Abrine promotes cell proliferation and inhibits apoptosis of interleukin-1β-stimulated chondrocytes via PIM2/VEGF signalling in osteoarthritis

Abrus cantoniensis Hance: Ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and pharmacology of a promising traditional Chinese medicine

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Abrus cantoniensis Hance (ACH), known as Jigucao (Chinese: ) has been used in ethnopharmacology for a long history with therapeutic effects for clearing heat, soothing the liver, especially in treating acute and chronic hepatitis which was very effective. In southern China, such as Guangdong and Guangxi, people often use ACH in soup or herbal tea as dietetic therapy.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

This paper aims to review ACH's ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activity systematically, at the same time, we also hope to provide more research avenues between traditional uses and pharmacological properties.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Through PubMed, Wan Fang Database, CNKI, Web of Science, EBSCO Database, and Google Scholar search for relevant literature in both Chinese and English, the keywords "Abrus cantoniensis, Abrus cantoniensis Hance, Jigucao, pharmacology, chemical constituents, clinical application, network pharmacology" were used alone or combination.

RESULTS

Traditionally, ACH was believed to have the effect of soothing the liver, clearing heat, and detoxifying, often used to treat diseases of the liver and inflammation. Modern pharmacological research indicates that ACH has liver protection, anti-inflammation, anti-oxidant, immunomodulation, anti-tumor effects and so on. Whether it was a single chemical compound or an extract from ACH, studies have found that it has abundant pharmacological activities, these were the fundamental sources of traditional uses, like liver protection and anti-inflammation.

CONCLUSIONS

A systematic review found that modern phytochemistry and pharmacodynamic research reports on ACH are closely related to its traditional uses, especially its hepatoprotective and anti-inflammatory effects. Modern research has also further explored and expanded the effects of ACH, such as its anti-tumor effect. And all these efforts are gradually filling the gap between traditional uses and modern pharmacology. In general, the current research on the pharmacodynamic mechanism of ACH still needs further in-depth research, and the strategies adopted must also be further strengthened.

Circulating cytokines levels and osteoarthritis: A Mendelian randomization study

BACKGROUND

Previous traditional observational studies have suggested the contribution of several cytokines and growth factors to the development of osteoarthritis (OA). This study aimed to determine the association of circulating cytokine and growth factor levels with OA.

METHODS

We used two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) to explore the causality between circulating cytokine and growth factor levels and OA [including knee or hip OA (K/HOA), knee OA (KOA), and hip OA (HOA)]. Summary level data for circulating cytokine and growth factor levels were sourced from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) involving 8,293 participants of Finnish ancestry. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms related to K/HOA (39,427 cases and 378,169 controls), KOA (24,955 cases and 378,169 controls), and HOA (15,704 cases and 378,169 controls) were obtained from a previous GWAS. The inverse variance weighted (IVW) method was primarily used for our MR analysis. For exposures to only one relevant SNP as IV, we used the Wald ratio as the major method to assess causal effects. We also conducted a series of sensitivity analyses to improve the robustness of the results.

RESULTS

Circulating vascular endothelial growth factor levels were suggestively associated with an increased risk of K/HOA (odds ratio (OR) = 1.034; 95 % confidence interval (CI) = 1.013-1.055; P = 0.001), KOA (OR = 1.034; 95 % CI = 1.014-1.065; P = 0.002), and HOA (OR = 1.039; 95 % CI = 1.003-1.067; P = 0.034). Circulating interleukin (IL)-12p70 levels was suggestively associated with K/HOA (OR = 1.047; 95 % CI = 1.018-1.077; P = 0.001), KOA (OR = 1.058; 95 % CI = 1.022-1.095; P = 0.001), and HOA (OR = 1.044; 95 % CI = 1.000-1.091; P = 0.048). Circulating IL-18 levels were suggestively associated with HOA (OR = 1.068; 95 % CI = 1.014-1.125; P = 0.012). However, limited evidence exists to support causal genetic relationships between other circulating cytokines, growth factor levels and K/HOA, KOA, and HOA.

