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Lu Q, Tang Y, Luo S, Gong Q, Li C. Coptisine, the Characteristic Constituent from Coptis chinensis, Exhibits Significant Therapeutic Potential in Treating Cancers, Metabolic and Inflammatory Diseases. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CHINESE MEDICINE 2023; 51:2121-2156. [PMID: 37930333 DOI: 10.1142/s0192415x2350091x] [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: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Naturally derived alkaloids belong to a class of quite significant organic compounds. Coptisine, a benzyl tetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloid, is one of the major bioactive constituents in Coptis chinensis Franch., which is a famous traditional Chinese medicine. C. chinensis possesses many kinds of functions, including the ability to eliminate heat, expel dampness, purge fire, and remove noxious substances. In Asian countries, C. chinensis is traditionally employed to treat carbuncle and furuncle, diabetes, jaundice, stomach and intestinal disorders, red eyes, toothache, and skin disorders. Up to now, there has been plenty of research of coptisine with respect to its pharmacology. Nevertheless, a comprehensive review of coptisine-associated research is urgently needed. This paper was designed to summarize in detail the progress in the research of the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, safety, and formulation of coptisine. The related studies included in this paper were retrieved from the following academic databases: The Web of Science, PubMed, Google scholar, Elsevier, and CNKI. The cutoff date was January 2023. Coptisine manifests various pharmacological actions, including anticancer, antimetabolic disease, anti-inflammatory disease, and antigastrointestinal disease effects, among others. Based on its pharmacokinetics, the primary metabolic site of coptisine is the liver. Coptisine is poorly absorbed in the gastrointestinal system, and most of it is expelled in the form of its prototype through feces. Regarding safety, coptisine displayed potential hepatotoxicity. Some novel formulations, including the [Formula: see text]-cyclodextrin-based inclusion complex and nanocarriers, could effectively enhance the bioavailability of coptisine. The traditional use of C. chinensis is closely connected with the pharmacological actions of coptisine. Although there are some disadvantages, including poor solubility, low bioavailability, and possible hepatotoxicity, coptisine is still a prospective naturally derived drug candidate, especially in the treatment of tumors as well as metabolic and inflammatory diseases. Further investigation of coptisine is necessary to facilitate the application of coptisine-based drugs in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Lu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhuhai Campus, Zhuhai 519041, P. R. China
| | - Ying Tang
- Department of Pharmacology, Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai Campus, Zhuhai 519041, P. R. China
| | - Shuang Luo
- Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, The Fourth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen 518005, P. R. China
| | - Qihai Gong
- Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Ministry of Education and Joint International Research Laboratory of Ethnomedicine of Ministry of Education, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Guizhou Province and School of Pharmacy, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, P. R. China
| | - Cailan Li
- Department of Pharmacology, Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai Campus, Zhuhai 519041, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Ministry of Education and Joint International Research Laboratory of Ethnomedicine of Ministry of Education, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Guizhou Province and School of Pharmacy, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, P. R. China
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Li J, Liu X. Coptisine inhibits the malignancy of bladder carcinoma cells and regulates XPO1 expression. Chem Biol Drug Des 2023; 102:805-814. [PMID: 37442763 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.14291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
