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Zeng Z, Hu Y, Xiang J, Su J, Tan H, Lai T, Chen X, Fang G, Li L, Luo L. Cucurbitacin B targets STAT3 to induce ferroptosis in non-small cell lung cancer. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 978:176805. [PMID: 38950838 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176805] [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: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024]
Abstract
Cucurbitacin B (CuB) is a compound found in plants like Cucurbitaceae that has shown promise in fighting cancer, particularly in lung cancer. However, the specific impact of CuB on ferroptosis and how it works in lung cancer cells has not been fully understood. Our research has discovered that CuB can effectively slow down the growth of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. Even in small amounts, it was able to inhibit the growth of various NSCLC cell lines. This inhibitory effect was reversed when ferroptosis inhibitors DFO, Lip-1 and Fer-1 were introduced. CuB was found to increase the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid ROS, MDA, and ferrous ions within H358 lung cancer cells, leading to a decrease in GSH, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and changes in ferroptosis-related proteins in a dose-dependent manner. These findings were also confirmed in A549 lung cancer cells. In A549 cells, different concentrations of CuB induced the accumulation of intracellular lipid ROS, ferrous ions and changes in ferroptosis-related indicators in a concentration-dependent manner. Meanwhile, the cytotoxic effect induced by CuB in A549 cells was counteracted by ferroptosis inhibitors DFO and Fer-1. Through network pharmacology, we identified potential targets related to ferroptosis in NSCLC cells treated with CuB, with STAT3 targets showing high scores. Further experiments using molecular docking and cell thermal shift assay (CETSA) revealed that CuB interacts with the STAT3 protein. Western blot and immunofluorescence staining demonstrated that CuB inhibits the phosphorylation of STAT3 (P-STAT3) in H358 cells. Silencing STAT3 enhanced CuB-induced accumulation of lipid ROS and iron ions, as well as the expression of ferroptosis-related proteins. On the other hand, overexpression of STAT3 reversed the effects of CuB-induced ferroptosis. The results indicate that CuB has the capability to suppress STAT3 activation, resulting in ferroptosis, and could be a promising treatment choice for NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeyao Zeng
- The First Clinical College, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524023, Guangdong, China
| | - Yingying Hu
- Department of Pathophysiology, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524002, Guangdong, China
| | - Jing Xiang
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute of Guangdong Zhanjiang, School of Ocean and Tropical Medicine. Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, 524023, China
| | - Jiating Su
- The First Clinical College, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524023, Guangdong, China
| | - Huiting Tan
- The First Clinical College, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524023, Guangdong, China
| | - Tianli Lai
- The First Clinical College, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524023, Guangdong, China
| | - Xinming Chen
- The First Clinical College, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524023, Guangdong, China
| | - Guixuan Fang
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute of Guangdong Zhanjiang, School of Ocean and Tropical Medicine. Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, 524023, China
| | - Li Li
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute of Guangdong Zhanjiang, School of Ocean and Tropical Medicine. Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, 524023, China.
| | - Lianxiang Luo
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute of Guangdong Zhanjiang, School of Ocean and Tropical Medicine. Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, 524023, China.
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Wang H, Wang H, Zheng Q, Wang J, Si J. Unusual norcucurbitacin glycosides from the roots of Siraitia grosvenorii. PHYTOCHEMISTRY 2024; 227:114230. [PMID: 39102929 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2024.114230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 07/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
Siraitia grosvenorii Swingle is one of the first approved medicine food homology species in China, and it has been used as a natural sweetener in the food industry and as a traditional medicine to relieve cough and reduce phlegm. However, many S. grosvenorii roots are discarded yearly, which results in a great waste of resources. Twelve undescribed norcucurbitacin-type triterpenoid glycosides, siraitiaosides A-L (1-12), and six known analogs (13-18) were isolated from the roots of S. grosvenorii. The structures of isolated norcucurbitacin glycosides were elucidated by comprehensive data analyses, including HRESIMS, UV, IR, NMR, ECD calculations, and X-ray crystallography analysis. Siraitiaosides A-E (1-5) featured an unusual 19,29-norcucurbitacin framework while siraitiaosides F-L (6-12) featured a rare 29-norcucurbitacin framework. Notably, compound 4 displayed moderate anti-acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity with an IC50 of 21.0 μM, meanwhile, compounds 16 and 18 exhibited pronounced cytotoxic activities against MCF-7, CNE-1, and HeLa cancer cell lines with IC50 values of 2.1-15.2 μM. In silico studies showed that compound 4 bound closely to AChE with a binding energy of -5.04 kcal/mol, and compound 18 could tightly bind to PI3K, AKT1, ERK2, and MMP9 proteins that related to autophagy, apoptosis, migration/invasion, and growth/proliferation. In summary, the roots of Siraitia grosvenorii have potential medicinal values due to the multiple bioactive components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huijuan Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Huaxiang Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Qi Zheng
- The Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Junchi Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China.
| | - Jianyong Si
- The Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China.
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Gebretsadik K, Chen W, Duan Y, Sun Y, He Y, Liao Q, Wang C, Bo K. Map-based cloning reveals Cpgp gene encoding an APRR2 protein to regulate the green fruit peel formation in Cucurbita pepo. MOLECULAR BREEDING : NEW STRATEGIES IN PLANT IMPROVEMENT 2024; 44:53. [PMID: 39130616 PMCID: PMC11315825 DOI: 10.1007/s11032-024-01492-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 08/03/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
Fruit peel color is a major factor that influences fruit quality and customers' demand. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the green fruit peel color trait of Cucurbita pepo L. remain unknown. Two parental lines, RP16 and RP38, were used to study the fruit peel color trait in C. pepo. The parental line RP16 shows white peel color, whereas RP38 exhibits green peel color. 384 F2 populations were used to identify the inheritance pattern associated with green fruit and white fruit peel in Cucurbita pepo L. 293 F2 individuals were white, and 91 F2 individuals were green, resulting in a ratio of 3:1. Hence, white peel is dominant over the green fruit peel trait, and a single recessive green peel gene (Cpgp) controls the green fruit peel. The fruit chlorophyll (Chll) content decreases as fruit matures in the RP16 line. In contrast, Chll increases during the fruit growing periods on fruit peels of the RP38 line. The BSA-sequence analysis revealed the Cpgp locus on Chr5, within a 2.3 Mb region. Subsequent fine-mapping analysis, using 699 F2 plants, narrowed down this region to 23.90 kb on the same chromosome. Within this region, two annotated genes, namely Cp4.1LG05g02070 and Cp4.1LG05g02060, are present. These genes are predicted to encode a two-component Arabidopsis Pseudo-Response Regulator 2-like protein (APRR2), which may be involved in green pigmentation processes in plants. Consequently, sequence alignment and gene expression analyses at various fruit development stages supported that Cp4.1LG05g02070 may be the primary candidate gene responsible for regulating the green fruit peel color trait in Cucurbita pepo L. This study may provide a basis for further study on the basic mechanisms that control the fruit peel colors in Cucurbita spp. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11032-024-01492-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiros Gebretsadik
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081 China
- Department of Plant Sciences, Aksum University Shire Campus, Shire, Ethiopia
| | - Wanlu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081 China
| | - Ying Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081 China
| | - Yapei Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081 China
| | - Yadi He
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081 China
| | - Qinggui Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081 China
| | - Changlin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081 China
| | - Kailiang Bo
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081 China
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Yang M, Chen X, Cheng C, Yan W, Guo R, Wang Y, Zhang H, Chai J, Cheng Y, Zhang F. Cucurbitacin B induces ferroptosis in oral leukoplakia via the SLC7A11/mitochondrial oxidative stress pathway. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 129:155548. [PMID: 38583347 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2024.155548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oral leukoplakia (OLK), characterized by abnormal epithelial hyperplasia, is the most common precancerous oral mucosa lesion and is closely related to oxidative stress. Cucurbitacin B (CuB), a tetracyclic triterpenoid molecule derived from plants, has shown promising anti-proliferative and antioxidant effects in preclinical studies. However, whether CuB can play an antiproliferative role in OLK by regulating oxidative stress remains elusive. PURPOSE To investigate the role of CuB in inhibiting the malignant progression of oral leukoplakia and to further explore its underlying mechanisms of action. METHODS In vitro, the effect of CuB on the proliferation, migration, apoptosis, and cell cycle of OLK cells DOK was detected. The core genes and key pathways of OLK and CuB were analyzed in the transcriptome database, by using immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR, and Western blot to evaluate the expression levels of the ferroptosis markers ROS, GSH, MDA, Fe2+, and marker genes SLC7A11, GPX4, and FTH1. Immunohistochemistry of human tissue was performed to investigate the expression of the SLC7A11. In vivo, the model of OLK was established in C57BL/6 mice and the biosafety of CuB treatment for OLK was further evaluated. RESULTS CuB substantially suppressed the proliferation of DOK cells. Bioinformatics analysis showed that the core targets of OLK crossing with CuB include SLC7A11 and that the essential pathways involve ROS and ferroptosis. In vitro experiments indicated that CuB might promote ferroptosis by down-regulating the expression of SLC7A11. We observed a gradual increase in SLC7A11 expression levels during the progression from normal oral mucosa to oral leukoplakia with varying degrees of epithelial dysplasia. In vivo experiments demonstrated that CuB inhibited the malignant progression of OLK by promoting ferroptosis in OLK mice and exhibited a certain level of biosafety. CONCLUSION This study demonstrated for the first time that CuB could effectively inhibit the malignant progression of OLK by inducing ferroptosis via activating the SLC7A11/ mitochondrial oxidative stress pathway. These findings indicate that CuB could serve as the lead compound for the future development of anti-oral leukoplakia drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyuan Yang
- Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Prevention and New Materials, No.63 Xinjian South Road, Yingze District, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, China
| | - Xin Chen
- Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Prevention and New Materials, No.63 Xinjian South Road, Yingze District, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, China
| | - Chen Cheng
- Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Prevention and New Materials, No.63 Xinjian South Road, Yingze District, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, China
| | - Wenpeng Yan
- Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Prevention and New Materials, No.63 Xinjian South Road, Yingze District, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, China
| | - Rongrong Guo
- Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Prevention and New Materials, No.63 Xinjian South Road, Yingze District, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, China
| | - Yajun Wang
- Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Prevention and New Materials, No.63 Xinjian South Road, Yingze District, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, China
| | - Heng Zhang
- Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Prevention and New Materials, No.63 Xinjian South Road, Yingze District, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, China
| | - Jiawei Chai
- Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Prevention and New Materials, No.63 Xinjian South Road, Yingze District, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, China
| | - YaHsin Cheng
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Fang Zhang
- Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Prevention and New Materials, No.63 Xinjian South Road, Yingze District, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, China.