CONCLUSIONS

Our MR analysis provides suggestive evidence of causal relationships between circulating cytokines and growth factors levels and OA, providing new insights into the etiology of OA.

Injectable Ozone-Rich Nanocomposite Hydrogel Loaded with D-Mannose for Anti-Inflammatory and Cartilage Protection in Osteoarthritis Treatment

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a dynamic condition characterized by cartilage damage and synovial inflammation. Ozone (O3) shows potential therapeutic effects owing to its anti-inflammatory properties; however, its high reactivity and short half-life substantially limit its effectiveness in OA treatment. In this study, an ozone-rich thermosensitive nanocomposite hydrogel loaded with D-mannose is developed for OA treatment. Briefly, O3 is encapsulated in nanoparticles (NPs) composed of perfluorotributylamine and fluorinated hyaluronic acid to improve its stability. Next, D-mannose is conjugated with α-amino of the hydroxypropyl chitin (HPCH) via Schiff base to prepare MHPCH. These nanoparticles are encapsulated in MHPCH to produce O3 NPs@MHPCH. In vitro cell experiments demonstrate that the O3 NPs@MHPCH treatment significantly reduced VEGF and inflammation levels, accompanied by a decrease in inflammatory factors such as IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and iNOS. Furthermore, O3 NPs@MHPCH promotes the expression of collagen II and aggrecan and stimulates chondrocyte proliferation. Additionally, in vivo studies show that O3 NPs@MHPCH significantly alleviated OA by reducing synovial inflammation, cartilage destruction, and subchondral bone remodeling. O3 NPs@MHPCH offers a promising option for improving the efficacy of O3 therapy and reducing the risk of synovial inflammation and cartilage degeneration in OA.

A review of the ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and toxicology of Abri Herba (Ji-Gu-Cao)

Abri Herba (AH, known as 'Ji-Gu-Cao' in China) has a long-term medicinal history of treating cholecystitis, acute and chronic hepatitis and non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) in China or other Asian countries. This review aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of AH in terms of ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and toxicology. The information involved in the study was collected from a variety of electronic resources, and >100 scientific studies have been used since 1962. Until now, 95 chemical compounds have been isolated and identified from AH and the seeds of Abrus cantoniensis Hance (ACH), including 47 terpenoids, 26 flavonoids and 4 alkaloids. The pharmacological activities of AH extracts and their pure compounds have been explored in the aspects of anti-hyperlipidaemia, hepatoprotection, anti-tumour, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and analgesic, immunomodulation, antioxidant and others. The pharmacokinetics and excretion kinetics of AH in vivo and 15 traditional and clinical prescriptions containing AH have been sorted out, and the potential therapeutic mechanism and drug metabolism pattern were also summarised. The pods of ACH are toxic, with a median lethal dose (LD50) of 10.01 ± 2.90 g/kg (i.g.) in mice. Interestingly, the toxicity of ACH's pods and seeds decreased after boiling. However, the toxicity mechanism of pods of ACH is unclear, limiting its clinical application. Clinical trials in the future should be used to explore its safety. Meanwhile, as one of the relevant pharmacological activities, the effects and mechanism of AH on anti-hyperlipidaemia and hepatoprotection should be further studied, which is of great significance for understanding its mechanism of action in the treatment of NAFL disease and improving its clinical application.

SPTBN2 suppresses ferroptosis in NSCLC cells by facilitating SLC7A11 membrane trafficking and localization

The function of SLC7A11 in the process of ferroptosis is well-established, as it regulates the synthesis of glutathione (GSH), thereby influencing tumor development along with drug resistance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the determinants governing SLC7A11's membrane trafficking and localization remain unknown. Our study identified SPTBN2 as a ferroptosis suppressor, enhancing NSCLC cells resistance to ferroptosis inducers. Mechanistically, SPTBN2, through its CH domain, interacted with SLC7A11 and connected it with the motor protein Arp1, thus facilitating the membrane localization of SLC7A11 - a prerequisite for its role as System Xc-, which mediates cystine uptake and GSH synthesis. Consequently, SPTBN2 suppressed ferroptosis through preserving the functional activity of System Xc- on the membrane. Moreover, Inhibiting SPTBN2 increased the sensitivity of NSCLC cells to cisplatin through ferroptosis induction, both in vitro and in vivo. Using Abrine as a potential SPTBN2 inhibitor, its efficacy in promoting ferroptosis and sensitizing NSCLC cells to cisplatin was validated. Collectively, SPTBN2 is a potential therapeutic target for addressing ferroptosis dysfunction and cisplatin resistance in NSCLC.