This work is performed to investigate the effect of coptisine (COP) on the malignant biological behaviors of bladder carcinoma cells and its underlying mechanism. Bladder carcinoma cell lines were treated with different concentrations of COP in vitro. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), scratch healing assay, Transwell assay, and flow cytometry were used to detect cell growth, migration, invasion, and cell cycle progression. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to predict the molecular targets of COP. Quantitative real-time PCR and western blot were adopted to determine the expression levels of exportin 1 (XPO1) mRNA and protein, respectively. Gene set enrichment analysis was applied to predict the signaling pathways related to XPO1. This study showed that COP treatment markedly suppressed the malignant biological behaviors of bladder carcinoma cells. XPO1 was identified as a downstream molecular target of COP in bladder carcinoma, and COP treatment inhibited the expression of XPO1 in bladder carcinoma cell lines. Overexpression of XPO1 reversed the impacts of COP on the malignant biological behaviors of bladder carcinoma cells. COP treatment modulated the expression level of cyclin D1 and CYP450 via XPO1. In summary, COP represses the malignant biological behaviors of bladder carcinoma cells and regulates XPO1 expression, which is promising to be a complementary drug for bladder carcinoma treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Li
- Department of Urology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiuheng Liu
- Department of Urology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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Zhai J, Li Z, Zhang H, Lu Z, Zhang Y, Li M, Kang J, Yang Z, Ma L, Ma L, Ma Z, Ma X, Zhao F, Ma X, Gao Y, Zhang Y, Li X. Coptisine mitigates diabetic nephropathy via repressing the NRLP3 inflammasome. Open Life Sci 2023; 18:20220568. [PMID: 37197172 PMCID: PMC10183720 DOI: 10.1515/biol-2022-0568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Diabetic nephropathy is a microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus, threatening the health of millions of people. Herein, we explored a blood glucose independent function of coptisine on diabetic nephropathy. A diabetic rat model was established by intraperitoneal administration of streptozotocin (65 mg/kg). Coptisine treatment (50 mg/kg/day) retarded body weight loss and reduced blood glucose. On the other hand, coptisine treatment also decreased kidney weight and the levels of urinary albumin, serum creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen, indicating an improvement of renal function. Treatment with coptisine also mitigated renal fibrosis, with alleviative collagen deposition. Likewise, in vitro study showed that coptisine treatment decreased apoptosis and fibrosis markers in HK-2 cells treated with high glucose. Furthermore, after coptisine treatment, the activation of NOD-like receptor pyrin domain containing protein 3 (NRLP3) inflammasome was repressed, with decreased levels of NLRP3, cleaved caspase-1, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-18, indicating that the repression of NRLP3 inflammasome contributed to the effect of coptisine on diabetic nephropathy. In conclusion, this study revealed that coptisine mitigates diabetic nephropathy via repressing the NRLP3 inflammasome. It is indicated that coptisine may have the potential to be used in the diabetic nephropathy treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajia Zhai
- Department of General Practice, Xi’an Ninth Hospital, Xi’an, China
| | - Zeping Li
- Department of Clinical Medicine, School of Queen Mary, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Huifeng Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Xi’an Electric Power Central Hospital, Xi’an, China
| | - Zuowei Lu
- Department of Endocrinology, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, 127 West Changle Road, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of General Practice, Xi’an Ninth Hospital, Xi’an, China
| | - Mo Li
- Department of General Practice, Xi’an Ninth Hospital, Xi’an, China
| | - Jian Kang
- Department of Microbiology and Pathogen Biology, Basic Medical School, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Zelong Yang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Louyan Ma
- Department of General Practice, Xi’an Ninth Hospital, Xi’an, China
| | - Li Ma
- Department of General Practice, Xi’an Ninth Hospital, Xi’an, China
| | - Zhengquan Ma
- Department of General Practice, Xi’an Ninth Hospital, Xi’an, China
| | - Xiaorui Ma
- Department of General Practice, Xi’an Ninth Hospital, Xi’an, China
| | - Fanghong Zhao
- Department of General Practice, Xi’an Ninth Hospital, Xi’an, China
| | - Xiaoqing Ma
- Department of General Practice, Xi’an Ninth Hospital, Xi’an, China
| | - Yuan Gao
- Department of General Practice, Xi’an Ninth Hospital, Xi’an, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhang
- Department of General Practice, Xi’an Ninth Hospital, Xi’an, China
| | - Xiaomiao Li
- Department of Endocrinology, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, 127 West Changle Road, Xi’an 710032, China
