Tanshinone IIA attenuates AOM/DSS-induced colorectal tumorigenesis in mice via inhibition of intestinal inflammation

Mechanic evaluation of Wu-Mei-Pill on colitis-associated colorectal cancer: An integrated transcriptomics, metabolomics, and experimental validation study

BACKGROUND

Chronic intestinal inflammatory diseases play a crucial role in the onset of colorectal cancer (CRC). Effectively impeding the progression of colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC) can be instrumental in hindering CRC development. Wu-Mei-Pill (WMP), a formulation comprising various herbal extracts, is clinically employed for CAC treatment, yet the underlying mechanism of WMP's efficacy in CAC remains unclear. Our study firstly demonstrated the effects and mechanisms of WMP on transcriptional and metabolic levels based on integrated transcriptomics and untargeted metabolomics and relative experimental validations.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A CAC mouse model was established through a single injection of azoxymethane (AOM) followed by intermittent dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) intervention, with subsequent WMP administration. Initially, the therapeutic impact of WMP on the CAC model was assessed by observing survival rate, body weight change, colon length, tumor number, tumor load, and pathological changes in the colon tissue of CAC mice post-WMP intervention. Subsequently, differential genes and metabolites in the colorectal tissue of CAC mice following WMP intervention were identified through transcriptomics and non-targeted metabolomics. Finally, the influence of WMP on the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) pathway, Wnt pathway, and CC motif chemokine ligand 3 (CCL3)/ CC motif chemokine receptor 1 (CCR1) axis in CAC mice was verified through western blot, immunofluorescence, and ELISA based on the results of transcriptomics and non-targeted metabolomics.

RESULTS

WMP intervention enhanced survival, alleviated body weight loss, shortened colon length, tumor occurrence, and pathological changes in the colorectal tissue of CAC mice, such as glandular damage, tumourigenesis, and inflammatory cell infiltration. Transcriptomic and non-targeted metabolomic results revealed that WMP intervention up-regulated the expression of key regulatory mechanisms of fatty acid oxidation PPAR pathway-related genes (Pparg, Ppara, Cpt1a, and Acadm) and metabolites (L-carnitine and L-palmitoylcarnitine). Additionally, it down-regulated Wnt pathway-related genes (Wnt3, Axin2, Tcf7, Mmp7, Lgr5, Wnt5a, Fzd6, Wnt7b, Lef1, and Fzd10 etc.) and pro-inflammatory related genes (Il1b, Il6, Il17a, Ccl3, and Ccr1 etc.). Experimental validation demonstrated that WMP up-regulated PPAR pathway-related proteins [PPARγ, PPARα, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A), and acyl-CoA dehydrogenase medium chain (ACADM)] in the colorectal tissue of CAC mice. It also down-regulated Wnt pathway-related proteins [β-catenin, T-cell factor (TCF), lymphoid enhancer-binding factor (LEF), and matrix metallopeptidase 7 (MMP7)], inhibited the nuclear translocation of the key transcription factor β-catenin in the Wnt pathway, and suppressed epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) activation induced by the Wnt pathway (up-regulated E-cadherin and down-regulated Vimentin). Furthermore, WMP intervention reduced pro-inflammatory factors [interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, and IL-17A] and decreased CCL3/CCR1 axis factors, including CCL3 protein levels and diminished F4/80+CCR1+ positive expressed cells.

CONCLUSION

WMP significantly inhibits CAC tumorigenesis by up-regulating PPARα-mediated fatty acid oxidation, inhibiting the Wnt signaling pathway-mediated EMT, and suppressing CCL3/CCR1-mediated inflammatory responses.

