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Wang Z, Liao X, He H, Guo X, Chen J. Targeting the STAT3 pathway with STAT3 degraders. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2024; 45:811-823. [PMID: 39117533 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2024.07.003] [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: 06/27/2024] [Revised: 07/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) has been widely considered as a therapeutic target for various diseases, especially tumors. Thus far, several STAT3 inhibitors have been advanced to clinical trials; however, the development of STAT3 inhibitors is hindered by numerous dilemmas. Fortunately, STAT3 degraders represent an alternative and promising strategy to block STAT3, attracting extensive research interest. Here, we analyze the recent advancements of STAT3 degraders, including proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) and small-molecule natural products, focusing on their structures, mechanisms, and biological activities. We discuss the potential opportunities and challenges for developing STAT3 degraders. It is hoped that this Review will provide insights into the discovery of potent STAT3-targeting drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijie Wang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Viral Oncology, Ministry of Science and Innovation, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen 518100, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Xiaotong Liao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Haiqi He
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Xia Guo
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Viral Oncology, Ministry of Science and Innovation, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen 518100, China.
| | - Jianjun Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
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2
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Wang WL, Wu XY, Luo XY, Tang YQ, Cui J, Huang XY, Jiang YC, Liu Y, Li LM. Immunosuppressive alkaloids from Narcissus tazetta subsp. Chinensis and the mechanism of (+)-narciclasine in vitro and in vivo. PHYTOCHEMISTRY 2024; 225:114198. [PMID: 38936528 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2024.114198] [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: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 06/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Three previously undescribed and sixteen known alkaloids were bioguidedly isolated from the bulbs of Narcissus tazetta subsp. chinensis (M.Roem.) Masamura & Yanagih. The structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data, including HRESIMS, NMR, and ECD. Eleven of the isolated alkaloids exhibited immunosuppressive activity on the proliferation of human T cells. (+)-Narciclasine (18) showed the most significantly suppressive activity with an IC50 value of 14 ± 5 nM. In vitro, (+)-narciclasine (18) blocked NF-κB signal transduction, but did not affect PI3K/AKT signal transduction. What was more, (+)-narciclasine significantly reduced ALT and AST levels and alleviated liver damage induced by ConA in AIH mouse model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Ling Wang
- College of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Research and Application of Ethnic Medicine Processing and Preparation on the Qinghai Tibet Plateau, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, 610041, China; Research Center, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, 610500, China
| | - Xiu-Yin Wu
- Research Center, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, 610500, China
| | - Xing-Yan Luo
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, 610500, China; Research Center, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, 610500, China
| | - Yu-Qin Tang
- Research Center, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, 610500, China
| | - Jia Cui
- College of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Research and Application of Ethnic Medicine Processing and Preparation on the Qinghai Tibet Plateau, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xin-Yue Huang
- College of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Research and Application of Ethnic Medicine Processing and Preparation on the Qinghai Tibet Plateau, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yu-Chen Jiang
- College of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Research and Application of Ethnic Medicine Processing and Preparation on the Qinghai Tibet Plateau, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, 610500, China; Research Center, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, 610500, China.
