Salidroside represses proliferation, migration and invasion of human lung cancer cells through AKT and MEK/ERK signal pathway

Salidroside inhibited the proliferation of gastric cancer cells through up-regulating tumor suppressor miR-1343-3p and down-regulating MAP3K6/MMP24 signal molecules

Salidroside inhibited the proliferation of cancer cell. Nevertheless, the mechanism has not been completely clarified. The purpose of the study is to explore the mechanisms of salidroside against gastric cancer. To analyze the changes of microRNA (miRNA) in gastric cancer cells under the treatment of salidroside, the miRNA expression was analyzed by using RNA-seq in cancer cells for 24 h after salidroside treatment. The differentially expressed miRNAs were clustered and their target genes were analyzed. Selected miRNA and target mRNA genes were further verified by q-PCR. The expressions of target genes in cancer cells were detected by immunohistochemistry. Cancer cell apoptotic index was significantly increased after salidroside treatment. The proliferation of gastric cancer cells were blocked at S-phase cell cycle. The expression of 44 miRNAs changed differentially after salidroside treatment in cancer cells. Bioinformatic analysis showed that there were 1384 target mRNAs corresponding to the differentially expressed miRNAs. Surprisingly, salidroside significantly up-regulated the expression of tumor suppressor miR-1343-3p, and down-regulated the expression of MAP3K6, STAT3 and MMP24-related genes. Salidroside suppressed the growth of gastric cancer by inducing the cancer cell apoptosis, arresting the cancer cell cycle and down-regulating the related signal transduction pathways. miRNAs are expressed differentially in gastric cancer cells after salidroside treatment, playing important roles in regulating proliferation and metastasis. Salidroside may suppress the growth of gastric cancer by up-regulating the expression of the tumor suppressor miR-1343-3p and down-regulating the expression of MAP3K6 and MMP24 signal molecules.

Traditional Tibetan medicine: therapeutic potential in lung diseases

Lung diseases have become a major threat to human health worldwide. Despite advances in treatment and intervention in recent years, effective drugs are still lacking for many lung diseases. As a traditional natural medicine, Tibetan medicine has had a long history of medicinal use in ethnic minority areas, and from ancient times to the present, it has a good effect on the treatment of lung diseases and has attracted more and more attention. In this review, a total of 586 Tibetan medicines were compiled through literature research of 25 classical works on Tibetan medicine, drug standards, and some Chinese and English databases. Among them, 33 Tibetan medicines have been studied to show their effectiveness in treating lung diseases. To investigate the uses of these Tibetan medicines in greater depth, we have reviewed the ethnomedicinal, phytochemical and pharmacological properties of the four commonly used Tibetan medicines for lung diseases (rhodiola, gentian, sea buckthorn, liexiang dujuan) and the five most frequently used Tibetan medicines (safflower, licorice, sandalwood, costus, myrobalan). It is expected to provide some reference for the development of new drugs of lung diseases in the future.

Crosstalk between autophagy inhibitor and salidroside-induced apoptosis: A novel strategy for autophagy-based treatment of hepatocellular cancer

