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Fu R, You Y, Wang Y, Wang J, Lu Y, Gao R, Pang M, Yang P, Wang H. Sanggenol L induces ferroptosis in non-small cell lung cancer cells via regulating the miR-26a-1-3p/MDM2/p53 signaling pathway. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 226:116345. [PMID: 38852643 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116345] [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: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Ferroptosis is a regulated cell death marked by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. Tumor cells that survive by evading chemotherapy-induced apoptosis are vulnerable to ferroptosis. Therefore, it is particularly urgent to explore active ingredients that can selectively induce ferroptosis in cancer cells. Here, we revealed that sanggenol L, the active agent of Morus Bark, predisposed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells to ferroptosis, evidenced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, glutathione depletion, mitochondrial shrinkage, and lipid peroxidation. Furthermore, the ferroptosis-related miRNA array showed that sanggenol L treatment upregulated the level of miR-26a-1-3p, which directly targeted the E3 ubiquitin ligase MDM2. In addition, silencing MDM2 by miR-26a-1-3p resulted in a notable increase in p53 protein levels and decrease of its downstream target SLC7A11, ultimately triggered ferroptosis. The subcutaneous xenograft model and patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDX) model of NSCLC further confirmed the anti-tumor efficacy and safety of sanggenol L in vivo. Collectively, our data suggest that miR-26a-1-3p/MDM2/p53/SLC7A11 signaling axis plays a key role in sanggenol L-induced ferroptosis, which implies that sanggenol L can serves as an anticancer therapeutic arsenal for NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Fu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China
| | - Yujie You
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China
| | - Yuqing Wang
- Institute of Biotechnology, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Molecular Engineering of National Ministry of Education, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Jue Wang
- Department of Prosthodontics, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Yu Lu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China
| | - Rui Gao
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China
| | - Min Pang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Taiyuan, China.
| | - Peng Yang
- Institute of Biotechnology, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Molecular Engineering of National Ministry of Education, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China.
| | - Hailong Wang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China.
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2
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Zhang M, Zhang Y, Guo X, Chen Y, Li H, Zhou G, Sun S, Ren Q, Simal-Gandara J, Sun J, Li N, Liu C. Extraction, purification and anticancer activity studies on triterpenes from pomegranate peel. Food Funct 2024; 15:6914-6928. [PMID: 38855842 DOI: 10.1039/d4fo00183d] [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: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Pomegranate peel is the by-product of pomegranate processing, which contains a lot of triterpene compounds. In this study, the total triterpenes of pomegranate peel (TPP) were extracted using an ultrasonic-assisted ethanol extraction method under optimal conditions, purified using D-101 macroporous resin to obtain a purity of 75.28%. The triterpenes in TPP were mainly pentacyclic triterpenes determined by LC-MS/MS. Network pharmacological analysis predicted that the anticancer targets were closely related to the MAPK pathway. The in vitro results showed that TPP could inhibit cell proliferation, promote apoptosis, reduce mitochondrial membrane potential and increase ROS levels. The western blot results indicated that the expression levels of the apoptotic proteins Bax, Bcl-2, cytochrome C, cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-9 were increased. In addition, the protein expression of the MAPK pathway predicted by network pharmacology also changed significantly. These results provided that TPP has potential for adjuvant therapy of tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengqi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Novel Food Resources Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Processing Technology of Shandong Province, Institute of Agro-Food Science and Technology, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 23788 Gongye North Road, Jinan, 250100, PR China.
- Shandong Huatai Industrial Technology Institute of Nutrition and Health Co, Ltd, 9 Hongji Road, Jinan, 251400, PR China
| | - Yutao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Novel Food Resources Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Processing Technology of Shandong Province, Institute of Agro-Food Science and Technology, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 23788 Gongye North Road, Jinan, 250100, PR China.
- Key Laboratory of Food Processing Technology and Quality Control in Shandong Province, College of Food Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, 271017, PR China
| | - Xu Guo
- Key Laboratory of Novel Food Resources Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Processing Technology of Shandong Province, Institute of Agro-Food Science and Technology, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 23788 Gongye North Road, Jinan, 250100, PR China.
| | - Yingying Chen
- Key Laboratory of Novel Food Resources Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Processing Technology of Shandong Province, Institute of Agro-Food Science and Technology, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 23788 Gongye North Road, Jinan, 250100, PR China.
| | - Huimin Li
- Development Center of Melon, Fruit and Vegetable industry in Kashi, Kashi, 844000, PR China
| | - Guihua Zhou
- Development Center of Melon, Fruit and Vegetable industry in Kashi, Kashi, 844000, PR China
| | - Shutao Sun
- Key Laboratory of Novel Food Resources Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Processing Technology of Shandong Province, Institute of Agro-Food Science and Technology, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 23788 Gongye North Road, Jinan, 250100, PR China.
