1
|
Dai Y, Liang Y, Liu C, Liu T, Chen L, Li Y. Can artemisinin and its derivatives treat malaria in a host-directed manner? Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 225:116260. [PMID: 38705539 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116260] [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: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Malaria is caused by an apicomplexan protozoan parasite, Plasmodium, and is transmitted through vectors. It remains a substantial health burden, especially in developing countries, leading to significant socioeconomic losses. Although the World Health Organization (WHO) has approved various antimalarial medications in the past two decades, the increasing resistance to these medications has worsened the situation. The development of drug resistance stems from genetic diversity among Plasmodium strains, impeding eradication efforts. Consequently, exploring innovative technologies and strategies for developing effective medications based on the host is crucial. Artemisinin and its derivatives (artemisinins) have been recommended by the WHO for treating malaria owing to their known effectiveness in killing the parasite. However, their potential to target the host for malaria treatment has not been investigated. This article concisely reviews the application of host-directed therapeutics, potential drug candidates targeting the host for treating malaria, and usage of artemisinins in numerous diseases. It underscores the importance of host-directed interventions for individuals susceptible to malaria, suggests the potential utility of artemisinins in host-directed malaria treatments, and posits that the modulation of host proteins with artemisinins may offer a means of intervening in host-parasite interactions. Further studies focusing on the host-targeting perspective of artemisinins can provide new insights into the mechanisms of artemisinin resistance and offer a unique opportunity for new antimalarial drug discovery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yue Dai
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China; Artemisinin Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Yan Liang
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China; Artemisinin Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Chengcheng Liu
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China; Artemisinin Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Tuo Liu
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China; Artemisinin Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Lina Chen
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China; Artemisinin Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
| | - Yujie Li
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Li Y, Sun H, Bai C, Hu Y, Tang J, Zhang Y, Chen J, Zhong Z, He Y, Hu K, Yang J. Dihydroartemisinin inhibits tumor progress via blocking ROR1-induced STAT3-activation in non-small cell lung cancer. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 133:112157. [PMID: 38678671 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.112157] [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: 01/06/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), identifying a component with certain molecular targets can aid research on cancer treatment. Dihydroartemisinin (DHA) is a semisynthetic derivative of artemisinin which induced the anti-cancer effects via the STAT3 signaling pathway, but the underlying molecular mechanism is still elusive. In this study, we first proved that DHA prohibits the growth of tumors both in vitro and in vivo. Data from transcriptomics showed that DHA reduced the expression level of the genes involved in cell cycle-promoting and anti-apoptosis, and most importantly, DHA restricted the expression level of receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 (ROR1) which has been reported to have abnormal expression on tumor cells and had close interaction with STAT3 signaling. Then, we performed comprehensive experiments and found that DHA remarkably decreased the expression of ROR1 at both mRNA and protein levels and it also diminished the phosphorylation level of STAT3 in NSCLC cell lines. In addition, our data showed that exogenously introduced ROR1 could significantly enhance the phosphorylation of STAT3 while blocking ROR1 had the opposite effects indicating that ROR1 plays a critical role in promoting the activity of STAT3 signaling. Finally, we found that ROR1 overexpression could partially reverse the decreased activity of STAT3 induced by DHA which indicates that DHA-induced anti-growth signaling is conferred, at least in part, through blocking ROR1-mediated STAT3 activation. In summary, our study indicates that in NSCLC, ROR1 could be one of the critical molecular targets mediating DHA-induced STAT3 retardation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanping Li
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, China.
| | - Haoyi Sun
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, China.
| | - Caihong Bai
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, China.
| | - Youfan Hu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, China.
| | - Jingyi Tang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, China.
| | - Yuxi Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, China.
| | - Jilan Chen
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, China.
| | - Zhanqiong Zhong
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, China.
| | - Yuping He
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, China.
| | - Kaifeng Hu
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, China.
| | - Jiahui Yang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Weathers P, Towler M, Kiani BH, Dolivo D, Dominko T. Differential Anti-Fibrotic and Remodeling Responses of Human Dermal Fibroblasts to Artemisia sp., Artemisinin, and Its Derivatives. Molecules 2024; 29:2107. [PMID: 38731597 PMCID: PMC11085156 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29092107] [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: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Fibrosis is a ubiquitous pathology, and prior studies have indicated that various artemisinin (ART) derivatives (including artesunate (AS), artemether (AM), and dihydroartemisinin (DHA)) can reduce fibrosis in vitro and in vivo. The medicinal plant Artemisia annua L. is the natural source of ART and is widely used, especially in underdeveloped countries, to treat a variety of diseases including malaria. A. afra contains no ART but is also antimalarial. Using human dermal fibroblasts (CRL-2097), we compared the effects of A. annua and A. afra tea infusions, ART, AS, AM, DHA, and a liver metabolite of ART, deoxyART (dART), on fibroblast viability and expression of key fibrotic marker genes after 1 and 4 days of treatment. AS, DHA, and Artemisia teas reduced fibroblast viability 4 d post-treatment in up to 80% of their respective controls. After 4 d of treatment, AS DHA and Artemisia teas downregulated ACTA2 up to 10 fold while ART had no significant effect, and AM increased viability by 10%. MMP1 and MMP3 were upregulated by AS, 17.5 and 32.6 fold, respectively, and by DHA, 8 and 51.8 fold, respectively. ART had no effect, but A. annua and A. afra teas increased MMP3 5 and 16-fold, respectively. Although A. afra tea increased COL3A1 5 fold, MMP1 decreased >7 fold with no change in either transcript by A. annua tea. Although A. annua contains ART, it had a significantly greater anti-fibrotic effect than ART alone but was less effective than A. afra. Immunofluorescent staining for smooth-muscle α-actin (α-SMA) correlated well with the transcriptional responses of drug-treated fibroblasts. Together, proliferation, qPCR, and immunofluorescence results show that treatment with ART, AS, DHA, and the two Artemisia teas yield differing responses, including those related to fibrosis, in human dermal fibroblasts, with evidence also of remodeling of fibrotic ECM.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Weathers
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA 01609, USA; (M.T.); (B.H.K.); (D.D.); (T.D.)
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Zhou H, Chen M, Zhao C, Shao R, Xu Y, Zhao W. The Natural Product Secoemestrin C Inhibits Colorectal Cancer Stem Cells via p38-S100A8 Feed-Forward Regulatory Loop. Cells 2024; 13:620. [PMID: 38607060 PMCID: PMC11011747 DOI: 10.3390/cells13070620] [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: 02/24/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are closely associated with tumor initiation, metastasis, chemoresistance, and recurrence, which represent some of the primary obstacles to cancer treatment. Targeting CSCs has become an important therapeutic approach to cancer care. Secoemestrin C (Sec C) is a natural compound with strong anti-tumor activity and low toxicity. Here, we report that Sec C effectively inhibited colorectal CSCs and non-CSCs concurrently, mainly by inhibiting proliferation, self-renewal, metastasis, and drug resistance. Mechanistically, RNA-seq analysis showed that the pro-inflammation pathway of the IL17 axis was enriched, and its effector S100A8 was dramatically decreased in Sec C-treated cells, whose roles in the stemness of CSCs have not been fully clarified. We found that the overexpression of S100A8 hindered the anti-CSCs effect of Sec C, and S100A8 deficiency attenuated the stemness traits of CSCs to enhance the Sec C killing activity on them. Meanwhile, the p38 signal pathway, belonging to the IL17 downstream axis, can also mediate CSCs and counter with Sec C. Notably, we found that S100A8 upregulation increased the p38 protein level, and p38, in turn, promoted S100A8 expression. This indicated that p38 may have a mutual feedback loop with S100A8. Our study discovered that Sec C was a powerful anti-colorectal CSC agent, and that the positive feedback loop of p38-S100A8 mediated Sec C activity. This showed that Sec C could act as a promising clinical candidate in colorectal cancer treatment, and S100A8 could be a prospective drug target.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huimin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Health and Multimorbidity, Key Laboratory of Antibiotic Bioengineering, Ministry of Health, Laboratory of Oncology, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China; (H.Z.); (C.Z.); (R.S.)
| | - Minghua Chen
- NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology of Antibiotics, National Center for New Microbial Drug Screening, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, 1 Tiantan Xili, Beijing 100050, China;
| | - Cong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Health and Multimorbidity, Key Laboratory of Antibiotic Bioengineering, Ministry of Health, Laboratory of Oncology, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China; (H.Z.); (C.Z.); (R.S.)
| | - Rongguang Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Health and Multimorbidity, Key Laboratory of Antibiotic Bioengineering, Ministry of Health, Laboratory of Oncology, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China; (H.Z.); (C.Z.); (R.S.)
