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Zhao ZX, Zou QY, Ma YH, Morris-Natschke SL, Li XY, Shi LC, Ma GX, Xu XD, Yang MH, Zhao ZJ, Li YX, Xue J, Chen CH, Wu HF. Recent progress on triterpenoid derivatives and their anticancer potential. PHYTOCHEMISTRY 2024; 229:114257. [PMID: 39209239 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2024.114257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 08/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Cancer poses a significant global public health challenge, with commonly used adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy often leading to adverse side effects and drug resistance. Therefore, advancing cancer treatment necessitates the ongoing development of novel anticancer agents with diverse structures and mechanisms of action. Natural products remain crucial in the process of drug discovery, serving as a primary source for pharmaceutical leads and therapeutic advancements. Triterpenoids are particularly compelling due to their complex structures and wide array of biological activities. Recent research has demonstrated that naturally occurring triterpenes and their derivatives have the potential to serve as promising candidates for new drug development. This review aims to comprehensively explore the anticancer properties of triterpenoids and their synthetic analogs, with a focus on recent advancements. Various aspects, such as synthesis, phytochemistry, and molecular simulation for structure-activity relationship analyses, are summarized. It is anticipated that triterpenoid derivatives will emerge as notable anticancer agents following further investigation into their mechanisms of action and in vivo studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Xuan Zhao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Drug Discovery Based on Classic Chinese Medicine Prescription, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Qiong-Yu Zou
- Key Laboratory of Research and Utilization of Ethnomedicinal Plant Resources of Hunan Province, Key Laboratory of Hunan Higher Education for Western Hunan Medicinal Plant and Ethnobotany, Hunan Provincial Higher Education Key Laboratory of Intensive Processing Research on Mountain Ecological Food, Key Laboratory of Natural Products Research and Utilization in Wuling Mountain Area, Department of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Huaihua University, Huaihua, 418008, China
| | - Ying-Hong Ma
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Drug Discovery Based on Classic Chinese Medicine Prescription, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Susan L Morris-Natschke
- Natural Products Research Laboratories, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Xiang-Yuan Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Drug Discovery Based on Classic Chinese Medicine Prescription, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Lin-Chun Shi
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Drug Discovery Based on Classic Chinese Medicine Prescription, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Guo-Xu Ma
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Drug Discovery Based on Classic Chinese Medicine Prescription, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xu-Dong Xu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Drug Discovery Based on Classic Chinese Medicine Prescription, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Mei-Hua Yang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Drug Discovery Based on Classic Chinese Medicine Prescription, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Zi-Jian Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Research and Utilization of Ethnomedicinal Plant Resources of Hunan Province, Key Laboratory of Hunan Higher Education for Western Hunan Medicinal Plant and Ethnobotany, Hunan Provincial Higher Education Key Laboratory of Intensive Processing Research on Mountain Ecological Food, Key Laboratory of Natural Products Research and Utilization in Wuling Mountain Area, Department of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Huaihua University, Huaihua, 418008, China
| | - Yuan-Xiang Li
- Key Laboratory of Research and Utilization of Ethnomedicinal Plant Resources of Hunan Province, Key Laboratory of Hunan Higher Education for Western Hunan Medicinal Plant and Ethnobotany, Hunan Provincial Higher Education Key Laboratory of Intensive Processing Research on Mountain Ecological Food, Key Laboratory of Natural Products Research and Utilization in Wuling Mountain Area, Department of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Huaihua University, Huaihua, 418008, China
| | - Jing Xue
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Comparative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
| | - Chin-Ho Chen
- Antiviral Drug Discovery Laboratory, Surgical Oncology Research Facility, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
| | - Hai-Feng Wu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Drug Discovery Based on Classic Chinese Medicine Prescription, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China; Key Laboratory of Research and Utilization of Ethnomedicinal Plant Resources of Hunan Province, Key Laboratory of Hunan Higher Education for Western Hunan Medicinal Plant and Ethnobotany, Hunan Provincial Higher Education Key Laboratory of Intensive Processing Research on Mountain Ecological Food, Key Laboratory of Natural Products Research and Utilization in Wuling Mountain Area, Department of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Huaihua University, Huaihua, 418008, China; Natural Products Research Laboratories, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
