Natural Compound Allicin Containing Thiosulfinate Moieties as Transmembrane Protein 16A (TMEM16A) Ion Channel Inhibitor for Food Adjuvant Therapy of Lung Cancer

Ursolic acid, an inhibitor of TMEM16A, co-loaded with cisplatin in hydrogel drug delivery system for multi-targeted therapy of lung cancer

The efficacy of single chemotherapy drugs in cancer treatment is often limited. Combining administration targeting multiple targets has emerged as an effective strategy to improve cancer treatment. Ursolic acid, a triterpenoid compound in various natural foods, was identified as a novel inhibitor of lung cancer specific target TMEM16A. The IC50 of ursolic acid on the whole-cell current of TMEM16A was 13.85 ± 1.64 μM. Molecular dynamics simulations and site-directed mutagenesis experiments indicated the binding sites of ursolic acid on TMEM16A as L381, R535, E623, and C625. Ursolic acid significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of LA795 cells, while promoting cancer cell apoptosis. Mechanistic studies revealed that ursolic acid inhibited lung cancer through the MAPK and EMT pathways, and induced DNA and membrane damage. Next, a degradable and self-repairing hydrogel drug-loading system was designed to enhance the targeting effect of the ursolic acid and cisplatin drug combination. In vivo experiments showed that the hydrogel-loaded ursolic acid and cisplatin enhanced the antitumor activity and reduced the toxicity. This study presents a novel approach of multi-target combination therapy using ursolic acid and cisplatin, combined with the targeted delivery capability of the hydrogel system, which significantly improves the therapeutic efficacy in lung cancer.

Exploring the potential of cryptochlorogenic acid as a dietary adjuvant for multi-target combined lung cancer treatment

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer is a highly malignant disease with limited treatment options and significant adverse effects. It is urgent to develop novel treatment strategies for lung cancer. In recent years, TMEM16A has been confirmed as a specific drug target for lung cancer. The development of TMEM16A-targeting drugs and combined administration for the treatment of lung cancer has become a research hotspot.

METHODS

Fluorescence screening and electrophysiological experiments were conducted to confirm the inhibitory effect of CCA on TMEM16A. Molecular dynamics simulation and site-directed mutagenesis were employed to analyze the binding mode of CCA and TMEM16A. CCK-8, colony formation, wound healing, transwell, and annexin-V experiments were conducted to explore the regulatory effects and mechanisms of CCA on the proliferation, migration, and apoptosis of lung cancer cells. Tumor model mice and pharmacokinetic experiments were used to examine the efficacy and safety of CCA and cisplatin in vivo.

RESULTS

This study firstly confirmed that CCA effectively inhibits TMEM16A to exert anticancer effects and analyzed the pharmacological mechanism. CCA bound to S517/N546/E623/E633/Q637 of TMEM16A through hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions. It inhibited the proliferation and migration, and induced apoptosis of lung cancer cells by targeting TMEM16A. In addition, the combined administration of CCA and cisplatin exhibited a synergistic effect, enhancing the efficacy of lung cancer treatment while reducing side effects.

CONCLUSION

CCA is an effective novel inhibitor of TMEM16A, and it synergizes with cisplatin in anticancer treatment. These findings will provide new research ideas and lead compound for the combination therapy of lung cancer.

Structural and theoretical basis for drug development targeting TMEM16A: Inhibition mechanism of tracheloside analogs

Ion channels play a crucial role in the electrophysiological activities of organisms. The calcium-activated chloride channel TMEM16A is involved in various physiological processes. Therefore, inhibitors of TMEM16A are used to treat diseases caused by TMEM16A dysfunction. However, the unclear inhibition mechanism hinders the progress of drug development. Based on our previous study, we found that the molecular structures of TMEM16A inhibitors tracheloside, matairesinoside and arctigenin are similar. In this study, we conducted a structure-based virtual screening of tracheloside analogs from the PubChem database. The six tracheloside analogs with the highest affinity to TMEM16A were selected, and their inhibitory effects were detected by fluorescence and electrophysiological experiments. Subsequently, the interaction between the tracheloside analogs and TMEM16A was investigated through molecular docking and site-directed mutagenesis. Based on the above results, the mechanism of inhibition of TMEM16A gated conformation by tracheloside analogs was proposed. These findings provide a structural and theoretical basis for drug development targeting TMEM16A.

