4-Acetylantroquinonol B suppresses tumor growth and metastasis of hepatoma cells via blockade of translation-dependent signaling pathway and VEGF production

The Protective Role of 4-Acetylarylquinolinol B in Different Pathological Processes

Antrodia cinnamomea is a traditional plant and a unique fungus native to Taiwan that has been reported to have many biological functions, including anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities. The compound 4-acetylarylquinolinol B (4-AAQB) is one of the main bioactive compounds in the stamens of Antrodia cinnamomea, and has many biological functions, such as anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, blood sugar reduction, antimetastasis, and vascular tone relaxation. In recent years, the increasing evidences have shown that 4-AAQB is involved in many diseases; however, the relevant mechanisms have not been fully clarified. This review aimed to clarify the improvement by 4-AAQB in different pathological processes, as well as the compound’s molecular mechanisms, in order to provide a theoretical reference for future related research

4-Acetylantroquinonol B Suppresses Prostate Cancer Growth and Angiogenesis via a VEGF/PI3K/ERK/mTOR-Dependent Signaling Pathway in Subcutaneous Xenograft and In Vivo Angiogenesis Models

Prostate cancer is a major cause of cancer-related mortality in men in developed countries. The compound, 4-acetylantroquinonol B (4AAQB), is isolated from Antrodia cinnamomea (commonly known as Niu-Chang-Chih), which has been shown to inhibit cancer growth. However, the anticancer activity of 4AAQB has not previously been examined in prostate cancer. This study aimed to investigate the effect of 4AAQB on cancer and angiogenesis, as well as to explore its mechanism of action. Human prostate cancer cells (PC3) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were used in cell viability, cell migration, and cell cycle functional assays to evaluate the anticancer and antiangiogenic efficacy of 4AAQB in vitro. The effects of 4AAQB in vivo were determined using xenograft and angiogenesis models. The signaling events downstream of 4AAQB were also examined. The 4AAQB compound inhibited PC3 cell growth and migration, and reduced in vivo cancer growth, as shown in a subcutaneous xenograft model. Furthermore, 4AAQB inhibited HUVEC migration, tube formation, and aortic ring sprouting; it also reduced neovascularization in a Matrigel implant angiogenesis assay in vivo. The 4AAQB compound also decreased metastasis in the PC3 prostate cancer model in vivo. Serum or vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Ak strain transforming (Akt), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase ½ (ERK ½) phosphorylation were attenuated by 4AAQB in both PC3 and HUVEC. In conclusion, 4AAQB is a potential candidate for prostate cancer therapy.

4-Acetylantroquinonol B ameliorates nonalcoholic steatohepatitis by suppression of ER stress and NLRP3 inflammasome activation

OBJECTIVE

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an inflammatory lipotoxic disorder with a prevalence of over 25% worldwide. However, safe and effective therapeutic agents for the management of NAFLD are still lacking. We aimed to investigate the hepatoprotective effect and molecular mechanism of 4-acetylantroquinonol B (4-AAQB), a natural ubiquinone derivative obtained from the mycelia of Antrodia cinnamomea.

METHODS

RAW264.7 and J774A.1 cells were treated with 4-AAQB and then stimulated with LPS or tunicamycin (TM) for 24 h. Inflammatory responses, markers of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome were analyzed in both cell lines. In the applied in vivo model, male C57BL/6J mice were fed with chow or a methionine/choline-deficient (MCD) diet along with vehicle or 4-AAQB (10 mg/kg, i.p. injected, once a day) for 10 consecutive days. Plasma levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were measured. Liver tissues were analyzed using histological techniques; protein levels involved in ER stress, NLRP3 inflammasome, and inflammatory responses were measured.

RESULTS

4-AAQB significantly ameliorated the plasma levels of ALT and AST as well as the NAFLD activity score (NAS) in mice fed the MCD diet. In addition, 4-AAQB suppressed inflammatory responses, ER stress, and NLRP3 inflammasome activation, but increased the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) signaling pathways in both in vitro and in vivo models.

CONCLUSIONS

We suggest that 4-AAQB treatment might be a tangible therapeutic strategy in the management of NAFLD/NASH.

The Disruption of the β-Catenin/TCF-1/STAT3 Signaling Axis by 4-Acetylantroquinonol B Inhibits the Tumorigenesis and Cancer Stem-Cell-Like Properties of Glioblastoma Cells, In Vitro and In Vivo

BACKGROUND

Glioblastoma (GBM), a malignant form of glioma, is characterized by resistance to therapy and poor prognosis. Accumulating evidence shows that the initiation, propagation, and recurrence of GBM is attributable to the presence of GBM stem cells (GBM-CSCs).