Autophagy regulates many cell function related to cancer, including cell proliferation, invasion and apoptosis. Therefore, we investigated the potential value of crosstalk between autophagy and apoptosis. The present study demonstrated that seven autophagy related genes were screened from the biological network of salidroside (Sal) acting on liver cancer. The GO analysis showed that these genes were mainly involved in apoptosis and autophagy. The KEGG analysis showed that these genes regulated the process of liver cancer through Th17 cell differentiation, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and other pathways. Moreover, seven genes were positively correlated with tumor purity, number of B cells, number of CD4+ T cells, number of CD8+ T cells, number of macrophages, number of dendritic cells and number of neutrophils. The overall survival time of liver cancer patients in the high expression group of BIRC5, HSP90AB1 and MTOR was lower than that in the low expression group (P < 0.05), while the overall survival time of the liver cancer patients in the high expression group of DLC1 and FOXO1 was higher than that in the low expression group (P < 0.05). In the pan-cancer analysis, we also found that BIRC5, HSP90AB1, MTOR, and ITGA6 were highly expressed in various cancers, while DLC1, FOXO1, and FOS were low expressed in various cancers. In the molecule docking analysis, we found that FOS, HSP90AB1, and MTOR had the best binding ability. Notably, in the vitro validation experiments, Sal was confirmed to induce autophagy and apoptosis, inhibite invasion and metastasis of liver cancer cells through the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Meanwhile, inhibition of autophagy by chloroquine diphosphate (CQ) promoted Sal-induced mitochondrial apoptosis via corresponding cell and animal experiments. We speculated that Sal-induced autophagy might be a protective mechanism, inhibition of autophagy could further promote the progression of liver cancer. It may provide important insight into the molecular mechanism of crosstalk between autophagy and apoptosis, and provide a new theoretical basis of Sal combined with autophagy inhibitors as a adjuvant chemotherapeutic strategy for human liver cancer.

Mechanism of salidroside in the treatment of endometrial cancer based on network pharmacology and molecular docking

Salidroside is a natural product of phenols, which has a wide scape of pharmacological effects, but its pharmacological effects and molecular mechanism on endometrial cancer are not clear. To systematically explore the pharmacological effects and molecular mechanisms of salidroside on endometrial cancer through the method of network pharmacology. The possible target genes of salidroside were obtained through different pharmacological databases and analysis platforms, and then the relevant target genes of endometrial cancer were obtained through the GeneCards website, and the target genes were uniformly converted into standardized gene names with Uniprot. The collected data were then processed to obtain common target genes and further analyzed through the String website to construct a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, followed by gene ontology (GO) functional annotation and Kyoto Gene and Genome Encyclopedia (KEGG) pathway analysis. We further interpreted the molecular mechanism of salidroside for the treatment of endometrial cancer by constructing a "drug component-target gene-disease" network. Finally, we performed molecular docking to validate the binding conformation between salidroside and the candidate target genes. There were 175 target genes of salidroside after normalization, among which 113 target genes interacted with endometrial cancer. GO analysis indicated that the anti-endometrial cancer effect of salidroside may be strongly related to biological processes such as apoptosis and response to drug. KEGG analysis indicated that its mechanism may be related to pathway in cancer and PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. Molecular docking showed that salidroside had high affinity with five key genes. Based on the novel network pharmacology and molecular docking validation research methods, we have revealed for the first time the potential mechanism of salidroside in the therapy of endometrial cancer.

Hepatocyte-derived exosomal miR-146a-5p inhibits hepatic stellate cell EMT process: a crosstalk between hepatocytes and hepatic stellate cells

Recently, Salidroside (Sal) has been demonstrated to suppress hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation, a crucial event for liver fibrosis. Moreover, Sal has been reported to decrease hepatocyte injury. A growing number of reports have indicated that the crosstalk between hepatocytes and HSCs is very crucial for liver fibrosis development. Whether Sal-treated hepatocytes could inhibit HSC activation is unclear. Exosomes, as vital vehicles of intercellular communication, have been shown to transfer cargos between hepatocytes and HSCs. Herein, we aimed to investigate the roles of exosomal miRNAs from Sal-treated hepatocytes in HSC activation as well as liver fibrosis. Our results showed that Sal suppressed carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver fibrosis in vivo. HSC activation as well as cell proliferation was repressed in HSCs co-cultured with Sal-treated hepatocytes. Interestingly, miR-146a-5p was up-regulated by Sal in CCl4-treated mice. Also, enhanced miR-146a-5p was found in hepatocytes isolated from Sal-treated CCl4 mice and hepatocyte-derived exosomes. Notably, hepatocyte exosomal miR-146a-5p contributed to HSC inactivation. Inhibiting miR-146a-5p in hepatocyte exosomes resulted in reduced E-cadherin (E-cad) and increased desmin in HSCs, indicating that miR-146a-5p caused HSC inactivation via epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). miR-146a-5p inhibition-mediated HSC activation and EMT process were blocked down by loss of EIF5A2. Further studies revealed that EIF5A2 was a target of miR-146a-5p. Furthermore, exosomes with miR-146a-5p overexpression inhibited liver fibrosis in CCl4 mice. Collectively, exosomal miR-146a-5p from Sal-treated hepatocytes inhibits HSC activation and liver fibrosis, at least in part, by suppressing EIF5A2 and EMT process.