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Zhai S, Wang R, Wang J, Xu X, Niu L, Guo M, Zhang Y, Shi Y, Tang X. Curcumol: a review of its pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, drug delivery systems, structure-activity relationships, and potential applications. Inflammopharmacology 2024; 32:1659-1704. [PMID: 38520574 DOI: 10.1007/s10787-024-01447-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
Curcumol (Cur), a guaiane-type sesquiterpenoid hemiketal, is an important and representative bioactive component extracted from the essential oil of the rhizomes of Curcumae rhizoma which is also known as "Ezhu" in traditional Chinese medicine. Recently, Cur has received considerable attention from the research community due to its favorable pharmacological activities, including anti-cancer, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-convulsant, and other activities, and has also exerted therapeutic effect on various cancers, liver diseases, inflammatory diseases, and infectious diseases. Pharmacokinetic studies have shown that Cur is rapidly distributed in almost all organs of rats after intragastric administration with high concentrations in the small intestine and colon. Several studies focusing on structure-activity relationship (SAR) of Cur have shown that some Cur derivatives, chemically modified at C-8 or C-14, exhibited more potent anti-cancer activity and lower toxicity than Cur itself. This review aims to comprehensively summarize the latest advances in the pharmacological and pharmacokinetic properties of Cur in the last decade with a focus on its anti-cancer and hepatoprotective potentials, as well as the research progress in drug delivery system and potential applications of Cur to date, to provide researchers with the latest information, to highlighted the limitations of relevant research at the current stage and the aspects that should be addressed in future research. Our results indicate that Cur and its derivatives could serve as potential novel agents for the treatment of a variety of diseases, particularly cancer and liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sicheng Zhai
- School of Medical Engineering, Haojing College of Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Tongyi Avenue, Xi Xian New District, Xianyang City, 712046, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Rui Wang
- School of Medical Engineering, Haojing College of Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Tongyi Avenue, Xi Xian New District, Xianyang City, 712046, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingyuan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Basic and New Drug Research in Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Shiji Avenue, Xi Xian New District, Xianyang City, 712046, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiangdong Xu
- School of Medical Engineering, Haojing College of Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Tongyi Avenue, Xi Xian New District, Xianyang City, 712046, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Le Niu
- School of Medical Engineering, Haojing College of Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Tongyi Avenue, Xi Xian New District, Xianyang City, 712046, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Min Guo
- School of Medical Engineering, Haojing College of Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Tongyi Avenue, Xi Xian New District, Xianyang City, 712046, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Yongling Zhang
- School of Medical Engineering, Haojing College of Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Tongyi Avenue, Xi Xian New District, Xianyang City, 712046, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Yajun Shi
- Key Laboratory of Basic and New Drug Research in Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Shiji Avenue, Xi Xian New District, Xianyang City, 712046, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xuexue Tang
- School of Medical Engineering, Haojing College of Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Tongyi Avenue, Xi Xian New District, Xianyang City, 712046, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China.
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Yao YX, Yu YJ, Dai S, Zhang CY, Xue XY, Zhou ML, Yao CH, Li YX. Kaempferol efficacy in metabolic diseases: Molecular mechanisms of action in diabetes mellitus, obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, steatohepatitis, and atherosclerosis. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 175:116694. [PMID: 38713943 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116694] [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: 03/03/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The incidence of metabolic diseases has progressively increased, which has a negative impact on human health and life safety globally. Due to the good efficacy and limited side effects, there is growing interest in developing effective drugs to treat metabolic diseases from natural compounds. Kaempferol (KMP), an important flavonoid, exists in many vegetables, fruits, and traditional medicinal plants. Recently, KMP has received widespread attention worldwide due to its good potential in the treatment of metabolic diseases. To promote the basic research and clinical application of KMP, this review provides a timely and comprehensive summary of the pharmacological advances of KMP in the treatment of four metabolic diseases and its potential molecular mechanisms of action, including diabetes mellitus, obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)/nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and atherosclerosis. According to the research, KMP shows remarkable therapeutic effects on metabolic diseases by regulating multiple signaling transduction pathways such as NF-κB, Nrf2, AMPK, PI3K/AKT, TLR4, and ER stress. In addition, the most recent literature on KMP's natural source, pharmacokinetics studies, as well as toxicity and safety are also discussed in this review, thus providing a foundation and evidence for further studies to develop novel and effective drugs from natural compounds. Collectively, our manuscript strongly suggested that KMP could be a promising candidate for the treatment of metabolic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Xin Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu 611137, China; School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China; Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Yu-Jie Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu 611137, China; School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China; Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Shu Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu 611137, China; School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China; Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Chao-Yang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu 611137, China; School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China; Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Xin-Yan Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu 611137, China; School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China; Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Meng-Ling Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu 611137, China; School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China; Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Chen-Hao Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu 611137, China; School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China; Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Yun-Xia Li
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu 611137, China; School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China; Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Chengdu 611137, China.
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Niu B, Liu L, Gao Q, Zhu M, Chen L, Peng X, Qin B, Zhou X, Li F. Genetic mutation of Tas2r104/Tas2r105/Tas2r114 cluster leads to a loss of taste perception to denatonium benzoate and cucurbitacin B. Animal Model Exp Med 2024; 7:324-336. [PMID: 38155461 PMCID: PMC11228091 DOI: 10.1002/ame2.12357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bitter taste receptors (Tas2rs) are generally considered to sense various bitter compounds to escape the intake of toxic substances. Bitter taste receptors have been found to widely express in extraoral tissues and have important physiological functions outside the gustatory system in vivo. METHODS To investigate the physiological functions of the bitter taste receptor cluster Tas2r106/Tas2r104/Tas2r105/Tas2r114 in lingual and extraoral tissues, multiple Tas2rs mutant mice and Gnat3 were produced using CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technique. A mixture containing Cas9 and sgRNA mRNAs for Tas2rs and Gnat3 gene was microinjected into the cytoplasm of the zygotes. Then, T7EN1 assays and sequencing were used to screen genetic mutation at the target sites in founder mice. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and immunostaining were used to study the expression level of taste signaling cascade and bitter taste receptor in taste buds. Perception to taste substance was also studied using two-bottle preference tests. RESULTS We successfully produced several Tas2rs and Gnat3 mutant mice using the CRISPR/Cas9 technique. Immunostaining results showed that the expression of GNAT3 and PLCB2 was not altered in Tas2rs mutant mice. But qRT-PCR results revealed the changed expression profile of mTas2rs gene in taste buds of these mutant mice. With two-bottle preference tests, these mutant mice eliminate responses to cycloheximide due to genetic mutation of Tas2r105. In addition, these mutant mice showed a loss of taste perception to quinine dihydrochloride, denatonium benzoate, and cucurbitacin B (CuB). Gnat3-mediated taste receptor and its signal pathway contribute to CuB perception. CONCLUSIONS These findings implied that these mutant mice would be a valuable means to understand the biological functions of TAS2Rs in extraoral tissues and investigate bitter compound-induced responses mediated by these TAS2Rs in many extraoral tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bowen Niu
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Shanghai Public Health Clinical CenterFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Lingling Liu
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Shanghai Public Health Clinical CenterFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Qian Gao
- Department of Biology, College of Life SciencesShanghai Normal UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Meng‐Min Zhu
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Shanghai Public Health Clinical CenterFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Lixiang Chen
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Shanghai Public Health Clinical CenterFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Xiu‐Hua Peng
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Shanghai Public Health Clinical CenterFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Boying Qin
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Shanghai Public Health Clinical CenterFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Xiaohui Zhou
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Shanghai Public Health Clinical CenterFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Feng Li
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Shanghai Public Health Clinical CenterFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
