Antioxidant property of Taraxacum formosanum Kitam and its antitumor activity in non-small-cell lung cancer cells

The phytochemical and pharmacological profile of dandelion

Dandelion (Taraxacum genus), a perennial herb belonging to the Asteraceae family is widely distributed in hillside grasslands, roadsides, fields, and river beaches in middle and low-altitude areas. It has a long history of traditional Chinese medicine usage as a heat-clearing and detoxifying agent, often consumed as tea or vegetable. Multiple pharmacological studies have demonstrated the antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, immune-regulating, antioxidant, anti-tumor, and other effects of the Taraxacum genus. Bioactive compounds associated with these effects include triterpenes and their saponins, phenolic acids, sterols and their glycosides, flavonoids, organic acids, volatile oils, and saccharides.

Active ingredients and molecular targets of Taraxacum mongolicum against hepatocellular carcinoma: network pharmacology, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation analysis

Background

Taraxacum mongolicum (TM) is a widely used herb. Studies have reported that TM exhibits growth-inhibitory and apoptosis-inducing on multiple tumors, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The active ingredients, targets, and molecular mechanisms of TM against HCC need to be further elucidated.

Methods

We identified the active ingredients and targets of TM via HERB, PubChem, SwissADME, SwissTargetPrediction, and PharmMapper. We searched HCC targets from GeneCards, Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD), and DisGeNET. Then, the intersection of drug targets and disease targets was uploaded to the STRING database to construct protein-protein interactions (PPI) networking whose topology parameters were analyzed in Cytoscape software to screen hub targets. Next, we used Metascape for Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis, and we employed AutoDock vina, AMBER18 and PyMOL software along with several auxiliary tools for molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Finally, based on the in silico findings, cellular experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of TM on HSP90AA1 gene expression.

Results

A total of 228 targets and 35 active ingredients were identified. Twenty two hub targets were selected through PPI networking construction for further investigation. The enrichment analysis showed that protein kinase binding, mitogenactivated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathways were mainly involved. Molecular docking and MD simulation results supported good interaction between HSP90 protein and Austricin/Quercetin. The in vitro assay showed that TM inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 cells and the expression of HSP90AA1 gene.

Conclusions

This study is the first to use network pharmacology, molecular docking, MD simulation and cellular experiments to elucidate the active ingredients, molecular targets, and key biological pathways responsible for TM anti-HCC, providing a theoretical basis for further research.

Exploration and validation of Taraxacum mongolicum anti-cancer effect

Taraxacum mongolicum gained a lot of concern and was applied in 93 formulas in China due to its fame as a traditional Chinese medicine. The earliest recorded application of Taraxacum mongolicum was traced back to the Han dynasty. Generations of doctors boosted the usage and enriched the pharmacological mechanism. Clinical application of the Taraxacum mongolicum is flourishing as it treats multiple diseases. This study aims to explore the anti-cancer effect, retrieve the active ingredients and screen the key targets of Taraxacum mongolicum in cancer therapy. We collected and evaluated 10 key active compounds to investigate the anti-cancer effect via 69 significant targets and a variety of biological processes and pathways. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis uncovered targets associated with protein phosphorylation, cell proliferation and apoptotic processes via regulation of kinases, ATP and enzyme binding activities. Half of the top 20 enriched Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways were directly involved in cancer. Based on standard selection criteria, seven hub targets were obtained. These targets functioned through distinct patterns and pathways in realizing the anti-cancer effect. Molecular docking was conducted to validate the potential combination between compounds and hub targets to explore the pharmacological mechanism of key compounds in Taraxacum mongolicum against cancer. In summary, our findings indicate that the famous and widely used Chinese herb, Taraxacum mongolicum, shows good anti-cancer effect through its active compounds, targeted genes, and multiple involved biological processes. The results may provide a theoretical basis for subsequent experimental validation and drug development of Taraxacum mongolicum extract against cancer.

Coriloxin Exerts Antitumor Effects in Human Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells

Both in Taiwan and around the world, lung cancer is a primary cause of cancer-related deaths. In Taiwan, the most prevalent form of lung cancer is lung adenocarcinoma, a type of non-small-cell lung carcinoma. Although numerous lung cancer therapies are available, their clinical outcomes are unsatisfactory. Natural products, including fungal metabolites, are excellent sources of pharmaceutical compounds used in cancer treatment. We employed in vitro cell invasion, cell proliferation, cell migration, cell viability, and colony formation assays with the aim of evaluating the effects of coriloxin, isolated from fermented broths of Nectria balsamea YMJ94052402, on human lung adenocarcinoma CL1-5 and/or A549 cells. The potential targets regulated by coriloxin were examined through Western blot analysis. The cytotoxic effect of coriloxin was more efficiently exerted on lung adenocarcinoma cells than on bronchial epithelial cells. Moreover, low-concentration coriloxin significantly suppressed adenocarcinoma cells’ proliferative, migratory, and clonogenic abilities. These inhibitory effects were achieved through ERK/AKT inactivation, epithelial–mesenchymal transition regulation, and HLJ1 expression. Our findings suggest that coriloxin can be used as a multitarget anticancer agent. Further investigations of the application of coriloxin as an adjuvant therapy in lung cancer treatment are warranted.

Revealing the metabolic mechanism of dandelion extract against A549 cells using UPLC-QTOF MS

Dandelion extract shows potential anticancer activity and is expected to be a new type of natural anti-cancer drug. However, the effect mechanism of dandelion extract to lung cancer cells is still unclear. Here, untargeted metabolomics approach based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrograph (LC-MS) was used to characterize the metabolic responses of A549 cell to dandelion extract exposure, to provide new clues for the anti-tumor mechanism of dandelion extract from the perspective of metabolomics. A total of 16 differentially expressed and time-related metabolites were identified between dandelion extract exposure and control groups. The perturbed metabolic pathways of A549 cells after dandelion extract exposure mainly include the glycerophospholipid metabolism and purine metabolism. These results concluded that dandelion extract may exert anticancer activity by affecting the malignant proliferation, disturbing the stability of cell membrane structure, reducing the adhesion of tumor cells to extracellular matrix and fibronectin and finally inducing tumor cell death.

Dandelion Polysaccharide Exerts Anti-Angiogenesis Effect on Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Regulating VEGF/HIF-1α Expression

Recent studies have revealed that natural plants-derived polysaccharides exhibit potent anti-tumor activity. Our earlier studies suggest that dandelion polysaccharide (DP) inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Here, we investigated the effects of DP on the angiogenesis of HCC and the potential molecular mechanisms by which DP regulates angiogenesis. Wound-healing and transwell invasion assays revealed that DP inhibited HUVECs migration and invasion in vitro, respectively. Tube formation assay, chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) demonstrated that DP suppressed vasculogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, Western blot and immunofluorescence staining verified that DP treatment decreased the protein levels of some key factors involved in angiogenesis of HCC, such as hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), p-PI3K, and p-AKT. However, activation of PI3K/AKT pathway with insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) treatment attenuated the effect of DP on angiogenesis via lowering the expression of HIF-1α and VEGF. In summary, we found that DP treatment inhibited angiogenesis in vivo and in vitro through suppressing expression of VEGF and HIF-1a. Furthermore, we showed that the expression of VEGF and HIF1-α was modulated by PI3K/AKT signaling. Collectively, our study suggests that DP is a promising anti-cancer drug candidate for treating HCC.