Allicin inhibits the biological activities of cervical cancer cells by suppressing circEIF4G2

Allicin is a safe herbal extract believed to have antitumor effects, which, however, remain unclear. The aim of the present work was to discuss Allicin antitumor effects on cervical cancer using cell experiments. Using Hela and Siha to our research objectives in our study, first step, difference concentration of Allicin (20, 40, and 80 μM) treated Hela and Siha cell lines, and next step, discuss circEIF4G2 effects in Allicin antitumor effects in Hela and Siha cell lines; the cell proliferation and EdU-positive cell number by CCK-8 and EdU staining; cell apoptosis rate by flow cytometry; invasion cell number by transwell assay; wound healing rate by wound healing assay; and relative mRNA and protein levels using qRT-PCR and WB assay. With Allicin supplement, the cell proliferation and EdU-positive cell number were significantly depressed with cell apoptosis rate significantly increasing; invasion cell number and wound healing rate significantly suppressed with circEIF4G2 mRNA expression significantly down-regulation (p < .05, respectively). However, there was no significant difference among Allicin, si-circEIF4G2, and Allicin+si-circEIF4G2 in cell biological activities including cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion and migration, and relative gene and protein expression. Allicin depresses biological activities of cervical cancer cells through down-regulating circEIF4G2/HOXA1/AKT/mTOR.

Matairesinoside, a novel inhibitor of TMEM16A ion channel, loaded with functional hydrogel for lung cancer treatment

The incidence and mortality rates of lung cancer have remained high for several decades, necessitating the discovery of new drugs and the development of effective treatment strategies. This study identified matairesinoside (MTS) as a potent inhibitor of TMEM16A, a novel drug target for lung cancer. Molecular simulation combined with site-directed mutagenesis experiments confirmed the key binding sites of MTS and TMEM16A. Cell experiments demonstrated that MTS significantly inhibited the growth, migration, and invasion of lung cancer cells, while inducing apoptosis. Gene knockdown and overexpression studies further revealed that TMEM16A is the target for MTS in regulating lung cancer cell growth. Western blot analysis elucidated the signaling transduction network involved in MTS-mediated regulation of lung cancer. Building upon these findings, a biodegradable self-healing functional hydrogel was developed to load MTS, aiming to enhance therapeutic efficacy and minimize side effects in vivo. Animal experiments demonstrated that the hydrogel/MTS formulation exhibited satisfactory inhibitory effects on lung cancer and mitigated the side effects associated with direct MTS injection. This study identified MTS as a potential candidate for anti-lung cancer therapy with well-defined pharmacological mechanisms. Moreover, the targeted drug delivery system utilizing the hydrogel/MTS platform offers a promising approach for lung cancer treatment.

Allicin Overcomes Doxorubicin Resistance of Breast Cancer Cells by Targeting the Nrf2 Pathway

Breast cancer (BC) is a lethal disorder that threatens the life safety of the majority of females globally, with rising morbidity and mortality year by year. Doxorubicin is a cytotoxic anthracycline antibiotic that is widely used as one of the first-line chemotherapy agents for patients with BC. However, the efficacy of doxorubicin in the clinic is largely limited by its serious side effects and acquired drug resistance. Allicin (diallyl thiosulfinate), as the major component and key active compound present in freshly crushed garlic, has shown potential effects in suppressing chemotherapy resistance in various cancers. Our research aimed to explore the relationship between allicin and doxorubicin resistance in BC. To generate doxorubicin-resistant BC cell lines (MCF-7/DOX and MDA-MB-231/DOX), doxorubicin-sensitive parental cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 were continuously exposed to stepwise increased concentrations of doxorubicin over a period of 6 months. CCK-8, colony formation, flow cytometry, RT-qPCR, and western blotting assays were performed to investigate the effects of allicin and/or doxorubicin treatment on the viability, proliferation and apoptosis and the expression of Nrf2, HO-1, phosphate AKT and AKT in doxorubicin-resistant BC cells. Our results showed that combined treatment of allicin with doxorubicin exhibited better effects on inhibiting the proliferation and enhancing the apoptosis of doxorubicin-resistant BC cells than treatment with allicin or doxorubicin alone. Mechanistically, allicin suppressed the levels of Nrf2, HO-1, and phosphate AKT in doxorubicin-resistant BC cells. Collectively, allicin improves the doxorubicin sensitivity of BC cells by inactivating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.