Maintaining the Mitochondrial Quality Control System Was a Key Event of Tanshinone IIA against Deoxynivalenol-Induced Intestinal Toxicity

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is the one of the most common mycotoxins, widely detected in various original foods and processed foods. Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) is a fat-soluble diterpene quinone extracted from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, which has multi-biological functions and pharmacological effects. However, whether Tan IIA has a protective effect against DON-induced intestinal toxicity is unknown. In this study, the results showed Tan IIA treatment could attenuate DON-induced IPEC-J2 cell death. DON increased oxidation product accumulation, decreased antioxidant ability and disrupted barrier function, while Tan IIA reversed DON-induced barrier function impairment and oxidative stress. Furthermore, Tan IIA dramatically improved mitochondrial function via mitochondrial quality control. Tan IIA could upregulate mitochondrial biogenesis and mitochondrial fusion as well as downregulate mitochondrial fission and mitochondrial unfolded protein response. In addition, Tan IIA significantly attenuated mitophagy caused by DON. Collectively, Tan IIA presented a potential protective effect against DON toxicity and the underlying mechanisms were involved in mitochondrial quality control-mediated mitophagy.

Arabinose confers protection against intestinal injury by improving integrity of intestinal mucosal barrier

There is a growing amount of research that highlights the significant involvement of metabolic imbalance and the inflammatory response in the advancement of colitis. Arabinose is a naturally occurring bioactive monosaccharide that plays a crucial role in the metabolic processes and synthesis of many compounds in living organisms. However, the more detailed molecular mechanism by which the administration of arabinose alleviates the progression of colitis and its associated carcinogenesis is still not fully understood. In the present study, arabinose is recognized as a significant and inherent protector of the intestinal mucosal barrier through its role in preserving the integrity of tight junctions within the intestines. Also, it is important to note that there is a positive correlation between the severity of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC), as well as chemically-induced colitis in mice, and lower levels of arabinose in the bloodstream. In two mouse models of colitis, caused by dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) or by spontaneous colitis in IL-10-/- mice, damage to the intestinal mucosa was reduced by giving the mice arabinose. When arabinose is administrated to model with colitis, it sets off a chain of events that help keep the lysosomes together and stop cathepsin B from being released. During the progression of intestinal epithelial injury, this process blocks myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) from damaging tight junctions and causing mitochondrial dysfunction. In summary, the results of the study have provided evidence supporting the beneficial effects of arabinose in mitigating the progression of colitis. This is achieved through its ability to avoid dysregulation of the intestinal barrier. Consequently, arabinose may hold promise as a therapeutic supplementation for the management of colitis.

Tanshinone IIA protects intestinal epithelial cells from deoxynivalenol-induced pyroptosis

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is the most common mycotoxin in food and feed, which can cause undesirable effects, including diarrhea, emesis, weight loss, and growth delay in livestock. Intestinal epithelial cells were the main target of DON, which can cause oxidative stress and inflammatory injury. Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) is fat-soluble diterpene quinone, which is the most abundant active ingredient in salvia miltiorrhiza plant with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics. However, it is not clear whether Tan IIA can protect against or inhibit intestinal oxidative stress and inflammatory injury under DON exposure. This study aimed to explore the protective effect of Tan IIA on DON-induced toxicity in porcine jejunum epithelial cells (IPEC-J2). Cells were exposed to 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 µM DON and/or 45 µg/mL TAN ⅡA to detect oxidative stress indicators. inflammatory cytokines, NF-κB expression, NLRP3 inflammasome and pyroptosis-related factors. In this study, DON exposure caused IPEC-J2 cells oxidative stress by elevating ROS and 8-OHdG content, inhibited GSH-Px activity. Furthermore, DON increased pro-inflammatory factor (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-18 and IL-6) expression and decreased the anti-inflammatory factor (IL-10) expression, causing inflammatory response via triggering NF-κB pathway. Interestingly, above changes were alleviated after Tan IIA treatment. In addition, Tan IIA relieved DON-induced pyroptosis by suppressing the expression of pyroptosis-related factors (NLRP3, Caspase-1, GSDMD, IL-1β, and IL-18). In general, our data suggested that Tan IIA can ameliorate DON-induced intestinal epithelial cells injury associated with suppressing the pyroptosis signaling pathway. Our findings pointed that Tan IIA could be used as the potential therapeutic drugs on DON-induced enterotoxicity.