| | - Yanni Xu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology of Antibiotics, National Center for New Microbial Drug Screening, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, 1 Tiantan Xili, Beijing 100050, China;
| | - Wuli Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Health and Multimorbidity, Key Laboratory of Antibiotic Bioengineering, Ministry of Health, Laboratory of Oncology, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China; (H.Z.); (C.Z.); (R.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Gao P, Wang J, Qiu C, Zhang H, Wang C, Zhang Y, Sun P, Chen H, Wong YK, Chen J, Zhang J, Tang H, Shi Q, Zhu Y, Shen S, Han G, Xu C, Dai L, Wang J. Photoaffinity probe-based antimalarial target identification of artemisinin in the intraerythrocytic developmental cycle of Plasmodium falciparum. IMETA 2024; 3:e176. [PMID: 38882489 PMCID: PMC11170969 DOI: 10.1002/imt2.176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Malaria continues to pose a serious global health threat, and artemisinin remains the core drug for global malaria control. However, the situation of malaria resistance has become increasingly severe due to the emergence and spread of artemisinin resistance. In recent years, significant progress has been made in understanding the mechanism of action (MoA) of artemisinin. Prior research on the MoA of artemisinin mainly focused on covalently bound targets that are alkylated by artemisinin-free radicals. However, less attention has been given to the reversible noncovalent binding targets, and there is a paucity of information regarding artemisinin targets at different life cycle stages of the parasite. In this study, we identified the protein targets of artemisinin at different stages of the parasite's intraerythrocytic developmental cycle using a photoaffinity probe. Our findings demonstrate that artemisinin interacts with parasite proteins in vivo through both covalent and noncovalent modes. Extensive mechanistic studies were then conducted by integrating target validation, phenotypic studies, and untargeted metabolomics. The results suggest that protein synthesis, glycolysis, and oxidative homeostasis are critically involved in the antimalarial activities of artemisinin. In summary, this study provides fresh insights into the mechanisms underlying artemisinin's antimalarial effects and its protein targets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peng Gao
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medical China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Beijing China
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Shenzhen Institute of Respiratory Diseases, and Shenzhen Clinical Research Centre for Geriatrics Shenzhen People's Hospital; First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology Shenzhen China
| | - Jianyou Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drugs, School of Pharmacy Henan University Kaifeng China
| | - Chong Qiu
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medical China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Beijing China
| | - Huimin Zhang
- Shandong Academy of Chinese Medicine Jinan China
| | - Chen Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medical China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Beijing China
| | - Ying Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medical China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Beijing China
| | - Peng Sun
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medical China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Beijing China
| | - Honglin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drugs, School of Pharmacy Henan University Kaifeng China
| | - Yin Kwan Wong
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medical China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Beijing China
| | - Jiayun Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medical China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Beijing China
| | - Junzhe Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medical China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Beijing China
| | - Huan Tang
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medical China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Beijing China
| | - Qiaoli Shi
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medical China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Beijing China
| | - Yongping Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medical China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Beijing China
| | - Shengnan Shen
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medical China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Beijing China
| | - Guang Han
- State Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drugs, School of Pharmacy Henan University Kaifeng China
| | - Chengchao Xu
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medical China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Beijing China
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Shenzhen Institute of Respiratory Diseases, and Shenzhen Clinical Research Centre for Geriatrics Shenzhen People's Hospital; First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology Shenzhen China
| | - Lingyun Dai
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Shenzhen Institute of Respiratory Diseases, and Shenzhen Clinical Research Centre for Geriatrics Shenzhen People's Hospital; First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology Shenzhen China
| | - Jigang Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medical China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Beijing China
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Shenzhen Institute of Respiratory Diseases, and Shenzhen Clinical Research Centre for Geriatrics Shenzhen People's Hospital; First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology Shenzhen China
- State Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drugs, School of Pharmacy Henan University Kaifeng China
- Shandong Academy of Chinese Medicine Jinan China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Xia LJ, Wan L, Gao A, Yu YX, Zhou SY, He Q, Li G, Ren H, Lian XL, Zhao DH, Liao XP, Liu YH, Qiu W, Sun J. Targeted inhibition of gut bacterial β-glucuronidases by octyl gallate alleviates mycophenolate mofetil-induced gastrointestinal toxicity. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 264:130145. [PMID: 38382789 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.130145] [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: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is a viable therapeutic option against various immune disorders as a chemotherapeutic agent. Nevertheless, its application has been undermined by the gastrotoxic metabolites (mycophenolic acid glucuronide, MPAG) produced by microbiome-associated β-glucuronidase (βGUS). Therefore, controlling microbiota-produced βGUS underlines the potential strategy to improve MMF efficacy by overcoming the dosage limitation. In this study, the octyl gallate (OG) was identified with promising inhibitory activity on hydrolysis of PNPG in our high throughput screening based on a chemical collection of approximately 2000 natural products. Furthermore, OG was also found to inhibit a broad spectrum of BGUSs, including mini-Loop1, Loop 2, mini-Loop 2, and mini-Loop1,2. The further in vivo experiments demonstrated that administration of 20 mg/kg OG resulted in predominant reduction in the activity of BGUSs while displayed no impact on the overall fecal microbiome in mice. Furthermore, in the MMF-induced colitis model, the administration of OG at a dosage of 20 mg/kg effectively mitigated the gastrointestinal toxicity, and systematically reverted the colitis phenotypes. These findings indicate that the OG holds promising clinical potential for the prevention of MMF-induced gastrointestinal toxicity by inhibition of BGUSs and could be developed as a combinatorial therapy with MFF for better clinical outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Li-Juan Xia
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics, Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Lei Wan
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics, Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Ang Gao
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics, Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Yong-Xin Yu
- Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shi-Ying Zhou
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics, Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Qian He
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics, Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Gong Li
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics, Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Hao Ren
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics, Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Xin-Lei Lian
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics, Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Dong-Hao Zhao
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics, Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Xiao-Ping Liao
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics, Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Ya-Hong Liu
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics, Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Wei Qiu
- Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Jian Sun
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics, Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Sumlu E, Aydin M, Korucu EN, Alyar S, Nsangou AM. Artemisinin May Disrupt Hyphae Formation by Suppressing Biofilm-Related Genes of Candida albicans: In Vitro and In Silico Approaches. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024; 13:310. [PMID: 38666986 PMCID: PMC11047306 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13040310] [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: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to assess the antifungal and antibiofilm efficacy of artemisinin against Candida (C.) species, analyze its impact on gene expression levels within C. albicans biofilms, and investigate the molecular interactions through molecular docking. The antifungal efficacy of artemisinin on a variety of Candida species, including fluconazole-resistant and -susceptible species, was evaluated by the microdilution method. The effect of artemisinin on C. albicans biofilm formation was investigated by MTT and FESEM. The mRNA expression of the genes related to biofilm was analyzed by qRT-PCR. In addition, molecular docking analysis was used to understand the interaction between artemisinin and C. albicans at the molecular level with RAS1-cAMP-EFG1 and EFG1-regulated genes. Artemisinin showed higher sensitivity against non-albicans Candida strains. Furthermore, artemisinin was strongly inhibitory against C. albicans biofilms at 640 µg/mL. Artemisinin downregulated adhesion-related genes ALS3, HWP1, and ECE1, hyphal development genes UME6 and HGC1, and hyphal CAMP-dependent protein kinase regulators CYR1, RAS1, and EFG1. Furthermore, molecular docking analysis revealed that artemisinin and EFG1 had the highest affinity, followed by UME6. FESEM analysis showed that the fluconazole- and artemisinin-treated groups exhibited a reduced hyphal network, unusual surface bulges, and the formation of pores on the cell surfaces. Our study suggests that artemisinin may have antifungal potential and showed a remarkable antibiofilm activity by significantly suppressing adhesion and hyphal development through interaction with key proteins involved in biofilm formation, such as EFG1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Esra Sumlu
- Department of Medical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, KTO Karatay University, 42020 Konya, Turkey;
| | - Merve Aydin
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, KTO Karatay University, 42020 Konya, Turkey
| | - Emine Nedime Korucu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Necmettin Erbakan University, 42090 Konya, Turkey;
| | - Saliha Alyar
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Karatekin University, 18100 Çankırı, Turkey;
| | - Ahmed Moustapha Nsangou
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Selçuk University, 42130 Konya, Turkey;
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Liu C, Liu Y, Yang S, Zheng B, Zhang Y. Electrochemical Lactonization Enabled by Unusual Shono-Type Oxidation from Functionalized Benzoic Acids. Org Lett 2024; 26:1936-1940. [PMID: 38407049 DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.4c00318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
A novel method for electrochemical lactonization via C(sp3)-H functionalization was developed. This metal- and oxidant-free strategy enabled the efficient synthesis of various lactones. Gram-scale reaction and derivatization of the lactone product demonstrated the synthetic utility of this methodology. Mechanistic studies using control experiments and CV curves elucidated the proposed intramolecular HAT and the oxidative cyclization pathway. An unusual Shono-type oxidation was realized through this electrochemical approach, proceeding without a traditional nucleophilic addition process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chen Liu
- College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, P. R. China
| | - Yunge Liu
- College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, P. R. China
| | - Shurui Yang
- College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, P. R. China
| | - Bing Zheng
- College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, P. R. China
| | - Yunfei Zhang
- College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Wang Z, Guo S, Cai Y, Yang Q, Wang Y, Yu X, Sun W, Qiu S, Li X, Guo Y, Xie Y, Zhang A, Zheng S. Decoding active compounds and molecular targets of herbal medicine by high-throughput metabolomics technology: A systematic review. Bioorg Chem 2024; 144:107090. [PMID: 38218070 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.107090] [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: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Clinical experiences of herbal medicine (HM) have been used to treat a variety of human intractable diseases. As the treatment of diseases using HM is characterized by multi-components and multi-targets, it is difficult to determine the bio-active components, explore the molecular targets and reveal the mechanisms of action. Metabolomics is frequently used to characterize the effect of external disturbances on organisms because of its unique advantages on detecting changes in endogenous small-molecule metabolites. Its systematicity and integrity are consistent with the effective characteristics of HM. After HM intervention, metabolomics can accurately capture and describe the behavior of endogenous metabolites under the disturbance of functional compounds, which will be used to decode the bioactive ingredients of HM and expound the molecular targets. Metabolomics can provide an approach for explaining HM, addressing unclear clinical efficacy and undefined mechanisms of action. In this review, the metabolomics strategy and its applications in HM are systematically introduced, which offers valuable insights for metabolomics methods to characterizing the pharmacological effects and molecular targets of HM.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhibo Wang
- Scientific Experiment Center, Hainan General Hospital, International Advanced Functional Omics Platform, International Joint Research Center on Traditional Chinese and Modern Medicine, Key Laboratory of Tropical Cardiovascular Diseases Research of Hainan Province, Hainan Engineering Research Center for Biological Sample Resources of Major Diseases, Hainan Medical University, Xueyuan Road 3, Haikou 571199, China; Graduate School, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Sifan Guo
- Scientific Experiment Center, Hainan General Hospital, International Advanced Functional Omics Platform, International Joint Research Center on Traditional Chinese and Modern Medicine, Key Laboratory of Tropical Cardiovascular Diseases Research of Hainan Province, Hainan Engineering Research Center for Biological Sample Resources of Major Diseases, Hainan Medical University, Xueyuan Road 3, Haikou 571199, China
| | - Ying Cai
- Scientific Experiment Center, Hainan General Hospital, International Advanced Functional Omics Platform, International Joint Research Center on Traditional Chinese and Modern Medicine, Key Laboratory of Tropical Cardiovascular Diseases Research of Hainan Province, Hainan Engineering Research Center for Biological Sample Resources of Major Diseases, Hainan Medical University, Xueyuan Road 3, Haikou 571199, China; Graduate School, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Qiang Yang
- Graduate School, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Scientific Experiment Center, Hainan General Hospital, International Advanced Functional Omics Platform, International Joint Research Center on Traditional Chinese and Modern Medicine, Key Laboratory of Tropical Cardiovascular Diseases Research of Hainan Province, Hainan Engineering Research Center for Biological Sample Resources of Major Diseases, Hainan Medical University, Xueyuan Road 3, Haikou 571199, China
| | - Xiaodan Yu
- Scientific Experiment Center, Hainan General Hospital, International Advanced Functional Omics Platform, International Joint Research Center on Traditional Chinese and Modern Medicine, Key Laboratory of Tropical Cardiovascular Diseases Research of Hainan Province, Hainan Engineering Research Center for Biological Sample Resources of Major Diseases, Hainan Medical University, Xueyuan Road 3, Haikou 571199, China
| | - Wanying Sun
- Scientific Experiment Center, Hainan General Hospital, International Advanced Functional Omics Platform, International Joint Research Center on Traditional Chinese and Modern Medicine, Key Laboratory of Tropical Cardiovascular Diseases Research of Hainan Province, Hainan Engineering Research Center for Biological Sample Resources of Major Diseases, Hainan Medical University, Xueyuan Road 3, Haikou 571199, China
| | - Shi Qiu
- Scientific Experiment Center, Hainan General Hospital, International Advanced Functional Omics Platform, International Joint Research Center on Traditional Chinese and Modern Medicine, Key Laboratory of Tropical Cardiovascular Diseases Research of Hainan Province, Hainan Engineering Research Center for Biological Sample Resources of Major Diseases, Hainan Medical University, Xueyuan Road 3, Haikou 571199, China.