Salidroside regulates tumor microenvironment of non-small cell lung cancer via Hsp70/Stub1/Foxp3 pathway in Tregs

BACKGROUND

The treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is challenging due to immune tolerance and evasion. Salidroside (SAL) is an extract in traditional Chinese medicine and has a potential antitumor effect. However, the mechanism of SAL in regulating the immunological microenvironment of NSCLC is yet to be clarified.

METHODS

The mouse model with Lewis lung cancer cell line (3LL) in C57BL/6 mice was established. And then, the percentage of tumor-infiltrating T cell subsets including Treg was detected in tumor-bearing mice with or without SAL treatment. In vitro, the effect of SAL on the expression of IL-10, Foxp3 and Stub1 and the function of Treg were detected by flow cytometry. Network pharmacology prediction and molecular docking software were used to predict the target of SAL and intermolecular interaction. Furthermore, the effect of SAL on the expression of Hsp70 and the co-localization of Stub1-Foxp3 in Treg was confirmed by flow cytometry and confocal laser microscopy. Finally, Hsp70 inhibitor was used to verify the above molecular expression.

RESULTS

We discovered that SAL treatment inhibits the growth of tumor cells by decreasing the percentage of tumor-infiltrated CD4⁺Foxp3⁺T cells. SAL treatment downregulates the expression of Foxp3 in Tregs, but increases the expression of Stub1, an E3 ubiquitination ligase upstream of Foxp3, and the expression of Hsp70. Inhibiting the expression of Hsp70 reverses the inhibition of SAL on Foxp3 and disrupts the colocalization of Stub1 and Foxp3 in the nucleus of Tregs.

CONCLUSIONS

SAL inhibits tumor growth by regulating the Hsp70/stub1/Foxp3 pathway in Treg to suppress the function of Treg. It is a new mechanism of SAL for antitumor therapy.

Salidroside suppresses the multiple oncogenic activates and immune escape of lung adenocarcinoma through the circ_0009624-mediated PD-L1 pathway

BACKGROUND

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is a fatal malignancy all over the world. Salidroside (SAL) is an active component extracted from Rhodiola rosea that has been reported to exert antitumor activity against several human cancers, containing lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). The purpose of this study was to explore the effect and underlying mechanism of SAL in LUAD.

METHODS

Cell viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion were measured using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU), and transwell assays. Effects of LUAD cells on the cytotoxicity, percentage, and death of CD8+ cells were detected using lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and flow cytometry assays. Programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) protein level was examined using western blot. Circ_0009624, enolase 1 (ENO1), and PD-L1 levels were determined using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The biological role of SAL on LUAD tumor growth was assessed using the xenograft tumor model in vivo.

RESULTS

SAL restrained LUAD cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and immune escape in vitro via modulating PD-L1. Circ_0009624 expression was increased in LUAD. Applying SAL repressed circ_0009624 and PD-L1 expression in LUAD cells. SAL treatment hindered suppressed various oncogenic activates and immune escape of LUAD cells by regulating the circ_0009624/PD-L1 pathway. SAL blocked LUAD xenograft growth in vivo.

CONCLUSION

Applying SAL might constrain malignant phenotypes and immune escape of LUAD cells partially through the circ_0009624-mediated PD-L1 pathway, providing a novel insight for LUAD treatment.