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Han M, An J, Li S, Fan H, Wang L, Du Q, Du J, Yang Y, Song Y, Peng F. Isocucurbitacin B inhibits glioma growth through PI3K/AKT pathways and increases glioma sensitivity to TMZ by inhibiting hsa-mir-1286a. CANCER DRUG RESISTANCE (ALHAMBRA, CALIF.) 2024; 7:16. [PMID: 38835342 PMCID: PMC11149100 DOI: 10.20517/cdr.2024.01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2024] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Aim: Glioma accounts for 81% of all cancers of the nervous system cancers and presents one of the most drug-resistant malignancies, resulting in a relatively high mortality rate. Despite extensive efforts, the complete treatment options for glioma remain elusive. The effect of isocucurbitacin B (isocuB), a natural compound extracted from melon pedicels, on glioma has not been investigated. This study aims to investigate the inhibitory effect of isocuB on glioma and elucidate its underlying mechanisms, with the objective of developing it as a potential therapeutic agent for glioma. Methods: We used network pharmacology and bioinformatics analysis to predict potential targets and associated pathways of isocuB in glioma. Subsequently, the inhibitory effect of isocuB on glioma and its related mechanisms were assessed through Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), wound healing, transwell, Western blot (WB), reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and other in vitro experiments, alongside tumor formation experiments in nude mice. Results: Based on this investigation, it suggested that isocuB might inhibit the growth of gliomas through the PI3K-AKT and MAPK pathways. Additionally, we proposed that isocuB may enhance glioma drug sensitivity to temozolomide (TMZ) via modulation of hsa-mir-1286a. The CCK-8 assay revealed that isocuB exhibited inhibitory effects on U251 and U87 proliferation and outperformed TMZ. Wound healing and transwell experiments showed that isocuB inhibited the invasion and migration of U251 cells by suppressing the activity of MMP-2/9, N-cadherin, and Vimentin. The TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) and flow cytometry (FCM) assays revealed that isocuB induced cell apoptosis through inhibition of BCL-2. Subsequently, we conducted RT-qPCR and WB experiments, which revealed that PI3K/AKT and MAPK pathways might be involved in the mechanism of the inhibition isocuB on glioma. Additionally, isocuB promoted the sensitivity of glioma U251 to TMZ by inhibiting hsa-mir-1286a. Furthermore, we constructed TMZ-resistant U251 strains and demonstrated effective inhibition by isocuB against these resistant strains. Finally, we confirmed that isocuB can inhibit tumor growth in vivo through experiments on tumors in nude mice. Conclusion: IsocuB may protect against glioma by acting on the PI3K/AKT and MAPK pathways and promote the sensitivity of glioma U251 to TMZ by inhibiting hsa-mir-1286a.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyu Han
- Department of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Junsha An
- Department of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Sui Li
- Department of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
- Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Department, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
- Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone, WuXi Biologics, Shanghai 214122, China
| | - Huali Fan
- Department of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
- Livzon Pharmaceutical Group Inc, Zhuhai 519090, Guangdong, China
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Qing Du
- Chongqing Western Biomedical Technology Co. Ltd., Chongqing 400039, China
| | - Junrong Du
- Department of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yuxin Yang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yuqin Song
- Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Department, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Fu Peng
- Department of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
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9
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Wu H, Ma T, He M, Xie W, Wang X, Lu L, Wang H, Cui Y. Cucurbitacin B modulates M2 macrophage differentiation and attenuates osteosarcoma progression via PI3K/AKT pathway. Phytother Res 2024; 38:2215-2233. [PMID: 38411031 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.8146] [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: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Osteosarcoma is a common malignant bone tumour characterised by an aggressive metastatic potential. The tumour microenvironment, particularly the M2-polarised macrophages, is crucial for tumour progression. Cucurbitacin B (CuB), a triterpenoid derivative, is recognised for its anti-inflammatory and antitumour properties. This study investigates CuB and its effect on M2 macrophage differentiation and osteosarcoma progression, aiming to contribute to new treatment strategies. In vitro, THP-1 monocytes were stimulated with PMA, IL-13 and IL-4 to induce differentiation into M2 macrophages. Additionally, the influence of CuB on the proliferation, migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells in the context of M2 macrophages was scrutinised. Crucial signalling pathways, especially the PI3K/AKT pathway, affected by CuB were identified and validated. In vivo, the osteosarcoma model was employed to gauge the effects of CuB on tumour weight, lung metastasis, angiogenesis, cell proliferation and M2 macrophage markers. The results showed that CuB inhibited M2 macrophage differentiation, leading to reduced proliferation, migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells. CuB manifested an inhibitory effect on the PI3K/AKT pathway during the differentiation of M2 macrophages. In mouse models, CuB markedly reduced the tumour weight and the number of lung metastases. It also reduced the expression of angiogenesis and cell proliferation markers in tumour tissues, decreased the quantity of M2 macrophages and their associated markers and pathway proteins. In conclusion, CuB impedes osteosarcoma progression by inhibiting M2 macrophage differentiation via the PI3K/AKT pathway, presenting the potential for therapeutic advancements in osteosarcoma treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Wu
- Department of Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Tianjun Ma
- Department of Bone and Joint Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Mei He
- Department of Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Wenkai Xie
- Department of Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Xueyan Wang
- Department of Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Liuping Lu
- Department of Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
- Department of Orthopaedics, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Ying Cui
- Department of Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
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10
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Guo Y, Peng X, Liu F, Zhang Q, Ding L, Li G, Qiu F. Potential of natural products in inflammation: biological activities, structure-activity relationships, and mechanistic targets. Arch Pharm Res 2024; 47:377-409. [PMID: 38739203 DOI: 10.1007/s12272-024-01496-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
A balance between the development and suppression of inflammation can always be found in the body. When this balance is disturbed, a strong inflammatory response can damage the body. It sometimes is necessary to use drugs with a significant anti-inflammatory effect, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and steroid hormones, to control inflammation in the body. However, the existing anti-inflammatory drugs have many adverse effects, which can be deadly in severe cases, making research into new safer and more effective anti-inflammatory drugs necessary. Currently, numerous types of natural products with anti-inflammatory activity and distinct structural features are available, and these natural products have great potential for the development of novel anti-inflammatory drugs. This review summarizes 260 natural products and their derivatives with anti-inflammatory activities in the last two decades, classified by their active ingredients, and focuses on their structure-activity relationships in anti-inflammation to lay the foundation for subsequent new drug development. We also elucidate the mechanisms and pathways of natural products that exert anti-inflammatory effects via network pharmacology predictions, providing direction for identifying subsequent targets of anti-inflammatory natural products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajing Guo
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 10 Poyanghu Road, Jinghai District, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuling Peng
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 10 Poyanghu Road, Jinghai District, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China
| | - Fanfei Liu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 10 Poyanghu Road, Jinghai District, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China
| | - Qi Zhang
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 10 Poyanghu Road, Jinghai District, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China
| | - Liqin Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Component-Based Chinese Medicine, Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 10 Poyanghu Road, Jinghai District, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Substance of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 10 Poyanghu Road, Jinghai District, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China
| | - Gen Li
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 10 Poyanghu Road, Jinghai District, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China.
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Substance of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 10 Poyanghu Road, Jinghai District, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China.
| | - Feng Qiu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 10 Poyanghu Road, Jinghai District, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China.
- State Key Laboratory of Component-Based Chinese Medicine, Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 10 Poyanghu Road, Jinghai District, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China.
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Substance of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 10 Poyanghu Road, Jinghai District, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China.
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Wang Y, Wang Z, Li S, Ma J, Dai X, Lu J. Deciphering JAK/STAT signaling pathway: A multifaceted approach to tumorigenesis, progression and therapeutic interventions. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 131:111846. [PMID: 38520787 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.111846] [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: 01/14/2024] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
The Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) pathway, essential for cellular communication, orchestrates a myriad of physiological and pathological processes. Recently, the intricate association between the pathway's dysregulation and the progression of malignant tumors has garnered increasing attention. Nevertheless, there is no systematic summary detailing the anticancer effects of molecules targeting the JAK/STAT pathway in the context of tumor progression. This review offers a comprehensive overview of pharmaceutical agents targeting the JAK/STAT pathway, encompassing phytochemicals, synthetic drugs, and biomolecules. These agents can manifest their anticancer effects through various mechanisms, including inhibiting proliferation, inducing apoptosis, suppressing tumor metastasis, and angiogenesis. Notably, we emphasize the clinical challenges of drug resistance while spotlighting the potential of integrating JAK/STAT inhibitors with other therapies as a transformative approach in cancer treatment. Moreover, this review delves into the avant-garde strategy of employing nanocarriers to enhance the solubility and bioavailability of anticancer drugs, significantly amplifying their therapeutic prowess. Through this academic exploration of the multifaceted roles of the JAK/STAT pathway in the cancer milieu, we aim to sketch a visionary trajectory for future oncological interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihui Wang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province 450001, PR China; Department of Anesthesiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province 450001, PR China
| | - Zhe Wang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province 450001, PR China; Department of Clinical Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province 450001, PR China
| | - Shuyu Li
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province 450001, PR China; Department of Clinical Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province 450001, PR China
| | - Juntao Ma
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province 450001, PR China; Department of Clinical Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province 450001, PR China
| | - Xiaoshuo Dai
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province 450001, PR China
| | - Jing Lu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province 450001, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Cancer Chemoprevention, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province 450001, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province 450052, PR China.