| | - Xiancai Li
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xingke Road 723, Guangzhou 510650, China.
| | - Yu Guo
- Scientific Experiment Center, Hainan General Hospital, International Advanced Functional Omics Platform, International Joint Research Center on Traditional Chinese and Modern Medicine, Key Laboratory of Tropical Cardiovascular Diseases Research of Hainan Province, Hainan Engineering Research Center for Biological Sample Resources of Major Diseases, Hainan Medical University, Xueyuan Road 3, Haikou 571199, China.
| | - Yiqiang Xie
- Scientific Experiment Center, Hainan General Hospital, International Advanced Functional Omics Platform, International Joint Research Center on Traditional Chinese and Modern Medicine, Key Laboratory of Tropical Cardiovascular Diseases Research of Hainan Province, Hainan Engineering Research Center for Biological Sample Resources of Major Diseases, Hainan Medical University, Xueyuan Road 3, Haikou 571199, China.
| | - Aihua Zhang
- Scientific Experiment Center, Hainan General Hospital, International Advanced Functional Omics Platform, International Joint Research Center on Traditional Chinese and Modern Medicine, Key Laboratory of Tropical Cardiovascular Diseases Research of Hainan Province, Hainan Engineering Research Center for Biological Sample Resources of Major Diseases, Hainan Medical University, Xueyuan Road 3, Haikou 571199, China; Graduate School, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150040, China.
| | - Shaojiang Zheng
- Medical Research Center of The First Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Women and Children Medical Center, Key Laboratory of Emergency and Trauma of Ministry of Education, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Li Y, Yang Y, Li L, Tang K, Hao X, Kai G. Advanced metabolic engineering strategies for increasing artemisinin yield in Artemisia annua L. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2024; 11:uhad292. [PMID: 38414837 PMCID: PMC10898619 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhad292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Artemisinin, also known as 'Qinghaosu', is a chemically sesquiterpene lactone containing an endoperoxide bridge. Due to the high activity to kill Plasmodium parasites, artemisinin and its derivatives have continuously served as the foundation for antimalarial therapies. Natural artemisinin is unique to the traditional Chinese medicinal plant Artemisia annua L., and its content in this plant is low. This has motivated the synthesis of this bioactive compound using yeast, tobacco, and Physcomitrium patens systems. However, the artemisinin production in these heterologous hosts is low and cannot fulfil its increasing clinical demand. Therefore, A. annua plants remain the major source of this bioactive component. Recently, the transcriptional regulatory networks related to artemisinin biosynthesis and glandular trichome formation have been extensively studied in A. annua. Various strategies including (i) enhancing the metabolic flux in artemisinin biosynthetic pathway; (ii) blocking competition branch pathways; (iii) using transcription factors (TFs); (iv) increasing peltate glandular secretory trichome (GST) density; (v) applying exogenous factors; and (vi) phytohormones have been used to improve artemisinin yields. Here we summarize recent scientific advances and achievements in artemisinin metabolic engineering, and discuss prospects in the development of high-artemisinin yielding A. annua varieties. This review provides new insights into revealing the transcriptional regulatory networks of other high-value plant-derived natural compounds (e.g., taxol, vinblastine, and camptothecin), as well as glandular trichome formation. It is also helpful for the researchers who intend to promote natural compounds production in other plants species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yongpeng Li
- Zhejiang Provincial TCM Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Resource Innovation and Transformation, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Active Ingredients of Medicinal and Edible Plants and Health, Jinhua Academy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Yinkai Yang
- Zhejiang Provincial TCM Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Resource Innovation and Transformation, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Active Ingredients of Medicinal and Edible Plants and Health, Jinhua Academy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Ling Li
- Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, Plant Biotechnology Research Center, Fudan-SJTU-Nottingham Plant Biotechnology R&D Center, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Kexuan Tang
- Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, Plant Biotechnology Research Center, Fudan-SJTU-Nottingham Plant Biotechnology R&D Center, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Xiaolong Hao
- Zhejiang Provincial TCM Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Resource Innovation and Transformation, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Active Ingredients of Medicinal and Edible Plants and Health, Jinhua Academy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Guoyin Kai
- Zhejiang Provincial TCM Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Resource Innovation and Transformation, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Active Ingredients of Medicinal and Edible Plants and Health, Jinhua Academy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Lim HS, Park G. Artemisinin protects dopaminergic neurons against 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-induced neurotoxicity in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 170:115972. [PMID: 38056239 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115972] [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: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Artemisinin is an antimalarial drug that has been used for almost half a century. However, the anti-Parkinson's disease (PD) effects of artemisinin with respect to 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced oxidative stress have not yet been investigated while focusing on NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling. Thus, we sought to assess the behavioral and oxidative mechanistic effects of artemisinin on MPTP-induced toxicity via the Nrf2 signaling pathway. We explored this through immunohistochemical assays, ELISA, in differentiated PC12 cells treated with siRNA, and with a PD mouse model. Artemisinin increased Nrf2 DNA-binding activity and HO-1 and NQO1 expression. Artemisinin treatment protected cells against MPP+ -induced neuronal death signaling, including NADH dehydrogenase activity, reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial membrane potential, and cleaved caspase-3. Moreover, it protected cells against MPTP-induced behavioral impairments and significantly reduced dopaminergic neuronal loss. Additionally, Nrf2 pre-inhibition using ML385 neutralized the inhibitory effects of artemisinin on dopaminergic neuronal damage and behavioral impairments induced by MPTP. Our results suggest that artemisinin inhibits MPTP-induced behavioral and neurotoxic effects in mice. This provides a foundation for further research to evaluate artemisinin as a potential therapeutic agent for PD.
Collapse
MESH Headings
- Rats
- Mice
- Animals
- Parkinson Disease/drug therapy
- 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine/metabolism
- 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine/pharmacology
- 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine/therapeutic use
- Dopaminergic Neurons
- NF-E2-Related Factor 2/metabolism
- Neuroprotective Agents/pharmacology
- Neuroprotective Agents/therapeutic use
- Neuroprotective Agents/metabolism
- Neurotoxicity Syndromes/metabolism
- Artemisinins/pharmacology
- Artemisinins/therapeutic use
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Disease Models, Animal
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hye-Sun Lim
- Herbal Medicine Resources Research Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, 111 Geonjae-ro, Naju-si, Jeollanam-do 58245, Republic of Korea
| | - Gunhyuk Park
- Herbal Medicine Resources Research Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, 111 Geonjae-ro, Naju-si, Jeollanam-do 58245, Republic of Korea; University of Science & Technology (UST), Korean Convergence Medicine Major, Campus of Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Ke J, Li MT, Xu S, Ma J, Liu MY, Han Y. Advances for pharmacological activities of Polygonum cuspidatum - A review. PHARMACEUTICAL BIOLOGY 2023; 61:177-188. [PMID: 36620922 PMCID: PMC9833411 DOI: 10.1080/13880209.2022.2158349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb. et Zucc (Polygonaceae), the root of which is included in the Chinese Pharmcopoeia under the name 'Huzhang', has a long history as a medicinal plant and vegetable. Polygonum cuspidatum has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of inflammation, hyperlipemia, etc. OBJECTIVE This article reviews the pharmacological action and the clinical applications of Polygonum cuspidatum and its extracts, whether in vivo or in vitro. We also summarized the main phytochemical constituents and pharmacokinetics of Polygonum cuspidatum and its extracts. METHODS The data were retrieved from major medical databases, such as CNKI, PubMed, and SinoMed, from 2014 to 2022. Polygonum cuspidatum, pharmacology, toxicity, clinical application, and pharmacokinetics were used as keywords. RESULTS The rhizomes, leaves, and flowers of Polygonum cuspidatum have different phytochemical constituents. The plant contains flavonoids, anthraquinones, and stilbenes. Polygonum cuspidatum and the extracts have anti-inflammatory, antioxidation, anticancer, heart protection, and other pharmacological effects. It is used in the clinics to treat dizziness, headaches, traumatic injuries, and water and fire burns. CONCLUSIONS Polygonum cuspidatum has the potential to treat many diseases, such as arthritis, ulcerative colitis, asthma, and cardiac hypertrophy. It has a broad range of medicinal applications, but mainly focused on root medication; its aerial parts should receive more attention. Pharmacokinetics also need to be further investigated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jia Ke
- Department of Neurology, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Meng-Ting Li
- Department of Neurology, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuyang Xu
- Monteverde Academy Shanghai, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianpeng Ma
- Multiscale Research Institute of Complex Systems, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ming-Yuan Liu
- Department of Neurology, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Han
- Department of Neurology, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Wang K, Zhang H, Yuan L, Li X, Cai Y. Potential Implications of Hyperoside on Oxidative Stress-Induced Human Diseases: A Comprehensive Review. J Inflamm Res 2023; 16:4503-4526. [PMID: 37854313 PMCID: PMC10581022 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s418222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Hyperoside is a flavonol glycoside mainly found in plants of the genera Hypericum and Crataegus, and also detected in many plant species such as Abelmoschus manihot, Ribes nigrum, Rosa rugosa, Agrostis stolonifera, Apocynum venetum and Nelumbo nucifera. This compound exhibits a multitude of biological functions including anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, antioxidative, vascular protective effects and neuroprotective effects, etc. This review summarizes the quantification, original plant, chemical structure and property, structure-activity relationship, pharmacologic effect, pharmacokinetics, toxicity and clinical application of hyperoside, which will be significant for the exploitation for new drug and full utilization of this compound.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kaiyang Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huhai Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lie Yuan
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
- Chongqing Key Research Laboratory for Drug Metabolism, College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaoli Li
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
- Chongqing Key Research Laboratory for Drug Metabolism, College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yongqing Cai
- Department of Pharmacy, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Moyo P, Invernizzi L, Mianda SM, Rudolph W, Andayi WA, Wang M, Crouch NR, Maharaj VJ. Leveraging off higher plant phylogenetic insights for antiplasmodial drug discovery. NATURAL PRODUCTS AND BIOPROSPECTING 2023; 13:35. [PMID: 37798547 PMCID: PMC10555984 DOI: 10.1007/s13659-023-00396-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
The antimalarial drug-resistance conundrum which threatens to reverse the great strides taken to curb the malaria scourge warrants an urgent need to find novel chemical scaffolds to serve as templates for the development of new antimalarial drugs. Plants represent a viable alternative source for the discovery of unique potential antiplasmodial chemical scaffolds. To expedite the discovery of new antiplasmodial compounds from plants, the aim of this study was to use phylogenetic analysis to identify higher plant orders and families that can be rationally prioritised for antimalarial drug discovery. We queried the PubMed database for publications documenting antiplasmodial properties of natural compounds isolated from higher plants. Thereafter, we manually collated compounds reported along with plant species of origin and relevant pharmacological data. We systematically assigned antiplasmodial-associated plant species into recognised families and orders, and then computed the resistance index, selectivity index and physicochemical properties of the compounds from each taxonomic group. Correlating the generated phylogenetic trees and the biological data of each clade allowed for the identification of 3 'hot' plant orders and families. The top 3 ranked plant orders were the (i) Caryophyllales, (ii) Buxales, and (iii) Chloranthales. The top 3 ranked plant families were the (i) Ancistrocladaceae, (ii) Simaroubaceae, and (iii) Buxaceae. The highly active natural compounds (IC50 ≤ 1 µM) isolated from these plant orders and families are structurally unique to the 'legacy' antimalarial drugs. Our study was able to identify the most prolific taxa at order and family rank that we propose be prioritised in the search for potent, safe and drug-like antimalarial molecules.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Phanankosi Moyo
- Biodiscovery Center, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X 20, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Luke Invernizzi
- Biodiscovery Center, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X 20, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Sephora M Mianda
- Biodiscovery Center, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X 20, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Wiehan Rudolph
- Biodiscovery Center, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X 20, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Warren A Andayi
- Department of Physical and Biological Sciences, Murang'a University of Technology, Murang'a, Kenya
| | - Mingxun Wang