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Bajwa B, Xing X, Terry SA, Gruninger RJ, Abbott DW. Methylation-GC-MS/FID-Based Glycosidic Linkage Analysis of Unfractionated Polysaccharides in Red Seaweeds. Mar Drugs 2024; 22:192. [PMID: 38786583 PMCID: PMC11122361 DOI: 10.3390/md22050192] [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: 03/30/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Glycosidic linkage analysis was conducted on the unfractionated polysaccharides in alcohol-insoluble residues (AIRs) prepared from six red seaweeds (Gracilariopsis sp., Prionitis sp., Mastocarpus papillatus, Callophyllis sp., Mazzaella splendens, and Palmaria palmata) using GC-MS/FID analysis of partially methylated alditol acetates (PMAAs). The cell walls of P. palmata primarily contained mixed-linkage xylans and small amounts of sulfated galactans and cellulose. In contrast, the unfractionated polysaccharides of the other five species were rich in galactans displaying diverse 3,6-anhydro-galactose and galactose linkages with varied sulfation patterns. Different levels of cellulose were also observed. This glycosidic linkage method offers advantages for cellulose analysis over traditional monosaccharide analysis that is known for underrepresenting glucose in crystalline cellulose. Relative linkage compositions calculated from GC-MS and GC-FID measurements showed that anhydro sugar linkages generated more responses in the latter detection method. This improved linkage workflow presents a useful tool for studying polysaccharide structural variations across red seaweed species. Furthermore, for the first time, relative linkage compositions from GC-MS and GC-FID measurements, along with normalized FID and total ion current (TIC) chromatograms without peak assignments, were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA) as a proof-of-concept demonstration of the technique's potential to differentiate various red seaweed species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - D. Wade Abbott
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 5403 1st Avenue South, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4B1, Canada; (B.B.); (X.X.); (S.A.T.); (R.J.G.)
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Xiao L, Li M, Xiao Y, Yu L, Li Y, Zhang Z, Zhang G, Li Y, Zhou L, Liang Y. Echinocystic acid prevents obesity and fatty liver via interacting with FABP1. Phytother Res 2023; 37:3617-3630. [PMID: 37092723 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.7839] [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: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Long-term high-fat diet (HFD) will lead to obesity and their complications. Echinocystic acid (EA), a triterpene, shows anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. We predict that EA supplementation can prevent obesity, diabetes, and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. To test our hypothesis, we investigated the effects of EA supplementation on mice with HFD-induced obesity in vivo and in vitro by adding EA to the diet of mice and the medium of HepG2 cells, the protein target of EA was analyzed by molecular docking. The results showed that EA ameliorated obesity and inhibited blood triglyceride and liver triglyceride concentrations than those in the HFD groups. The data on molecular docking indicated that FABP1 was a potential target of EA. Further experimental results confirmed that EA affected the triglyceride level by regulating the function of FABP1. This study may provide a new potential inhibitor for FABP1 and a new strategy for the treatment of obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianggui Xiao
- Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Mingming Li
- Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Yang Xiao
- Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Lin Yu
- Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Yu Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Zhiwang Zhang
- Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Guo Zhang
- Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Yixing Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Lei Zhou
- Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Yunxiao Liang
- Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
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Savarino P, Demeyer M, Decroo C, Colson E, Gerbaux P. Mass spectrometry analysis of saponins. MASS SPECTROMETRY REVIEWS 2023; 42:954-983. [PMID: 34431118 DOI: 10.1002/mas.21728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Saponins are amphiphilic molecules of pharmaceutical interest and most of their biological activities (i.e., cytotoxic, hemolytic, fungicide, etc.) are associated to their membranolytic properties. These molecules are secondary metabolites present in numerous plants and in some marine animals, such as sea cucumbers and starfishes. Structurally, all saponins correspond to the combination of a hydrophilic glycan, consisting of sugar chain(s), linked to a hydrophobic triterpenoidic or steroidic aglycone, named the sapogenin. Saponins present a high structural diversity and their structural characterization remains extremely challenging. Ideally, saponin structures are best established using nuclear magnetic resonance experiments conducted on isolated