Sulforaphane Attenuates AOM/DSS-Induced Colorectal Tumorigenesis in Mice via Inhibition of Intestinal Inflammation

Sulforaphane (SFN) is a compound derived from cruciferous plants. It has received considerable attention in recent years due to its effectiveness in cancer prevention and anti-inflammatory properties. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antitumor potential of sulforaphane on colitis-associated carcinogenesis (CAC) through the establishment of a mouse model with AOM/DSS. First, AOM/DSS and DSS-induced model were established and administered SFN for 10 wk, and then the severity of colitis-associated colon cancer was examined macroscopically and histologically. Subsequently, immune cells and cytokines in the tumor microenvironment (TME) were quantified. Finally, the influence of sulforaphane was also investigated using different colon cell lines. We found that sulforaphane treatment decreased tumor volume, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) expansion, the expression of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β, and the level of IL-10 in serum. Also, it enhanced the antitumor activities of CD8+ T cells and significantly reduced tumorigenesis as induced by AOM/DSS. SFN also attenuated intestinal inflammation in DSS-induced chronic colitis by reshaping the inflammatory microenvironment. This work demonstrates that sulforaphane suppresses carcinogenesis-associated intestinal inflammation and prevents AOM/DSS-induced intestinal tumorigenesis and progression.

Sodium tanshinone IIA sulphate inhibits angiogenesis in lung adenocarcinoma via mediation of miR-874/eEF-2K/TG2 axis

CONTEXT

Sodium tanshinone IIA sulphate (STS) is a product originated from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge [Lamiaceae], which exerts an antitumour effect. However, the role of STS on lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unexplored.

OBJECTIVE

Our study explores the effect and mechanism of STS against LUAD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

LUAD cells were treated with 100 μM STS for 24 h and control group cells were cultured under normal medium conditions. Functionally, the viability, migration, invasion and angiogenesis of LUAD cells were examined by MTT, wound healing, transwell and tube formation assay, respectively. Moreover, cells were transvected with different transfection plasmids. Dual luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays were used to verify the relationship between miR-874 and eEF-2K.

RESULTS

STS significantly decreased the viability (40-50% reduction), migration (migration rate of A549 cells from 0.67 to 0.28, H1299 cells from 0.71 to 0.41), invasion (invasion numbers of A549 cells from 172 to 55, H1299 cells from 188 to 35) and angiogenesis (80-90% reduction) of LUAD cells. Downregulation of miR-874 partially abolished the antitumour effect of STS. EEF-2K was identified to be the target of miR-874, and its downregulation markedly abolished the effects of miR-874 downregulation on tumourigenesis of LUAD. Moreover, silencing of TG2 abrogated eEF-2K-induced progression of LUAD.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

STS attenuated the tumourigenesis of LUAD through the mediation of the miR-874/eEF-2K/TG2 axis. STS is a promising drug to fight against lung cancer, which might effectively reverse drug resistance when combined with classical anticancer drugs.

Protective effects of tanshinone ⅡA on sepsis-induced multiple organ dysfunction: a literature review

TanshinoneⅡA (TanⅡA) is a noteworthy lipophilic diterpene compound derived from the dried roots of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Danshen () that has various pharmacological properties, including anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidative effects. Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction induced by a dysregulated host response to infection. Recently, increasing attention has been paid to sepsis-induced dysfunction of the intestine, car-diovascular system, lungs, kidneys, liver, and other organs. Experimental studies have shown that TanⅡA has therapeutic potential for sepsis-induced organ dysfunction owing to its anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic and regulatory effects on multiple signalling pathways. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the potential multiorgan protective effects of TanⅡA in sepsis.