- Computer Science and Engineering, University of California Riverside, 900 University Ave, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Neil R Crouch
- Biodiversity Research and Monitoring Directorate, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Berea Road, P.O. Box 52099, Durban, 4007, South Africa
- School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 4041, South Africa
| | - Vinesh J Maharaj
- Biodiscovery Center, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X 20, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Li Y, Zeng ZW, Chen D, Gu ZC, Yan WL, Yue LY, Zhu RG, Zhao YL, Chen L, Zhao QJ, He B. Facilitated Drug Repurposing with Artemisinin-Derived PROTACs: Unveiling PCLAF as a Therapeutic Target. J Med Chem 2023; 66:11335-11350. [PMID: 37552639 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Artemisinin, a prominent anti-malaria drug, is being investigated for its potential as a repurposed cancer treatment. However, its effectiveness in tumor cell lines remains limited, and its mechanism of action is unclear. To make more progress, the PROteolysis-TArgeting chimera (PROTAC) technique has been applied to design and synthesize novel artemisinin derivatives in this study. Among them, AD4, the most potent compound, exhibited an IC50 value of 50.6 nM in RS4;11 cells, over 12-fold better than that of its parent compound, SM1044. This was supported by prolonged survival of RS4;11-transplanted NOD/SCID mice. Meanwhile, AD4 effectively degraded PCLAF in RS4;11 cells and thus activated the p21/Rb axis to exert antitumor activity by directly targeting PCLAF. The discovery of AD4 highlights the great potential of using PROTACs to improve the efficacy of natural products, identify therapeutic targets, and facilitate drug repurposing. This opens a promising avenue for transforming other natural products into effective therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal, Plants Engineering Research Center for the Development and Application of Ethnic Medicine and TCM (Ministry of Education), Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, School of Basic Medical Science, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, China
| | - Zi Wei Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal, Plants Engineering Research Center for the Development and Application of Ethnic Medicine and TCM (Ministry of Education), Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, School of Basic Medical Science, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, China
| | - Di Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal, Plants Engineering Research Center for the Development and Application of Ethnic Medicine and TCM (Ministry of Education), Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, School of Basic Medical Science, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, China
| | - Zhi Cheng Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal, Plants Engineering Research Center for the Development and Application of Ethnic Medicine and TCM (Ministry of Education), Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, School of Basic Medical Science, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, China
| | - Wan Li Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal, Plants Engineering Research Center for the Development and Application of Ethnic Medicine and TCM (Ministry of Education), Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, School of Basic Medical Science, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, China
| | - Ling Yun Yue
- Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Ren Guang Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal, Plants Engineering Research Center for the Development and Application of Ethnic Medicine and TCM (Ministry of Education), Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, School of Basic Medical Science, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, China
| | - Yong Long Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal, Plants Engineering Research Center for the Development and Application of Ethnic Medicine and TCM (Ministry of Education), Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, School of Basic Medical Science, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, China
| | - Lei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal, Plants Engineering Research Center for the Development and Application of Ethnic Medicine and TCM (Ministry of Education), Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, School of Basic Medical Science, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, China
| | - Qing Jie Zhao
- The Research Center of Chiral Drugs, Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine (IRI), Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Bin He
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal, Plants Engineering Research Center for the Development and Application of Ethnic Medicine and TCM (Ministry of Education), Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, School of Basic Medical Science, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, China
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Guan L, Wang H, Xu X, Fan H. Therapeutical Utilization and Repurposing of Artemisinin and Its Derivatives: A Narrative Review. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2023; 7:e2300086. [PMID: 37178448 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202300086] [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: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Artemisinin (ART) and its derivatives have great therapeutical utility as antimalarials and can be repurposed for other indications, such as viral infections, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. This review presents a comprehensive overview of the therapeutic effects of ART-based drugs, beyond their antimalarial effects. This review also summarizes the information on their repurposing in other pathologies, with the hope that it will guide the future optimization of the use of ART-based drugs and of the treatment strategies for the listed diseases. By reviewing related literature, ART extraction and structure as well as the synthesis and structure of its derivatives are presented. Subsequently, the traditional roles of ART and its derivatives against malaria are reviewed, including antimalarial mechanism and occurrence of antimalarial resistance. Finally, the potential of ART and its derivatives to be repurposed for the treatment of other diseases are summarized. The great repurposing potential of ART and its derivatives may be useful for the control of emerging diseases with corresponding pathologies, and future research should be directed toward the synthesis of more effective derivatives or better combinations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lin Guan
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, P. R. China
| | - Huiyong Wang
- Wuhan Humanwell Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Wuhan, 430206, P. R. China
| | - Xiaolong Xu
- Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100010, P. R. China
| | - Huahao Fan
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Gehlot P, Vyas VK. Recent advances on patents of Plasmodium falciparum dihydroorotate dehydrogenase ( PfDHODH) inhibitors as antimalarial agents. Expert Opin Ther Pat 2023; 33:579-596. [PMID: 37942637 DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2023.2280596] [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: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Pyrimidine nucleotides are essential for the parasite's growth and replication. Parasites have only a de novo pathway for the biosynthesis of pyrimidine nucleotides. Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) enzyme is involved in the rate-limiting step of the pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway. DHODH is a biochemical target for the discovery of new antimalarial agents. AREA COVERED This review discussed the development of patented PfDHODH inhibitors published between 2007 and 2023 along with their chemical structures and activities. EXPERT OPINION PfDHODH enzyme is involved in the rate-limiting fourth step of the pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway. Thus, inhibition of PfDHODH using species-selective inhibitors has drawn much attention for treating malaria because they inhibit parasite growth without affecting normal human functions. Looking at the current scenario of antimalarial drug resistance with most of the available antimalarial drugs, there is a huge need for targeted newer agents. Newer agents with unique mechanisms of action may be devoid of drug toxicity, adverse effects, and the ability of parasites to quickly gain resistance, and PfDHODH inhibitors can be those newer agents. Many PfDHODH inhibitors were patented in the past, and the dependency of Plasmodium on de novo pyrimidine provided a new approach for the development of novel antimalarial agents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pinky Gehlot
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, Nirma University, Ahmedabad, India
| | - Vivek K Vyas
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, Nirma University, Ahmedabad, India
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Azmi WA, Rizki AFM, Djuardi Y, Artika IM, Siregar JE. Molecular insights into artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum: An updated review. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2023:105460. [PMID: 37269964 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2023.105460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Malaria still poses a major burden on human health around the world, especially in endemic areas. Plasmodium resistance to several antimalarial drugs has been one of the major hindrances in control of malaria. Thus, the World Health Organization recommended artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) as a front-line treatment for malaria. The emergence of parasites resistant to artemisinin, along with resistant to ACT partner drugs, has led to ACT treatment failure. The artemisinin resistance is mostly related to the mutations in the propeller domain of the kelch13 (k13) gene that encodes protein Kelch13 (K13). The K13 protein has an important role in parasite reaction to oxidative stress. The most widely spread mutation in K13, with the highest degree of resistance, is a C580Y mutation. Other mutations, which are already identified as markers of artemisinin resistance, are R539T, I543T, and Y493H. The objective of this review is to provide current molecular insights into artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum. The trending use of artemisinin beyond its antimalarial effect is described. Immediate challenges and future research directions are discussed. Better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying artemisinin resistance will accelerate implementation of scientific findings to solve problems with malarial infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wihda Aisarul Azmi
- Eijkman Research Center for Molecular Biology, National Research and Innovation Agency, Cibinong, Bogor 16911, Indonesia; Master's Programme in Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta 10430, Indonesia
| | - Andita Fitri Mutiara Rizki
- Eijkman Research Center for Molecular Biology, National Research and Innovation Agency, Cibinong, Bogor 16911, Indonesia; Master's Programme in Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta 10430, Indonesia
| | - Yenny Djuardi
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta 10430, Indonesia
| | - I Made Artika
- Eijkman Research Center for Molecular Biology, National Research and Innovation Agency, Cibinong, Bogor 16911, Indonesia; Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor 16680, Indonesia
| | - Josephine Elizabeth Siregar
- Eijkman Research Center for Molecular Biology, National Research and Innovation Agency, Cibinong, Bogor 16911, Indonesia.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Tang P, Shen T, Wang H, Zhang R, Zhang X, Li X, Xiao W. Challenges and opportunities for improving the druggability of natural product: Why need drug delivery system? Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 164:114955. [PMID: 37269810 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Bioactive natural products (BNPs) are the marrow of medicinal plants, which are the secondary metabolites of organisms and have been the most famous drug discovery database. Bioactive natural products are famous for their enormous number and great safety in medical applications. However, BNPs are troubled by their poor druggability compared with synthesis drugs and are challenged as medicine (only a few BNPs are applied in clinical settings). In order to find a reasonable solution to improving the druggability of BNPs, this review summarizes their bioactive nature based on the enormous pharmacological research and tries to explain the reasons for the poor druggability of BNPs. And then focused on the boosting research on BNPs loaded drug delivery systems, this review further concludes the advantages of drug delivery systems on the druggability improvement of BNPs from the perspective of their bioactive nature, discusses why BNPs need drug delivery systems, and predicts the next direction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peng Tang
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming, China; School of Pharmacy and School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming, China; Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Yunnan Provincial Center for Research & Development of Natural Products, Kunming, China; State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Tianze Shen
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming, China; School of Pharmacy and School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming, China; Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Yunnan Provincial Center for Research & Development of Natural Products, Kunming, China; State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Hairong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming, China; School of Pharmacy and School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming, China; Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Yunnan Provincial Center for Research & Development of Natural Products, Kunming, China; State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Ruihan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming, China; School of Pharmacy and School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming, China; Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Yunnan Provincial Center for Research & Development of Natural Products, Kunming, China; State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Xingjie Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming, China; School of Pharmacy and School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming, China; Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Yunnan Provincial Center for Research & Development of Natural Products, Kunming, China; State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Xiaoli Li
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming, China; School of Pharmacy and School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming, China; Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Yunnan Provincial Center for Research & Development of Natural Products, Kunming, China; State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, China.