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Isoquinoline Alkaloids from Coptis chinensis Franch: Focus on Coptisine as a Potential Therapeutic Candidate against Gastric Cancer Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810330. [PMID: 36142236 PMCID: PMC9499618 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) has high incidence rates and constitutes a common cause of cancer mortality. Despite advances in treatment, GC remains a challenge in cancer therapy which is why novel treatment strategies are needed. The interest in natural compounds has increased significantly in recent years because of their numerous biological activities, including anti-cancer action. The isolation of the bioactive compounds from Coptis chinensis Franch was carried out with the Centrifugal Partition Chromatography (CPC) technique, using a biphasic solvent system composed of chloroform (CHCl3)—methanol (MeOH)—water (H2O) (4:3:3, v/v) with an addition of hydrochloric acid and trietylamine. The identity of the isolated alkaloids was confirmed using a high resolution HPLC-MS chromatograph. The phytochemical constituents of Coptis chinensis such as berberine, jatrorrhizine, palmatine and coptisine significantly inhibited the viability and growth of gastric cancer cell lines ACC-201 and NCI-N87 in a dose-dependent manner, with coptisine showing the highest efficacy as revealed using MTT and BrdU assays, respectively. Flow cytometry analysis confirmed the coptisine-induced population of gastric cancer cells in sub-G1 phase and apoptosis. The combination of coptisine with cisplatin at the fixed-ratio of 1:1 exerted synergistic and additive interactions in ACC-201 and NCI-N87, respectively, as determined by means of isobolographic analysis. In in vivo assay, coptisine was safe for developing zebrafish at the dose equivalent to the highest dose active in vitro, but higher doses (greater than 10 times) caused morphological abnormalities in larvae. Our findings provide a theoretical foundation to further studies on more detailed mechanisms of the bioactive compounds from Coptis chinensis Franch anti-cancer action that inhibit GC cell survival in in vitro settings.
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He L, Zhong Z, Chen M, Liang Q, Wang Y, Tan W. Current Advances in Coptidis Rhizoma for Gastrointestinal and Other Cancers. Front Pharmacol 2022; 12:775084. [PMID: 35046810 PMCID: PMC8762280 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.775084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a serious disease with an increasing number of reported cases and high mortality worldwide. Gastrointestinal cancer defines a group of cancers in the digestive system, e.g., liver cancer, colorectal cancer, and gastric cancer. Coptidis Rhizoma (C. Rhizoma; Huanglian, in Chinese) is a classical Chinese medicinal botanical drug for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders and has been shown to have a wide variety of pharmacological activity, including antifungal, antivirus, anticancer, antidiabetic, hypoglycemic, and cardioprotective effects. Recent studies on C. Rhizoma present significant progress on its anticancer effects and the corresponding mechanisms as well as its clinical applications. Herein, keywords related to C. Rhizoma, cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, and omics were searched in PubMed and the Web of Science databases, and more than three hundred recent publications were reviewed and discussed. C. Rhizoma extract along with its main components, berberine, palmatine, coptisine, magnoflorine, jatrorrhizine, epiberberine, oxyepiberberine, oxyberberine, dihydroberberine, columbamine, limonin, and derivatives, are reviewed. We describe novel and classic anticancer mechanisms from various perspectives of pharmacology, pharmaceutical chemistry, and pharmaceutics. Researchers have transformed the chemical structures and drug delivery systems of these components to obtain better efficacy and bioavailability of C. Rhizoma. Furthermore, C. Rhizoma in combination with other drugs and their clinical application are also summarized. Taken together, C. Rhizoma has broad prospects as a potential adjuvant candidate against cancers, making it reasonable to conduct additional preclinical studies and clinical trials in gastrointestinal cancer in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luying He
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zhangfeng Zhong
- Macau Centre for Research and Development in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR, China
- *Correspondence: Zhangfeng Zhong, ; Yitao Wang, ; Wen Tan,
| | - Man Chen
- Oncology Center, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Qilian Liang
- Oncology Center, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Yitao Wang
- Macau Centre for Research and Development in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR, China
- *Correspondence: Zhangfeng Zhong, ; Yitao Wang, ; Wen Tan,
| | - Wen Tan
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Zhangfeng Zhong, ; Yitao Wang, ; Wen Tan,