| | - Li-Mei Li
- College of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Research and Application of Ethnic Medicine Processing and Preparation on the Qinghai Tibet Plateau, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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Jia ZC, Yang X, Wu YK, Li M, Das D, Chen MX, Wu J. The Art of Finding the Right Drug Target: Emerging Methods and Strategies. Pharmacol Rev 2024; 76:896-914. [PMID: 38866560 PMCID: PMC11334170 DOI: 10.1124/pharmrev.123.001028] [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: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Drug targets are specific molecules in biological tissues and body fluids that interact with drugs. Drug target discovery is a key component of drug discovery and is essential for the development of new drugs in areas such as cancer therapy and precision medicine. Traditional in vitro or in vivo target discovery methods are time-consuming and labor-intensive, limiting the pace of drug discovery. With the development of modern discovery methods, the discovery and application of various emerging technologies have greatly improved the efficiency of drug discovery, shortened the cycle time, and reduced the cost. This review provides a comprehensive overview of various emerging drug target discovery strategies, including computer-assisted approaches, drug affinity response target stability, multiomics analysis, gene editing, and nonsense-mediated mRNA degradation, and discusses the effectiveness and limitations of the various approaches, as well as their application in real cases. Through the review of the aforementioned contents, a general overview of the development of novel drug targets and disease treatment strategies will be provided, and a theoretical basis will be provided for those who are engaged in pharmaceutical science research. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Target-based drug discovery has been the main approach to drug discovery in the pharmaceutical industry for the past three decades. Traditional drug target discovery methods based on in vivo or in vitro validation are time-consuming and costly, greatly limiting the development of new drugs. Therefore, the development and selection of new methods in the drug target discovery process is crucial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Chang Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China (Z.-C.J., X.Y., Y.-K.W., M.-X.C., J.W.); The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee (D.D.); and State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, China (M.L.)
| | - Xue Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China (Z.-C.J., X.Y., Y.-K.W., M.-X.C., J.W.); The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee (D.D.); and State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, China (M.L.)
| | - Yi-Kun Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China (Z.-C.J., X.Y., Y.-K.W., M.-X.C., J.W.); The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee (D.D.); and State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, China (M.L.)
| | - Min Li
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China (Z.-C.J., X.Y., Y.-K.W., M.-X.C., J.W.); The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee (D.D.); and State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, China (M.L.)
| | - Debatosh Das
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China (Z.-C.J., X.Y., Y.-K.W., M.-X.C., J.W.); The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee (D.D.); and State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, China (M.L.) ;
| | - Mo-Xian Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China (Z.-C.J., X.Y., Y.-K.W., M.-X.C., J.W.); The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee (D.D.); and State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, China (M.L.) ;
| | - Jian Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China (Z.-C.J., X.Y., Y.-K.W., M.-X.C., J.W.); The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee (D.D.); and State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, China (M.L.) ;
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Püsküllüoğlu M, Michalak I. The therapeutic potential of natural metabolites in targeting endocrine-independent HER-2-negative breast cancer. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1349242. [PMID: 38500769 PMCID: PMC10944949 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1349242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is a heterogenous disease, with prognosis and treatment options depending on Estrogen, Progesterone receptor, and Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-2 (HER-2) status. HER-2 negative, endocrine-independent BC presents a significant clinical challenge with limited treatment options. To date, promising strategies like immune checkpoint inhibitors have not yielded breakthroughs in patient prognosis. Despite being considered archaic, agents derived from natural sources, mainly plants, remain backbone of current treatment. In this context, we critically analyze novel naturally-derived drug candidates, elucidate their intricate mechanisms of action, and evaluate their pre-clinical in vitro and in vivo activity in endocrine-independent HER-2 negative BC. Since pre-clinical research success often does not directly correlate with drug approval, we focus on ongoing clinical trials to uncover current trends. Finally, we demonstrate the potential of combining cutting-edge technologies, such as antibody-drug conjugates or nanomedicine, with naturally-derived agents, offering new opportunities that utilize both traditional cytotoxic agents and new metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirosława Püsküllüoğlu
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Kraków, Poland
| | - Izabela Michalak
- Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Advanced Material Technologies, Wrocław, Poland