Regulatory network and targeted interventions for CCDC family in tumor pathogenesis

CCDC (coiled-coil domain-containing) is a coiled helix domain that exists in natural proteins. There are about 180 CCDC family genes, encoding proteins that are involved in intercellular transmembrane signal transduction and genetic signal transcription, among other functions. Alterations in expression, mutation, and DNA promoter methylation of CCDC family genes have been shown to be associated with the pathogenesis of many diseases, including primary ciliary dyskinesia, infertility, and tumors. In recent studies, CCDC family genes have been found to be involved in regulation of growth, invasion, metastasis, chemosensitivity, and other biological behaviors of malignant tumor cells in various cancer types, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, and thyroid cancer. In this review, we summarize the involvement of CCDC family genes in tumor pathogenesis and the relevant upstream and downstream molecular mechanisms. In addition, we summarize the potential of CCDC family genes as tumor therapy targets. The findings discussed here help us to further understand the role and the therapeutic applications of CCDC family genes in tumors.

Tanshinone IIA inhibits cardiomyocyte apoptosis and rescues cardiac function during doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity by activating the DAXX/MEK/ERK1/2 pathway

BACKGROUND

Heart failure (HF) is a common cardiovascular syndrome. Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) is a pharmacologically active monomer that exerts a significant cardioprotective effect in the clinic; however, the specific mechanisms are not fully understood.

PURPOSE

We mainly investigated the protective effects of Tan IIA on doxorubicin (DOX)-induced HF.

METHODS

In an in vitro study, H9C2 and HL-1 cells were cultured and treated with DOX and Tan IIA for 24 h, we investigated the mechanism underlying Tan IIA-mediated protection. In an in vivo study, a model of DOX-induced HF was established in C57BL/6 mice that were divided into the six groups randomly: a control group, a DOX group, DOX groups treated with Tan IIA (DOX+Tan IIA) at dosages of 2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg/day and DOX groups treated with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) at dosages of 200 mg/kg/day.

RESULT

The results demonstrated that Tan IIA significantly increased cell viability and protected against DOX-induced apoptosis. RNA-sequencing showed that the genes expression associated with the apoptotic signaling pathway was altered by Tan IIA. Among the differentially expressed genes, death-domain associated protein (DAXX), which plays an critical role in apoptotic signaling, exhibited increased expression under Tan IIA treatment. In addition, RNA interference was used to silence the expression of DAXX, which abolished Tan IIA-mediated protection against DOX-induced apoptosis; this effect was associated with extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK) expression. In the in vivo study, the echocardiography results revealed that heart function was rescued by Tan IIA, and the histomorphology results showed that Tan IIA prevented myocardial structural alteration and myofibril disruption. Furthermore, Tan IIA induced the expressions of DAXX, p-ERK1/2 and p-MEK. Tan IIA also inhibited apoptosis by suppressing the expression of cleaved caspase-8, p-P38 and cleaved caspase-3.

CONCLUSION

Our results provide novel interpretations into the important role of DAXX in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity and show that Tan IIA may be a novel agent strategy for HF treatment via activating the DAXX/MEK/ERK1/2 pathway.

Network pharmacological analysis of active components of Xiaoliu decoction in the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme

Background: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive primary nervous system brain tumor. There is still a lack of effective methods to control its progression and recurrence in clinical treatment. It is clinically found that Xiaoliu Decoction (XLD) has the effect of treating brain tumors and preventing tumor recurrence. However, its mechanism is still unclear.

Methods: Search the Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology Database (TCSMP) for efficient substances for the treatment of XLD in the treatment of GBM, and target the targeted genes of the effective ingredients to construct a network. At the same time, download GBM-related gene expression data from the TCGA and GTEX databases, screen differential expression bases, and establish a drug target disease network. Through bioinformatics analysis, the target genes and shared genes of the selected Chinese medicines are analyzed. Finally, molecular docking was performed to further clarify the possibility of XLD in multiple GBMs.