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Ai G, Huang Z, Cheng J, Xie J, Zeng H, Liu Y, Li Y, Huang X, Chen J, Su Z. Gut Microbiota-Mediated Transformation of Coptisine Into a Novel Metabolite 8-Oxocoptisine: Insight Into Its Superior Anti-Colitis Effect. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:639020. [PMID: 33859564 PMCID: PMC8042337 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.639020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Coptisine (COP) is a bioactive isoquinoline alkaloid derived from Coptis Chinemsis Franch, which is traditionally applied for the management of colitis. However, the blood concentration of COP was extremely low, and its gut microbiota-mediated metabolites were thought to contribute to its prominent bioactivities. To comparatively elucidate the protective effect and underlying mechanism of COP and its novel gut microbiota metabolite (8-oxocoptisine, OCOP) against colitis, we used dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) to induce colitis in mice. Clinical symptoms, microscopic alternation, immune-inflammatory parameters for colitis were estimated. The results indicated that OCOP dramatically ameliorated disease activity index (DAI), the shortening of colon length and colonic histopathological deteriorations. OCOP treatment also suppressed the mRNA expression and release of inflammatory mediators (TGF-β, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-18, IL-1β and IFN-γ) and elevated the transcriptional and translational levels of anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10) as well as the mRNA expression levels of adhesion molecules (ICAM-1 and VCAM-1). Besides, the activation of NF-κB pathway and NLRP3 inflammasome was markedly inhibited by OCOP. Furthermore, OCOP displayed superior anti-colitis effect to COP, and was similar to MSZ with much smaller dosage. Taken together, the protective effect of OCOP against DSS-induced colitis might be intimately related to inhibition of NF-κB pathway and NLRP3 inflammasome. And the findings indicated that OCOP might have greater potential than COP to be further exploited as a promising candidate in the treatment of colitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaoxiang Ai
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ziwei Huang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Juanjuan Cheng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianhui Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Dampness Syndrome of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huifang Zeng
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuhong Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yucui Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoqi Huang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiannan Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ziren Su
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
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Kim SY, Hwangbo H, Kim MY, Ji SY, Lee H, Kim GY, Kwon CY, Leem SH, Hong SH, Cheong J, Choi YH. Coptisine induces autophagic cell death through down-regulation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway and up-regulation of ROS-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction in hepatocellular carcinoma Hep3B cells. Arch Biochem Biophys 2020; 697:108688. [PMID: 33227289 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2020.108688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Coptisine is isoquinoline alkaloid derived from Coptidis Rhizoma and is known to have potential anti-cancer activity toward various carcinomas. Targeting autophagy is one of the main approaches for cancer therapy, but whether the anti-cancer efficacy of coptisine involves autophagy is still unclear. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of coptisine on autophagy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) Hep3B cells, and identified the underlying mechanism. Our results showed that coptisine increased cytotoxicity and autophagic vacuoles in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, the expressions of light chain 3 (LC3)-I/II, Beclin-1 and autophagy genes were markedly increased by coptisine, while the expression of p62 decreased. In addition, we found that pretreatment with bafilomycin A1, an inhibitor of autophagosome-lysosome fusion, markedly reduced coptisine-mediated autophagic cell death, but 3-methyladenine, an inhibitor for autophagosome formation did not. Moreover, our results showed that although coptisine up-regulated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) that partially induced LC3-I/II, coptisine-mediated AMPK signaling did not directly regulate autophagic cell death. Additionally, we found that coptisine suppressed the phosphorylation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/Akt/mTOR), and this effect was notably enhanced by PI3K inhibitor LY294002. Meanwhile, coptisine significantly increased both the production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the