Astaxanthin Augmented the Anti-Hepatocellular Carcinoma Efficacy of Sorafenib Through the Inhibition of the JAK2/STAT3 Signaling Pathway and Mitigation of Hypoxia within the Tumor Microenvironment

SCOPE

The optimization of anti-cancer drug effectiveness through dietary modifications has garnered significant attention among researchers in recent times. Astaxanthin (AST) has been identified as a safe and biologically active dietary supplement.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The tumor-bearing mice are treated with sorafenib, along with supplementation of 60 mg kg-1 AST during the treatment. The coadministration of AST and a subclinical dosage of 10 mg kg-1 sorafenib demonstrates a tumor inhibition rate of 76.5%, which is notably superior to the 45% inhibition rate observed with the clinical dosage of 30 mg kg-1 sorafenib (p < 0.05). The administration of AST leads to a tumor inhibition increase of around 25% when combined with the clinical dose of 30 mg kg-1 sorafenib (p <0.05). AST enhances the inhibitory effect of sorafenib on tumor angiogenesis through the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. Furthermore, AST exhibits a reduction in hypoxia within the tumor microenvironment.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that AST supplement enhances the inhibitory effects of sorafenib on hepatocellular carcinoma. This study presents a new dietary management program for oncology patients.

TMEM16A ion channel: A novel target for cancer treatment

Cancer draws attention owing to the high morbidity and mortality. It is urgent to develop safe and effective cancer therapeutics. The calcium-activated chloride channel TMEM16A is widely distributed in various tissues and regulates physiological functions. TMEM16A is abnormally expressed in several cancers and associate with tumorigenesis, metastasis, and prognosis. Knockdown or inhibition of TMEM16A in cancer cells significantly inhibits cancer development. Therefore, TMEM16A is considered as a biomarker and therapeutic target for some cancers. This work reviews the cancers associated with TMEM16A. Then, the molecular mechanism of TMEM16A overexpression in cancer was analyzed, and the possible signal transduction mechanism of TMEM16A regulating cancer development was summarized. Finally, TMEM16A inhibitors with anticancer effect and their anticancer mechanism were concluded. We hope to provide new ideas for pharmacological studies on TMEM16A in cancer.

Effects of natural products on cisplatin ototoxicity and chemotherapeutic efficacy

INTRODUCTION

Cisplatin is a very effective chemotherapeutic agent against a variety of solid tumors. Unfortunately, cisplatin causes permanent sensorineural hearing loss in at least two-thirds of patients treated. There are no FDA approved drugs to prevent this serious side effect.

AREAS COVERED

This paper reviews various natural products that ameliorate cisplatin ototoxicity. These compounds are strong antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents. This review includes mostly preclinical studies but also discusses a few small clinical trials with natural products to minimize hearing loss from cisplatin chemotherapy in patients. The interactions of natural products with cisplatin in tumor-bearing animal models are highlighted. A number of natural products did not interfere with cisplatin anti-tumor efficacy and some agents actually potentiated cisplatin anti-tumor activity.

EXPERT OPINION

There are a number of natural products or their derivatives that show excellent protection against cisplatin ototoxicity in preclinical studies. There is a need to insure uniform standards for purity of drugs derived from natural sources and to ensure adequate pharmacokinetics and safety of these products. Natural products that protect against cisplatin ototoxicity and augment cisplatin's anti-tumor effects in multiple studies of tumor-bearing animals are most promising for advancement to clinical trials. The most promising natural products include honokiol, sulforaphane, and thymoquinone.