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12
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Li QZ, Chen YY, Liu QP, Feng ZH, Zhang L, Zhang H. Cucurbitacin B suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma progression through inducing DNA damage-dependent cell cycle arrest. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 126:155177. [PMID: 38412667 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.155177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mortality rate of liver cancer ranks third in the world, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant tumor of the digestive tract. Cucurbitacin B (CuB), a natural compound extracted from Cucurbitaceae spp., is the main active component of Chinese patent medicine the Cucurbitacin Tablet, which has been widely used in the treatment of various malignant tumors in clinics, especially HCC. PURPOSE This study explored the role and mechanism of CuB in the suppression of liver cancer progression. METHODS Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and colony formation assays were used to detect the inhibitory function of CuB in Huh7, Hep3B, and Hepa1/6 hepatoma cells. Calcein-AM/propidium iodide (PI) staining and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) measurement assays were performed to determine cell death. Mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) was measured, and flow cytometry was performed to evaluate cell apoptosis and cell cycle. Several techniques, such as proteomics, Western blotting (WB), and ribonucleic acid (RNA) interference, were utilized to explore the potential mechanism. The animal experiment was performed to verify the results of in vitro experiments. RESULTS CuB significantly inhibited the growth of Huh7, Hep3B, and Hepa1/6 cells and triggered the cell cycle arrest in G2/M phage without leading to cell death, especially apoptosis. Knockdown of insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1), a target of CuB, did not reverse CuB elicited cell cycle arrest. CuB enhanced phosphorylated ataxia telangiectasia mutated (p-ATM) and phosphorylated H2A histone family member X (γ-H2AX) levels. Moreover, CuB increased p53 and p21 levels and decreased cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) expression, accompanied by improving phosphorylated checkpoint kinase 1 (p-CHK1) level and suppressing cell division cycle 25C (CDC25C) protein level. Interestingly, these phenomena were partly abolished by a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) protector methylproamine (MPA). Animal studies showed that CuB also significantly suppressed tumor growth in BALB/c mice bearing Hepa1/6 cells. In tumor tissues, CuB reduced the expression levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and γ-H2AX but did not change the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxyuridine triphosphate (dUTP) nick-end labeling (TUNEL) level. CONCLUSION This study demonstrated for the first time that CuB could effectively impede HCC progression by inducing DNA damage-dependent cell cycle arrest without directly triggering cell death, such as necrosis and apoptosis. The effect was achieved through ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM)-dependent p53-p21-CDK1 and checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1)-CDC25C signaling pathways. These findings indicate that CuB may be used as an anti-HCC drug, when the current findings are confirmed by independent studies and after many more clinical phase 1, 2, 3, and 4 testings have been done.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi-Zhang Li
- Innovative Drug R&D Center, College of Life Sciences, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, Anhui 235000, China
| | - Yu-Ying Chen
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Qiu-Ping Liu
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Zhi-Hui Feng
- Innovative Drug R&D Center, College of Life Sciences, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, Anhui 235000, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Innovative Drug R&D Center, College of Life Sciences, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, Anhui 235000, China; Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
| | - Hong Zhang
- Innovative Drug R&D Center, College of Life Sciences, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, Anhui 235000, China.
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Li XS, Wang QL, Xu ZP, Liu MS, Liang XY, Zheng JC, Deng HY, Liu L, Huang YM, Yang MX, Yang XM. Structurally diverse cucurbitane-type triterpenoids from the tubers of Hemsleya chinensis with cytotoxic activity. PHYTOCHEMISTRY 2024; 220:114033. [PMID: 38373572 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2024.114033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Ten previously undescribed cucurbitane-type triterpenoids, namely hemslyencins A-F (1-6) and hemslyencosides A-D (7-10), together with twenty previously reported compounds (11-30), were isolated from the tubers of Hemsleya chinensis. Their structures were elucidated by unambiguous spectroscopic data (UV, IR, HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR data). Hemslyencins A and B (1 and 2) possessing unique 9, 11-seco-ring system with a six-membered lactone moiety, were the first examples among of the cucurbitane-type triterpenoids, and hemslyencins C and D (3 and 4) and hemslyencoside D (10) are the infrequent pentacyclic cucurbitane triterpenes featuring a 6/6/6/5/6 fused system. The cytotoxic activities of all isolated compounds were evaluated against MCF-7, HCT-116, HeLa, and HepG2 cancer cells, and their structure-activity relationships (SARs) was discussed as well. Compounds 17, 25, and 26 showed significant cytotoxic effects with IC50 values ranging from 1.31 to 9.89 μM, among which compound 25 induced both apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase in a dose dependent manner against MCF-7 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-San Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Research and Development of Natural Drugs, and School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, 523808, PR China; Marine Biomedical Research Institute, The Key Lab of Zhanjiang for R&D Marine Microbial Resources in the Beibu Gulf Rim, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524023, PR China.
| | - Qi-Lin Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Research and Development of Natural Drugs, and School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, 523808, PR China
| | - Zhi-Peng Xu
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Natural Products, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, PR China
| | - Ming-Shang Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Research and Development of Natural Drugs, and School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, 523808, PR China
| | - Xiao-Yan Liang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Research and Development of Natural Drugs, and School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, 523808, PR China; Marine Biomedical Research Institute, The Key Lab of Zhanjiang for R&D Marine Microbial Resources in the Beibu Gulf Rim, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524023, PR China
| | - Jia-Chon Zheng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Research and Development of Natural Drugs, and School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, 523808, PR China
| | - Hong-Yao Deng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Research and Development of Natural Drugs, and School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, 523808, PR China
| | - Li Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Research and Development of Natural Drugs, and School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, 523808, PR China; Dongguan Key Laboratory of Screening and Research of Anti-inflammatory Ingredients in Chinese Medicine, Dongguan, 523808, PR China
| | - Yong-Mei Huang
- Marine Biomedical Research Institute, The Key Lab of Zhanjiang for R&D Marine Microbial Resources in the Beibu Gulf Rim, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524023, PR China
| | - Mao-Xun Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Research and Development of Natural Drugs, and School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, 523808, PR China.
| | - Xue-Mei Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Research and Development of Natural Drugs, and School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, 523808, PR China.
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Valotto Neto LJ, Reverete de Araujo M, Moretti Junior RC, Mendes Machado N, Joshi RK, dos Santos Buglio D, Barbalho Lamas C, Direito R, Fornari Laurindo L, Tanaka M, Barbalho SM. Investigating the Neuroprotective and Cognitive-Enhancing Effects of Bacopa monnieri: A Systematic Review Focused on Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, Mitochondrial Dysfunction, and Apoptosis. Antioxidants (Basel) 2024; 13:393. [PMID: 38671841 PMCID: PMC11047749 DOI: 10.3390/antiox13040393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2024] [Revised: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The aging of the global population has increased the prevalence of neurodegenerative conditions. Bacopa monnieri (BM), an herb with active compounds, such as bacosides A and B, betulinic acid, loliolide, asiatic acid, and quercetin, demonstrates the potential for brain health. Limited research has been conducted on the therapeutic applications of BM in neurodegenerative conditions. This systematic review aims to project BM's beneficial role in brain disorders. BM has anti-apoptotic and antioxidant actions and can repair damaged neurons, stimulate kinase activity, restore synaptic function, improve nerve transmission, and increase neuroprotection. The included twenty-two clinical trials demonstrated that BM can reduce Nuclear Factor-κB phosphorylation, improve emotional function, cognitive functions, anhedonia, hyperactivity, sleep routine, depression, attention deficit, learning problems, memory retention, impulsivity, and psychiatric problems. Moreover, BM can reduce the levels of pro-inflammatory biomarkers and oxidative stress. Here, we highlight that BM provides notable therapeutic benefits and can serve as a complementary approach for the care of patients with neurodegenerative conditions associated with brain disorders. This review adds to the growing interest in natural products and their potential therapeutic applications by improving our understanding of the mechanisms underlying cognitive function and neurodegeneration and informing the development of new therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiz José Valotto Neto
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Marília (UNIMAR), Marília 17525-902, SP, Brazil; (L.J.V.N.); (M.R.d.A.); (R.C.M.J.); (N.M.M.); (D.d.S.B.)
- Department of Education, Government of Uttarakhand, Nainital 263001, India;
| | - Matheus Reverete de Araujo
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Marília (UNIMAR), Marília 17525-902, SP, Brazil; (L.J.V.N.); (M.R.d.A.); (R.C.M.J.); (N.M.M.); (D.d.S.B.)
| | - Renato Cesar Moretti Junior
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Marília (UNIMAR), Marília 17525-902, SP, Brazil; (L.J.V.N.); (M.R.d.A.); (R.C.M.J.); (N.M.M.); (D.d.S.B.)
| | - Nathalia Mendes Machado
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Marília (UNIMAR), Marília 17525-902, SP, Brazil; (L.J.V.N.); (M.R.d.A.); (R.C.M.J.); (N.M.M.); (D.d.S.B.)
| | - Rakesh Kumar Joshi
- Department of Education, Government of Uttarakhand, Nainital 263001, India;
| | - Daiane dos Santos Buglio
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Marília (UNIMAR), Marília 17525-902, SP, Brazil; (L.J.V.N.); (M.R.d.A.); (R.C.M.J.); (N.M.M.); (D.d.S.B.)
| | - Caroline Barbalho Lamas
- Department of Gerontology, School of Gerontology, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos 13565-905, SP, Brazil;
| | - Rosa Direito
- Laboratory of Systems Integration Pharmacology, Clinical & Regulatory Science, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy de Farmácia, University of Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal;
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Lucas Fornari Laurindo
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Medical School of Marilia (FAMEMA), Marília 17519-030, SP, Brazil;
| | - Masaru Tanaka
- Danube Neuroscience Research Laboratory, HUN-REN-SZTE Neuroscience Research Group, Hungarian Research Network, University of Szeged (HUN-REN-SZTE), Tisza Lajos krt. 113, H-6725 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Sandra Maria Barbalho
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Marília (UNIMAR), Marília 17525-902, SP, Brazil; (L.J.V.N.); (M.R.d.A.); (R.C.M.J.); (N.M.M.); (D.d.S.B.)