recruitment of mitophagy-regulated proteins to mitochondria. Furthermore, N-acetylcysteine, a potential ROS scavenger, substantially suppressed the expression of mitophagy-regulated proteins and LC3 puncta by coptisine. Overall, our results demonstrate that coptisine-mediated autophagic cell death was regulated by PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling and mitochondrial ROS production associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. Taken together, these findings suggest that coptisine exerts its anti-cancer effects through induction of autophagy in HCC Hep3B cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- So Young Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, Dong-eui University College of Korean Medicine and Anti-Aging Research Center, Dong-eui University, Busan, 47227, Republic of Korea; Department of Molecular Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Hwangbo
- Department of Biochemistry, Dong-eui University College of Korean Medicine and Anti-Aging Research Center, Dong-eui University, Busan, 47227, Republic of Korea; Department of Molecular Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Yeong Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, Dong-eui University College of Korean Medicine and Anti-Aging Research Center, Dong-eui University, Busan, 47227, Republic of Korea
| | - Seon Yeong Ji
- Department of Biochemistry, Dong-eui University College of Korean Medicine and Anti-Aging Research Center, Dong-eui University, Busan, 47227, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyesook Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, Dong-eui University College of Korean Medicine and Anti-Aging Research Center, Dong-eui University, Busan, 47227, Republic of Korea
| | - Gi-Young Kim
- Department of Marine Life Sciences, School of Marine Biomedical Sciences, Jeju National University, Jeju, 63243, Republic of Korea
| | - Chan-Young Kwon
- Department of Oriental Neuropsychiatry, Dong-eui University College of Korean Medicine, Busan, 47227, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun-Hee Leem
- Department of Biological Science, College of Natural Science, Dong-A University, Busan, 49315, Republic of Korea
| | - Su Hyun Hong
- Department of Biochemistry, Dong-eui University College of Korean Medicine and Anti-Aging Research Center, Dong-eui University, Busan, 47227, Republic of Korea
| | - JaeHun Cheong
- Department of Molecular Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yung Hyun Choi
- Department of Biochemistry, Dong-eui University College of Korean Medicine and Anti-Aging Research Center, Dong-eui University, Busan, 47227, Republic of Korea.
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Kim SY, Hwangbo H, Lee H, Park C, Kim GY, Moon SK, Yun SJ, Kim WJ, Cheong J, Choi YH. Induction of Apoptosis by Coptisine in Hep3B Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells through Activation of the ROS-Mediated JNK Signaling Pathway. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E5502. [PMID: 32752099 PMCID: PMC7432186 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21155502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a high mortality rate worldwide, and treatment is very limited due to its high recurrence and low diagnosis rate, and therefore there is an increasing need to develop more effective drugs to treat HCC. Coptisine is one of the isoquinoline alkaloids, and it has various pharmacological effects. However, the evidence for the molecular mechanism of the anticancer efficacy is still insufficient. Therefore, this study investigated the antiproliferative effect of coptisine on human HCC Hep3B cells and identified the action mechanism. Our results showed that coptisine markedly increased DNA damage and apoptotic cell death, which was associated with induction of death receptor proteins. Coptisine also significantly upregulated expression of proapoptotic Bax protein, downregulated expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein, and activated caspase-3, -8, and -9. In addition, coptisine remarkably increased the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and release of cytochrome c into the cytoplasm. However, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a ROS scavenger, significantly attenuated the apoptosis-inducing effect of coptisine. It is worth noting that coptisine significantly upregulated phosphorylation of ROS-dependent c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), whereas treatment with JNK inhibitor could suppress an apoptosis-related series event. Taken together, our results suggest that coptisine has an anticancer effect in Hep3B cells through ROS-mediated activation of the JNK signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- So Young Kim
- Anti-Aging Research Center, Dong-Eui University, Busan 47340, Korea; (S.Y.K.); (H.H.); (H.L.)
