Identification of Carpesium cernuum extract as a tumor migration inhibitor based on its biological response profiling in breast cancer cells

Identification of effective diagnostic biomarker and immune cell infiltration characteristics in acute liver failure by integrating bioinformatics analysis and machine-learning strategies

Background: To determine effective biomarkers for the diagnosis of acute liver failure (ALF) and explore the characteristics of the immune cell infiltration of ALF.

Methods: We analyzed the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between ALF and control samples in GSE38941, GSE62029, GSE96851, GSE120652, and merged datasets. Co-expressed DEGs (co-DEGs) identified from the five datasets were analyzed for enrichment analysis. We further constructed a PPI network of co-DEGs using the STRING database. Then, we integrated the two kinds of machine-learning strategies to identify diagnostic biomarkers of top hub genes screened based on MCC and Degree methods. And the potential diagnostic performance of the biomarkers for ALF was estimated using the AUC values. Data from GSE14668, GSE74000, and GSE96851 databases was performed as external verification sets to validate the expression level of potential diagnostic biomarkers. Furthermore, we analyzed the difference in the protein level of diagnostic biomarkers between normal and ALF mice models. Finally, we used CIBERSORT to estimate relative infiltration levels of 22 immune cell subsets in ALF samples and further analyzed the relationships between the diagnostic biomarkers and infiltrated immune cells.

Results: A total of 200 co-DEGs were screened. Enrichment analyses depicted that they are highly enriched in metabolism and matrix collagen production-associated processes. The top 28 hub genes were obtained by integrating MCC and Degree methods. Then, the collagen type IV alpha 2 chain (COL4A2) was regarded as the diagnostic biomarker and showed excellent specificity and sensitivity. COL4A2 also showed a statistically significant difference and excellent diagnostic effectiveness in the verification set. In addition, there was a significant upregulation in the COL4A2 protein level in ALF mice models compared with the normal group. CIBERSORT analysis showed that activated CD4 T cells, plasma cells, macrophages, and monocytes may be implicated in the progress of ALF. In addition, COL4A2 showed different degrees of correlation with immune cells.

Conclusion: In conclusion, COL4A2 may be a diagnostic biomarker for ALF, and immune cell infiltration may have important implications for the occurrence and progression of ALF.

A Carabrane-Type Sesquiterpenolide Carabrone from Carpesium cernuum Inhibits SW1990 Pancreatic Cancer Cells by Inducing Ferroptosis

Pancreatic cancer has an extremely poor prognosis, and the clinical drugs for the treatment of pancreatic cancer are usually multi-drug combinations. Therefore, it is necessary to search for and find specific new bioactive agents against pancreatic cancer. Carabrone is a carabrane-type sesquiterpenolide extracted from Carpesium cernuum L., and this natural compound has been reported to be a potential anti-tumor agent. However, there are few reports on the function of carabrone related to anti-tumor activity in pancreatic cancer. Herein, cell experiments indicated that carabrone had anti-proliferation inhibition and anti-migration and anti-invasion activity against SW1990 cells. Furthermore, the tandem mass spectrometry and network pharmacology analysis showed that this activity may be related to the ferroptosis and Hippo signaling pathway. Taken together, our results demonstrated that carabrone exhibited prominent anti-pancreatic cancer activity and could be a promising agent against pancreatic cancer.

Luteolin inhibits viability, migration, angiogenesis and invasion of non-small cell lung cancer vascular endothelial cells via miR-133a-3p/purine rich element binding protein B-mediated MAPK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways

Luteolin inhibits tumorigenesis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but its mechanism still needs to be clarified. We hereby explored the effects of luteolin in vascular endothelial cells of NSCLC (NSCLC-VECs). After extraction and identification of NSCLC-VECs, cells were treated with luteolin and transfected. The viability, migration, angiogenesis and invasion of the cells were measured. The levels of miR-133a-3p, purine rich element binding protein B (PURB), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), Akt, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2/-9 were determined. The interaction relationship of miR-133a-3p and PURB was identified. Luteolin inhibited the viability, migration, angiogenesis and invasion of NSCLC-VECs yet up-regulated miR-133a-3p level, while miR-133a-3p inhibitor counteracted the repressive effect of luteolin on the viability, migration, angiogenesis, and invasion in NSCLC-VECs. Luteolin inhibited the expressions of migration- and invasion-associated proteins (VEGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9), PI3K/Akt and MAPK signaling pathways-related factors, while miR-133a-3p inhibitor reversed the inhibitory effect of Luteolin on NSCLC-VECs. Luteolin decreased the level of PURB, which was targeted by miR-133a-3p. ShPURB promoted miR-133a-3p level in NSCLC-VECs, while reversing the promoting effects of miR-133a-3p inhibitor on the migration, invasion, and levels of migration- and invasion-associated proteins, PI3K/Akt and MAPK pathways-associated factors in NSCLC-VECs. Collectively speaking, luteolin inhibits the migration and invasion of NSCLC-VECs via miR-133a-3p/PURB- mediated MAPK and PI3K/Akt pathways.

Germacranolide sesquiterpenes from Carpesium cernuum and their anti-leukemia activity

In this study, three new germacranolide sesquiterpenes (1-3), together with six related known analogues (4-9) were isolated from the whole plant of Carpesium cernuum. Their structures were established by a combination of extensive NMR spectroscopic analysis, HR-ESIMS data, and ECD calculations. The anti-leukemia activities of all compounds towards three cell lines (HEL, KG-1a, and K562) were evaluated in vitro. Compounds 1-3 exhibited moderate cytotoxicity with IC₅₀ values ranging from 1.59 to 5.47 μmol·L^-1. Mechanistic studies indicated that 2 induced apoptosis by decreasing anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and activating the caspase family in K562 cells. These results suggest that compound 2 is a potential anti-leukemia agent.