- Postgraduate Program in Structural and Functional Interactions in Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, Universidade de Marília (UNIMAR), Marília 17525-902, SP, Brazil
- Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition, School of Food and Technology of Marília (FATEC), Marília 17500-000, SP, Brazil
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Shen D, Kang S. Comprehensive analysis of mitochondria-related genes indicates that PPP2R2B is a novel biomarker and promotes the progression of bladder cancer via Wnt signaling pathway. Biol Direct 2024; 19:17. [PMID: 38409085 PMCID: PMC10898125 DOI: 10.1186/s13062-024-00461-6] [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: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Bladder cancer (BC) is the fourth and tenth most common malignancy in men and women worldwide, respectively. The complexity of the molecular biological mechanism behind BC is a major contributor to the lack of effective treatment management of the disease. The development and genesis of BC are influenced by mitochondrial retrograde control and mitochondria-nuclear cross-talk. However, the role of mitochondrial-related genes in BC remains unclear. In this study, we analyzed TCGA datasets and identified 752 DE-MRGs in BC samples, including 313 down-regulated MRGs and 439 up-regulated MRGs. Then, the results of machine-learning screened four critical diagnostic genes, including GLRX2, NMT1, PPP2R2B and TRAF3IP3. Moreover, we analyzed their prognostic value and confirmed that only PPP2R2B was associated with clinical prognosis of BC patients and Cox regression assays validated that PPP2R2B expression was a distinct predictor of overall survival in BC patients. Them, we performed RT-PCR and found that PPP2R2B expression was distinctly decreased in BC specimens and cell lines. Functional experiments revealed that overexpression of PPP2R2B distinctly suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion of BC cells via Wnt signaling pathway. In summary, these research findings offer potential molecular markers for the diagnosis and prognosis of BC, with the discovery of PPP2R2B particularly holding significant biological and clinical significance. This study provides valuable clues for future in-depth investigations into the molecular mechanisms of BC, as well as the development of new diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Du Shen
- College of Clinic Medical, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, China
| | - Shaosan Kang
- North China of Science and Technology Affiliated Hospital, Tangshan, China.
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Khan F, Pandey P, Verma M, Upadhyay TK. Terpenoid-Mediated Targeting of STAT3 Signaling in Cancer: An Overview of Preclinical Studies. Biomolecules 2024; 14:200. [PMID: 38397437 PMCID: PMC10886526 DOI: 10.3390/biom14020200] [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: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer has become one of the most multifaceted and widespread illnesses affecting human health, causing substantial mortality at an alarming rate. After cardiovascular problems, the condition has a high occurrence rate and ranks second in terms of mortality. The development of new drugs has been facilitated by increased research and a deeper understanding of the mechanisms behind the emergence and advancement of the disease. Numerous preclinical and clinical studies have repeatedly demonstrated the protective effects of natural terpenoids against a range of malignancies. Numerous potential bioactive terpenoids have been investigated in natural sources for their chemopreventive and chemoprotective properties. In practically all body cells, the signaling molecule referred to as signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is widely expressed. Numerous studies have demonstrated that STAT3 regulates its downstream target genes, including Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, cyclin D1, c-Myc, and survivin, to promote the growth of cells, differentiation, cell cycle progression, angiogenesis, and immune suppression in addition to chemotherapy resistance. Researchers viewed STAT3 as a primary target for cancer therapy because of its crucial involvement in cancer formation. This therapy primarily focuses on directly and indirectly preventing the expression of STAT3 in tumor cells. By explicitly targeting STAT3 in both in vitro and in vivo settings, it has been possible to explain the protective effect of terpenoids against malignant cells. In this study, we provide a complete overview of STAT3 signal transduction processes, the involvement of STAT3 in carcinogenesis, and mechanisms related to STAT3 persistent activation. The article also thoroughly summarizes the inhibition of STAT3 signaling by certain terpenoid phytochemicals, which have demonstrated strong efficacy in several preclinical cancer models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fahad Khan
- Center for Global Health Research, Saveetha Medical College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai 602105, India;
| | - Pratibha Pandey
- University Centre for Research and Development, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali 140413, India
| | - Meenakshi Verma
- University Centre for Research and Development, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali 140413, India
- Department of Chemistry, University Institute of Sciences, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali 140413, India
| | - Tarun Kumar Upadhyay
- Department of Biotechnology, Parul Institute of Applied Sciences and Research and Development Cell, Parul University, Vadodara 391760, India;
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Liu P, Tan XY, Zhang HQ, Su KL, Shang EX, Xiao QL, Guo S, Duan JA. Optimal compatibility proportional screening of Trichosanthis Pericarpium - Trichosanthis Radix and its anti - Inflammatory components effect on experimental zebrafish and coughing mice. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 319:117096. [PMID: 37634750 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE The herbal pair of Trichosanthis Pericarpium (TP) - Trichosanthis Radix (TR) can be seen in the famous formula "Beimu Gualou San". It is a commonly selected combination of medicinal herbs for the treatment of cough with lung heat. Both drugs are derived from Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim, a medicinal plant known for its ability to clear heat, resolve phlegm, produce saliva, and alleviate dryness. However, the optimal combination ratio and active ingredients of TP-TR have yet to be determined. AIM OF THE STUDY This study aims to investigate the optimal combination ratio of TP-TR and its anti-inflammatory active ingredients in cough treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS A zebrafish (Danio rerio) inflammatory injury model and response surface method were applied in the present study to determine the appropriate proportion of TP-TR. Chemical constituents in TP-TR were identified using HPLC-ELSD and UPLC-MS/MS methods. Subsequently, a cough mouse model was created using an ammonia solution to evaluate the effectiveness of the optimal TP-TR ratio. Network pharmacology and intestinal flora sequencing were used to validate the anti-inflammatory components of TP-TR. RESULTS The herbal pair of TP - TR at the ratio of 1:2 showed an optimal anti-inflammatory effect, with a composite inflammatory factor score of 119.645 in the zebrafish experiment. TP-TR combination facilitated the dissolution of glutamine, inosine, cytosine, isoquercetin, and other substances. In the animal model, the TP-TR (1:2) treatment significantly reduced the frequency of coughs and prolonged cough latency compared to the model group. Results of the network pharmacology indicated that inflammatory-related factors such as TLR4, STAT3, EGFR, and AKT1 played crucial roles in cough treatment with TP-TR, consistent with the validation experiment. The 16s rDNA sequencing results revealed a significant increase in the abundance of Clostridia_UCG-014, Lachnospiraceae, Christenella, Ruminococcus, and other species in the intestinal tract of mice after modelling. TP-TR (1:2) reduced the abundance of pro-inflammatory flora such as Clostridium_UCG-014 and Lachnospira, which were closely associated with L-lysine and trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline present in TP-TR according to correlation analysis. CONCLUSION TP-TR may promote the dissolution of glutamine, thymidine, inosine, cytosine, isoquercetin, and other components through their combination, thereby regulating the abundance of Clostridium_UCG-014 and Lachnospira and exerting an antitussive effect. This study, for the first time, showed that TP-TR at a 1:2 ratio exhibits superior anti-inflammatory effects. In addition to inflammatory mediators like EGFR, TLR4, AKT1, and STAT3, gut microbes could also serve as potential regulatory targets of TP-TR in the treatment of cough. 2'-Deoxyguanosine monohydrate, L-lysine, L-leucine, γ-aminobutyric acid, L-valine, L-tryptophan, L-proline, trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline, L-methionine, uridine, 2'-deoxyinosine, guanosine, cucurbitacin B and cucurbitacin D were identified as its anti-inflammatory active ingredients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of TCM Formulae, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China.