Identification of PANoptosis-related signature reveals immune infiltration characteristics and immunotherapy responses for renal cell carcinoma

PANoptosis is a specific type of inflammatory programmed cell death (PCD) modality that can be involved in three key modes of cellular programmed cell death-pyroptosis, apoptosis and necroptosis. We analyzed PANoptosis activity in three common renal cell carcinoma subtypes (Clear cell renal cell carcinoma, Papillary renal cell carcinoma, and Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma) separately and constructed a new PANoptosis immunity index (PANII). In three renal cell carcinomas, we found that PANII was an effective predictor of immunotherapy efficacy in KIRC, KIRP and KICH, and the high PANII group was characterized by high immune infiltration and sensitivity to immunotherapy, while the low PANII group was prone to immune escape and immunotherapy resistance. We performed molecular docking prediction of each core protein comprising PANII and identified natural small molecule compounds with the highest affinity to target proteins. In addition, we found that down-regulation of PYCARD inhibited the proliferation and migration of renal clear cell carcinoma cells by in vitro functional assays, suggesting that PYCARD could be a novel target for renal clear cell carcinoma therapy. Our findings that the PANoptosis characterization-based index (PANII) helps to elucidate the tumor microenvironmental features of three common renal cell carcinoma subtypes and identify patient populations that will benefit from immunotherapy, providing a new tool for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of patients with intermediate- and advanced-stage renal cell carcinoma.

Simultaneous determination of abrine, hypaphorine, schaftoside and soyasaponin Bb in rat plasma by UPLC-MS/MS and its application to a pharmacokinetic study after oral administration of Abrus cantoniensis Hance extract

A simple and sensitive liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method was established and validated for the quantitative determination of abrine, hypaphorine, schaftoside and soyasaponin Bb in rat plasma. After preparation by protein precipitation with acetonitrile, the analytes and internal standard were separated on a Waters CORTECS T3 column using acetonitrile containing 0.1% formic acid and 0.1% formic acid in water as mobile phase by gradient elution in 2 min. The method showed excellent linearity over the range of 5-500 ng/ml with acceptable intra- and inter-day precision, accuracy, matrix effect and recovery. The stability assay indicated that the four analytes were stable during the analysis process. The method was applied to a pharmacokinetic study of Abrus cantoniensis Hance in rats. The result suggested that after oral administration, the four analytes were quickly absorbed into the plasma. The dose-normalized exposure of hypaphorine was the highest with a long elimination half-life (t1/2 9.83 h), followed by abrine and schaftoside with t1/2 values of 1.07 and 1.15 h. The dose normalized exposure of soyasaponin Bb was the lowest, which is possibily due to the high polarity and poor permeability. This study provides a basis for elucidating the material foundation of A. cantoniensis Hance.

A Review on the Molecular Mechanisms of Action of Natural Products in Preventing Bone Diseases

The drugs used for treating bone diseases (BDs), at present, elicit hazardous side effects that include certain types of cancers and strokes, hence the ongoing quest for the discovery of alternatives with little or no side effects. Natural products (NPs), mainly of plant origin, have shown compelling promise in the treatments of BDs, with little or no side effects. However, the paucity in knowledge of the mechanisms behind their activities on bone remodeling has remained a hindrance to NPs’ adoption. This review discusses the pathological development of some BDs, the NP-targeted components, and the actions exerted on bone remodeling signaling pathways (e.g., Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor κ B-ligand (RANKL)/monocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF)/osteoprotegerin (OPG), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)s/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)/nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap-1)/nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (Nrf2)/Heme Oxygenase-1 (HO-1), Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 (BMP2)-Wnt/β-catenin, PhosphatidylInositol 3-Kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 Beta (GSK3β), and other signaling pathways). Although majority of the studies on the osteoprotective properties of NPs against BDs were conducted ex vivo and mostly on animals, the use of NPs for treating human BDs and the prospects for future development remain promising.