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Chen X, Li H. Bruceine D and Narclasine inhibit the proliferation of breast cancer cells and the prediction of potential drug targets. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0297203. [PMID: 38215156 PMCID: PMC10786365 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297203] [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: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breast cancer is one of the most common female malignancies. This study explored the underlying mechanism through which the two plant compounds (Brucaine D and Narclasine) inhibited the proliferation of breast cancer cells. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of Brucaine D and Narclasine on breast cancer development and their potential drug targets. METHODS GSE85871 dataset containing 212 samples and the hallmark gene set "h.all.v2023.1.Hs.symbols.gmt" were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and the Molecular Signatures Database (MSigDB) database, respectively. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to classify clusters showing similar gene expression pattern. Single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) was used to calculate the hallmark score for different drug treatment groups. The expressions of genes related to angiogenesis, glycolysis and cell cycle were detected. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis was performed to study the interaction of the hub genes. Then, HERB database was employed to identify potential target genes for Narclasine and Bruceine D. Finally, in vitro experiments were conducted to validate partial drug-target pair. RESULTS PCA analysis showed that the significant changes in gene expression patterns took place in 6 drugs treatment groups (Narciclasine, Bruceine D, Japonicone A, 1beta-hydroxyalatolactone, Britanin, and four mixture drugs) in comparison to the remaining drug treatment groups. The ssGSEA pathway enrichment analysis demonstrated that Narciclasine and Bruceine treatments had similar enriched pathways, for instance, suppressed pathways related to angiogenesis, Glycolysis, and cell cycle, etc.. Further gene expression analysis confirmed that Narciclasine and Bruceine had a strong ability to inhibit these cell cycle genes, and that MYC, CHEK2, MELK, CDK4 and EZH2 were closely interacted with each other in the PPI analysis. Drug target prediction revealed that Androgen Receptor (AR) and Estrogen Receptor 1 (ESR1) were the targets for Bruceine D, and Cytochrome P450 3A4 enzyme (CYP3A4) was the target for Narciclasine. Cell experiments also confirmed the connections between Narciclasine and CYP3A4. CONCLUSION The present study uncovered that Narciclasine and Bruceine D could inhibit the growth of breast cancer and also predicted the potential targets for these two drugs, providing a new therapeutic direction for breast cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinhao Chen
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Hua Li
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
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Turanli B. Decoding Systems Biology of Inflammation Signatures in Cancer Pathogenesis: Pan-Cancer Insights from 12 Common Cancers. OMICS : A JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY 2023; 27:483-493. [PMID: 37861711 DOI: 10.1089/omi.2023.0127] [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] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Chronic inflammation is an important contributor to tumorigenesis in many tissues. However, the underlying mechanisms of inflammatory signaling in the tumor microenvironment are not yet fully understood in various cancers. Therefore, this study aimed to uncover the gene expression signatures of inflammation-associated proteins that lead to tumorigenesis, and with an eye to discovery of potential system biomarkers and novel drug candidates in oncology. Gene expression profiles associated with 12 common cancers (e.g., breast invasive carcinoma, colon adenocarcinoma, liver hepatocellular carcinoma, and prostate adenocarcinoma) from The Cancer Genome Atlas were retrieved and mapped to inflammation-related gene sets. Subsequently, the inflammation-associated differentially expressed genes (i-DEGs) were determined. The i-DEGs common in all cancers were proposed as tumor inflammation signatures (TIS) after pan-cancer analysis. A TIS, consisting of 45 proteins, was evaluated as a potential system biomarker based on its prognostic forecasting and secretion profiles in multiple tissues. In addition, i-DEGs for each cancer type were used as queries for drug repurposing. Narciclasine, parthenolide, and homoharringtonine were identified as potential candidates for drug repurposing. Biomarker candidates in relation to inflammation were identified such as KNG1, SPP1, and MIF. Collectively, these findings inform precision diagnostics development to distinguish individual cancer types, and can also pave the way for novel prognostic decision tools and repurposed drugs across multiple cancers. These new findings and hypotheses warrant further research toward precision/personalized medicine in oncology. Pan-cancer analysis of inflammatory mediators can open up new avenues for innovation in cancer diagnostics and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beste Turanli
- Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Marmara University, Istanbul, Türkiye
- Health Biotechnology Joint Research and Application Center of Excellence, Istanbul, Türkiye
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7
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Mazzeo G, Fusè M, Evidente A, Abbate S, Longhi G. Circularly polarized luminescence of natural products lycorine and narciclasine: role of excited-state intramolecular proton-transfer and test of pH sensitivity. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:22700-22710. [PMID: 37605892 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp02600k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
Circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) is increasingly gaining interest not only for its applicative potentialities but also for providing an understanding of the excited state properties of chiral molecules. However, applications of CPL are mainly in the field of materials science: special organic molecules and polymers, metal (lanthanide) complexes, and organic dyes are actively and intensely studied. So far natural compounds have not been investigated much. We fill the gap here by measuring circular dichroism (CD) and CPL of lycorine and narciclasine, the most abundant known alkaloid and isocarbostyril from Amaryllidaceae, which exhibit a large spectrum of biological activities and are promising anticancer compounds. Dual fluorescence detection in narciclasine led us to unveil an occurring excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) process, this mechanism well accounts for the Stokes shift and CPL spectra observed in narciclasine. The same molecule is interesting also as a pH chiroptical switch. Both in absorption and emission, lycorine and narciclasine are also studied computationally via density functional theory (DFT) calculations further shedding light on their properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Mazzeo
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Università di Brescia, Viale Europa,11, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Marco Fusè
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Università di Brescia, Viale Europa,11, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Antonio Evidente
- Department of Chemical Science Università di Napoli Federico II, Via Cintia, 21, 80126, Napoli, Italy
- Institute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council, Via Amendola 122/O, 70185 Bari, Italy
| | - Sergio Abbate
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Università di Brescia, Viale Europa,11, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
- National Institute of Optics-CNR, Brescia Research Unit, via Branze 45, 25123, Brescia, Italy
| | - Giovanna Longhi
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Università di Brescia, Viale Europa,11, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
- National Institute of Optics-CNR, Brescia Research Unit, via Branze 45, 25123, Brescia, Italy
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Tian S, Zhang J, Yuan S, Wang Q, Lv C, Wang J, Fang J, Fu L, Yang J, Zu X, Zhao J, Zhang W. Exploring pharmacological active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine by pharmacotranscriptomic map in ITCM. Brief Bioinform 2023; 24:7017365. [PMID: 36719094 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbad027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
With the emergence of high-throughput technologies, computational screening based on gene expression profiles has become one of the most effective methods for drug discovery. More importantly, profile-based approaches remarkably enhance novel drug-disease pair discovery without relying on drug- or disease-specific prior knowledge, which has been widely used in modern medicine. However, profile-based systematic screening of active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been scarcely performed due to inadequate pharmacotranscriptomic data. Here, we develop the largest-to-date online TCM active ingredients-based pharmacotranscriptomic platform integrated traditional Chinese medicine (ITCM) for the effective screening of active ingredients. First, we performed unified high-throughput experiments and constructed the largest data repository of 496 representative active ingredients, which was five times larger than the previous one built by our team. The transcriptome-based multi-scale analysis was also performed to elucidate their mechanism. Then, we developed six state-of-art signature search methods to screen active ingredients and determine the optimal signature size for all methods. Moreover, we integrated them into a screening strategy, TCM-Query, to identify the potential active ingredients for the special disease. In addition, we also comprehensively collected the TCM-related resource by literature mining. Finally, we applied ITCM to an active ingredient bavachinin, and two diseases, including prostate cancer and COVID-19, to demonstrate the power of drug discovery. ITCM was aimed to comprehensively explore the active ingredients of TCM and boost studies of pharmacological action and drug discovery. ITCM is available at http://itcm.biotcm.net.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saisai Tian
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Jinbo Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Tianjin Rehabilitation Center of Joint Logistics Support Force, Tianjin, 300110, China
| | - Shunling Yuan
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Qun Wang
- The Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Chao Lv
- The Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jinxing Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Jiansong Fang
- Science and Technology Innovation Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lu Fu
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Jian Yang
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Xianpeng Zu
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Jing Zhao
- The Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Weidong Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
- The Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Overcoming Acquired Drug Resistance to Cancer Therapies through Targeted STAT3 Inhibition. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054722. [PMID: 36902166 PMCID: PMC10002572 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Anti-neoplastic agents for cancer treatment utilize many different mechanisms of action and, when combined, can result in potent inhibition of cancer growth. Combination therapies can result in long-term, durable remission or even cure; however, too many times, these anti-neoplastic agents lose their efficacy due to the development of acquired drug resistance (ADR). In this review, we evaluate the scientific and medical literature that elucidate STAT3-mediated mechanisms of resistance to cancer therapeutics. Herein, we have found that at least 24 different anti-neoplastic agents-standard toxic chemotherapeutic agents, targeted kinase inhibitors, anti-hormonal agents, and monoclonal antibodies-that utilize the STAT3 signaling pathway as one mechanism of developing therapeutic resistance. Targeting STAT3, in combination with existing anti-neoplastic agents, may prove to be a successful therapeutic strategy to either prevent or even overcome ADR to standard and novel cancer therapies.