| | - Qidong Ren
- Key Laboratory of Novel Food Resources Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Processing Technology of Shandong Province, Institute of Agro-Food Science and Technology, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 23788 Gongye North Road, Jinan, 250100, PR China.
| | - Jesus Simal-Gandara
- Universidade de Vigo, Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Science, Faculty of Science, E32004 Ourense, Spain
| | - Jinyue Sun
- Key Laboratory of Novel Food Resources Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Processing Technology of Shandong Province, Institute of Agro-Food Science and Technology, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 23788 Gongye North Road, Jinan, 250100, PR China.
| | - Ningyang Li
- Key Laboratory of Food Processing Technology and Quality Control in Shandong Province, College of Food Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, 271017, PR China
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, PR China
| | - Chao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Novel Food Resources Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Processing Technology of Shandong Province, Institute of Agro-Food Science and Technology, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 23788 Gongye North Road, Jinan, 250100, PR China.
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Wang L, Xu H, Li X, Chen H, Zhang H, Zhu X, Lin Z, Guo S, Bao Z, Rui H, He W, Zhang H. Cucurbitacin E reduces IL-1β-induced inflammation and cartilage degeneration by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt pathway in osteoarthritic chondrocytes. J Transl Med 2023; 21:880. [PMID: 38049841 PMCID: PMC10696753 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04771-7] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease. Cartilage degeneration is the earliest and most important pathological change in osteoarthritis, and persistent inflammation is one of the driving factors of cartilage degeneration. Cucurbitacin E, an isolated compound in the Cucurbitacin family, has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects, but its role and mechanism in osteoarthritic chondrocytes are unclear. METHODS For in vitro experiments, human chondrocytes were stimulated with IL-1β, and the expression of inflammatory genes was measured by Western blotting and qPCR. The expression of extracellular matrix proteins was evaluated by immunofluorescence staining, Western blotting and saffron staining. Differences in gene expression between cartilage from osteoarthritis patients and normal cartilage were analysed by bioinformatics methods, and the relationship between Cucurbitacin E and its target was analysed by a cellular thermal shift assay, molecular docking analysis and molecular dynamics simulation. For in vivo experiments, knee osteoarthritis was induced by DMM in C57BL/6 mouse knee joints, and the effect of Cucurbitacin E on knee joint degeneration was evaluated. RESULTS The in vitro experiments confirmed that Cucurbitacin E effectively inhibited the production of the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β(IL-1β) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) by IL-1β-stimulated chondrocytes and alleviates extracellular matrix degradation. The in vivo experiments demonstrated that Cucurbitacin E had a protective effect on the knee cartilage of C57BL/6 mice with medial meniscal instability in the osteoarthritis model. Mechanistically, bioinformatic analysis of the GSE114007 and GSE117999 datasets showed that the PI3K/AKT pathway was highly activated in osteoarthritis. Immunohistochemical analysis of PI3K/Akt signalling pathway proteins in pathological slices of human cartilage showed that the level of p-PI3K in patients with osteoarthritis was higher than that in the normal group. PI3K/Akt were upregulated in IL-1β-stimulated chondrocytes, and Cucurbitacin E intervention reversed this phenomenon. The cellular thermal shift assay, molecular docking analysis and molecular dynamics experiment showed that Cucurbitacin E had a strong binding affinity for the inhibitory target PI3K. SC79 activated Akt phosphorylation and reversed the effect of Cucurbitacin E on IL-1β-induced chondrocyte degeneration, demonstrating that Cucurbitacin E inhibits IL-1β-induced chondrocyte inflammation and degeneration by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT pathway. CONCLUSION Cucurbitacin E inhibits the activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway, thereby alleviating the progression of OA. In summary, we believe that Cucurbitacin E is a potential drug for the treatment of OA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Wang
- Department of Orthopaedics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
| | - Hui Xu
- Department of Orthopaedics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
| | - Xin Li
- School of Basic Medicine Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
| | - Hongwei Chen
- Department of Orthopaedics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
| | - Haigang Zhang
- Department of Orthopaedics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
| | - Xunpeng Zhu
- Department of Orthopaedics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
| | - Zhijie Lin
- Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
| | - Shilei Guo
- Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
| | - Zhibo Bao
- Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
| | - Haicheng Rui
- Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
| | - Wei He
- School of Basic Medicine Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China.
| | - Hui Zhang
- Department of Orthopaedics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China.