| | - Weilie Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming, China; School of Pharmacy and School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming, China; Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Yunnan Provincial Center for Research & Development of Natural Products, Kunming, China; State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, China.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Yoshinaga M, Niu G, Yoshinaga-Sakurai K, Nadar VS, Wang X, Rosen BP, Li J. Arsinothricin Inhibits Plasmodium falciparum Proliferation in Blood and Blocks Parasite Transmission to Mosquitoes. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1195. [PMID: 37317169 PMCID: PMC10222646 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11051195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria, caused by Plasmodium protozoal parasites, remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. The Plasmodium parasite has a complex life cycle, with asexual and sexual forms in humans and Anopheles mosquitoes. Most antimalarials target only the symptomatic asexual blood stage. However, to ensure malaria eradication, new drugs with efficacy at multiple stages of the life cycle are necessary. We previously demonstrated that arsinothricin (AST), a newly discovered organoarsenical natural product, is a potent broad-spectrum antibiotic that inhibits the growth of various prokaryotic pathogens. Here, we report that AST is an effective multi-stage antimalarial. AST is a nonproteinogenic amino acid analog of glutamate that inhibits prokaryotic glutamine synthetase (GS). Phylogenetic analysis shows that Plasmodium GS, which is expressed throughout all stages of the parasite life cycle, is more closely related to prokaryotic GS than eukaryotic GS. AST potently inhibits Plasmodium GS, while it is less effective on human GS. Notably, AST effectively inhibits both Plasmodium erythrocytic proliferation and parasite transmission to mosquitoes. In contrast, AST is relatively nontoxic to a number of human cell lines, suggesting that AST is selective against malaria pathogens, with little negative effect on the human host. We propose that AST is a promising lead compound for developing a new class of multi-stage antimalarials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Masafumi Yoshinaga
- Department of Cellular Biology and Pharmacology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Guodong Niu
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts, Sciences & Education, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Kunie Yoshinaga-Sakurai
- Department of Cellular Biology and Pharmacology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Venkadesh S. Nadar
- Department of Cellular Biology and Pharmacology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Xiaohong Wang
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts, Sciences & Education, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Barry P. Rosen
- Department of Cellular Biology and Pharmacology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts, Sciences & Education, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, FL 33199, USA
- Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Potential Benefits of Lycopene Consumption: Rationale for Using It as an Adjuvant Treatment for Malaria Patients and in Several Diseases. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14245303. [PMID: 36558462 PMCID: PMC9787606 DOI: 10.3390/nu14245303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is a disease that affects thousands of people around the world every year. Its pathogenesis is associated with the production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) and lower levels of micronutrients and antioxidants. Patients under drug treatment have high levels of oxidative stress biomarkers in the body tissues, which limits the use of these drugs. Therefore, several studies have suggested that RONS inhibition may represent an adjuvant therapeutic strategy in the treatment of these patients by increasing the antioxidant capacity of the host. In this sense, supplementation with antioxidant compounds such as zinc, selenium, and vitamins A, C, and E has been suggested as part of the treatment. Among dietary antioxidants, lycopene is the most powerful antioxidant among the main carotenoids. This review aimed to describe the main mechanisms inducing oxidative stress during malaria, highlighting the production of RONS as a defense mechanism against the infection induced by the ischemia-reperfusion syndrome, the metabolism of the parasite, and the metabolism of antimalarial drugs. Furthermore, the effects of lycopene on several diseases in which oxidative stress is implicated as a cause are outlined, providing information about its mechanism of action, and providing an evidence-based justification for its supplementation in malaria.
Collapse
|
22
|
Cheremnykh EG, Osipov AV, Starkov VG, Trang NTT, Khoa NC, Anh HN, Dung LT, Tsetlin VI, Utkin YN. New Plant Species Showing Antiprotozoian Activity. DOKL BIOCHEM BIOPHYS 2022; 507:334-339. [PMID: 36786997 DOI: 10.1134/s160767292234004x] [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: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
The effects of extracts of ten plant species from Russia and five species from Vietnam on the growth and survival of ciliates Tetrahymena pyriformis were studied. T. pyriformis belongs to the subkingdom Protozoa, which also includes pathogens of protozoan infections. Extraction of dried plants was carried out with acidic and alkaline aqueous solutions, as well as with an aqueous ethanol. Various amounts of extracts were added to the ciliate cells, and the number of cells survived after incubation for 1 and 24 h was recorded. We found that our samples of several plants, including wormwood, harmala, and licorice, similarly to those studied earlier, exhibit antiprotozoal activity, which may indicate that the secondary metabolites are the same in plants from different regions. Using the ciliate T. pyriformis as a model organism, the presence of antiprotozoal activity in extracts of lilac, chondrilla, cinquefoil, hop, and elm was shown for the first time.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - A V Osipov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - V G Starkov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Nguyen Cuu Khoa
- Institute of Applied Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
| | - Hoang Ngoc Anh
- Institute of Applied Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
| | - Le Tien Dung
- Institute of Applied Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
| | - V I Tsetlin
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Yu N Utkin
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Hua L, Liang S, Zhou Y, Wu X, Cai H, Liu Z, Ou Y, Chen Y, Chen X, Yan Y, Wu D, Sun P, Hu W, Yang Z. Artemisinin-derived artemisitene blocks ROS-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome and alleviates ulcerative colitis. Int Immunopharmacol 2022; 113:109431. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2022.109431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
|
24
|
Sun P, Wang M, Li J, Qiu Y, Li H, Lv M, Bo Z, Shen H, Li L. Inhibitory effect of Buddlejasaponin IVb on porcine epidemic diarrhea virus in vivo and in vitro. Vet Microbiol 2022; 272:109516. [PMID: 35901581 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2022.109516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is one of the main pathogens causing severe diarrhea in piglets. Infection of the host induces apoptosis, causing huge economic losses to the pig industry. At present, the preventive and therapeutic effects of commercial vaccines are not satisfactory, and it is necessary to develop new anti-PEDV drugs. In this study, we screened the PEDV-inhibiting drug Buddlejasaponin IVb from the natural product library, and determined the inhibitory effect of Buddlejasaponin IVb on PEDV proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. By exploring the effect of Buddlejasaponin IVb on the life cycle of PEDV, it was found that Buddlejasaponin IVb mainly inhibits the replication and release stages of PEDV, but there is no report at home and abroad. In addition, Buddlejasaponin IVb can inhibit PEDV-activated NF-κB signaling pathway by downregulating PEDV or LPS induced elevation of cytokine levels (IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β, TNF-α). Finally, we returned to in vivo experiments to explore the antiviral effects of the drug in pigs. The results show that Buddlejasaponin IVb can effectively relieve the clinical symptoms and intestinal damage caused by PEDV infection in pigs. Therefore, this study will provide an important basis for the research on antiviral drugs of PEDV and its members, and at the same time provide guidance for the actual production, which has important application prospects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pei Sun
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, China
| | - Mingge Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, China
| | - Jie Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, China
| | - Yanping Qiu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, China
| | - Hongyue Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, China
| | - Muze Lv
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, China
| | - Zongyi Bo
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, The Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Haixiao Shen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Liang Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, China.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Kumar S, Li X, McDew-White M, Reyes A, Delgado E, Sayeed A, Haile MT, Abatiyow BA, Kennedy SY, Camargo N, Checkley LA, Brenneman KV, Button-Simons KA, Duraisingh MT, Cheeseman IH, Kappe SHI, Nosten F, Ferdig MT, Vaughan AM, Anderson TJC. A Malaria Parasite Cross Reveals Genetic Determinants of Plasmodium falciparum Growth in Different Culture Media. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:878496. [PMID: 35711667 PMCID: PMC9197316 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.878496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
What genes determine in vitro growth and nutrient utilization in asexual blood-stage malaria parasites? Competition experiments between NF54, clone 3D7, a lab-adapted African parasite, and a recently isolated Asian parasite (NHP4026) reveal contrasting outcomes in different media: 3D7 outcompetes NHP4026 in media containing human serum, while NHP4026 outcompetes 3D7 in media containing AlbuMAX, a commercial lipid-rich bovine serum formulation. To determine the basis for this polymorphism, we conducted parasite genetic crosses using humanized mice and compared genome-wide allele frequency changes in three independent progeny populations cultured in media containing human serum or AlbuMAX. This bulk segregant analysis detected three quantitative trait loci (QTL) regions [on chromosome (chr) 2 containing aspartate transaminase AST; chr 13 containing EBA-140; and chr 14 containing cysteine protease ATG4] linked with differential growth in serum or AlbuMAX in each of the three independent progeny pools. Selection driving differential growth was strong (s = 0.10 – 0.23 per 48-hour lifecycle). We conducted validation experiments for the strongest QTL on chr 13: competition experiments between ΔEBA-140 and 3D7 wildtype parasites showed fitness reversals in the two medium types as seen in the parental parasites, validating this locus as the causative gene. These results (i) demonstrate the effectiveness of bulk segregant analysis for dissecting fitness traits in P. falciparum genetic crosses, and (ii) reveal intimate links between red blood cell invasion and nutrient composition of growth media. Use of parasite crosses combined with bulk segregant analysis will allow systematic dissection of key nutrient acquisition/metabolism and red blood cell invasion pathways in P. falciparum.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sudhir Kumar
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Xue Li
- Program in Disease Intervention and Prevention, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Marina McDew-White
- Program in Disease Intervention and Prevention, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Ann Reyes
- Program in Disease Intervention and Prevention, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Elizabeth Delgado