Results: We screened 894 differentially expressed genes in GBM, 230 XLD active ingredients and 169 predicted targets of its active compounds, of which 19 target genes are related to the differential expression of GBM. Bioinformatics analysis shows that these targets are closely related to cell proliferation, cell cycle regulation, and DNA synthesis. Finally, through molecular docking, it was further confirmed that Tanshinone IIA, the active ingredient of XLD, was tightly bound to key proteins.

Conclusion: To sum up, the results of this study suggest that the mechanism of XLD in the treatment of GBM involves multiple targets and signal pathways related to tumorigenesis and development. This study not only provides a new theoretical basis for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme with traditional Chinese medicine, but also provides a new idea for the research and development of targeted drugs for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme.

Salvia miltiorrhiza in Breast Cancer Treatment: A Review of Its Phytochemistry, Derivatives, Nanoparticles, and Potential Mechanisms

Breast cancer is one of the most deadly malignancies in women worldwide. Salvia miltiorrhiza, a perennial plant that belongs to the genus Salvia, has long been used in the management of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. The main anti-breast cancer constituents in S. miltiorrhiza are liposoluble tanshinones including dihydrotanshinone I, tanshinone I, tanshinone IIA, and cryptotanshinone, and water-soluble phenolic acids represented by salvianolic acid A, salvianolic acid B, salvianolic acid C, and rosmarinic acid. These active components have potent efficacy on breast cancer in vitro and in vivo. The mechanisms mainly include induction of apoptosis, autophagy and cell cycle arrest, anti-metastasis, formation of cancer stem cells, and potentiation of antitumor immunity. This review summarized the main bioactive constituents of S. miltiorrhiza and their derivatives or nanoparticles that possess anti-breast cancer activity. Besides, the synergistic combination with other drugs and the underlying molecular mechanisms were also summarized to provide a reference for future research on S. miltiorrhiza for breast cancer treatment.

Therapeutic benefits of Salvia species: A focus on cancer and viral infection

Man is increasingly being faced with many health conditions, including viral infection, some of which increases the risk to cancer. These infectious agents contribute to the large number of persons with cancer and the worrisome number that die from the diseases. A good range of drugs are currently in place for treating patients infected with viruses, however, some of the drugs' effectiveness are limited by the emergence of drug-resistant strains of the viruses, as well as adverse effects of the drugs. Similarly, the inability of many anticancer drugs to selectively kill cancer cells while sparing hosts' normal cells limit their use. This warrants more research for newer drugs, especially from chemicals naturally encrypted in plants with anticancer and antiviral activities. In response to infection with cancer-inducing viruses, plants such as Salvia species synthesize and store secondary metabolites to protect themselves and kill these viruses as well as inhibit their ability to induce carcinogenesis. Hence, this review presented a discussion on the potential application of Salvia species in the prevention and management of cancer and viral infection. The study also discusses the cellular mechanisms of action of these herbal products against cancer cells and viruses, where available and provided suggestions on future research directions. The study is believed to spur more research on how to exploit Salvia phytochemicals as candidates for the development of nutraceuticals and drugs for managing cancers and viral infection.

Tanshinone IIA suppresses the progression of lung adenocarcinoma through regulating CCNA2-CDK2 complex and AURKA/PLK1 pathway