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10
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Arslan FB, Öztürk K, Tavukçuoğlu E, Öztürk SC, Esendağlı G, Çalış S. A novel combination for the treatment of small cell lung cancer: Active targeted irinotecan and stattic co-loaded PLGA nanoparticles. Int J Pharm 2023; 632:122573. [PMID: 36592892 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2022.122573] [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: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Polymeric nanoparticles are widely used drug delivery systems for cancer treatment due to their properties such as ease of passing through biological membranes, opportunity to modify drug release, specifically targeting drugs to diseased areas, and potential of reducing side effects. Here, we formulated irinotecan and Stattic co-loaded PLGA nanoparticles targeted to small cell lung cancer. Nanoparticles were successfully conjugated with CD56 antibody with a conjugation efficiency of 84.39 ± 1.01%, and characterization of formulated nanoparticles was conducted with in-vitro and in-vivo studies. Formulated particles had sizes in the range of 130-180 nm with PDI values smaller than 0.3. Encapsulation and active targeting of irinotecan and Stattic resulted in increased cytotoxicity and anti-cancer efficiency in-vitro. Furthermore, it was shown with ex-vivo biodistribution studies that conjugated nanoparticles were successfully targeted to CD56-expressing SCLC cells and distributed mainly to tumor tissue and lungs. Compliant with our hypothesis and literature, the STAT3 pathway was successfully inhibited with Stattic solution and Stattic loaded nanoparticles. Additionally, intravenous injection of conjugated co-loaded nanoparticles resulted in decreased side effects and better anti-tumor activity than individual solutions of drugs in SCLC tumor-bearing mice. These results may indicate a new treatment option for clinically aggressive small cell lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatma Betül Arslan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hacettepe University, 06100 Ankara, Turkiye
| | - Kıvılcım Öztürk
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hacettepe University, 06100 Ankara, Turkiye
| | - Ece Tavukçuoğlu
- Department of Basic Oncology, Hacettepe University Cancer Institute, 06100 Ankara, Turkiye
| | - Süleyman Can Öztürk
- Centre for Laboratory Animals Research and Application, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkiye
| | - Güneş Esendağlı
- Department of Basic Oncology, Hacettepe University Cancer Institute, 06100 Ankara, Turkiye
| | - Sema Çalış
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hacettepe University, 06100 Ankara, Turkiye.