| | - Xiao-Ying Tan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of TCM Formulae, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Huang-Qin Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of TCM Formulae, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China; Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Third Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210028, China
| | - Ke-Lei Su
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Third Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210028, China
| | - Er-Xin Shang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of TCM Formulae, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Qing-Ling Xiao
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Third Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210028, China
| | - Sheng Guo
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of TCM Formulae, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Jin-Ao Duan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of TCM Formulae, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
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Nayak V, Patra S, Rout S, Jena AB, Sharma R, Pattanaik KP, Singh J, Pandey SS, Singh RP, Majhi S, Singh KR, Kerry RG. Regulation of neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease via nanoparticle-loaded phytocompounds with anti-inflammatory and autophagy-inducing properties. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 122:155150. [PMID: 37944239 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.155150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by neuroinflammation linked to amyloid β (Aβ) aggregation and phosphorylated tau (τ) protein in neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). Key elements in Aβ production and NFT assembly, like γ-secretase and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK), contribute to neuroinflammation. In addition, impaired proteosomal and autophagic pathways increase Aβ and τ aggregation, leading to neuronal damage. Conventional neuroinflammation drugs have limitations due to unidirectional therapeutic approaches and challenges in crossing the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB). Clinical trials for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and other therapeutics remain uncertain. Novel strategies addressing the complex pathogenesis and BBB translocation are needed to effectively tackle AD-related neuroinflammation. PURPOSE The current scenario demands for a much-sophisticated theranostic measures which could be achieved via customized engineering and designing of novel nanotherapeutics. As, these therapeutics functions as a double edge sword, having the efficiency of unambiguous targeting, multiple drug delivery and ability to cross BBB proficiently. METHODS Inclusion criteria involve selecting recent, English-language studies from the past decade (2013-2023) that explore the regulation of neuroinflammation in neuroinflammation, Alzheimer's disease, amyloid β, tau protein, nanoparticles, autophagy, and phytocompounds. Various study types, including clinical trials, experiments, and reviews, were considered. Exclusion criteria comprised non-relevant publication types, studies unrelated to Alzheimer's disease or phytocompounds, those with methodological flaws, duplicates, and studies with inaccessible data. RESULTS In this study, polymeric nanoparticles loaded with specific phytocompounds and coated with an antibody targeting the transferrin receptor (anti-TfR) present on BBB. Thereafter, the engineered nanoparticles with the ability to efficiently traverse the BBB and interact with target molecules within the brain, could induce autophagy, a cellular process crucial for neuronal health, and exhibit potent anti-inflammatory effects. Henceforth, the proposed combination of desired phytocompounds, polymeric nanoparticles, and anti-TfR coating presents a promising approach for targeted drug delivery to the brain, with potential implications in neuroinflammatory conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinayak Nayak
- ICAR- National Institute on Foot and Mouth Disease-International Centre for Foot and Mouth Disease, Arugul, Bhubaneswar, Odisha (752050), India
| | - Sushmita Patra
- Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Tata Memorial Centre, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra (410210), India
| | - Shrushti Rout
- Department of Biotechnology, Utkal University, Vani Vihar, Bhubaneswar, Odisha (751004), India
| | - Atala Bihari Jena
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (02115), United States of America
| | - Rohit Sharma
- Department of Rasa Shastra and Bhaishajya Kalpana, Faculty of Ayurveda, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh (221005), India
| | - Kali Prasad Pattanaik
- School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar 751024, India
| | - Jay Singh
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh (221005), India
| | - Shyam S Pandey
- Graduate School of Life Science and Systems Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, 2-4 Hibikino, Wakamatsu, Kitakyushu (8080196), Japan
| | - Ravindra Pratap Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh 484887, India
| | - Sanatan Majhi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (02115), United States of America
| | - Kshitij Rb Singh
- Graduate School of Life Science and Systems Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, 2-4 Hibikino, Wakamatsu, Kitakyushu (8080196), Japan.
| | - Rout George Kerry
- Department of Biotechnology, Utkal University, Vani Vihar, Bhubaneswar, Odisha (751004), India.
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Ju IG, Lee S, Kim SH, Im H, Eo H, Oh MS. Trichosanthis Semen Exerts Neuroprotective Effects in Alzheimer's Disease Models by Inhibiting Amyloid-β Accumulation and Regulating the Akt and ERK Signaling Pathways. J Alzheimers Dis 2024; 98:119-131. [PMID: 38363611 DOI: 10.3233/jad-231124] [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] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Background Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, is characterized by memory loss and the abnormal accumulation of senile plaques composed of amyloid-β (Aβ) protein. Trichosanthis Semen (TS) is a traditional herbal medicine used to treat phlegm-related conditions. While TS is recognized for various bioactivities, including anti-neuroinflammatory effects, its ability to attenuate AD remains unknown. Objective To evaluate the effects of TS extract (TSE) on neuronal damage, Aβ accumulation, and neuroinflammation in AD models. Methods Thioflavin T and western blot assays were used to assess effects on Aβ aggregation in vitro. TS was treated to PC12 cells with Aβ to assess the neuroprotective effects. Memory functions and histological brain features were investigated in TSE-treated 5×FAD transgenic mice and mice with intracerebroventricularly injected Aβ. Results TSE disrupted Aβ aggregation and increased the viability of cells and phosphorylation of both protein kinase B (Akt) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in vitro. TSE treatment also suppressed the accumulation of Aβ plaques in the brain of 5×FAD mice, protected neuronal cells in both the subiculum and medial septum, and upregulated Akt/ERK phosphorylation in the hippocampus. Moreover, TSE ameliorated the memory decline and glial overactivation observed in 5×FAD mice. As assessing whether TS affect Aβ-induced neurotoxicity in the Aβ-injected mice, the effects of TS on memory improvement and neuroinflammatory inhibition were confirmed. Conclusions TSE disrupted Aβ aggregation, protected neurons against Aβ-induced toxicity, and suppressed neuroinflammation, suggesting that it can suppress the development of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- In Gyoung Ju
- Department of Oriental Pharmaceutical Science and Kyung Hee East-West Pharmaceutical Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seungmin Lee
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong Hye Kim
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeri Im
- Department of Integrated Drug Development and Natural Products, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeyoon Eo
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Myung Sook Oh
- Department of Oriental Pharmaceutical Science and Kyung Hee East-West Pharmaceutical Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Integrated Drug Development and Natural Products, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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20
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Zhou P, Huang S, Shao C, Huang D, Hu Y, Su X, Yang R, Jiang J, Wu J. The Antiproliferative and Proapoptotic Effects of Cucurbitacin B on BPH-1 Cells via the p53/MDM2 Axis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:442. [PMID: 38203613 PMCID: PMC10779356 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010442] [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: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Cucurbitacin B (Cu B), a triterpenoid compound, has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Most studies only focus on the hepatoprotective activity of Cu B, and little effort has been geared toward exploring the effect of Cu B on the prostate. Our study identified that Cu B inhibited the proliferation of the benign prostatic hyperplasia epithelial cell line (BPH-1). At the molecular level, Cu B upregulated MDM2 and thrombospondin 1 (THBS1) mRNA levels. Immunocytochemistry results revealed that the protein expressions of p53 and MDM2 were upregulated in BPH-1 cells. Furthermore, Cu B upregulated THBS1 expression and downregulated COX-2 expression in the BPH-1 cell supernatant. Altogether, Cu B may inhibit prostate cell proliferation by activating the p53/MDM2 signaling cascade and downregulating the COX-2 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Zhou
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Reproductive Health Drug and Devices, NHC Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Pharmacy School, Fudan University, Shanghai 200237, China; (P.Z.); (S.H.); (C.S.); (D.H.); (X.S.); (R.Y.); (J.J.)
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Sisi Huang
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Reproductive Health Drug and Devices, NHC Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Pharmacy School, Fudan University, Shanghai 200237, China; (P.Z.); (S.H.); (C.S.); (D.H.); (X.S.); (R.Y.); (J.J.)
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Congcong Shao
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Reproductive Health Drug and Devices, NHC Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Pharmacy School, Fudan University, Shanghai 200237, China; (P.Z.); (S.H.); (C.S.); (D.H.); (X.S.); (R.Y.); (J.J.)
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Dongyan Huang
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Reproductive Health Drug and Devices, NHC Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Pharmacy School, Fudan University, Shanghai 200237, China; (P.Z.); (S.H.); (C.S.); (D.H.); (X.S.); (R.Y.); (J.J.)
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yingyi Hu
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Reproductive Health Drug and Devices, NHC Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Pharmacy School, Fudan University, Shanghai 200237, China; (P.Z.); (S.H.); (C.S.); (D.H.); (X.S.); (R.Y.); (J.J.)
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xin Su
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Reproductive Health Drug and Devices, NHC Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Pharmacy School, Fudan University, Shanghai 200237, China; (P.Z.); (S.H.); (C.S.); (D.H.); (X.S.); (R.Y.); (J.J.)
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Rongfu Yang
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Reproductive Health Drug and Devices, NHC Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Pharmacy School, Fudan University, Shanghai 200237, China; (P.Z.); (S.H.); (C.S.); (D.H.); (X.S.); (R.Y.); (J.J.)
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Juan Jiang
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Reproductive Health Drug and Devices, NHC Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Pharmacy School, Fudan University, Shanghai 200237, China; (P.Z.); (S.H.); (C.S.); (D.H.); (X.S.); (R.Y.); (J.J.)
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jianhui Wu
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Reproductive Health Drug and Devices, NHC Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Pharmacy School, Fudan University, Shanghai 200237, China; (P.Z.); (S.H.); (C.S.); (D.H.); (X.S.); (R.Y.); (J.J.)
