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Jothi R, Gowrishankar S. Synergistic anti-virulence efficacy of citral and carvacrol against mixed vaginitis causing Candida albicans and Gardnerella vaginalis: An in vitro and in vivo study. J Antibiot (Tokyo) 2024; 77:436-453. [PMID: 38750249 DOI: 10.1038/s41429-024-00728-0] [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: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Mixed vaginitis due to bacterial vaginosis (BV) and vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is the most prevalent form and presents a significant therapeutic challenge globally. Since, the administration of monotherapy leads to subsequent recurrent infections, synergistic therapy that completely eradicates both pathogens is of dire need to manage mixed vaginities scenario and to prevent its recurrence. The current investigation was focused on exploring the synergistic inhibitory efficacy of phytochemicals against the virulence traits of individual and mixed species of C. albicans and G. vaginalis in vitro and in vivo (Galleria mellonella). Out of five phytochemicals (carvacrol, thymol, cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, and borneol) screened for synergism with citral [(Ct) as the prime molecule owing to its myriad therapeutic potential], carvacrol (Ca) in combination with citral exhibited promising synergistic effect. Time-kill kinetics and one-minute contact-killing assays demonstrated the phenomenal microbicidal effect of Ct-Ca combination against both mono and dual-species within 30 min and one-minute time intervals, respectively. Furthermore, the sub-CMICs (synergistic combinatorial MIC) of Ct-Ca have significantly eradicated the mature biofilms and remarkably reduced the virulence attributes of both C. albicans and G. vaginalis (viz., yeast to hyphae transition, filamentation, protease production, and hydrophobicity index), in single and dual species states. The non-toxic nature of Ct-Ca combination was authenticated using in vitro (human erythrocyte cells) and in vivo (Galleria mellonella) models. In addition, the in vivo efficacy evaluation and subsequent histopathological investigation was done using the invertebrate model system G. mellonella, which further ascertained the effectiveness of Ct-Ca combination in fighting off the infection caused by individual and mixed species of C. albicans and G. vaginalis. Concomitantly, the current work is the first of its kind to delineate the in vitro interaction of C. albicans and G. vaginalis mixed species at their growth and biofilm states, together emphasizes the promising therapeutic potential of acclaimed phytochemicals as combinatorial synergistic therapy against mixed vaginitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravi Jothi
- Department of Biotechnology, Science Campus, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, 630 003, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Shanmugaraj Gowrishankar
- Department of Biotechnology, Science Campus, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, 630 003, Tamil Nadu, India.
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Zhang H, Liu Y, Liu J, Chen J, Wang J, Hua H, Jiang Y. cAMP-PKA/EPAC signaling and cancer: the interplay in tumor microenvironment. J Hematol Oncol 2024; 17:5. [PMID: 38233872 PMCID: PMC10792844 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-024-01524-x] [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: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a complex disease resulting from abnormal cell growth that is induced by a number of genetic and environmental factors. The tumor microenvironment (TME), which involves extracellular matrix, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF), tumor-infiltrating immune cells and angiogenesis, plays a critical role in tumor progression. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is a second messenger that has pleiotropic effects on the TME. The downstream effectors of cAMP include cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA), exchange protein activated by cAMP (EPAC) and ion channels. While cAMP can activate PKA or EPAC and promote cancer cell growth, it can also inhibit cell proliferation and survival in context- and cancer type-dependent manner. Tumor-associated stromal cells, such as CAF and immune cells, can release cytokines and growth factors that either stimulate or inhibit cAMP production within the TME. Recent studies have shown that targeting cAMP signaling in the TME has therapeutic benefits in cancer. Small-molecule agents that inhibit adenylate cyclase and PKA have been shown to inhibit tumor growth. In addition, cAMP-elevating agents, such as forskolin, can not only induce cancer cell death, but also directly inhibit cell proliferation in some cancer types. In this review, we summarize current understanding of cAMP signaling in cancer biology and immunology and discuss the basis for its context-dependent dual role in oncogenesis. Understanding the precise mechanisms by which cAMP and the TME interact in cancer will be critical for the development of effective therapies. Future studies aimed at investigating the cAMP-cancer axis and its regulation in the TME may provide new insights into the underlying mechanisms of tumorigenesis and lead to the development of novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongying Zhang