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Chen W, Liu Q, Huang Z, Le C, Wang Y, Yang J. Cucurbitacin C as an effective anti-cancer agent: unveiling its potential role against cholangiocarcinoma and mechanistic insights. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:13123-13136. [PMID: 37474681 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-05188-x] [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: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a malignant epithelial tumor characterized by a dismal prognosis. Given the lack of therapeutic strategies and durable treatment options currently available, identifying innovative treatments for CCA is an urgent unmet clinical need. Cucurbitacin C (CuC) is a distinct variant of the cucurbitacin family, displaying promising anti-cancer activity against various tumor types. The primary objective of our research is to elucidate the promising effects of CuC on CCA. METHODS The impact of CuC on CCA cell lines was assessed by cell count kit-8 assay, EdU staining assay, colony formation assay, wound-healing assay, and Transwell assay. Flow cytometric analysis was conducted to explore the function of CuC treatments on cell-cycle distribution and apoptosis in CCA cells. Computational biology and network pharmacology approaches were utilized to predict potential targets of CuC. Furthermore, a tumor xenograft mouse model was established using CCA cells to explore the anti-cancer effects of CuC in vivo. RESULTS Our research findings revealed that CuC exerted a suppressive effect on CCA cell progression. Cell viability assays, EdU staining assays, and colony formation assays demonstrated that CuC effectively suppressed viability and proliferation of CCA cells. Wound-healing assays and Transwell assays indicated that CuC effectively inhibits the migratory and invasive capabilities of CCA cells. Flow cytometry analysis elucidated that CuC played its anti-proliferative role in CCA cells by arresting G0/G1 phase and increasing apoptosis. Through bioinformatics and network pharmacology analysis, in conjunction with western blot analysis, we demonstrated CuC mediated the inhibition of CCA cell progression through modulation of JAK2/STAT3 pathway. Additionally, the CCA xenograft tumor model was established, and the results supported the inhibition of CuC treatment against CCA progression in vivo. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrates that CuC possesses notable capabilities to suppress cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in CCA. Importantly, the inhibitory effects of CuC on CCA progression are attributed to its modulation of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. Altogether, our study demonstrated that CuC holds promise as a prospective therapeutic agent for treating CCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wangyang Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 261 Huansha Road, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Biliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
- Hangzhou Institute of Digestive Diseases, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Qiang Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 261 Huansha Road, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Biliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
- Hangzhou Institute of Digestive Diseases, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Zhicheng Huang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 261 Huansha Road, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Biliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
- Hangzhou Institute of Digestive Diseases, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Chenyu Le
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 261 Huansha Road, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Biliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
- Hangzhou Institute of Digestive Diseases, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 261 Huansha Road, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang Province, China.
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Biliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang Province, China.
- Hangzhou Institute of Digestive Diseases, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang Province, China.
| | - Jianfeng Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 261 Huansha Road, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang Province, China.
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Biliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang Province, China.
- Hangzhou Institute of Digestive Diseases, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang Province, China.
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Oncology and Intelligent Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang Province, China.
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang Province, China.
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Xu D, Liu A, Liu Q, Zhang H, Tian M, Bian Y, Zhang X, Ying M, Shen H. Cucurbitacin C suppresses the progression of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma via inhibition of the cGMP-PKG-VASP axis. Biochem Pharmacol 2023; 217:115810. [PMID: 37717690 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115810] [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: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the most devastating diseases; it has a considerably poor prognosis and may become the second most lethal malignancy in the next 10 years. Chemotherapeutic resistance is common in PDAC; thus, it is necessary to exploit effective alternative drugs. In recent years, traditional folk medicines and their extracts have shown great potential in cancer treatment. The seed of Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl. is a traditional medicine in Asia. Because of its analgesic effects and ability to reduce swelling, it is often used as an adjuvant treatment for abdominal tumors. Cucurbitacin compounds are extracts abundant in Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl. Here, we found that cucurbitacin C (CuC), a member of the cucurbitacin family, has apparent anti-PDAC therapeutic properties. CuC decreased the viability and suppressed the proliferation of PDAC cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Further studies revealed that CuC inhibited cell migration and invasion by inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). In addition, G2/M arrest was induced, and the apoptotic pathway was activated. Transcriptomic and bioinformatic analyses showed that CuC inhibited the cGMP-PKG-VASP axis, increasing the content of cGMP to restore tumor characteristics. The antitumor activity of CuC in vivo was verified through animal experiments, and no obvious side effects were observed. Overall, our study indicates a candidate therapeutic compound for PDAC that is worthy of further development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongchao Xu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; Hangzhou Institute of Digestive Diseases, Hangzhou 310000, China; Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Biliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Ajuan Liu
- Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Qiang Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; Hangzhou Institute of Digestive Diseases, Hangzhou 310000, China; Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Biliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Hongchen Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; Hangzhou Institute of Digestive Diseases, Hangzhou 310000, China; Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Biliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Mengyao Tian
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Ying Bian
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Xiaofeng Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; Hangzhou Institute of Digestive Diseases, Hangzhou 310000, China; Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Biliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310000, China.
| | - Meidan Ying
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Hongzhang Shen
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; Hangzhou Institute of Digestive Diseases, Hangzhou 310000, China; Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Biliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310000, China.