molecules. However, the extreme structural diversity of saponins makes them challenging from a structural analysis point of view since, most of the time, saponin extracts consist in a huge number of congeners presenting only subtle structural differences. In the present review, we wish to offer an overview of the literature related to the development of mass spectrometry for the study of saponins. This review will demonstrate that most of the past and current mass spectrometry methods, including electron, electrospray and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization ionizations, gas/liquid chromatography coupled to (tandem) mass spectrometry, collision-induced dissociation including MS3 experiments, multiple reaction monitoring based quantification, ion mobility experiments, and so forth, have been used for saponin investigations with great success on enriched extracts but also directly on tissues using imaging methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe Savarino
- Organic Synthesis and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Biosciences Research Institute, University of Mons-UMONS, Mons, Belgium
| | - Marie Demeyer
- Organic Synthesis and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Biosciences Research Institute, University of Mons-UMONS, Mons, Belgium
| | - Corentin Decroo
- Organic Synthesis and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Biosciences Research Institute, University of Mons-UMONS, Mons, Belgium
| | - Emmanuel Colson
- Organic Synthesis and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Biosciences Research Institute, University of Mons-UMONS, Mons, Belgium
| | - Pascal Gerbaux
- Organic Synthesis and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Biosciences Research Institute, University of Mons-UMONS, Mons, Belgium
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Li Y, Chen L, Zheng D, Liu JX, Liu C, Qi SH, Hu PC, Yang XF, Min JW. Echinocystic acid alleviated hypoxic-ischemic brain damage in neonatal mice by activating the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 signaling pathway. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1103265. [PMID: 36843928 PMCID: PMC9947717 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1103265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is considered a major cause of death and long-term neurological injury in newborns. Studies have demonstrated that oxidative stress and apoptosis play a major role in the progression of neonatal HIE. Echinocystic acid (EA), a natural plant extract, shows great antioxidant and antiapoptotic activities in various diseases. However, it has not yet been reported whether EA exerts a neuroprotective effect against neonatal HIE. Therefore, this study was undertaken to explore the neuroprotective effects and potential mechanisms of EA in neonatal HIE using in vivo and in vitro experiments. In the in vivo study, a hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD) model was established in neonatal mice, and EA was administered immediately after HIBD. Cerebral infarction, brain atrophy and long-term neurobehavioral deficits were measured. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) and dihydroethidium (DHE) staining were performed, and the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) were detected. In the in vitro study, an oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) model was employed in primary cortical neurons, and EA was introduced during OGD/R. Cell death and cellular ROS levels were determined. To illustrate the mechanism, the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 and Nrf2 inhibitor ML385 were used. The protein expression levels of p-PI3K, PI3K, p-Akt, Akt, Nrf2, NQO1, and HO-1 were measured by western blotting. The results showed that EA treatment significantly reduced cerebral infarction, attenuated neuronal injury, and improved brain atrophy and long-term neurobehavioral deficits in neonatal mice subjected to HIBD. Meanwhile, EA effectively increased the survival rate in neurons exposed to OGD/R and inhibited oxidative stress and apoptosis in both in vivo and in vitro studies. Moreover, EA activated the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 pathway in neonatal mice following HIBD and in neurons after OGD/R. In conclusion, these results suggested that EA alleviated HIBD by ameliorating oxidative stress and apoptosis via activation of the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Li
- Key Laboratory of Cognitive Science, Laboratory of Membrane Ion Channels and Medicine, College of Biomedical Engineering, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ling Chen
- Key Laboratory of Cognitive Science, Laboratory of Membrane Ion Channels and Medicine, College of Biomedical Engineering, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, China
| | - Da Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Cognitive Science, Laboratory of Membrane Ion Channels and Medicine, College of Biomedical Engineering, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jian-Xia Liu
- Key Laboratory of Cognitive Science, Laboratory of Membrane Ion Channels and Medicine, College of Biomedical Engineering, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, China
| | - Chao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Cognitive Science, Laboratory of Membrane Ion Channels and Medicine, College of Biomedical Engineering, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shao-Hua Qi