- Cancer Center, Laboratory of Oncogene, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yongliang Liu
- Cancer Center, Laboratory of Oncogene, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Jieya Liu
- Cancer Center, Laboratory of Oncogene, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Jinzhu Chen
- Cancer Center, Laboratory of Oncogene, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Jiao Wang
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 610075, China
| | - Hui Hua
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Yangfu Jiang
- Cancer Center, Laboratory of Oncogene, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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Wang Y, Zhang Y, Yang Z, Zhang L, Chen X, Yang G, Zhan J, Li S, He F, Fan G. Mesoporous silica-based nanocarriers with dual response to pH and ROS for enhanced anti-inflammation therapy of 5-demethylnobiletin against psoriasis-like lesions. Int J Pharm 2023; 645:123373. [PMID: 37673281 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.123373] [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: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disease accompanied with chronic papulosquamous lesions and multiple comorbidities that considerably affect patients' quality of life. In order to develop an enhanced therapeutic strategy for psoriasis, 5-demethylnobiletin (5-DN), a kind of polymethoxyflavones (PMFs) with high anti-inflammatory activity, was delivered in vitro and in vivo by the nanocarrier of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) both in the human keratinocytes HaCaT cell line and the mouse model with psoriasis-like lesions. The drug-loaded nanocarrier system (MSNs@5-DN) significantly improved the biocompatibility and bioavailability of 5-DN. Investigations at cell biological, histopathological, and molecular levels revealed the pharmacological mechanism of the drug delivery system, including the inhibition of inflammatory responses by downregulating the proinflammatory cytokine levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). The upregulation of anti‑inflammatory cytokine of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and microRNA-17-5p, a critical regulator of the PTEN/AKT pathway, was also observed. The psoriasis-like lesions were markedly ameliorated in the mouse models treated with MSNs@5-DN. The designed drug-loading system shows an enhanced therapeutic outcome for psoriasis-like lesion compared with free 5-DN. This study revealed the synergistic effect of functionalized MSNs loaded with PMFs on the clinical treatment of human psoriasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yimin Wang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Economic Forest Germplasm Improvement and Resources Comprehensive Utilization, College of Biology and Agricultural Resources, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang 438000, PR China
| | - Yanan Zhang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang 438000, PR China
| | - Zhihui Yang
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 300193, PR China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Economic Forest Germplasm Improvement and Resources Comprehensive Utilization, College of Biology and Agricultural Resources, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang 438000, PR China
| | - Xiangping Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Economic Forest Germplasm Improvement and Resources Comprehensive Utilization, College of Biology and Agricultural Resources, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang 438000, PR China
| | - Guliang Yang
- National Research Center of Rice Deep Process and Byproducts, Hunan Key Laboratory of Grain-oil Deep Process and Quality Control, Hunan Key Laboratory of Forestry Edible Resources Safety and Processing, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, PR China
| | - Jianfeng Zhan
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Economic Forest Germplasm Improvement and Resources Comprehensive Utilization, College of Biology and Agricultural Resources, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang 438000, PR China
| | - Shiming Li
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Economic Forest Germplasm Improvement and Resources Comprehensive Utilization, College of Biology and Agricultural Resources, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang 438000, PR China; Department of Food Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Feng He
- Li Shizhen College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang 438000, PR China.
| | - Guanwei Fan
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 300193, PR China.