Multi-pathway neuroprotective effects of a novel salidroside derivative SHPL-49 against acute cerebral ischemic injury

SHPL-49 ((2R,3S,4S,5R,6R)-2-(hydroxymethyl)-6-(4-(4-methoxyphenyl) butoxy) tetrahydro-2H-pyran-3,4,5-triol) is a novel glycoside derivative obtained from structural modification of salidroside, which is isolated from the medicinal plant Rhodiola rosea L. SHPL-49 was administered to rats with permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO) for 5 days, and it was found that SHPL-49 could alleviate the cerebral infarct volume and reduce the neurological deficit score. Moreover, the effective time window of SHPL-49 in the pMCAO model was from 0.5 to 8 h after embolization. In addition, the result of immunohistochemistry showed that SHPL-49 could increase the number of neurons in the brain tissue and reduce the occurrence of apoptosis. Morris water maze and Rota-rod experiments showed that SHPL-49 could improve neurological deficits, repair neurocognitive and motor dysfunction, and enhance learning and memory ability in the pMCAO model after 14 days of SHPL-49 treatment. Further in vitro experiments showed that SHPL-49 significantly reduced the calcium overload of PC-12 cells and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD), and increased the levels of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), decreased the production of malondialdehyde (MDA). Furthermore, SHPL-49 could reduce cell apoptosis by increasing protein expression ratio of anti-apoptotic factor Bcl-2 to pro-apoptotic factor Bax in vitro. SHPL-49 also regulated the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in ischemic brain tissue, and even inhibited the caspase cascade of pro-apoptotic proteins Cleaved-caspase 9 and Cleaved-caspase 3. Taken together, SHPL-49 exhibited neuroprotective effects against cerebral ischemic injury through multiple pathways, such as alleviating calcium overload, reducing oxidative stress damage, and inhibiting apoptosis.

Mechanism of salidroside in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia based on the network pharmacology and molecular docking

BACKGROUND

Salidroside is a phenolic natural product, which is a kind of Rhodiola rosea. It has been confirmed that it has inhibitory effects on chronic myeloid leukemia, but the specific performance of its molecular effects is still unclear.

OBJECTIVE

To systematically study the pharmacological mechanism of salidroside on chronic myeloid leukemia by means of network pharmacology.

METHODS

First, the possible target genes of salidroside were predicted through the Traditional Chinese Medicine Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform, the target gene names were converted into standardized gene names using the Uniprot website. At the same time, the related target genes of chronic myeloid leukemia were collected from GeneCards and DisGenet; Collect summary data and screen for commonly targeted genes. Then, the above-mentioned intersected genes were imported into the String website to construct the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, and the Gene Ontology (GO) functional annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway were further analyzed. To investigate the overall pharmacological effects of salidroside on chronic myeloid leukemia, we constructed a drug component-target gene-disease (CTD) network. Finally, molecular docking was performed to verify the possible binding conformation between salidroside and the candidate target.

RESULTS

A total of 126 salidroside target genes were retrieved, and 106 of them had interactions with chronic myeloid leukemia. The pharmacological effects of salidroside on chronic myeloid leukemia are related to some important oncogenes and signaling pathways. Molecular docking studies confirmed that the main role of salidroside binding to the target genes is hydrogen bonding.

CONCLUSIONS

We revealed the potential mechanism of action of salidroside against chronic myeloid leukemia, verified by network pharmacology combined with molecular docking. However, salidroside is a promising drug for the prevention and treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia, and further research is needed to prove it.

Effects of Salidroside Combined with Paclitaxel on Proliferation, Migration, and Epithelial Mesenchyme of Colorectal Cancer Cells

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a multifactorial disease and one of the most common malignancies worldwide. Salidroside (Sal) is a plant with a wide range of pharmacological effects and plays an important role in the treatment of many diseases, and is considered a new hope for the treatment of tumors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the combination of Sal and paclitaxel (Pac) on colorectal cancer cells and its mechanism of action.

METHODS

The effects of different mass concentrations of Sal, Pac, and the combination intervened in the cells for 48 h were examined using the CCK8 method. The inhibition rate was obtained, and the optimal concentration of the respective drug group was screened. The proliferative capacity of the respective group was obtained. Subsequently, the results of apoptosis, cloning, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis were observed through cell morphological analysis (shape observation and Hoechst staining), colony formation assay, cell scratching assay, Transwell, angiogenesis assay, and protein immunoblotting (Western blotting) to detect the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated proteins and PI3K pathway-associated proteins.

