Nano-evolution and protein-based enzymatic evolution predicts novel types of natural product nanozymes of traditional Chinese medicine: cases of herbzymes of Taishan-Huangjing (Rhizoma polygonati) and Goji (Lycium chinense)

Honokiol and its analogues as anticancer compounds: Current mechanistic insights and structure-activity relationship

Lignans are plant-derived polyphenolic compounds with a plethora of biological applications. Also, regarded as phytoestrogens, the lignans offer a variety of health benefits of which the anti-cancer effects are the most attractive. Honokiol is a lignan isolated from various parts of trees belonging to the genus Magnolia. The bioactivity of honokiol is attributed to its characteristic physical properties, which include small size and the presence of two phenolic groups that may interact with proteins in cell membranes via hydrophobic interactions, aromatic pi orbital co-valency, and hydrogen bonding. The hydrophobicity of honokiol enables its rapid dissolution in lipids and the crossing of physiological barriers, including the blood-brain barrier and cerebrospinal fluid. These factors contribute towards the high bioavailability of honokiol which further support its candidature in medicinal research. Therefore, the anticancer properties of honokiol are of particular interest as many of the contemporary anticancer drugs suffer from bioavailability drawbacks, which necessitates the identification and development of novel candidate molecules directed as anticancer chemotherapeutics. The antioncogenic profile of honokiol also arises from the regulation of various signalling pathways associated with oncogenesis, arresting of the cell cycle by regulation of cyclic proteins, upregulation of epithelial markers and downregulation of mesenchymal markers leading to the inhibition of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and preventing the metastasis by restricting cell migration and invasion due to the downregulation of matrix-metalloproteinases. In this review, we discuss the anticancer properties of honokiol.

FTZ promotes islet β-cell regeneration in T1DM mice via the regulation of nuclear proliferation factors

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Fufang-Zhenzhu-Tiaozhi capsule (FTZ), a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) patent prescription commonly used in clinical practice, has a significant curative effect on hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia. Previous studies have shown that FTZ can treat diabetes, but the effect of FTZ on β-cell regeneration needs to be further explored in T1DM mice.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The aim is to investigate the role of FTZ in promoting β-cell regeneration in T1DM mice, and to further explore its mechanism.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

C57BL/6 mice were used as control. NOD/LtJ mice were divided into the Model group and FTZ group. Oral glucose tolerance, fasting blood glucose, and fasting insulin level were measured. Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the level of β-cell regeneration and the composition of α-cells and β-cells in islets. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to detect the infiltration degree of inflammatory cells. The apoptosis of islet cells was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling. Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of Pancreas/duodenum homeobox protein 1 (PDX-1), V-maf musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma oncogene homolog A (MAFA), and Neurogenin-3 (NGN3).

RESULTS

FTZ could increase insulin levels and reduce the glucose level of T1DM mice and promote β-cell regeneration. FTZ also inhibited the invasion of inflammatory cells and the islet cell apoptosis, and maintained the normal composition of islet cells, thus preserving the quantity and quality of β-cells. Furthermore, FTZ promoting β-cell regeneration was accompanied by increasing the expression of PDX-1, MAFA, and NGN3.

CONCLUSION

FTZ can restore the insulin-secreting function of the impaired pancreatic islet, improve blood glucose level, possibly via the enhancing β cell regeneration via upregulation of PDX-1, MAFA, and NGN3 in T1DM mice, and may be a potential therapeutic drug for T1DM.

Prospective Challenges for Patenting and Clinical Trials of Anticancer Compounds from Natural Products: Coherent Review

Cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Each year, millions of people worldwide are diagnosed with cancer, and more than half of them die. Various conventional therapies for cancer, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy, have extreme side effects. Therefore, to minimize the global burden of lethal diseases like cancer, an effective and novel drug must be discovered. Its patent should be acquired to secure the novel medicament. The pharmacological potential of different natural products has made them popular in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries. Various anticancer compounds are obtained from natural sources such as plants, microbes, and marine and terrestrial animals, including alkaloids, terpenoids, biophenols, enzymes, glycosides, etc. The term "natural products" is defined as the product of secondary or non-essential metabolic processes produced by living organisms (such as plants, invertebrates, and microorganisms). Although more precise definitions of NPs exist, they do not always meet consensus. Others define NPs as small molecules (excluding biomolecules) that emerge from the metabolic reaction. A handful of effective compounds are used currently from natural or analog moieties, and many more are in clinical studies. There is an excellent need for patenting molecules from natural products as the hit lead molecules are derived, isolated, and synthesized from natural products. However, these naturally occurring products may not be patentable under the law because they come from nature. This review highlights why natural products and compounds are hard to patent, under what patent law criteria we can patent these natural products and compounds, patent procedural guideline sources and why researchers prefer publication rather than a patent. Here, various patent scenarios of natural products and compounds for cancer have been given.