- Program in Disease Intervention and Prevention, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Abeer Sayeed
- Program in Disease Intervention and Prevention, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Meseret T. Haile
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Biley A. Abatiyow
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Spencer Y. Kennedy
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Nelly Camargo
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Lisa A. Checkley
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States
| | - Katelyn V. Brenneman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States
| | - Katrina A. Button-Simons
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States
| | - Manoj T. Duraisingh
- Immunology and Infectious Diseases Department, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Ian H. Cheeseman
- Program in Host Pathogen Interactions, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Stefan H. I. Kappe
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - François Nosten
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine Research building, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Michael T. Ferdig
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States
| | - Ashley M. Vaughan
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- *Correspondence: Ashley M. Vaughan, ; Tim J. C. Anderson,
| | - Tim J. C. Anderson
- Program in Disease Intervention and Prevention, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, United States
- *Correspondence: Ashley M. Vaughan, ; Tim J. C. Anderson,
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Bai Y, Zhao Y, Gao X, Zhang D, Ma Y, Yang L, Sun P. A Novel Antimalarial Metabolite in Erythrocyte From the Hydroxylation of Dihydroartemisinin by Cunninghamella elegans. Front Chem 2022; 10:850133. [PMID: 35559220 PMCID: PMC9086495 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.850133] [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: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Dihydroartemisinin (DHA) is a sesquiterpene endoperoxide with prominent antimalarial efficacy, which was discovered by Professor Youyou Tu through the reduction of artemisinin in the 1970s. It is always a challenging work for scientists to investigate the metabolites of DHA in the red blood cells due to the complicated matrix background. As a bottleneck, the investigation of metabolites, especially exploring the pharmacodynamic material in the red blood cell, is necessary and significant for metabolism research of antimalarial agent. Recently, microbial transformation provides a green and economical means for mimicking mammal metabolism and synthesis active metabolites, based on which is one efficient route for drug discovery. In this study, a strain from Cunninghamella was employed as an efficient tool to explore active metabolites of DHA in erythrocyte. Microbial transformation products of DHA by Cunninghamella elegans CICC 40250 were detected and analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)-electrospray ionization (ESI)-quadrupole time-of-flight (Q-TOF)-mass spectrometry (MSE), and the main products were isolated and identified. The antimalarial activity of the isolated products was also screened in vitro. Totally, nine products were discovered through UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MSE, and three main products with novel chemical structures were isolated for the first time, which were also detected in red blood cells as the metabolites of DHA. After evaluation, 7β-hydroxydihydroartemisinin (M1) exhibited a good antimalarial activity with an IC50 value of 133 nM against Plasmodium falciparum (Pf.) 3D7. The structure and stereo-configuration of novel compound M1 were validated via X-ray single crystal diffraction. Microbial transformation was firstly employed as the appropriate model for metabolic simulation in erythrocyte of DHA. Three novel metabolites in erythrocyte were obtained for the first time through our microbial model, and one of which was found to show moderate antimalarial activity. This work provided a new research foundation for antimalarial drug discovery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Yue Ma
- *Correspondence: Yue Ma, ; Lan Yang, ; Peng Sun,
| | - Lan Yang
- *Correspondence: Yue Ma, ; Lan Yang, ; Peng Sun,
| | - Peng Sun
- *Correspondence: Yue Ma, ; Lan Yang, ; Peng Sun,
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Industrially Relevant Enzyme Cascades for Drug Synthesis and Their Ecological Assessment. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23073605. [PMID: 35408960 PMCID: PMC8998672 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23073605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Environmentally friendly and sustainable processes for the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) gain increasing attention. Biocatalytic synthesis routes with enzyme cascades support many stated green production principles, for example, the reduced need for solvents or the biodegradability of enzymes. Multi-enzyme reactions have even more advantages such as the shift of the equilibrium towards the product side, no intermediate isolation, and the synthesis of complex molecules in one reaction pot. Despite the intriguing benefits, only a few enzyme cascades have been applied in the pharmaceutical industry so far. However, several new enzyme cascades are currently being developed in research that could be of great importance to the pharmaceutical industry. Here, we present multi-enzymatic reactions for API synthesis that are close to an industrial application. Their performances are comparable or exceed their chemical counterparts. A few enzyme cascades that are still in development are also introduced in this review. Economic and ecological considerations are made for some example cascades to assess their environmental friendliness and applicability.
Collapse
|
28
|
Basaki M, Hashemvand A, Tayefi-Nasrabadi H, Panahi Y, Dolatyari M. Artemisinin and l-carnitine combination therapy alters the erythrocytes redox status. Cell Biol Int 2022; 46:1137-1143. [PMID: 35293664 DOI: 10.1002/cbin.11793] [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: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Hematopoiesis is a sensitive target of artemisinin (ART) and its derivatives, and hemolysis is one of their commonly reported side effects. L-carnitine (LC), an amino acid derivative involved in lipid metabolism, is beneficial for hematological parameters. Sixty adult laboratory mice were randomly divided into six groups. Group I (control) received saline and corn oil; groups II and III received therapeutic (50 mg/kg) and toxic (250 mg/kg) doses of ART, respectively; groups IV and V received 370 mg/kg LC along with the 50 and 250 mg/kg ART, respectively; and group VI received 370 mg/kg LC. Drugs were administered orally for seven consecutive days. The erythrocyte glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POX) activity, and the reduced glutathione (GSH) level were assessed by colorimetric methods. ART reduced the G6PD activity both at therapeutic and toxic doses. The therapeutic dose of ART reduced the CAT activity and the GSH level, non-significantly. The toxic dose of ART reduced the CAT activity and increased the POX activity. LC reduced the G6PD, CAT, and POX activities and increased GSH level. The therapeutic dose of ART and LC showed synergy in reducing the G6PD activity. LC and ART combination reduced POX activity and increased GSH level without any significant effect on the CAT activity. Inhibition of G6PD may be a potentially new mechanism of ART action. Co-administration of LC with ART or following treatment with ART may have protective effects on erythrocytes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Basaki
- Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Akbar Hashemvand
- Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Hossein Tayefi-Nasrabadi
- Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Yousef Panahi
- Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mahdi Dolatyari
- DVM Student, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Shi Q, Xia F, Wang Q, Liao F, Guo Q, Xu C, Wang J. Discovery and repurposing of artemisinin. Front Med 2022; 16:1-9. [PMID: 35290595 PMCID: PMC8922983 DOI: 10.1007/s11684-021-0898-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Malaria is an ancient infectious disease that threatens millions of lives globally even today. The discovery of artemisinin, inspired by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has brought in a paradigm shift and been recognized as the “best hope for the treatment of malaria” by World Health Organization. With its high potency and low toxicity, the wide use of artemisinin effectively treats the otherwise drug-resistant parasites and helps many countries, including China, to eventually eradicate malaria. Here, we will first review the initial discovery of artemisinin, an extraordinary journey that was in stark contrast with many drugs in western medicine. We will then discuss how artemisinin and its derivatives could be repurposed to treat cancer, inflammation, immunoregulation-related diseases, and COVID-19. Finally, we will discuss the implications of the “artemisinin story” and how that can better guide the development of TCM today. We believe that artemisinin is just a starting point and TCM will play an even bigger role in healthcare in the 21st century.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qiaoli Shi
- Artemisinin Research Center, and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Fei Xia
- Artemisinin Research Center, and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Qixin Wang
- Artemisinin Research Center, and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Fulong Liao
- Artemisinin Research Center, and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Qiuyan Guo
- Artemisinin Research Center, and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China.
| | - Chengchao Xu
- Artemisinin Research Center, and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China. .,Department of Geriatrics, The Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen, 518020, China.
| | - Jigang Wang
- Artemisinin Research Center, and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China. .,Central People's Hospital of Zhanjiang, Zhanjiang, 524045, China. .,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China. .,Department of Geriatrics, The Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen, 518020, China.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
In Vitro Antimalarial Activity and Phytochemical Analysis of Aerial Parts of Artemisia fragrans Willd. Jundishapur J Nat Pharm Prod 2022. [DOI: 10.5812/jjnpp.117597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Malaria is one of the most momentous transmittable diseases globally. Medicinal herbs like Artemisia species might be possible sources of new, effective, and cheap antiplasmodial products, making up the leading molecules to investigate new antimalarial drugs. The Artemisia genus, which belongs to the Asteraceae family, is a widely distributed medicinal plant in Iran. Methods: In this study, the antimalarial activities of essential oil, different extracts, and vacuum liquid chromatography (VLC) fractions of A. fragrans Willd. were examined by a cell-free β-hematin formation assay. The aerial parts of A. fragrans were extracted by a Soxhlet extractor, and essential oil was obtained by a Clevenger apparatus. Then, GC-MS analysis was used to identify volatile compounds of essential oil and the 100% VLC fraction of chloroform. Results: Among the extracts, chloroform extract illustrated considerable antimalarial activity compared to the control (P < 0.001), with the IC50 value of 1.22 ± 0.05 mg/mL. Among the fractions, 100% VLC fraction of chloroform extract illustrated potent antimalarial effects compared to the control (P < 0.001). The volatile oil demonstrated moderate antimalarial effects (P < 0.001) compared with the control. Besides, GC-MS determined that sesquiterpenes in the 100% ethyl acetate fraction of the chloroform extract and oxygenated monoterpenes in the essential oil might be responsible for the potent antimalarial activity of this plant. Conclusions: The 100% ethyl acetate fraction of chloroform extract along with the essential oil of A. fragrance indicated potent and moderate activity, possibly due to sesquiterpenes and oxygenated monoterpenes, respectively.