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

Herein, we investigated the effect of 4-Acetylantroquinonol B (4-AAQB), a bioactive isolate of Antrodia cinnamomea, on GBM cell viability, oncogenic, and CSCs-like activities.

RESULTS

We observed that aberrant expression of catenin is characteristic of GBM, compared to other glioma types (p = 0.0001, log-rank test = 475.2), and correlates with poor prognosis of GBM patients. Lower grade glioma and glioblastoma patients (n = 1152) with low catenin expression had 25% and 21.5% better overall survival than those with high catenin expression at the 5 and 10-year time-points, respectively (p = 3.57e-11, log-rank test = 43.8). Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that compared with adjacent non-tumor brain tissue, primary and recurrent GBM exhibited enhanced catenin expression (~10-fold, p < 0.001). Western blot analysis showed that 4-AAQB significantly downregulated β-catenin and dysregulated the catenin/LEF1/Stat3 signaling axis in U87MG and DBTRG-05MG cells, dose-dependently. 4-AAQB⁻induced downregulation of catenin positively correlated with reduced Sox2 and Oct4 nuclear expression in the cells. Furthermore, 4-AAQB markedly reduced the viability of U87MG and DBTRG-05MG cells with 48 h IC50 of 9.2 M and 12.5 M, respectively, effectively inhibited the nuclear catenin, limited the migration and invasion of GBM cells, with concurrent downregulation of catenin, vimentin, and slug; similarly, colony and tumorsphere formation was significantly attenuated with reduced expression of c-Myc and KLF4 proteins.

CONCLUSIONS

Summarily, we show for the first time that 4-AAQB suppresses the tumor-promoting catenin/LEF1/Stat3 signaling, and inhibited CSCs-induced oncogenic activities in GBM in vitro, with in vivo validation; thus projecting 4-AAQB as a potent therapeutic agent for anti-GBM target therapy.

4-Acetylantroquinonol B from antrodia cinnamomea enhances immune function of dendritic cells against liver cancer stem cells

The functions of 4-acetylantroquinonol B (4-AAQB), a ubiquinone derivative isolated from the mycelium of Antrodia cinnamomea, in immunotherapy for liver cancer were investigated. We found that 4-AAQB could inhibit liver cancer stem cell related manifestations and activate the antitumor ability of dendritic cells. Specifically, 4-AAQB can inhibit EpCAM, AFP and related pathways of HepG2 cells. It also significantly decreases the expression of β-catenin, inhibits the tumorigenicity and decreases the secretion of immune escape related cytokines. Moreover, 4-AAQB can stimulate the proliferation of immune cells and promote the endocytosis of immature dendritic cells. When co-cultured immature dendritic cells with EpCAM+ HepG2 cells, 4-AAQB enhanced the expression of MHC class I and II on the surface of liver cancer stem cells and dendritic cells, increased the expression of costimulatory molecules CD80 of dendritic cells and cytokines related to immune activation. In conclusion, 4-AAQB from Antrodia cinnamomea can enhance immune function of dendritic cells against liver cancer stem cells, and may have the potential to be used for liver cancer prevention and immunotherapy.

Antrodia cinnamomea boosts the anti-tumor activity of sorafenib in xenograft models of human hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been recognized worldwide as one of the major causes of cancer death. The medicinal fungus Antrodia cinnamomea (A. cinnamomea) has been served as a functional food for liver protection. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential activity of A. cinnamomea extracts as a safe booster for the anticancer activity of sorafenib, a multi-kinase inhibitor approved for the treatment of HCC. The biologically active triterpenoids in the ethanolic extracts of A. cinnamomea (EAC) were initially identified by HPLC/LC/MS then the different extracts and sorafenib were assessed in vitro and in vivo. EAC could effectively sensitize HCC cells to low doses of sorafenib, which was perceived via the ability of the combination to repress cell viability and to induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in HCC cells. The ability of EAC to enhance sorafenib activity was mediated through targeting mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases, modulating cyclin proteins expression and inhibiting cancer cell invasion. Moreover, the proposed combination significantly suppressed ectopic tumor growth in mice with high safety margins compared to single-agent treatment. Thus, this study highlights the advantage of combining EAC with sorafenib as a potential adjuvant therapeutic strategy against HCC.