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Kong Y, Jiang J, Huang Y, Liu X, Jin Z, Li L, Wei F, Liu X, Yin J, Zhang Y, Tong Q, Chen H. Narciclasine inhibits phospholipase A2 and regulates phospholipid metabolism to ameliorate psoriasis-like dermatitis. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1094375. [PMID: 36700214 PMCID: PMC9869703 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1094375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Psoriasis is a common inflammatory skin disease recognized by the World Health Organization as "an incurable chronic, noninfectious, painful, disfiguring and disabling disease." The fact that metabolic syndrome (MetS) is the most common and important comorbidities of psoriasis suggests an important role of lipid metabolism in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Narciclasine (Ncs) is an alkaloid isolated from the Amaryllidaceae plants. Its biological activities include antitumor, antibacterial, antiinflammatory, anti-angiogenic and promoting energy expenditure to improve dietinduced obesity. Here, we report that Ncs may be a potential candidate for psoriasis, acting at both the organismal and cellular levels. Methods The therapeutic effect of Ncs was assessed in IMQ-induced psoriasis-like mouse model. Then, through in vitro experiments, we explored the inhibitory effect of Ncs on HaCaT cell proliferation and Th17 cell polarization; Transcriptomics and lipidomics were used to analyze the major targets of Ncs; Single-cell sequencing data was used to identify the target cells of Ncs action. Results Ncs can inhibit keratinocyte proliferation and reduce the recruitment of immune cells in the skin by inhibiting psoriasis-associated inflammatory mediators. In addition, it showed a direct repression effect on Th17 cell polarization. Transcriptomic and lipidomic data further revealed that Ncs extensively regulated lipid metabolismrelated genes, especially the Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) family, and increased antiinflammatory lipid molecules. Combined with single-cell data analysis, we confirmed that keratinocytes are the main cells in which Ncs functions. Discussion Taken together, our findings indicate that Ncs alleviates psoriasiform skin inflammation in mice, which is associated with inhibition of PLA2 in keratinocytes and improved phospholipid metabolism. Ncs has the potential for further development as a novel anti-psoriasis drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Kong
- Department of Dermatology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jian Jiang
- Department of Dermatology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yuqiong Huang
- Department of Dermatology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xin Liu
- Department of Dermatology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zilin Jin
- Department of Dermatology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Li Li
- Department of Dermatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shanxi, China
| | - Fen Wei
- Department of Dermatology, Union Shenzhen Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Xinxin Liu
- Department of Dermatology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jie Yin
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji-Rongcheng Center for Biomedicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yonghui Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji-Rongcheng Center for Biomedicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China,*Correspondence: Hongxiang Chen, ; Qingyi Tong, ; Yonghui Zhang,
| | - Qingyi Tong
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji-Rongcheng Center for Biomedicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China,*Correspondence: Hongxiang Chen, ; Qingyi Tong, ; Yonghui Zhang,
| | - Hongxiang Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China,Department of Dermatology, Union Shenzhen Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China,*Correspondence: Hongxiang Chen, ; Qingyi Tong, ; Yonghui Zhang,
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Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids Decrease the Proliferation, Invasion, and Secretion of Clinically Relevant Cytokines by Cultured Human Colon Cancer Cells. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12091267. [PMID: 36139106 PMCID: PMC9496155 DOI: 10.3390/biom12091267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Alkaloids isolated from members of the Amaryllidaceae plant family are promising anticancer agents. The purpose of the current study was to determine if the isocarbostyrils narciclasine, pancratistatin, lycorane, lycorine, crinane, and haemanthamine inhibit phenomena related to cancer progression in vitro. To achieve this, we examined the proliferation, adhesion, and invasion of cultured human colon cancer cells via MTT assay and Matrigel-coated Boyden chambers. In addition, Luminex assays were used to quantify the secretion of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) and cytokines associated with poor clinical outcomes. We found that all alkaloids decreased cell proliferation regardless of TP53 status, with narciclasine exhibiting the greatest potency. The effects on cell proliferation also appear to be specific to cancer cells. Narciclasine, lycorine, and haemanthamine decrease both adhesion and invasion but with various potencies depending on the cell line. In addition, narciclasine, lycorine, and haemanthamine decreased the secretion of MMP-1, -2, and -7, as well as the secretion of the cytokines pentraxin 3 and vascular endothelial growth factor. In conclusion, the present study shows that Amaryllidaceae alkaloids decrease phenomena and cytokines associated with colorectal cancer progression, supporting future investigations regarding their potential as multifaceted drug candidates.