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai 200032, China
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Lv S, Zhang G, Huang Y, Zhong X, Yi Y, Lu Y, Li J, Ma Y, Teng J. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis: pharmacological mechanisms of antidepressant active ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1307746. [PMID: 38152691 PMCID: PMC10751940 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1307746] [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: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Depression is characterized by prominent indicators and manifestations, such as anhedonia, which refers to the inability to experience pleasure, and persistent feelings of hopelessness. In clinical practice, the primary treatment approach involves the utilization of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and related pharmacological interventions. Nevertheless, it is crucial to recognize that these agents are associated with significant adverse effects. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) adopts a multifaceted approach, targeting diverse components, multiple targets, and various channels of action. TCM has potential antidepressant effects. Anomalies in adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) constitute a pivotal factor in the pathology of depression, with the regulation of AHN emerging as a potential key measure to intervene in the pathogenesis and progression of this condition. This comprehensive review presented an overview of the pharmacological mechanisms underlying the antidepressant effects of active ingredients found in TCM. Through examination of recent studies, we explored how these ingredients modulated AHN. Furthermore, we critically assessed the current limitations of research in this domain and proposed novel strategies for preclinical investigation and clinical applications in the treatment of depression in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shimeng Lv
- Department of First Clinical Medical College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Guangheng Zhang
- Department of First Clinical Medical College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Yufei Huang
- Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xia Zhong
- Department of First Clinical Medical College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Yunhao Yi
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Yitong Lu
- Department of First Clinical Medical College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Jiamin Li
- Department of First Clinical Medical College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Yuexiang Ma
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Jing Teng
- Department of First Clinical Medical College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
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Deepika, Kumari A, Prajapati P, Sarita, Kumar S, Aluko RE, Singh S, Garg M. Pharmacological and Therapeutic Potential of Cucumis callosus: a Novel Nutritional Powerhouse for the Management of Non-communicable Diseases. PLANT FOODS FOR HUMAN NUTRITION (DORDRECHT, NETHERLANDS) 2023; 78:630-642. [PMID: 37698772 DOI: 10.1007/s11130-023-01098-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Cucumis callosus (Kachri) is an under-exploited fruit of the Cucurbitaceae family, distributed majorly in the arid regions of India in the states of Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. The fruit is traditionally used by the native people at a small scale by home-level processing. It is a perennial herb that has been shown to possess therapeutic potential in certain disorders. In several studies, the antioxidant, anti-hyperlipidaemic, anti-diabetic, anti-cancerous, anti-microbial, and cardioprotective properties of Kachri have been reported. The fruit has a good nutritional value in terms of high percentages of protein, carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, phenols, and various phytochemicals. Also, gamma radiation treatment has been used on this crop to reduce total bacterial counts (TBC), ensuring safety from pathogens during the storage period of the fruit and its products. These facts lay down a foundation for the development of functional food formulations and nutraceuticals of medicinal value from this functionally rich crop. Processing of traditionally valuable arid region foods into functional foods and products can potentially increase the livelihood and nutritional security of people globally. Therefore, this review focuses on the therapeutic and pharmacological potentials of the Kachri fruit in the management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) namely, diabetes, cancer, and hyperlipidemia. Graphical abstract of the review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepika
- Department of Nutrition Biology, School of Interdisciplinary and Applied Sciences, Central University of Haryana, Mahendergarh, Haryana, India, 123031
| | - Anita Kumari
- Department of Nutrition Biology, School of Interdisciplinary and Applied Sciences, Central University of Haryana, Mahendergarh, Haryana, India, 123031.
| | - Priyanka Prajapati
- Department of Food Technology, Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India, 110075
| | - Sarita
- Department of Nutrition Biology, School of Interdisciplinary and Applied Sciences, Central University of Haryana, Mahendergarh, Haryana, India, 123031
| | - Sandeep Kumar
- Department of Microbiology, School of Interdisciplinary and Applied Sciences, Central University of Haryana, Mahendergarh, 123031, Haryana, India
| | - Rotimi E Aluko
- Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Surender Singh
- Department of Microbiology, School of Interdisciplinary and Applied Sciences, Central University of Haryana, Mahendergarh, 123031, Haryana, India
| | - Meenakshi Garg
- Department of Food Technology, Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India, 110075
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Shuvalov O, Kirdeeva Y, Daks A, Fedorova O, Parfenyev S, Simon HU, Barlev NA. Phytochemicals Target Multiple Metabolic Pathways in Cancer. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:2012. [PMID: 38001865 PMCID: PMC10669507 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12112012] [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: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer metabolic reprogramming is a complex process that provides malignant cells with selective advantages to grow and propagate in the hostile environment created by the immune surveillance of the human organism. This process underpins cancer proliferation, invasion, antioxidant defense, and resistance to anticancer immunity and therapeutics. Perhaps not surprisingly, metabolic rewiring is considered to be one of the "Hallmarks of cancer". Notably, this process often comprises various complementary and overlapping pathways. Today, it is well known that highly selective inhibition of only one of the pathways in a tumor cell often leads to a limited response and, subsequently, to the emergence of resistance. Therefore, to increase the overall effectiveness of antitumor drugs, it is advisable to use multitarget agents that can simultaneously suppress several key processes in the tumor cell. This review is focused on a group of plant-derived natural compounds that simultaneously target different pathways of cancer-associated metabolism, including aerobic glycolysis, respiration, glutaminolysis, one-carbon metabolism, de novo lipogenesis, and β-oxidation of fatty acids. We discuss only those compounds that display inhibitory activity against several metabolic pathways as well as a number of important signaling pathways in cancer. Information about their pharmacokinetics in animals and humans is also presented. Taken together, a number of known plant-derived compounds may target multiple metabolic and signaling pathways in various malignancies, something that bears great potential for the further improvement of antineoplastic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleg Shuvalov
- Institute of Cytology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg 194064, Russia; (Y.K.); (A.D.); (O.F.)
| | - Yulia Kirdeeva
- Institute of Cytology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg 194064, Russia; (Y.K.); (A.D.); (O.F.)
| | - Alexandra Daks
- Institute of Cytology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg 194064, Russia; (Y.K.); (A.D.); (O.F.)
| | - Olga Fedorova
- Institute of Cytology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg 194064, Russia; (Y.K.); (A.D.); (O.F.)
| | - Sergey Parfenyev
- Institute of Cytology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg 194064, Russia; (Y.K.); (A.D.); (O.F.)
| | - Hans-Uwe Simon
- Institute of Pharmacology, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland;
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan 420008, Russia
| | - Nickolai A. Barlev
- Institute of Cytology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg 194064, Russia; (Y.K.); (A.D.); (O.F.)
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan 420008, Russia
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Nazarbayev University, Astana 20000, Kazakhstan
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24
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Ge JB, Jiang B, Shi TS, Li WY, Chen WJ, Zhu BL, Qin ZH. Cucurbitacin B Exerts Significant Antidepressant-Like Effects in a Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress Model of Depression: Involvement of the Hippocampal BDNF-TrkB System. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2023; 26:680-691. [PMID: 37603290 PMCID: PMC10586053 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyad052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although depression has been a serious neuropsychiatric disorder worldwide, current antidepressants used in clinical practice have various weaknesses, including delayed onset and low rates of efficacy. Recently, the development of new antidepressants from natural herbal medicine has become one of the important research hotspots. Cucurbitacin B is a natural compound widely distributed in the Cucurbitaceae and Cruciferae families and has many pharmacological activities. The present study aimed to investigate whether cucurbitacin B possess antidepressant-like effects in mice. METHODS The antidepressant-like effects of cucurbitacin B on mice behaviors were explored using the forced swim test, tail suspension test, open field test, sucrose preference test, and a chronic unpredictable mild stress model of depression together. Then, western blotting and immunofluorescence were used to examine the effects of cucurbitacin B on the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-tyrosine kinase B (TrkB) signaling cascade and neurogenesis in the hippocampus of mice. Furthermore, BDNF-short hairpin RNA, K252a, and p-chlorophenylalanine methyl ester were adopted together to determine the antidepressant mechanism of cucurbitacin B. RESULTS It was found that administration of cucurbitacin B indeed produced notable antidepressant-like effects in mice, which were accompanied with significant promotion in both the hippocampal BDNF-TrkB pathway and neurogenesis. The antidepressant mechanism of cucurbitacin B involves the hippocampal BDNF-TrkB system but not the serotonin system. CONCLUSIONS Cucurbitacin B has the potential to be a novel antidepressant candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Bin Ge
- Department of Pharmacology and Laboratory of Aging and Nervous Disease, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, College of Pharmaceutical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Nantong Rehabilitation Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Bo Jiang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tian-Shun Shi
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wei-Yu Li
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wei-Jia Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Bao-Lun Zhu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zheng-Hong Qin
- Department of Pharmacology and Laboratory of Aging and Nervous Disease, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, College of Pharmaceutical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
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25
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Zieniuk B, Pawełkowicz M. Recent Advances in the Application of Cucurbitacins as Anticancer Agents. Metabolites 2023; 13:1081. [PMID: 37887406 PMCID: PMC10608718 DOI: 10.3390/metabo13101081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Cucurbitacins are tetracyclic triterpenoid secondary metabolites, widely distributed in the Cucurbitaceae family. These bitter-tasting compounds act primarily as defense mechanisms against external injuries, and thus against herbivores, and furthermore, they have also found use in folk medicine in the treatment of various diseases. Many studies have acknowledged significant biological activities of cucurbitacins, such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, antimicrobial properties, or antitumor potential. Overall, cucurbitacins have the ability to inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in various cancer cell lines. Both in vitro and in vivo studies were performed to evaluate the anticancer activity of varied cucurbitacins. Cucurbitacins offer a promising avenue for future cancer treatment strategies, and their diverse mechanisms of action make them attractive candidates for further investigation. The aim of the present study is to shed light on the chemical diversity of this group of compounds by providing the sources of origin of selected compounds and their chemical structure, as well as insight into their anticancer potential. In addition, within this paper molecular targets for cucurbitacins and signalling pathways important for cancer cell proliferation and/or survival that are affected by the described class of compounds have been presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bartłomiej Zieniuk