- Department of Systems Medicine and Bioengineering, Houston Methodist Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Peng-Chao Hu
- Department of Oncology, Xiangyang No. 1 People’s Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, China
| | - Xiao-Fei Yang
- Key Laboratory of Cognitive Science, Laboratory of Membrane Ion Channels and Medicine, College of Biomedical Engineering, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jia-Wei Min
- Key Laboratory of Cognitive Science, Laboratory of Membrane Ion Channels and Medicine, College of Biomedical Engineering, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, China,*Correspondence: Jia-Wei Min,
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Cheng YC, Zhang X, Lin SC, Li S, Chang YK, Chen HH, Lin CC. Echinocystic Acid Ameliorates Arthritis in SKG Mice by Suppressing Th17 Cell Differentiation and Human Rheumatoid Arthritis Fibroblast-Like Synoviocytes Inflammation. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2022; 70:16176-16187. [PMID: 36516328 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c05802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Echinocystic acid (EA), a pentacyclic triterpene, exhibits anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and analgesic activities to counteract pathological effects in various diseases. Here, we aimed to determine the immunomodulatory effect of EA on zymosan-induced arthritis in SKG mice and how it would influence Th17 differentiation and human rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes inflammation. Our results showed that EA (10 and 25 mg/kg) attenuated arthritis symptoms, including high arthritis scores, infiltrating inflammatory cells, synovial hyperplasia, bone erosion, and the high levels of proinflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1β in paw tissues, and reduced the number of splenic Th17 cells. Mechanistically, we found that in vitro treatment of EA inhibited both IL-6- and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-induced Th17 cell differentiation by suppressing the phosphorylation of signal transducers and transcriptional activators, especially STAT3. In line with the in vivo result, EA significantly reduced the protein and mRNA expression of IL-6 and IL-1β in human RA-FLA cells, MH7A cells. Furthermore, the production of both cytokines was confirmed with the downregulation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathways under the stimulation of TNF-α. In conclusion, these findings revealed that EA was capable of amelioration of arthritic disorders in SKG mice through inhibiting Th17 cell differentiation and synovial fibroblast inflammation, supporting that EA is a promising therapeutic candidate for treating RA patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chieh Cheng
- Department of Orthopaedics, Tungs' Taichung Metro Harbor Hospital, Taichung 433, Taiwan
- Institute of Biomedical Science, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
| | - Xiang Zhang
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm SE-171 77, Sweden
| | - Shih-Chao Lin
- Bachelor Degree Program in Marine Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 202, Taiwan
| | - Shiming Li
- Department of Food Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901-8554, United States
| | - Yu-Kang Chang
- Department of Medical Research, Tungs' Taichung Metro Harbor Hospital, Taichung 433, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Hua Chen
- Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung City 40705, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei City 30010, Taiwan
- Department of Industrial Engineering and Enterprise Information, Tunghai University, Taichung City 407224, Taiwan
- Institute of Biomedical Science, the iEGG and Animal Biotechnology Center, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Chien Lin
- Institute of Rong Hsing Research Center for Translational Medicine, Chung Hsing University, Taichung City 402, Taiwan
- Institute of Biomedical Science, the iEGG and Animal Biotechnology Center, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 404, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung 407, Taiwan
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
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Disentangling the chemistry of Australian plant exudates from a unique historical collection. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2116021119. [PMID: 35617429 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2116021119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Significance For millennia, Aboriginal Australian peoples have used the extraordinary physicochemical properties of plant exudates from practical applications to cultural expression. We employ state-of-the-art spectroscopy to characterize the molecular compositions of well-preserved, native Australian plant exudates (Xanthorrhoea, Callitris, Eucalyptus, and Acacia) from a historic collection assembled over a century ago. This work demonstrates the benefits of X-ray Raman spectroscopy for the analysis of these complex natural systems. It provides key information for a broader understanding of their terpenoid, aromatic, phenolic, and polysaccharide composition and subsequent chemical classification. It complements Fourier-transform infrared and pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry by allowing bulk-sensitive analysis in a fully noninvasive manner and probes molecular features which remain silent in these commonly employed analyses.
