RR = 2.04, 95% CI, (1.69, 2.47)] (based on 13 studies). Compared with chemotherapy alone, Tongguanteng (Radix seu Herba Marsdeniae Tenacissimae) extract plus chemotherapy significantly inhibited chemotherapy-induced white blood cell decline [RR = 0.79, 95% CI, (0.70, 0.90) (based on 10 studies), chemotherapy-induced platelet decline [RR = 0.77, 95% CI, (0.60, 0.98)] (based on 8 studies), and significantly alleviated nausea and vomiting (NV) [RR = 0.83, 95% CI, (0.71, 0.97)] (based on 7 studies). There was no significant difference in hemoglobin decline between the two therapies [RR = 0.88, 95% CI, (0.70, 1.09)] (based on 6 studies).

CONCLUSION

This Meta-analysis suggests that Tongguanteng (Radix seu Herba Marsdeniae Tenacissimae) extract combined with chemotherapy may be more efficacious in the treatment of advanced NSCLC than chemotherapy alone. This effect includes enhancing ER and QOLIR, and weakening chemotherapy toxicity. However, large-scale RCTs are required to further investigate the short- and long-term effects of Tongguanteng (Radix seu Herba Marsdeniae Tenacissimae) extract.

Condurango (Gonolobus condurango) Extract Activates Fas Receptor and Depolarizes Mitochondrial Membrane Potential to Induce ROS-dependent Apoptosis in Cancer Cells in vitro: CE-treatment on HeLa: a ROS-dependent mechanism

Objectives:

Condurango (Gonolobus condurango) extract is used by complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioners as a traditional medicine, including homeopathy, mainly for the treatment of syphilis. Condurango bark extract is also known to reduce tumor volume, but the underlying molecular mechanisms still remain unclear.

Methods:

Using a cervical cancer cell line (HeLa) as our model, the molecular events behind condurango extract’s (CE’s) anticancer effect were investigated by using flow cytometry, immunoblotting and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Other included cell types were prostate cancer cells (PC3), transformed liver cells (WRL-68), and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).

Results:

Condurango extract (CE) was found to be cytotoxic against target cells, and this was significantly deactivated in the presence of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), a scavenger of reactive oxygen species (ROS), suggesting that its action could be mediated through ROS generation. CE caused an increase in the HeLa cell population containing deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage at the G zero/Growth 1 (G0/G1) stage. Further, CE increased the tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and the fas receptor (FasR) levels both at the ribonucleic acid (RNA) and the protein levels, indicating that CE might have a cytotoxic mechanism of action. CE also triggered a sharp decrease in the expression of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB ) both at the RNA and the protein levels, a possible route to attenuation of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), and caused an opening of the mitochondrial membrane’s permeability transition (MPT) pores, thus enhancing caspase activities.

Conclusion:

Overall, our results suggest possible pathways for CE mediated cytotoxicity in model cancer cells.

Antiproliferative activity and induction of apoptosis by Annona muricata (Annonaceae) extract on human cancer cells

Background

Annona muricata (A. muricata) is widely distributed in Asia, Africa and South America. Different parts of this plant are used to treat several diseases in Cameroon. The aim of this study is to determine the in vitro anti-proliferative effects and apoptotic events of A. muricata extracts on HL-60 cells as well as to quantify its phenols content.

Methods

The cell viability was measured by using 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay while the changes in morphology of HL-60 cells, membrane mitochondrial potential (MMP) and the cell cycle were used for assessment apoptosis induction.

Results

The results show that the concentration of phenols, flavonoids and flavonols in the extracts varied depending on the part of the plant. All the extracts tested inhibited the proliferation of HL-60 cells in a concentration dependent manner with IC₅₀ varied from 6–49 μg/mL. The growth inhibition of the cells by extracts was associated with the disruption of MMP, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and the G0/G1 cell arrest.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that the extracts from A. muricata have strong antiproliferation potential and can induce apoptosis through loss of MMP and G0/G1 phase cell arrest.