RESULTS

Different concentrations of Sal, Pac, and the combined application had significant effects in inhibiting cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Compared with the control group, the Sal group, the Pac group, and the combination group significantly inhibited the clonal number, migration, invasion, and tube-forming ability of colorectal cancer cells. Besides, the combined application had a better effect than the Sal and Pac groups. The apoptosis level was up-regulated in all drug groups, and the up-regulation was more significant in the combination group. The expression of E-cad protein was up-regulated, the expression of N-cad and Vim protein was down-regulated, and the expression of PI3K and AKT phosphorylation was down-regulated in the respective group, and the difference was more significant in the combination group compared with the group of individual drugs.

CONCLUSION

The combined application of Sal and Pac significantly can decrease the survival rate of colorectal cancer cells, and the mechanism may be correlated with the blocking of the PI3K/AKT pathway, thus inhibiting EMT.

ANKFN1 plays both protumorigenic and metastatic roles in hepatocellular carcinoma

Ankyrin repeat and fibronectin type III domain containing 1 (ANKFN1) is reported to be involved in human height and developmental abnormalities, but the expression profile and molecular function of ANKFN1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical significance and biological function of ANKFN1 in HCC and investigate whether ANKFN1 can be used for differential diagnosis in HCC. Here, we showed that ANKFN1 was upregulated in 126 tumor tissues compared with adjacent nontumorous tissues in HCC patients. The upregulation of ANKFN1 in HCC was associated with cirrhosis, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels and poor prognosis. Moreover, silencing ANKFN1 expression suppressed HCC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and metastasis in vitro and subcutaneous tumorigenesis in vivo. However, ANKFN1 overexpression promoted HCC proliferation and metastasis in an orthotopic liver transplantation model and attenuated the above biological effects in HCC cells. ANKFN1 significantly affected HCC cell proliferation by inducing G1/S transition and cell apoptosis. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that ANKFN1 promoted cell proliferation, migration, and invasion via activation of the cyclin D1/Cdk4/Cdk6 pathway by stimulating the MEK1/2-ERK1/2 pathway. Moreover, ANKFN1-induced cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were partially reversed by ERK1/2 inhibitors. Taken together, our results indicate that ANKFN1 promotes HCC cell proliferation and metastasis by activating the MEK1/2-ERK1/2 signaling pathway. Our work also suggests that ANKFN1 is a potential therapeutic target for HCC.

Antiproliferative and Proapoptotic Effects of Phenanthrene Derivatives Isolated from Bletilla striata on A549 Lung Cancer Cells

Lung cancer continues to be the world’s leading cause of cancer death and the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has attracted much attention. The tubers of Bletilla striata are regarded as “an excellent medicine for lung diseases” and as the first choice to treat several lung diseases. In this study, seventeen phenanthrene derivatives, including two new compounds (1 and 2), were isolated from the tubers of B. striata. Most compounds showed cytotoxicity against A549 cells. An EdU proliferation assay, a cell cycle assay, a wound healing assay, a transwell migration assay, a flow cytometry assay, and a western blot assay were performed to further investigate the effect of compound 1 on A549 cells. The results showed that compound 1 inhibited cell proliferation and migration and promoted cell apoptosis in A549 cells. The mechanisms might correlate with the regulation of the Akt, MEK/ERK, and Bcl-2/Bax signaling pathways. These results suggested that the phenanthrenes of B. striata might be important and effective substances in the treatment of NSCLC.