Collapse
|
31
|
The Role of the Iron Protoporphyrins Heme and Hematin in the Antimalarial Activity of Endoperoxide Drugs. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15010060. [PMID: 35056117 PMCID: PMC8779033 DOI: 10.3390/ph15010060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium has evolved to regulate the levels and oxidative states of iron protoporphyrin IX (Fe-PPIX). Antimalarial endoperoxides such as 1,2,4-trioxane artemisinin and 1,2,4-trioxolane arterolane undergo a bioreductive activation step mediated by heme (FeII-PPIX) but not by hematin (FeIII-PPIX), leading to the generation of a radical species. This can alkylate proteins vital for parasite survival and alkylate heme into hematin–drug adducts. Heme alkylation is abundant and accompanied by interconversion from the ferrous to the ferric state, which may induce an imbalance in the iron redox homeostasis. In addition to this, hematin–artemisinin adducts antagonize the spontaneous biomineralization of hematin into hemozoin crystals, differing strikingly from artemisinins, which do not directly suppress hematin biomineralization. These hematin–drug adducts, despite being devoid of the peroxide bond required for radical-induced alkylation, are powerful antiplasmodial agents. This review addresses our current understanding of Fe-PPIX as a bioreductive activator and molecular target. A compelling pharmacological model is that by alkylating heme, endoperoxide drugs can cause an imbalance in the iron homeostasis and that the hematin–drug adducts formed have strong cytocidal effects by possibly reproducing some of the toxifying effects of free Fe-PPIX. The antiplasmodial phenotype and the mode of action of hematin–drug adducts open new possibilities for reconciliating the mechanism of endoperoxide drugs and for malaria intervention.
Collapse
|
32
|
Wu RZ, Zhou HY, Song JF, Xia QH, Hu W, Mou XD, Li X. Chemotherapeutics for Toxoplasma gondii: Molecular Biotargets, Binding Modes, and Structure-Activity Relationship Investigations. J Med Chem 2021; 64:17627-17655. [PMID: 34894691 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis, an infectious zoonotic disease caused by the apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), is a major worldwide health problem. However, there are currently no effective options (chemotherapeutic drugs or prophylactic vaccines) for treating chronic latent toxoplasmosis infection. Accordingly, seeking more effective and safer chemotherapeutics for combating this disease remains a long-term and challenging objective. In this paper, we summarize possible molecular biotargets, with an emphasis on those that are druggable and promising, including, without limitation, calcium-dependent protein kinase 1, bifunctional thymidylate synthase-dihydrofolate reductase, and farnesyl diphosphate synthase. Meanwhile, as important components of medicinal chemistry, the binding modes and structure-activity relationship profiles of the corresponding inhibitors were also illuminated. We anticipate that this information will be helpful for further identification of more effective chemotherapeutic interventions to prevent and treat zoonotic infections caused by T. gondii.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rong-Zhen Wu
- Institute of Materia Medica, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, no. 6699 Qingdao Road, Ji'nan, Shandong 250117, PR China
| | - Huai-Yu Zhou
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, no. 44 Wenhua Xi Road, Ji'nan, Shandong 250012, PR China
| | - Jing-Feng Song
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmacology for Natural Products, Kunming Medical University, no. 1168 Chunrong Xi Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, PR China
| | - Qiao-Hong Xia
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, no. 44 Wenhua Xi Road, Ji'nan, Shandong 250012, PR China
| | - Wei Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Science, Shandong University, no. 72 Binhai Road of JiMo, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, PR China
| | - Xiao-Dong Mou
- Institute of Materia Medica, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, no. 6699 Qingdao Road, Ji'nan, Shandong 250117, PR China
| | - Xun Li
- Institute of Materia Medica, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, no. 6699 Qingdao Road, Ji'nan, Shandong 250117, PR China.,Key Laboratory of Forensic Toxicology, Ministry of Public Security, Beijing 100192, PR China
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Artemisinin and Derivatives-Based Hybrid Compounds: Promising Therapeutics for the Treatment of Cancer and Malaria. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26247521. [PMID: 34946603 PMCID: PMC8707619 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26247521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer and malaria are major health conditions around the world despite many strategies and therapeutics available for their treatment. The most used strategy for the treatment of these diseases is the administration of therapeutic drugs, which suffer from several shortcomings. Some of the pharmacological limitations associated with these drugs are multi-drug resistance, drug toxicity, poor biocompatibility and bioavailability, and poor water solubility. The currently ongoing preclinical studies have demonstrated that combination therapy is a potent approach that can overcome some of the aforementioned limitations. Artemisinin and its derivatives have been reported to exhibit potent efficacy as anticancer and antimalarial agents. This review reports hybrid compounds containing artemisinin scaffolds and their derivatives with promising therapeutic effects for the treatment of cancer and malaria.
Collapse
|
34
|
Onchieku NM, Kumari S, Pandey R, Sharma V, Kumar M, Deshmukh A, Kaur I, Mohmmed A, Gupta D, Kiboi D, Gaur N, Malhotra P. Artemisinin Binds and Inhibits the Activity of Plasmodium falciparum Ddi1, a Retroviral Aspartyl Protease. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10111465. [PMID: 34832620 PMCID: PMC8621276 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10111465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Reduced sensitivity of the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, to Artemisinin and its derivatives (ARTs) threatens the global efforts towards eliminating malaria. ARTs have been shown to cause ubiquitous cellular and genetic insults, which results in the activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathways. The UPR restores protein homeostasis, which otherwise would be toxic to cellular survival. Here, we interrogated the role of DNA-damage inducible protein 1 (PfDdi1), a unique proteasome-interacting retropepsin in mediating the actions of the ARTs. We demonstrate that PfDdi1 is an active A2 family protease that hydrolyzes ubiquitinated proteasome substrates. Treatment of P. falciparum parasites with ARTs leads to the accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins in the parasites and blocks the destruction of ubiquitinated proteins by inhibiting the PfDdi1 protease activity. Besides, whereas the PfDdi1 is predominantly localized in the cytoplasm, exposure of the parasites to ARTs leads to DNA fragmentation and increased recruitment of the PfDdi1 into the nucleus. Furthermore, we show that Ddi1 knock-out Saccharomycescerevisiae cells are more susceptible to ARTs and the PfDdI1 protein robustly restores the corresponding functions in the knock-out cells. Together, these results show that ARTs act in multiple ways; by inducing DNA and protein damage and might be impairing the damage recovery by inhibiting the activity of PfDdi1, an essential ubiquitin-proteasome retropepsin.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Noah Machuki Onchieku
- Malaria Biology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India or (N.M.O.); (V.S.); (A.D.); (I.K.)
| | - Sonam Kumari
- Yeast Biofuel Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India; (S.K.); (M.K.); (N.G.)
| | - Rajan Pandey
- Translational Bioinformatics Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India; (R.P.); (D.G.)
| | - Vaibhav Sharma
- Malaria Biology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India or (N.M.O.); (V.S.); (A.D.); (I.K.)
| | - Mohit Kumar
- Yeast Biofuel Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India; (S.K.); (M.K.); (N.G.)
| | - Arunaditya Deshmukh
- Malaria Biology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India or (N.M.O.); (V.S.); (A.D.); (I.K.)
| | - Inderjeet Kaur
- Malaria Biology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India or (N.M.O.); (V.S.); (A.D.); (I.K.)
| | - Asif Mohmmed
- Parasite Cell Biology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India;
| | - Dinesh Gupta
- Translational Bioinformatics Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India; (R.P.); (D.G.)
| | - Daniel Kiboi
- Department of Biochemistry, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi P.O. Box 62000-00200, Kenya;
| | - Naseem Gaur
- Yeast Biofuel Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India; (S.K.); (M.K.); (N.G.)
| | - Pawan Malhotra
- Malaria Biology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India or (N.M.O.); (V.S.); (A.D.); (I.K.)