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Savarino P, Contino C, Colson E, Cabrera-Barjas G, De Winter J, Gerbaux P. Impact of the Hydrolysis and Methanolysis of Bidesmosidic Chenopodium quinoa Saponins on Their Hemolytic Activity. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27103211. [PMID: 35630692 PMCID: PMC9144749 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27103211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Saponins are specific metabolites abundantly present in plants and several marine animals. Their high cytotoxicity is associated with their membranolytic properties, i.e., their propensity to disrupt cell membranes upon incorporation. As such, saponins are highly attractive for numerous applications, provided the relation between their molecular structures and their biological activities is understood at the molecular level. In the present investigation, we focused on the bidesmosidic saponins extracted from the quinoa husk, whose saccharidic chains are appended on the aglycone via two different linkages, a glycosidic bond, and an ester function. The later position is sensitive to chemical modifications, such as hydrolysis and methanolysis. We prepared and characterized three sets of saponins using mass spectrometry: (i) bidesmosidic saponins directly extracted from the ground husk, (ii) monodesmosidic saponins with a carboxylic acid group, and (iii) monodesmosidic saponins with a methyl ester function. The impact of the structural modifications on the membranolytic activity of the saponins was assayed based on the determination of their hemolytic activity. The natural bidesmosidic saponins do not present any hemolytic activity even at the highest tested concentration (500 µg·mL−1). Hydrolyzed saponins already degrade erythrocytes at 20 µg·mL−1, whereas 100 µg·mL−1 of transesterified saponins is needed to induce detectable activity. The observation that monodesmosidic saponins, hydrolyzed or transesterified, are much more active against erythrocytes than the bidesmosidic ones confirms that bidesmosidic saponins are likely to be the dormant form of saponins in plants. Additionally, the observation that negatively charged saponins, i.e., the hydrolyzed ones, are more hemolytic than the neutral ones could be related to the red blood cell membrane structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe Savarino
- Organic Synthesis and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory (S²MOs), University of Mons—UMONS, 23 Place du Parc, 7000 Mons, Belgium; (P.S.); (C.C.); (E.C.); (J.D.W.)
| | - Carolina Contino
- Organic Synthesis and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory (S²MOs), University of Mons—UMONS, 23 Place du Parc, 7000 Mons, Belgium; (P.S.); (C.C.); (E.C.); (J.D.W.)
| | - Emmanuel Colson
- Organic Synthesis and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory (S²MOs), University of Mons—UMONS, 23 Place du Parc, 7000 Mons, Belgium; (P.S.); (C.C.); (E.C.); (J.D.W.)
| | - Gustavo Cabrera-Barjas
- Unidad de Desarrollo Tecnológico (UDT), Universidad de Concepción, Av. Cordillera 2634, Parque Industrial Coronel, Concepción 4030000, Región del Bío Bío, Chile;
| | - Julien De Winter
- Organic Synthesis and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory (S²MOs), University of Mons—UMONS, 23 Place du Parc, 7000 Mons, Belgium; (P.S.); (C.C.); (E.C.); (J.D.W.)
| | - Pascal Gerbaux
- Organic Synthesis and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory (S²MOs), University of Mons—UMONS, 23 Place du Parc, 7000 Mons, Belgium; (P.S.); (C.C.); (E.C.); (J.D.W.)