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Lu D, Pan R, Wu W, Zhang Y, Li S, Xu H, Huang J, Xia J, Wang Q, Luan X, Lv C, Zhang W, Meng G. FL-DTD: an integrated pipeline to predict the drug interacting targets by feedback loop-based network analysis. Brief Bioinform 2022; 23:6632928. [PMID: 35794722 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbac263] [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: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug target discovery is an essential step to reveal the mechanism of action (MoA) underlying drug therapeutic effects and/or side effects. Most of the approaches are usually labor-intensive while unable to identify the tissue-specific interacting targets, especially the targets with weaker drug binding affinity. In this work, we proposed an integrated pipeline, FL-DTD, to predict the drug interacting targets of novel compounds in a tissue-specific manner. This method was built based on a hypothesis that cells under a status of homeostasis would take responses to drug perturbation by activating feedback loops. Therefore, the drug interacting targets can be predicted by analyzing the network responses after drug perturbation. We evaluated this method using the expression data of estrogen stimulation, gene manipulation and drug perturbation and validated its good performance to identify the annotated drug targets. Using STAT3 as a target protein, we applied this method to drug perturbation data of 500 natural compounds and predicted five compounds with STAT3 interacting activities. Experimental assay validated the STAT3-interacting activities of four compounds. Overall, our evaluation suggests that FL-DTD predicts the drug interacting targets with good accuracy and can be used for drug target discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Lu
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Cailun 1200, 201203, Shanghai, China
| | - Rongrong Pan
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Cailun 1200, 201203, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenxuan Wu
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Cailun 1200, 201203, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanyan Zhang
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Cailun 1200, 201203, Shanghai, China
| | - Shensuo Li
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Cailun 1200, 201203, Shanghai, China
| | - Hong Xu
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Cailun 1200, 201203, Shanghai, China
| | - Jialan Huang
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Cailun 1200, 201203, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianhua Xia
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Cailun 1200, 201203, Shanghai, China
| | - Qun Wang
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Cailun 1200, 201203, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Luan
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Cailun 1200, 201203, Shanghai, China
| | - Chao Lv
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Cailun 1200, 201203, Shanghai, China
| | - Weidong Zhang
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Cailun 1200, 201203, Shanghai, China
| | - Guofeng Meng
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Cailun 1200, 201203, Shanghai, China
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A new strategy for the rapid identification and validation of direct toxicity targets of psoralen-induced hepatotoxicity. Toxicol Lett 2022; 363:11-26. [PMID: 35597499 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2022.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The interaction between small-molecule compounds of traditional Chinese medicine and their direct targets is the molecular initiation event, which is the key factor for toxicity efficacy. Psoralen, an active component of Fructus Psoraleae, is toxic to the liver and has various pharmacological properties. Although the mechanism of psoralen-induced hepatotoxicity has been studied, the direct target of psoralen remains unclear. Thus, the aim of this study was to discover direct targets of psoralen. To this end, we initially used proteomics based on drug affinity responsive target stability (DARTS) technology to identify the direct targets of psoralen. Next, we used surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis and verified the affinity effect of the 'component-target protein'. This method combines molecular docking technology to explore binding sites between small molecules and proteins. SPR and molecular docking confirmed that psoralen and tyrosine-protein kinase ABL1 could be stably combined. Based on the above experimental results, ABL1 is a potential direct target of psoralen-induced hepatotoxicity. Finally, the targets Nrf2 and mTOR, which are closely related to the hepatotoxicity caused by psoralen, were predicted by integrating proteomics and network pharmacology. The direct target ABL1 is located upstream of Nrf2 and mTOR, Nrf2 can influence the expression of mTOR by affecting the level of reactive oxygen species. Immunofluorescence experiments and western blot results showed that psoralen could affect ROS levels and downstream Nrf2 and mTOR protein changes, whereas the ABL1 inhibitor imatinib and ABL1 agonist DPH could enhance or inhibit this effect. In summary, we speculated that when psoralen causes hepatotoxicity, it acts on the direct target ABL1, resulting in a decrease in Nrf2 expression, an increase in ROS levels and a reduction in mTOR expression, which may cause cell death. We developed a new strategy for predicting and validating the direct targets of psoralen. This strategy identified the toxic target, ABL1, and the potential toxic mechanism of psoralen.
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