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Food Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Magdalena Pawełkowicz
- Department of Plant Genetics, Breeding and Biotechnology, Institute of Biology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
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26
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Shang FF, Lu Q, Lin T, Pu M, Xiao R, Liu W, Deng H, Guo H, Quan ZS, Ding C, Shen QK. Discovery of Triazolyl Derivatives of Cucurbitacin B Targeting IGF2BP1 against Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. J Med Chem 2023; 66:12931-12949. [PMID: 37681508 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00872] [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: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Cucurbitacin B (CuB) is a potent but toxic anticancer natural product. Herein, we designed and synthesized 2-OH- and 16-OH-modified CuB derivatives to improve their antitumor efficacy and reduce toxicity. Among them, derivative A11 had the most potent antiproliferative activity against A549 lung cancer cells (IC50 = 0.009 μM) and was approximately 10-fold more potent than CuB, while the cytotoxicity of A11 toward normal L02 cells was about 10-fold less potent, indicating a much wider therapeutic window than CuB. Derivative A11 directly binds to the insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1) protein with a KD value of 2.88 nM, which is about 23-fold more potent than CuB, leading to the decreased expression of downstream apoptosis- and cell cycle-related proteins. More importantly, A11 exhibited much more potent anticancer efficacy in an A549 xenograft mouse model with a TGI rate of 80% and a superior in vivo safety profile than that of CuB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan-Fan Shang
- Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines of the Changbai Mountain, Ministry of Education, College of Pharmacy, Yanbian University, Yanji 133002, China
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Drug Target Identification and Delivery, National Key Laboratory of Innovative Immunotherapy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Qing Lu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Drug Target Identification and Delivery, National Key Laboratory of Innovative Immunotherapy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Tailiang Lin
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Drug Target Identification and Delivery, National Key Laboratory of Innovative Immunotherapy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Miaoxia Pu
- Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines of the Changbai Mountain, Ministry of Education, College of Pharmacy, Yanbian University, Yanji 133002, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines of the Changbai Mountain, Ministry of Education, College of Integration Science, Yanbian University, Yanji 133002, China
| | - Ruoxuan Xiao
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Drug Target Identification and Delivery, National Key Laboratory of Innovative Immunotherapy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Wanmei Liu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Drug Target Identification and Delivery, National Key Laboratory of Innovative Immunotherapy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Hao Deng
- Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines of the Changbai Mountain, Ministry of Education, College of Pharmacy, Yanbian University, Yanji 133002, China
| | - Hongyan Guo
- Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines of the Changbai Mountain, Ministry of Education, College of Pharmacy, Yanbian University, Yanji 133002, China
| | - Zhe-Shan Quan
- Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines of the Changbai Mountain, Ministry of Education, College of Pharmacy, Yanbian University, Yanji 133002, China
| | - Chunyong Ding
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Drug Target Identification and Delivery, National Key Laboratory of Innovative Immunotherapy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Qing-Kun Shen
- Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines of the Changbai Mountain, Ministry of Education, College of Pharmacy, Yanbian University, Yanji 133002, China
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Yu Z, Liang S, Ji L, Cheng Y, Yan W, Gao R, Zhang F. Network pharmacological analysis and experimental study of cucurbitacin B in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Mol Divers 2023:10.1007/s11030-023-10713-8. [PMID: 37615817 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-023-10713-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a malignant tumor with a high incidence and poor prognosis. Cucurbitacin B (CuB) is a tetracyclic triterpenoid small-molecule compound extracted from plants, such as Cucurbitaceae and Brassicaceae, which has powerful anticancer effects. However, the effect and mechanism of CuB on OSCC remain unclear. Within the framework of the current study, network pharmacology was used to analyze the relationship between CuB and OSCC. The network pharmacology analysis showed that CuB and OSCC share 134 common targets; among them, PIK3R1, SRC, STAT3, AKT1, and MAPK1 are the key targets. The molecular docking analysis showed that CuB binds five target proteins. The results of the enrichment analysis showed that CuB exerted effects on OSCC through various pathways; of these pathways, PI3K-AKT was the most important pathway. The results of the in vitro cell experiments showed that CuB could inhibit the proliferation and migration of SCC25 and CAL27 cells, block the cell cycle in the G2 phase, induce cell apoptosis, and regulate the protein expression of the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. The results of the in vivo animal experiments showed that CuB could inhibit 4NQO-induced oral cancer in mice. Therefore, network pharmacology, molecular docking, cell experiments, and animal experiments showed that CuB could play a role in OSCC by regulating multiple targets and pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenyuan Yu
- Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Prevention and New Materials, Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Shuang Liang
- Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Prevention and New Materials, Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Lanting Ji
- Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Prevention and New Materials, Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - YaHsin Cheng
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan
| | - Wenpeng Yan
- Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Prevention and New Materials, Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Ruifang Gao
- Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Prevention and New Materials, Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Fang Zhang
- Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Prevention and New Materials, Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China.
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28
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Alafnan A, Khalifa NE, Hussain T, Osman ME. Cucurbitacin-B instigates intrinsic apoptosis and modulates Notch signaling in androgen-dependent prostate cancer LNCaP cells. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1206981. [PMID: 37448964 PMCID: PMC10338038 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1206981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Among numerous triterpenoids of the Cucurbitaceae family, Cucurbitacin-B (Cur-B) is being explored for its pharmacological attributes. Reports from previous studies have explicitly shown that Cur-B possesses substantial anticancer effects. The present report focuses on exploring the anticancer attributes of Cur-B against androgen-dependent PCa LNCaP cells. Methods: LNCaP cells were exposed to commercially available purified Cur-B at varying concentrations that were selected as 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 µM for some time of 24 h to perform various experimental studies. Results: Cytotoxicity evaluation revealed that Cur-B impeded the LNCaP cell's viability at 5 µM (p <0.05) which increased considerably at a concentration of 25 µM (p <0.001). Cur-B was also efficacious in inducing the changes within nu-clear morphology followed by a concomitant increase in the activities of key caspases including caspase-3, -8, and -9 intriguingly in a dose-dependent trend. Cur-B treatment not only resulted in the augmentation of intracellular ROS levels within LNCaP cells at 5 µM (p <0.05) but also in-creased significantly at 25 µM concentration (p <0.001). Elevation in the ROS levels was also found to be correlated with dissipated mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) which culminated in the onset of significant apoptosis at 25 µM concentration (p <0.001). Cur-B exposure also resulted in the downregulation of cyclin D1, cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) followed by amplified levels of p21Cip1 mRNA. Importantly, exposure of Cur-B competently reduced the expression of the Notch signaling cascade which may be the plausible cause behind Cur-B-instigated apoptotic cell death and cell cycle arrest in LNCaP cells. Discussion: These observations thus, explicitly indicated that Cur-B could be plausibly further explored as potent therapeutics against androgen-dependent PCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Alafnan
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Ha’il, Ha’il, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nasrin E. Khalifa
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Ha’il, Ha’il, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Talib Hussain
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Ha’il, Ha’il, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mhdia Elhadi Osman
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, University of Ha’il, Ha’il, Saudi Arabia
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Sulewska A, Pilz L, Manegold C, Ramlau R, Charkiewicz R, Niklinski J. A Systematic Review of Progress toward Unlocking the Power of Epigenetics in NSCLC: Latest Updates and Perspectives. Cells 2023; 12:cells12060905. [PMID: 36980246 PMCID: PMC10047383 DOI: 10.3390/cells12060905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic research has the potential to improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of cancer, specifically non-small-cell lung cancer, and support our efforts to personalize the management of the disease. Epigenetic alterations are expected to have relevance for early detection, diagnosis, outcome prediction, and tumor response to therapy. Additionally, epi-drugs as therapeutic modalities may lead to the recovery of genes delaying tumor growth, thus increasing survival rates, and may be effective against tumors without druggable mutations. Epigenetic changes involve DNA methylation, histone modifications, and the activity of non-coding RNAs, causing gene expression changes and their mutual interactions. This systematic review, based on 110 studies, gives a comprehensive overview of new perspectives on diagnostic (28 studies) and prognostic (25 studies) epigenetic biomarkers, as well as epigenetic treatment options (57 studies) for non-small-cell lung cancer. This paper outlines the crosstalk between epigenetic and genetic factors as well as elucidates clinical contexts including epigenetic treatments, such as dietary supplements and food additives, which serve as anti-carcinogenic compounds and regulators of cellular epigenetics and which are used to reduce toxicity. Furthermore, a future-oriented exploration of epigenetic studies in NSCLC is presented. The findings suggest that additional studies are necessary to comprehend the mechanisms of epigenetic changes and investigate biomarkers, response rates, and tailored combinations of treatments. In the future, epigenetics could have the potential to become an integral part of diagnostics, prognostics, and personalized treatment in NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anetta Sulewska
- Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-269 Bialystok, Poland
- Correspondence: (A.S.); (J.N.)
| | - Lothar Pilz
- Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Christian Manegold
- Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Rodryg Ramlau
- Department of Oncology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-569 Poznan, Poland
| | - Radoslaw Charkiewicz
- Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-269 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Jacek Niklinski
- Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-269 Bialystok, Poland
- Correspondence: (A.S.); (J.N.)
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