- Correspondence:
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Mohamed NM, Ahmed MAM, Khan SI, Fronczek FR, Mohammed AF, Ross SA. Anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic specialised metabolites from the leaves of Glandularia × hybrida. PHYTOCHEMISTRY 2022; 195:113054. [PMID: 34979354 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2021.113054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In our ongoing effort to investigate active specialised metabolites from genus Glandularia, phytochemical studies on the ethanolic extract of Glandularia × hybrida (Groenl. & Rümpler) G.L. Nesom & Pruski leaves resulted in the isolation of three undescribed compounds, a dibenzylbutyrolactolic lignan and two echinocystic acid based triterpenoid saponins, in addition to two known compounds. Interestingly, this study reports isolation of chemo-systematically valuable specialised metabolites for the first time from the genus under investigation. Additionally, the isolated metabolites were evaluated for their iNOS inhibition and cytotoxic activities using a combination of in silico and in vitro studies. The pharmacokinetics properties (ADMET) of some of the isolated compounds were determined using pkCSM-pharmacokinetics server. Molecular docking analysis showed that saponin compound possesses higher negative score (-9.59 kcal/mol) than the lignan compound (-6.56 kcal/mol). The isolated compounds also showed iNOS inhibition activity with IC50 values ranging between 6.6 and 49.7 μM and significant cytotoxic activity against a series of cell lines including SK-MEL, KB, BT-549, SK-OV-3, LLC-PK1 and VERO cells. Hence, this study reveals that specialised metabolites from G. hybrida plant are of significant anti-inflammatory and cytotoxicity potentials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nesma M Mohamed
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut, 71526, Egypt
| | - Mai A M Ahmed
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut, 71526, Egypt
| | - Shabana I Khan
- National Center for Natural Products Research, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, MS, 38677, USA; Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, MS, 38677, USA
| | - Frank R Fronczek
- Department of Chemistry, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Anber F Mohammed
- Department of Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut, 71526, Egypt
| | - Samir A Ross
- National Center for Natural Products Research, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, MS, 38677, USA; Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, MS, 38677, USA.
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He D, Hu G, Zhou A, Liu Y, Huang B, Su Y, Wang H, Ye B, He Y, Gao X, Fu S, Liu D. Echinocystic Acid Inhibits Inflammation and Exerts Neuroprotective Effects in MPTP-Induced Parkinson’s Disease Model Mice. Front Pharmacol 2022; 12:787771. [PMID: 35126128 PMCID: PMC8807489 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.787771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD), the second primary neurodegenerative disease affecting human health, is mainly characterized by dopaminergic neuron damage in the midbrain and the clinical manifestation of movement disorders. Studies have shown that neuroinflammation plays an important role in the progression of PD. Excessively activated microglia produce several pro-inflammatory mediators, leading to damage to the surrounding neurons and finally inducing neurodegeneration. Echinocystic acid (EA) exhibits an anti-inflammatory effect in peripheral tissues. However, whether it inhibited neuroinflammation remains unclear. Therefore, the current study investigates the effect of EA on neuroinflammation and whether it can improve PD symptoms through inhibiting neuroinflammation. In our experiments, we discovered that EA inhibited the production of pro-inflammatory mediators in LPS-exposed BV2 cells. Further mechanism-related studies revealed that EA inhibited inflammation by activating PI3K/Akt and inhibiting NF-κB and MAPK signal pathways in LPS-induced BV2 cells. Research revealed that EA eases microglia-mediated neuron death in SN4741 and SHSY5Y cells. In in vivo studies, the results demonstrated that EA improves weight loss and behavioral impairment in MPTP-induced mice. Further studies have revealed that EA inhibited dopaminergic neuron damage and inflammation in the mice midbrain. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that EA inhibits neuroinflammation and exerts neuroprotective effects by activating PI3K/Akt and inhibiting NF-κB and MAPK signal pathways in vivo and in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dewei He
- College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Guiqiu Hu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ang Zhou
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yanting Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Bingxu Huang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yingchun Su
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Hefei Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Bojian Ye
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yuan He
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiyu Gao
- College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Shoupeng Fu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Dianfeng Liu
- College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
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11
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Microwave-Assisted Desulfation of the Hemolytic Saponins Extracted from Holothuria scabra Viscera. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27020537. [PMID: 35056852 PMCID: PMC8780253 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27020537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Saponins are plant and marine animal specific metabolites that are commonly considered as molecular vectors for chemical defenses against unicellular and pluricellular organisms. Their toxicity is attributed to their membranolytic properties. Modifying the molecular structures of saponins by quantitative and selective chemical reactions is increasingly considered to tune the biological properties of these molecules (i) to prepare congeners with specific activities for biomedical applications and (ii) to afford experimental data related to their structure-activity relationship. In the present study, we focused on the sulfated saponins contained in the viscera of Holothuria scabra, a sea cucumber present in the Indian Ocean and abundantly consumed on the Asian food market. Using mass spectrometry, we first qualitatively and quantitatively assessed the saponin content within the viscera of H. scabra. We detected 26 sulfated saponins presenting 5 different elemental compositions. Microwave activation under alkaline conditions in aqueous solutions was developed and optimized to quantitatively and specifically induce the desulfation of the natural saponins, by a specific loss of H2SO4. By comparing the hemolytic activities of the natural and desulfated extracts, we clearly identified the sulfate function as highly responsible for the saponin toxicity.