4-Acetylantroquinonol B inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced cytokine release and alleviates sepsis through of MAPK and NFκB suppression

Background

Antrodia cinnamomea is an indigenous medicinal mushroom in Taiwan, commonly used for the treatment of cancers and inflammatory disorders. 4-acetylantroquinonol B (4AAQB) is one of the active component isolated from the mycelium of A. cinnamomea. However, whether 4AAQB exhibits anti-inflammatory effect is not clear.

Methods

The anti-inflammatory activity of 4AAQB was examined by ELISA to measure the pro-inflammatory cytokines production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-simulated RAW264.7 cells, peritoneal macrophages and in mice. The effect of 4AAQB for MAPK kinase molecules phosphorylation in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophage including ERK, JNK and p38 were evaluated. The in vivo efficacy of 4AAQB was also demonstrated.

Results

In the present study, we found that 4AAQB exhibits anti-inflammatory effects inhibit tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)/interleukin-6 (IL-6) releasing and LPS-stimulated phagocytes migration without affect cell growth. In addition, the MAPK kinase molecules phosphorylation in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophage including ERK, JNK and p38 was inhibited by 4AAQB. The phosphorylation of NFκB subunit p65 and IkBα were also decreased after 4AAQB treatment. Furthermore, 4AAQB attenuates the cytokine production in LPS-induced and CLP-induced septic mice.

Conclusion

These results showed that 4AAQB exhibited anti-inflammatory property both in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that 4AAQB may be a therapeutic candidate which used in inflammatory disorders treatment.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12906-018-2172-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Novel effect and the mechanistic insights of fruiting body extract of medicinal fungus Antrodia cinnamomea against T47D breast cancer

INTRODUCTION

Tamoxifen, an anti-oestrogenic drug for estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer, was observed to stimulate tumor growth or drug resistance in patients. Antrodia cinnamomea (AC), a precious medicinal fungus has been traditionally used as a folk remedy for cancers in Asian countries. The objective of this study was to investigate the bioefficacy and the underlying molecular mechanisms of the AC fruiting bodies extracts (AC-3E) against human ER+ T47D breast cancer cells, and compare the effect with that of tamoxifen.

METHODS

Cell proliferation, migration, TUNEL assay, western blotting, time-lapse confocal microscopy analyses, chorioallantoic membrane assay, and a xenograft BALB/c nude mouse system were used in this study. Chemical fingerprinting of AC-3E was established using LC-MS.

RESULTS

AC-3E attenuated T47D breast cancer cell activity by deregulating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway and key cell-cycle mediators, and inducing apoptosis. AC-3E also effectively inhibited tube-like structures of endothelial cells, blood vessel branching and microvessel formation ex vivo and in vivo. Significant preventive and therapeutic effects against T47D mammary tumor growth of AC-3E was observed comparable or superior to tamoxifen treatment in xenograft BALB/c nude mice. Dehydroeburicoic acid (2) was characterized as the main chemical constituent in AC-3E against breast cancer.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that AC-3E extracts can be employed as a double-barreled approach to treat human ER+ breast cancer by attacking both cancer cells and tumor-associated blood vessel cells.

Blocking TNF-α inhibits angiogenesis and growth of IFIT2-depleted metastatic oral squamous cell carcinoma cells

Our previous study demonstrated that the depletion of interferon-induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats 2 (IFIT2) promoted metastasis and was associated with a poor prognosis in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Our current study explores the major downstream signaling involved in IFIT2 depletion-induced OSCC metastasis. To this end, we used two cell lines (designated sh-control-xeno and sh-IFIT2-xeno) derived from human OSCC xenografts expressing sh-control and sh-IFIT2, respectively, and one metastatic OSCC subline (sh-IFIT2-meta) from an IFIT2-depleted metastatic tumor. We found that the sh-IFIT2-meta cells proliferated more slowly than the sh-control-xeno cells but exhibited higher migration and chemoresistance. Using microarray technology and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, we found that TNF-α was one of the major downstream targets in IFIT2-depleted OSCC cells. Quantitative real-time PCR, western blotting, and ELISA results confirmed that TNF-α was upregulated in the sh-IFIT2-meta cells. Blocking TNF-α abolished the angiogenic activity induced by the sh-IFIT2-meta cells. Furthermore, the human-specific TNF-α antibody golimumab significantly inhibited in vivo angiogenesis, tumor growth and metastasis of sh-IFIT2-meta cells. These results demonstrate that IFIT2 depletion results in TNF-α upregulation, leading to angiogenesis and metastasis of OSCC cells.