Carbon nanoparticles induce DNA repair and PARP inhibitor resistance associated with nanozyme activity in cancer cells

Background

Quantum nanodots especially carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) have been widely studied in biomedicine in imaging, and drug delivery, but anti-cancer mechanisms remain elusive.

Methods

Here, we investigated a type of cell death induced by food (beet, soybean) derived CNPs in cancer cells and tested whether CNPs induced DNA damage and resistant to anti-cancer agent PARP inhibitor (PARPi) could be overcome by quantum calculations, TEM, AFM, FT-IR, soft agar assay, and cytotoxicity assay.

Results

At high doses, CNPs derived from beet lead to a pop-like apoptosis (Carbopoptosis) in cancer cells. Quantum mechanical calculations confirmed CNPs binding with phosphate groups as well as DNA bases. At low doses, CNPs develop PARPi drug resistance through interactions between CNPs and PARPi. A synergistic drug effect was achieved with the combination of phosphatase inhibitor (PPi), PARPi, and CNPs. This is corroborated by the fact that sulfur modulated CNPs which exhibit super high phosphatase nanozyme activity abrogated the CNPs induced colony formation in anchorage-independent cancer cell growth.

Conclusion

Thus, our data suggest the CNPs intrinsic nanozyme activity of phosphatase may crosstalk with drug resistance, which can be reversed upon modulations.

Preparation and Evaluation of the Cytoprotective Activity of Micelles with DSPE-PEG-C60 as a Carrier Against Doxorubicin-Induced Cytotoxicity

To deliver doxorubicin (DOX) with enhanced efficacy and safety in vivo, fullerenol-modified micelles were prepared with the amphiphilic polymer DSPE-PEG-C60 as a carrier, which was synthesized by linking C60(OH)₂₂ with DSPE-PEG-NH₂. Studies of its particle size, PDI, zeta potential, and encapsulation efficiency were performed. DOX was successfully loaded into the micelles, exhibiting a suitable particle size [97 nm, 211 nm, 260 nm, vector: DOX = 5:1, 10:1; 15:1 (W/W)], a negative zeta potential of around −30 mv, and an acceptable encapsulation efficiency [86.1, 95.4, 97.5%, vector: DOX = 5:1, 10:1; 15:1 (W/W)]. The release behaviors of DOX from DSPE-PEG-C60 micelles were consistent with the DSPE-PEG micelles, and it showed sustained release. There was lower cytotoxicity of DSPE-PEG-C60 micelles on normal cell lines (L02, H9c2, GES-1) than free DOX and DSPE-PEG micelles. We explored the protective role of DSPE-PEG-C60 on doxorubicin-induced cardiomyocyte damage in H9c2 cells, which were evaluated with a reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay kit, JC-1, and an FITC annexin V apoptosis detection kit for cellular oxidative stress, mitochondrial membrane potential, and apoptosis. The results showed that H9c2 cells exposed to DSPE-PEG-C60 micelles displayed decreased intracellular ROS, an increased ratio of red fluorescence (JC-1 aggregates) to green fluorescence (JC-1 monomers), and a lower apoptotic ratio than the control and DSPE-PEG micelle cells. In conclusion, the prepared DOX-loaded DSPE-PEG-C60 micelles have great promise for safe, effective tumor therapy.

Welson N, Mostafa-Hedeab G, Qasem AH, Conte-Junior CA. Combination of Panax ginseng C. A. Mey and Febuxostat Boasted Cardioprotective Effects Against Doxorubicin-Induced Acute Cardiotoxicity in Rats

Doxorubicin (DOX) is an anticancer agent for treating solid and soft tissue malignancies. However, the clinical use of DOX is restricted by cumulative, dose-dependent cardiotoxicity. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the cardioprotective effects of P. ginseng C. A. Mey, febuxostat, and their combination against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. Thirty-five Sprague Dawley male rats were used in this study. The animals were randomly divided into five groups, with seven rats per group. The control group received normal saline, the induced group received DOX only, and the treated group received P. ginseng, febuxostat, and their combination before DOX treatment. Biomarkers of acute cardiac toxicity were assessed in each group. Results showed that treatment with the combination of febuxostat and P. ginseng before DOX led to a significant improvement in the biomarkers of acute DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. In conclusion, the combination of P. ginseng and febuxostat produced more significant cardioprotective effects against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity when compared to either P. ginseng or febuxostat when used alone. The potential mechanism of this combination was mainly mediated by the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of P. ginseng and febuxostat.