- Department of Molecular Biology, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Korea
| | - Hyun Hwangbo
- Anti-Aging Research Center, Dong-Eui University, Busan 47340, Korea; (S.Y.K.); (H.H.); (H.L.)
- Department of Molecular Biology, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Korea
| | - Hyesook Lee
- Anti-Aging Research Center, Dong-Eui University, Busan 47340, Korea; (S.Y.K.); (H.H.); (H.L.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Dong-Eui University College of Korean Medicine, Busan 47227, Korea
| | - Cheol Park
- Division of Basic Sciences, College of Liberal Studies, Dong-Eui University, Busan 47340, Korea;
| | - Gi-Young Kim
- Department of Marine Life Sciences, School of Marine Biomedical Sciences, Jeju National University, Jeju 63243, Korea;
| | - Sung-Kwon Moon
- Department of Food and Nutrition, Chung-Ang University, Anseong 17546, Korea;
| | - Seok Joong Yun
- Department of Urology, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea; (S.J.Y.); (W.-J.K.)
| | - Wun-Jae Kim
- Department of Urology, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea; (S.J.Y.); (W.-J.K.)
| | - Jaehun Cheong
- Department of Molecular Biology, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Korea
| | - Yung Hyun Choi
- Anti-Aging Research Center, Dong-Eui University, Busan 47340, Korea; (S.Y.K.); (H.H.); (H.L.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Dong-Eui University College of Korean Medicine, Busan 47227, Korea
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Wu J, Luo Y, Deng D, Su S, Li S, Xiang L, Hu Y, Wang P, Meng X. Coptisine from Coptis chinensis exerts diverse beneficial properties: A concise review. J Cell Mol Med 2019; 23:7946-7960. [PMID: 31622015 PMCID: PMC6850926 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.14725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Revised: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 09/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Coptisine is a natural small-molecular compound extracted from Coptis chinensis (CC) with a history of using for thousands of years. This work aimed at summarizing coptisine's activity and providing advice for its clinical use. We analysed the online papers in the database of SciFinder, Web of Science, PubMed, Google scholar and CNKI by setting keywords as 'coptisine' in combination of 'each pivotal pathway target'. Based on the existing literatures, we find (a) coptisine exerted potential to be an anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, CAD ameliorating or anti-bacterial drug through regulating the signalling transduction of pathways such as NF-κB, MAPK, PI3K/Akt, NLRP3 inflammasome, RANKL/RANK and Beclin 1/Sirt1. However, we also (b) observe that the plasma concentration of coptisine demonstrates obvious non-liner relationship with dosage, and even the highest dosage used in animal study actually cannot reach the minimum concentration level used in cell experiments owing to the poor absorption and low availability of coptisine. We conclude (a) further investigations can focus on coptisine's effect on caspase-1-involved inflammasome assembling and pyroptosis activation, as well as autophagy. (b) Under circumstance of promoting coptisine availability by pursuing nano- or microrods strategies or applying salt-forming process to coptisine, can it be introduced to clinical trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiasi Wu
- College of PharmacyChengdu University of Traditional Chinese MedicineChengduChina
| | - Yu Luo
- College of PharmacyChengdu University of Traditional Chinese MedicineChengduChina
| | - Donghang Deng
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan ProvinceSichuan Agricultural UniversityChengduChina
| | - Siyu Su
- College of PharmacyChengdu University of Traditional Chinese MedicineChengduChina
| | - Sheng Li
- Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine and Clinical TranslationChengdu Institute of BiologyChinese Academy of SciencesChengduChina
| | - Li Xiang
- College of PharmacyChengdu University of Traditional Chinese MedicineChengduChina
| | - Yingfan Hu
- College of PharmacyChengdu University of Traditional Chinese MedicineChengduChina
| | - Ping Wang
- College of PharmacyChengdu University of Traditional Chinese MedicineChengduChina
| | - Xianli Meng
- College of PharmacyChengdu University of Traditional Chinese MedicineChengduChina
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