TGF-β1 regulates chondrocyte proliferation and extracellular matrix synthesis via circPhf21a-Vegfa axis in osteoarthritis

Background

The transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling pathway is an important pathway associated with the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). This study was to investigate the involvement of circRNAs in the TGF-β signaling pathway.

Methods

Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU) assay were used to detect the proliferation of primary mouse chondrocytes (PMCs). RNA-sequencing together with bioinformatics analysis were used to systematically clarify TGF-β1 induced alternations of circRNAs in PMCs. The regulatory and functional role of circPhf21a was examined in PMCs. Downstream targets of circPhf21a were explored by RNA-sequencing after overexpression of circPhf21a and verified by RT-qPCR in PMCs. Finally, the role and mechanism of circPhf21a in OA were explored in mouse models.

Results

We found that TGF-β1 promoted the proliferation of PMCs. Meanwhile, RT-qPCR and western blotting indicated that TGF-β1 promoted extracellular matrix (ECM) anabolism. RNA-sequencing revealed that a total of 36 circRNAs were differentially expressed between PMCs treated with and without TGF-β1. Of these, circPhf21a was significantly decreased by TGF-β1. Furthermore, circPhf21a knockdown promoted the proliferation and ECM synthesis of PMCs, whereas overexpression of circPhf21a showed the opposite effects. Mechanically, the expression profiles of the mRNAs revealed that Vegfa may be the target of circPhf21a. Additionally, we found that circPhf21a was significantly upregulated in the mouse OA model, and inhibition of circPhf21a significantly relieved the progression of OA.

Conclusions

Our results found that TGF-β1 promoted the proliferation and ECM synthesis of PMCs via the circPhf21a-Vegfa axis, which may provide novel therapeutic targets for OA treatment.

Potential value of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, and S100B for identifying major depressive disorder in knee osteoarthritis patients

BACKGROUND

The chronic pain and functional limitations in osteoarthritis (OA) patients can increase risk of psychiatric disorders, e.g., major depression disorder (MDD), which may further aggravate the clinical symptoms of OA. Early detection of MDD is essential in the clinical practice of OA.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Two hundred and fifteen participants with knee OA were recruited, including 134 MDD patients (i.e., MDD group) and 81 ones without MDD (i.e., control group). Among them, 81 OA participants in the control group received a 3-year follow-up and were divided into trans-MDD group (who transforming into MDD; N = 39) and non-MDD group (who keeping non-MDD; N = 42) at the end of the follow-up. The 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-17), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) were performed. Furthermore, serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), S100B, and IGF-1 were detected.

RESULTS

(1) Compared with OA participants without MDD, there were significant decrease in serum BDNF and significant increase in serum VEGF and S100B and VAS scores in OA participants with MDD. (2) A mediation of the association was found between the VAS scores and the HAMD-17 scores through the BDNF as mediator in OA participants with MDD. (3) Significantly lower baseline BDNF levels and higher baseline S100B levels were detected in OA participants who transforming to MDD after a 3-year follow-up when compared with those who keeping non-MDD. (4) In the trans-MDD group, significant associations of the change of serum BDNF levels with rate of change of HAMD-17 scores were found, and baseline serum S100B levels positively correlated with the HAMD-17 scores at the end of the follow-up. (5) In OA participants, the composite indicator of BDNF, VEGF, and S100B differentiated MDD patients from controls with the area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.806, and the combined indicator of baseline BDNF and S100B distinguished trans-MDD participants from non-MDD ones with an AUC value of 0.806.

CONCLUSION

Serum BDNF, VEGF, and S100B may be potential biomarkers to identify MDD in OA patients. Meanwhile, serum BDNF and S100B shows great potential to predict the risk of MDD for OA.