Screening of bioactive ingredients of Tsantan Sumtang in ameliorating H9c2 cells injury

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Tsantan Sumtang (TS), a traditional Tibetan medicine, has been used in the clinic for the treatment of myocardial ischemia (MI) for ages, however, the bioactive ingredients that are responsible for improving MI remain unknown.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study investigated the chemical components of TS and their medicinal efficacies at cell levels, in order to expound the bioactive ingredients in TS.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

First, a response-surface methodology was employed to determine the optimum ethanol reflux extraction process of polyphenols in TS (PTS) due to their close correlation with MI improvement. Second, a serum pharmacochemistry technique was used to analyze the compounds of PTS absorbed into the blood of rats. Third, hypoxia-, H₂O₂-, and adriamycin (ADM)-induced H9c2 cell injury models were used to investigate the cardioprotective effects of these compounds in vitro. Fourth, protective effects of isovitexin, quercitrin, and isoeugenol on mitochondrial function were further tested.

RESULTS

The optimum extraction conditions for obtaining PTS were an ethanol concentration of 78.22%, an extraction time of 67.4 min, and a material-liquid ratio of 1:72.60 mL/g. Serum pharmacochemistry analysis detected 21 compounds, of which 11 compounds were always present in the blood within 5 h. Cytotoxicity and the protective effect of 11 compounds in hypoxia-, H₂O₂-, and ADM-induced H9c2 cell injury models shown that isovitexin, quercitrin, and isoeugenol had almost no cytotoxicity, and they could elevate the survival rate in injured H9c2 cells. Furthermore, isovitexin, quercitrin, and isoeugenol could decrease mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) releasion, inhibite mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) opening, ameliorate the change of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) to exert mitochondrial protection effect.

CONCLUSION

Isovitexin, quercitrin, and isoeugenol exhibited cardioprotective effect at cell levles, these three compounds might be the bioactive ingredients in TS. These findings elucidate the pharmacodynamic substances and mechanisms of TS, guiding its clinical use.

Nanocarrier System for Increasing the Therapeutic Efficacy of Oxaliplatin

The application of Oxaliplatin (OxPt) in different malignancies is reported to be accompanied by several side effects including neuropathy, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, mouth sores, low blood counts, loss of appetite, etc. The passive or active targeting of different tumors can improve OxPt delivery. Considering the demand for novel systems meant to improve the OxPt efficacy and define the shortcomings, we provided an overview of different approaches regarding the delivery of OxPt. There is an extending body of data that exhibits the value of Liposomes and polymer-based drug delivery systems as the most successful systems among the OxPt drug delivery procedures. Several clinical trials have been carried out to investigate the side effects and dose-limiting toxicity of liposomal oxaliplatin such as the assessment on Safety Study of MBP-426 (Liposomal Oxaliplatin Suspension for Injection) to Treat Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumors. In addition, several studies indicated the biocompatibility and biodegradability of this product, as well as its option for being fictionalized to derive specialized smart nanosystems for the treatment of cancer. The better delivery of OxPt with weaker side effects could be generated by the exertion of Oxaliplatin, which involves the aggregation of new particles and multifaceted nanocarriers to compose a nanocomposite with both inorganic and organic nanoparticles.

High-Mobility Group AT-Hook 1 Served as a Prognosis Biomarker and Associated with Immune Infiltrate in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The protein high-mobility group AT-hook 1 (HMGA1) has been demonstrated that modulated cellular proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis with a poor prognosis in miscellaneous carcinomas. However, the mechanism of circumstantial carcinogenesis and association with the immune microenvironment of HMGA1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) had not been extensively explored.

METHODS

The gene expression, clinicopathological correlation, and prognosis analysis were performed in the data obtained from TCGA. The results were further validated by ICGC and GEO database and external validation cohort from Guangxi. The HMGA1 protein expression was further examined in the HPA database. Biological function analyses were conducted by GSEA, STRING database, and Coexpedia online tool. Using TIMER and CIBERSORT method, the relationship between immune infiltrate and HMGA1 was investigated.

RESULTS

In HCC, HMGA1 had much higher transcriptional and proteomic expression than in corresponding paraneoplastic tissue. Patients with high HMGA1 expression had a poor prognosis and unpromising clinicopathological features. High HMGA1 expression was closely related to the cell cycle, tumorigenesis, substance metabolism, and immune processes by regulating complex signaling pathways. Notably, HMGA1 may be associated with TP53 mutational carcinogenesis. Moreover, increased HMGA1 expression may lead to an increase in immune infiltration and a decrease in tumor purity in HCC. CIBERSORT analysis elucidated that the amount of B cell naive, B cell memory, T cells gamma delta, macrophages M2, and mast cell resting decreased when HMGA1 expression was high, whereas T cells follicular helper, macrophages M0, and Dendritic cells resting increased.

CONCLUSION

In conclusions, HMGA1 is a potent prognostic biomarker and a sign of immune infiltration in HCC, which may be a potential immunotherapy target for HCC.