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12
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Klassen L, Xing X, Tingley JP, Low KE, King ML, Reintjes G, Abbott DW. Approaches to Investigate Selective Dietary Polysaccharide Utilization by Human Gut Microbiota at a Functional Level. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:632684. [PMID: 33679661 PMCID: PMC7933471 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.632684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The human diet is temporally and spatially dynamic, and influenced by culture, regional food systems, socioeconomics, and consumer preference. Such factors result in enormous structural diversity of ingested glycans that are refractory to digestion by human enzymes. To convert these glycans into metabolizable nutrients and energy, humans rely upon the catalytic potential encoded within the gut microbiome, a rich collective of microorganisms residing in the gastrointestinal tract. The development of high-throughput sequencing methods has enabled microbial communities to be studied with more coverage and depth, and as a result, cataloging the taxonomic structure of the gut microbiome has become routine. Efforts to unravel the microbial processes governing glycan digestion by the gut microbiome, however, are still in their infancy and will benefit by retooling our approaches to study glycan structure at high resolution and adopting next-generation functional methods. Also, new bioinformatic tools specialized for annotating carbohydrate-active enzymes and predicting their functions with high accuracy will be required for deciphering the catalytic potential of sequence datasets. Furthermore, physiological approaches to enable genotype-phenotype assignments within the gut microbiome, such as fluorescent polysaccharides, has enabled rapid identification of carbohydrate interactions at the single cell level. In this review, we summarize the current state-of-knowledge of these methods and discuss how their continued development will advance our understanding of gut microbiome function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leeann Klassen
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
| | - Xiaohui Xing
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
| | - Jeffrey P. Tingley
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
| | - Kristin E. Low
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
| | - Marissa L. King
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
| | - Greta Reintjes
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - D. Wade Abbott
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
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13
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Lautié E, Russo O, Ducrot P, Boutin JA. Unraveling Plant Natural Chemical Diversity for Drug Discovery Purposes. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:397. [PMID: 32317969 PMCID: PMC7154113 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.00397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The screening and testing of extracts against a variety of pharmacological targets in order to benefit from the immense natural chemical diversity is a concern in many laboratories worldwide. And several successes have been recorded in finding new actives in natural products, some of which have become new drugs or new sources of inspiration for drugs. But in view of the vast amount of research on the subject, it is surprising that not more drug candidates were found. In our view, it is fundamental to reflect upon the approaches of such drug discovery programs and the technical processes that are used, along with their inherent difficulties and biases. Based on an extensive survey of recent publications, we discuss the origin and the variety of natural chemical diversity as well as the strategies to having the potential to embrace this diversity. It seemed to us that some of the difficulties of the area could be related with the technical approaches that are used, so the present review begins with synthetizing some of the more used discovery strategies, exemplifying some key points, in order to address some of their limitations. It appears that one of the challenges of natural product-based drug discovery programs should be an easier access to renewable sources of plant-derived products. Maximizing the use of the data together with the exploration of chemical diversity while working on reasonable supply of natural product-based entities could be a way to answer this challenge. We suggested alternative ways to access and explore part of this chemical diversity with in vitro cultures. We also reinforced how important it was organizing and making available this worldwide knowledge in an "inventory" of natural products and their sources. And finally, we focused on strategies based on synthetic biology and syntheses that allow reaching industrial scale supply. Approaches based on the opportunities lying in untapped natural plant chemical diversity are also considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuelle Lautié
- Centro de Valorização de Compostos Bioativos da Amazônia (CVACBA)-Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA), Belém, Brazil
| | - Olivier Russo
- Institut de Recherches Internationales SERVIER, Suresnes, France
| | - Pierre Ducrot
- Molecular Modelling Department, 'PEX Biotechnologie, Chimie & Biologie, Institut de Recherches SERVIER, Croissy-sur-Seine, France
| | - Jean A Boutin
- Institut de Recherches Internationales SERVIER, Suresnes, France
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