- Correspondence: or
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Fernandes VDS, da Rosa R, Zimmermann LA, Rogério KR, Kümmerle AE, Bernardes LSC, Graebin CS. Antiprotozoal agents: How have they changed over a decade? Arch Pharm (Weinheim) 2021; 355:e2100338. [PMID: 34661935 DOI: 10.1002/ardp.202100338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Neglected tropical diseases are a diverse group of communicable diseases that are endemic in low- or low-to-middle-income countries located in tropical and subtropical zones. The number and availability of drugs for treating these diseases are low, the administration route is inconvenient in some cases, and most of them have safety, efficacy, or adverse/toxic reaction issues. The need for developing new drugs to deal with these issues is clear, but one of the most drastic consequences of this negligence is the lack of interest in the research and development of new therapeutic options among major pharmaceutical companies. Positive changes have been achieved over the last few years, although the overall situation remains alarming. After more than one decade since the original work reviewing antiprotozoal agents came to light, now it is time to question ourselves: How has the scenario for the treatment of protozoal diseases such as malaria, leishmaniasis, human African trypanosomiasis, and American trypanosomiasis changed? This review covers the last decade in terms of the drugs currently available for the treatment of these diseases as well as the clinical candidates being currently investigated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vitória de Souza Fernandes
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry Laboratory, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Rafael da Rosa
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Diversity Laboratory, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Lara A Zimmermann
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Diversity Laboratory, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Kamilla R Rogério
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry Laboratory, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Arthur E Kümmerle
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry Laboratory, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Lilian S C Bernardes
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Diversity Laboratory, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Cedric S Graebin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry Laboratory, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Wittlin S, Mäser P. From Magic Bullet to Magic Bomb: Reductive Bioactivation of Antiparasitic Agents. ACS Infect Dis 2021; 7:2777-2786. [PMID: 34472830 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.1c00118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Paul Ehrlich coined the term "magic bullet" to describe how a drug kills the parasite inside its human host without harming the host itself. Ehrlich concluded that the drug must have a greater affinity to the parasite than to human cells. Today, the specificity of drug action is understood in terms of the drug target. An ideal target is a protein that is essential for the proliferation of the pathogen but absent in human cells. Examples are the enzymes of folate synthesis or of the nonmevalonate pathway in the malaria parasites. However, there are other ways how a drug can kill selectively. Of particular relevance is the specific activation of a prodrug inside the pathogen but not in the host, as this is how the current frontrunners of parasite chemotherapy work. Artemisinins for malaria, fexinidazole for human African trypanosomiasis, benznidazole for Chagas' disease, metronidazole for intestinal protozoa: these molecules are "magic bombs" that are triggered selectively. They are prodrugs that need to be activated by chemical reduction, i.e., the acquisition of an electron, which occurs in the parasite. Such a mode of action is shared by the novel antimalarial peroxides arterolane and artefenomel, which are activated by reduction of the endoperoxide bond with ferrous heme as the likely electron donor, a metabolic end-product of Plasmodium falciparum. Here we provide an overview on the molecular basis of selectivity of antiparasitic drug action with particular reference to the ozonides, the new generation of antimalarial peroxides designed by Jonathan Vennerstrom.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Wittlin
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Pascal Mäser
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Li G, Peng X, Guo Y, Gong S, Cao S, Qiu F. Currently Available Strategies for Target Identification of Bioactive Natural Products. Front Chem 2021; 9:761609. [PMID: 34660543 PMCID: PMC8515416 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.761609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, biologically active natural products have gradually become important agents in the field of drug research and development because of their wide availability and variety. However, the target sites of many natural products are yet to be identified, which is a setback in the pharmaceutical industry and has seriously hindered the translation of research findings of these natural products as viable candidates for new drug exploitation. This review systematically describes the commonly used strategies for target identification via the application of probe and non-probe approaches. The merits and demerits of each method were summarized using recent examples, with the goal of comparing currently available methods and selecting the optimum techniques for identifying the targets of bioactive natural products.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gen Li
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Xuling Peng
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Yajing Guo
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Shaoxuan Gong
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Shijie Cao
- Tianjin State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Feng Qiu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Zhang Z, Wang X, Wang Z, Zhang Z, Cao Y, Wei Z, Shao J, Chen A, Zhang F, Zheng S. Dihydroartemisinin alleviates hepatic fibrosis through inducing ferroptosis in hepatic stellate cells. Biofactors 2021; 47:801-818. [PMID: 34129254 DOI: 10.1002/biof.1764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Targeting the elimination of activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and blocking excessive deposition of extracellular matrix are recognized as an effective strategy for the treatment of hepatic fibrosis. As a newly discovered programmed cell death mode, the regulatory mechanism of ferroptosis in the clearance of activated HSCs has not been fully elucidated. In the present study, we reported that the induction of ferroptosis in activated HSCs was required for dihydroartemisinin (DHA) to alleviate hepatic fibrosis. Treatment with DHA could improve the damage of hepatic fibrosis in vivo and inhibit the activation of HSCs in vitro. Interestingly, DHA treatment could trigger ferroptosis to eliminate activated HSCs characterized by iron overload, lipid ROS accumulation, glutathione depletion, and lipid peroxidation. Specific ferroptosis inhibitors ferrostatin-1 and liproxstatin-1 could impair DHA-induced ferroptosis and also damage DHA-mediated the inhibition of activated HSCs. Importantly, autophagy activation may be closely related to DHA-induced ferroptosis. ATG5 siRNA could prevent DHA-mediated autophagy activation and ferroptosis induction, whereas ATG5 plasmid could promote the effect of DHA on autophagy and ferroptosis. Of note, the upregulation of nuclear receptor coactivator 4 (NCOA4) may play a critical role in the molecular mechanism. NCOA4 siRNA could impair DHA-induced ferroptosis, whereas NCOA4 plasmid could enhance the promoting effect of DHA on ferroptosis. Overall, our study revealed the potential mechanism of DHA against hepatic fibrosis and showed that ferroptosis could be a new way to eliminate activated HSCs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zili Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Xian Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Zilong Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhiyue Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Yashi Cao
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Zonghui Wei
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiangjuan Shao
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Anping Chen
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Saint Louis University, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Feng Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Shizhong Zheng
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Xiong Y, Huang J. Anti-malarial drug: the emerging role of artemisinin and its derivatives in liver disease treatment. Chin Med 2021; 16:80. [PMID: 34407830 PMCID: PMC8371597 DOI: 10.1186/s13020-021-00489-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Artemisinin and its derivatives belong to a family of drugs approved for the treatment of malaria with known clinical safety and efficacy. In addition to its anti-malarial effect, artemisinin displays anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects in vivo and in vitro. Recently, much attention has been paid to the therapeutic role of artemisinin in liver diseases. Several studies suggest that artemisinin and its derivatives can protect the liver through different mechanisms, such as those pertaining to inflammation, proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and induction of apoptosis and autophagy. In this review, we provide a comprehensive discussion of the underlying molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways of artemisinin and its derivatives in treating liver diseases. Further pharmacological research will aid in determining whether artemisinin and its derivatives may serve as promising medicines for the treatment of liver diseases in the future. ![]()
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ye Xiong
- The Department of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Jianrong Huang
- The Department of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou, 310003, China.
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Bhukta S, Gopinath P, Dandela R. Target identification of anticancer natural products using a chemical proteomics approach. RSC Adv 2021; 11:27950-27964. [PMID: 35480761 PMCID: PMC9038044 DOI: 10.1039/d1ra04283a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, there has been a strong demand worldwide for the identification and development of potential anticancer drugs based on natural products. Natural products have been explored for their diverse biological and therapeutic applications from ancient time. In order to enhance the efficacy and selectivity and to minimize the undesired side effects of anti cancer natural products (ANPs), it is essential to understand their target proteins and their mechanistic pathway. Chemical proteomics is one of the most powerful tools to connect ANP target identification and quantification where labeling and non-labeling based approaches have been used. Herein, we have discussed the various strategies to systemically develop selective ANP based chemical probes to characterise their specific and non-specific target proteins using a chemical proteomic approach in various cancer cell lysates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Swadhapriya Bhukta
- Department of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Technology Indianoil Odisha Campus, Samantpuri Bhubaneswar 751013 India
| | - Pushparathinam Gopinath
- Department of Chemistry, SRM-Institute of Science and Technology Kattankulathur 603203 Chennai Tamilnadu India
| | - Rambabu Dandela
- Department of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Technology Indianoil Odisha Campus, Samantpuri Bhubaneswar 751013 India
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Alves da Silva AE, de Abreu PMB, Geraldes DC, de Oliveira Nascimento L. Hydroxychloroquine: Pharmacological, physicochemical aspects and activity enhancement through experimental formulations. J Drug Deliv Sci Technol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jddst.2021.102512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
|
42
|
Dembitsky VM, Ermolenko E, Savidov N, Gloriozova TA, Poroikov VV. Antiprotozoal and Antitumor Activity of Natural Polycyclic Endoperoxides: Origin, Structures and Biological Activity. Molecules 2021; 26:686. [PMID: 33525706 PMCID: PMC7865715 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26030686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Polycyclic endoperoxides are rare natural metabolites found and isolated in plants, fungi, and marine invertebrates. The purpose of this review is a comparative analysis of the pharmacological potential of these natural products. According to PASS (Prediction of Activity Spectra for Substances) estimates, they are more likely to exhibit antiprotozoal and antitumor properties. Some of them are now widely used in clinical medicine. All polycyclic endoperoxides presented in this article demonstrate antiprotozoal activity and can be divided into three groups. The third group includes endoperoxides, which show weak antiprotozoal activity with a reliability of up to 70%, and this group includes only 1.1% of metabolites. The second group includes the largest number of endoperoxides, which are 65% and show average antiprotozoal activity with a confidence level of 70 to 90%. Lastly, the third group includes endoperoxides, which are 33.9% and show strong antiprotozoal activity with a confidence level of 90 to 99.6%. Interestingly, artemisinin and its analogs show strong antiprotozoal activity with 79 to 99.6% confidence against obligate intracellular parasites which belong to the genera Plasmodium, Toxoplasma, Leishmania, and Coccidia. In addition to antiprotozoal activities, polycyclic endoperoxides show antitumor activity in the proportion: 4.6% show weak activity with a reliability of up to 70%, 65.6% show an average activity with a reliability of 70 to 90%, and 29.8% show strong activity with a reliability of 90 to 98.3%. It should also be noted that some polycyclic endoperoxides, in addition to antiprotozoal and antitumor properties, show other strong activities with a confidence level of 90 to 97%. These include antifungal activity against the genera Aspergillus, Candida, and Cryptococcus, as well as anti-inflammatory activity. This review provides insights on further utilization of polycyclic endoperoxides by medicinal chemists, pharmacologists, and the pharmaceutical industry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Valery M. Dembitsky
- Centre for Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Lethbridge College, 3000 College Drive South, Lethbridge, AB T1K 1L6, Canada;
- A.V. Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, 17 Palchevsky Str., 690041 Vladivostok, Russia;
| | - Ekaterina Ermolenko
- A.V. Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, 17 Palchevsky Str., 690041 Vladivostok, Russia;
| | - Nick Savidov
- Centre for Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Lethbridge College, 3000 College Drive South, Lethbridge, AB T1K 1L6, Canada;
| | - Tatyana A. Gloriozova
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, 10 Pogodinskaya Str., 119121 Moscow, Russia; (T.A.G.); (V.V.P.)
| | - Vladimir V. Poroikov
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, 10 Pogodinskaya Str., 119121 Moscow, Russia; (T.A.G.); (V.V.P.)
| |
Collapse
|