Incaspitolide A isolated from Carpesium cernuum L. inhibits the growth of prostate cancer cells and induces apoptosis via regulation of the PI3K/Akt/xIAP pathway

Carpesium cernuum L. is a traditional medicine primarily used in Southwestern China, and it has been shown to exhibit a range of biological properties, including anti-inflammatory and antitumor activities. Incaspitolide A (IA) is a sesquiterpene isolated from C. cernuum L. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antiproliferative effects of IA on PC-3 prostate cancer cells and determine the underlying mechanism. Results from a Cell Counting Kit-8 assay demonstrated that IA significantly reduced the numbers of viable PC-3 cells in a time and dose-dependent manner. Phase-contrast microscopy revealed that the number and morphology of cells were markedly altered. Hoechst and EdU staining assays showed that IA reduced the proliferation of PC-3 cells. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that IA arrested cell cycle progression at the S phase and promoted cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Western blot analysis demonstrated that treatment with IA resulted in downregulation of phosphorylated (p-) PI3K, p-Akt, X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (xIAP), CKD2, cyclin A2 and pro-Caspase-3 protein expression, and upregulation of cleaved poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase and P53 expression. The present results suggested that IA inhibited the growth of PC-3 cells and induced apoptosis. The underlying mechanism appeared to involve the inhibition of the PI3K/Akt/xIAP pathway. The present study indicated that IA may serve as a therapeutic for the management of prostate cancer and provided a theoretical basis for the pathogenesis of prostate cancer.

Composition of Essential Oils from Roots and Aerial Parts of Carpesium cernuum and Their Antibacterial and Cytotoxic Activities

Carpesium cernuum L., one of the two Carpesium species occurring in Europe, in the Far East and India, found use as a vegetable and a traditional medicinal remedy for several ailments. In the present study, compositions of essential oils distilled from roots and shoots of C. cernuum plants, cultivated in the open field, have been studied by GC-MS-FID supported by NMR spectroscopy. The analyses led to the identification of 120 compounds in total, of which 115 were found in aerial parts and 37 in roots of the plants. The major constituents found in the oil from shoots were: α-pinene (35%) and 2,5-dimethoxy-p-cymene (thymohydroquinone dimethyl ether, 12%), whereas 2,5-dimethoxy-p-cymene (55%), thymyl isobutyrate (9%) and thymol methyl ether (8%) predominated in the essential oil obtained from the roots. Antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of the essential oils distilled from C. cernuum were also tested. The essential oil from aerial parts of the plant demonstrated good inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 (MIC: 15.6 μL/mL).

Selenium-mediated gga-miR-29a-3p regulates LMH cell proliferation, invasion, and migration by targeting COL4A2

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element that has several functions in cellular processes related to cancer prevention. While the cancericidal effect of Se has been reported in liver cancer, the mechanism has not been clarified. MiR-29a has widely been reported as a tumor suppressor; however, it also acts as a carcinogenic agent by increasing cell invasion in human epithelial cancer cells and hepatoma cells. In a previous study, we found that miR-29a-3p is a Se-sensitive miRNA. However, its effect in the chicken hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (LMH) is still unknown. In the present study, we found that the expression of miR-29a-3p in LMH cells was decreased by Se supplementation and increased under Se-deficient conditions. Flow cytometry and CCK-8 results suggested that Se decreased LMH cell proliferation induced by miR-29a-3p overexpression. Transwell and gap-closure assays implied that Se mediated LMH cell invasion and migration by downregulating miR-29a-3p. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting results suggested that Se mitigated miR-29a-3p overexpression-induced LMH cell proliferation by downregulating CDK2, cyclin-D1, CDK6, and cyclin-E1. We further demonstrated that collagen type IV alpha 2 (COL4A2) is a target gene of miR-29a-3p. COL4A2 activates the RhoA/ROCK pathway to promote LMH cell invasion and migration. In conclusion, Se mediated miR-29a-3p overexpression induced LMH cell invasion and migration by targeting COL4A2 to inactivate the RhoA/ROCK pathway.

Anticancer activities of TCM and their active components against tumor metastasis

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has the characteristics of multiple targets, slight side effects and good therapeutic effects. Good anti-tumor effects are shown by Traditional Chinese Medicine prescription, Chinese patent medicine, single Traditional Chinese Medicine and Traditional Chinese medicine monomer compound. Clinically, TCM prolonged the survival time of patients and improved the life quality of patients, due to less side effects. Cancer metastasis is a complex process involving numerous steps, multiple genes and their products. During the process of tumor metastasis, firstly, cancer cell increases its proliferative capacity by reducing autophagy and apoptosis, and then the cancer cell capacity is stimulated by increasing the ability of tumors to absorb nutrients from the outside through angiogenesis. Both of the two steps can increase tumor migration and invasion. Finally, the purpose of tumor metastasis is achieved. By inhibiting autophagy and apoptosis of tumor cells, angiogenesis and EMT outside the tumor can inhibit the invasion and migration of cancer, and consequently achieve the purpose of inhibiting tumor metastasis. This review explores the research achievements of Traditional Chinese Medicine on breast cancer, lung cancer, hepatic carcinoma, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer and other cancer metastasis in the past five years, summarizes the development direction of TCM on cancer metastasis research in the past five years and makes a prospect for the future.