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Hsu HL, Lin BJ, Lin YC, Tu CC, Nguyen NL, Wang CC, Chen MC, Chen CH. Cucurbitacin E Exerts Anti-Proliferative Activity via Promoting p62-Dependent Apoptosis in Human Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer A549 Cells. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2023; 45:8138-8151. [PMID: 37886957 PMCID: PMC10605876 DOI: 10.3390/cimb45100514] [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: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are the first-line treatment for advanced EGFR-mutated non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, NSCLC patients with wild-type EGFR and KRAS mutation are ineligible for EGFR-TKIs. Therefore, the discovery of new therapeutic agents is urgently needed for NSCLC patients who cannot receive targeted therapies. Natural products possess tremendous chemical diversity and have been extensively investigated for their anticancer activity. In this study, we found that Cucurbitacin E (Cu E), a triterpene of cucurbitacins widely presented in the edible plants of the Cucurbitaceae family, significantly inhibits the viability and proliferation of A549 cells that harbor wild-type EGFR and KRAS mutation. Our results revealed that Cu E increases cell-cycle arrest at G2/M and subG1 phase. Mechanistically, Cu E significantly inhibits the phosphorylation and protein levels of regulatory proteins and hinders G2/M cell-cycle progression. Meanwhile, the treatment of Cu E resulted in DNA damage response and apoptosis. For the first time, we observed that Cu E induces incomplete autophagy as evidenced by increased LC3B-II expression and p62-accumulation. Knockdown of p62 rescued the cells from Cu E-mediated anti-proliferative effect, apoptosis, DNA damage, and ROS production. These findings suggest that Cu E is a promising drug candidate for NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han-Lin Hsu
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 116, Taiwan
- Pulmonary Research Center, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 116, Taiwan
- School of Respiratory Therapy, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Bo-Jyun Lin
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chen Lin
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Chieh Tu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Nham-Linh Nguyen
- Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, HCMC University of Technology and Education, Ho Chi Minh 70000, Vietnam
| | - Ching-Chiung Wang
- School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
- Traditional Herbal Medicine Research, Center of Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 110, Taiwan
- Ph.D. Program in Clinical Drug Development of Herbal Medicine, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Pharmacognosy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Mei-Chuan Chen
- School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
- Traditional Herbal Medicine Research, Center of Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 110, Taiwan
- Ph.D. Program in Clinical Drug Development of Herbal Medicine, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Han Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
- Cell Physiology and Molecular Image Research Center, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 116, Taiwan
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Jin J, Yang X, Gong H, Li X. Time- and Gender-Dependent Alterations in Mice during the Aging Process. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12790. [PMID: 37628974 PMCID: PMC10454612 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Compared to young people and adults, there are differences in the ability of elderly people to resist diseases or injuries, with some noticeable features being gender-dependent. However, gender differences in age-related viscera alterations are not clear. To evaluate a potential possibility of gender differences during the natural aging process, we used three age groups to investigate the impact on spleens, kidneys, and adrenal glands. The immunofluorescence results showed that male-specific p21 proteins were concentrated in the renal tubule epithelial cells of the kidney. Histological staining revealed an increase in the frequencies of fat vacuoles located in the renal tubule epithelial cells of the cortex, under the renal capsule in the kidneys of male mice with age. In female mice, we found that the width of the globular zone in the adrenal gland cortex was unchanged with age. On the contrary, the male displayed a reduction in width. Compared to females, the content of epinephrine in adrenal gland tissue according to ELISA analysis was higher in adults, and a greater decline was observed in aged males particularly. These data confirmed the age-dependent differences between female and male mice; therefore, gender should be considered one of the major factors for personalized treatment in clinical diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Jin
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China (H.G.)
| | - Xiaoquan Yang
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China (H.G.)
- Research Unit of Multimodal Cross Scale Neural Signal Detection and Imaging, HUST-Suzhou Institute for Brainsmatics, JITRI, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Suzhou 215004, China
| | - Hui Gong
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China (H.G.)
- Research Unit of Multimodal Cross Scale Neural Signal Detection and Imaging, HUST-Suzhou Institute for Brainsmatics, JITRI, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Suzhou 215004, China
| | - Xiangning Li
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China (H.G.)
- Research Unit of Multimodal Cross Scale Neural Signal Detection and Imaging, HUST-Suzhou Institute for Brainsmatics, JITRI, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Suzhou 215004, China
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Hainan Province, School of Biomedical Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
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