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) belongs to a subgroup of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with an increasing incidence all over the world. Tanshinone IIA (TSA), an active compound of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge., has been found to have anti-tumor effects on many tumors, but its anti-LUAD effect and its mechanism have not been reported yet. In this study, bio-information analysis was applied to characterize the potential mechanism of TSA on LUA, biological experiments were used to verify the mechanisms involved. TCGA, Pubchem, SwissTargetPrediction, Venny2.1.0, STRING, DAVID, Cytoscape 3.7.2, Omicshare, GEPIA, RSCBPDB, Chem Draw, AutoDockTools, and PyMOL were utilized for analysis in the bio-information analysis and network pharmacology. Our experiments in vitro focused on the anti-LUAD effects and mechanisms of TSA on LUAD cells (A549 and NCI-H1975 cells) via MTT, plate cloning, Annexin V-FITC and PI dual staining, flow cytometry, and western blot assays. A total of 64 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of TSA for treatment of LUAD were screened out. Gene ontology and pathway analysis revealed characteristic of the DEGs network. After GEPIA-based DEGs confirmation, 46 genes were considered having significant differences. Further, 10 key DEGs (BTK, HSD11B1, ADAM33, TNNC1, THRA, CCNA2, AURKA, MIF, PLK1, and SORD) were identified as the most likely relevant genes from overall survival analysis. Molecular Docking results showed that CCNA2, CDK2 and PLK1 had the lowest docking energy. MTT and plate cloning assays results showed that TSA inhibited the proliferation of LUAD cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Annexin V-FITC and PI dual staining and flow cytometry assays results told that TSA promoted the apoptosis of the two LUAD cells in different degrees, and induced cycle arrest in the G1/S phase. Western blot results showed that TSA significantly down-regulated the expression of CCNA2, CDK2, AURKA, PLK1, and p-ERK. In summary, TSA could suppress the progression of LUAD by inducing cell apoptosis and arresting cell cycle, and these were done by regulating CCNA2-CDK2 complex and AURKA/PLK1 pathway. These findings are the first to demonstrate the molecular mechanism of TSA in treatment of LUAD combination of network bio-information analysis and biological experiments in vitro.

TiaochangXiaoliu decoction inhibits azomethane (AOM)/dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colorectal cancer by regulating immune response

Background

TiaochangXiaoliu decoction (TXD) has an anti-tumor effect in clinical practice. We further investigated the role of TXD in colorectal cancer (CRC).

Methods

Mouse models of CRC were induced by azomethane (AOM)/dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), with sixty male C57BL/6 mice randomly divided into six groups (10 mice/group): a control group, AOM/DSS group, TXD at low dose (L-dose) group, middle dose (M-dose) group, high dose (H-dose) group, and Celecoxib (Cel) group. The colorectum, serum, and plasma of mice in each group was collected following sacrifice to record the number of tumors. HE staining was utilized for observing pathological damage to colorectal tissues, ELISA used for detecting INF-γ, IL-2, and TNF-α expression in serum, and flow cytometry used for measuring the proportion of CD4⁺, CD8⁺, CD4⁺/CD8⁺, and NK cells in plasma.

Results

Compared with the control group, the AOM/DSS group showed tumor masses in the colorectum and different degrees of pathological damage in the intestine. AOM/DSS induction also resulted in an increase in INF-γ, IL-2, and TNF-α expression in serum, and a decrease in the percentages of CD4⁺, CD8⁺, CD4⁺/CD8⁺, and NK cells(P<0.05). In comparison with the AOM/DSS group, with the increase of TXD dose, the number of tumors decreased significantly, and intestinal structure and mucosal inflammatory cell infiltration also improved. Further, in comparison with the AOM/DSS group, all three doses of TXD and celecoxib caused an increase in the contents of CD4⁺, CD8⁺, CD4⁺/CD8⁺, and NK cells in plasma. In addition, in the M-dose, H-dose, and Cel groups, INF-γ, IL-2, and TNF-α expression showed a marked decrease, and the reduction in these two groups treated with TXD was dose-dependent.

Conclusions

TXD leads to a marked reduction in the number of tumors and inflammatory cell infiltration in CRC mice. This decoction significantly decreased the levels of INF-γ, IL-2, and TNF-α in serum, and increased the contents of CD4⁺, CD8⁺, CD4⁺/CD8⁺, and NK cell in the plasma of mice with AOM/DSS-induced CRC.