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Bae S, Hyun CG. The Effects of 2 '-Hydroxy-3,6 '-Dimethoxychalcone on Melanogenesis and Inflammation. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10393. [PMID: 37373541 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241210393] [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: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we demonstrated that 2'-hydroxy-3,6'-dimethoxychalcone (3,6'-DMC) alleviated α-MSH-induced melanogenesis and lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced inflammation in mouse B16F10 and RAW 264.7 cells. In vitro analysis results showed that the melanin content and intracellular tyrosinase activity were significantly decreased by 3,6'-DMC, without cytotoxicity, via decreases in tyrosinase and the tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TRP-1) and TRP-2 melanogenic proteins, as well as the downregulation of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) expression through the upregulation of the phosphorylation of extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt, and glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β)/catenin, and downregulation of the phosphorylation of p38, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and protein kinase A (PKA). Furthermore, we investigated the effect of 3,6'-DMC on macrophage RAW264.7 cells with LPS stimulation. 3,6'-DMC significantly inhibited LPS-stimulated nitric oxide production. 3,6'-DMC also suppressed the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 on the protein level. In addition, 3,6'-DMC decreased the production of the tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6. Successively, our mechanistic studies revealed that 3,6'-DMC also suppressed the LPS-induced phosphorylation of the inhibitor of IκBα, p38MAPK, ERK, and JNK. The Western blot assay results showed that 3,6'-DMC suppresses LPS-induced p65 translocation from cytosol to the nucleus. Finally, the topical applicability of 3,6'-DMC was tested through primary skin irritation, and it was found that 3,6'-DMC, at 5 and 10 μM concentrations, did not cause any adverse effects. Therefore, 3,6'-DMC may provide a potential candidate for preventing and treating melanogenic and inflammatory skin diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sungmin Bae
- Jeju Inside Agency and Cosmetic Science Center, Department of Chemistry and Cosmetics, Jeju National University, Jeju 63243, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Gu Hyun
- Jeju Inside Agency and Cosmetic Science Center, Department of Chemistry and Cosmetics, Jeju National University, Jeju 63243, Republic of Korea
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Zhang X, Zhao L, Xiao J, Wang Y, Li Y, Zhu C, Zhang H, Zhang Y, Zhu X, Dong Y. 5-Demethylnobiletin mediates cell cycle arrest and apoptosis via the ERK1/2/AKT/STAT3 signaling pathways in glioblastoma cells. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1143664. [PMID: 37139163 PMCID: PMC10149914 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1143664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
5-Demethylnobiletin is the active ingredient in citrus polymethoxyflavones that could inhibit the proliferation of several tumor cells. However, the anti-tumor effect of 5-Demethylnobiletin on glioblastoma and the underlying molecular mechanisms are remains unknown. In our study, 5-Demethylnobiletin markedly inhibited the viability, migration and invasion of glioblastoma U87-MG, A172 and U251 cells. Further research revealed that 5-Demethylnobiletin induces cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase in glioblastoma cells by downregulating Cyclin D1 and CDK6 expression levels. Furthermore, 5-Demethylnobiletin significantly induced glioblastoma cells apoptosis by upregulating the protein levels of Bax and downregulating the protein level of Bcl-2, subsequently increasing the expression of cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-9. Mechanically, 5-Demethylnobiletin trigged G0/G1 phase arrest and apoptosis by inhibiting the ERK1/2, AKT and STAT3 signaling pathway. Furthermore, 5-Demethylnobiletin inhibition of U87-MG cell growth was reproducible in vivo model. Therefore, 5-Demethylnobiletin is a promising bioactive agent that might be used as glioblastoma treatment drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuehua Zhang
- Department of Immunology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Leilei Zhao
- Department of Immunology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Jinlong Xiao
- Department of Immunology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Yudi Wang
- Department of Immunology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Yunmeng Li
- Department of Immunology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Chaoqun Zhu
- School of Computer and Control Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai, China
| | - He Zhang
- Department of Immunology, Qiqihar Medical University, Qiqihar, China
| | - Yurui Zhang
- Department of Immunology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Xiao Zhu
- School of Computer and Control Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai, China
- *Correspondence: Yucui Dong, ; Xiao Zhu,
| | - Yucui Dong
- Department of Immunology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
- *Correspondence: Yucui Dong, ; Xiao Zhu,
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