Icariin inhibits the malignant progression of lung cancer by affecting the PI3K/Akt pathway through the miR‑205‑5p/PTEN axis

Icariin (ICA) is one of the main bioactive monomer belonging to the flavonoid glycosides that has been widely studied in multiple diseases, including lung cancer. Although ICA has shown anticancer effects, its specific molecular mechanism of action remains to be elucidated. In the present study, the expression of microRNA (miR)-205-5p and Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) in human lung cancer and bronchial cells were analyzed. Cell viability, colony formation, migration, invasion, apoptosis and cell cycle distribution were investigated in vitro. In addition, the function of ICA on tumor growth was determined using a xenotransplantation model. The results showed that ICA decreased the viability of lung cancer cells. In addition, miR-205-5p was upregulated in lung cancer tissues but downregulated following ICA treatment, while PTEN showed a significantly lower expression in lung cancer cells. miR-205-5p could increase cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion and cell cycle progression while suppressing cell apoptosis. Importantly, rescue experiment results showed that ICA could target the miR-205-5p/PTEN axis to affect the PI3K/Akt signaling, thereby suppressing the malignant cell phenotype of lung cancer. Finally, animal experiments confirmed that ICA could inhibit lung cancer growth in vivo. Taken together, our findings suggest that miR-205-5p is a key gene targeted by ICA to inhibit lung cancer progression.

Salidroside, 8(E)-Nuezhenide, and Ligustroside from Ligustrum japonicum Fructus Inhibit Expressions of MMP-2 and -9 in HT 1080 Fibrosarcoma

A phenyl ethanoid, salidroside (SAL), and two secoiridoids, 8(E)-nuezhenide (NZD) and ligustroside (LIG), were isolated from fruits of Ligustrumjaponicum, used as traditional folk medicine, and their chemical structures were elucidated by the comparison of spectral data with published literature. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are major enzymes that play crucial roles in the metastasis and invasive behavior of tumors. In particular, MMP-2 and MMP-9, regulated by the MAPK signaling pathways, including p38, ERK and JNK, are known to play a key role in the degradation of the basement membrane. In the present study, the effects of SAL, NZD and LIG on the expression of MMP-2 and -9 were examined in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced HT 1080 cells. All the compounds significantly lowered the amount of MMP-2 and MMP-9 released, as determined by gelatin zymography and ELISA. In addition, the mRNA and protein expression levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were significantly suppressed, as measured by RT-PCR and Western blotting. According to the Western blotting assay, SAL and LIG effectively reduced the expression of MMP-2 in a dose-dependent manner. NZD lowered the expression of MMP-9 in a similar way. The phosphorylation of p38, ERK and JNK was also significantly suppressed by these compounds. These findings suggest that all the compounds regulate the release and expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 via MAPK signaling pathways.

Salidroside inhibits chronic myeloid leukemia cell proliferation and induces apoptosis by regulating the miR-140-5p/wnt5a/β-catenin axis

Salidroside, an active ingredient of Rhodiola rosea, exhibits antitumor effects in various types of cancer. However, the role of salidroside in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) has not been elucidated. In the presents study, cell viability was assessed by CCK-8 assay, while apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR analysis was used to examine the expression levels of miR-140-5p in human CML cell lines. The expression levels of apoptosis and cell cycle-associated proteins and of the wnt5a/β-catenin signaling pathway were determined by western blot analysis. Bioinformatic analysis and luciferase reporter assays were employed to investigate the association between miR-140-5p and wnt5a. The results revealed that exposure of CML cells to salidroside (80 µM) inhibited cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis. In addition, salidroside treatment led to the upregulation of miR-140-5p expression. Furthermore, the inhibition of wnt5a/β-catenin signaling pathway and the pro-apoptotic effects induced by salidroside were attenuated by miR-140-5p silencing. Notably, wnt5a was revealed to be a direct target of miR-140-5p. The present findings indicated that salidroside exerted anti-CML effects through regulating miR-140-5p by suppressing the wnt5a/β-catenin signaling pathway. The present study provided evidence of the therapeutic role of salidroside in CML.

Salidroside Suppresses the Proliferation and Migration of Human Lung Cancer Cells through AMPK-Dependent NLRP3 Inflammasome Regulation

Inflammatory reactions mediated by the NACHT, LRR, and PYD domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome contributes to non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) progression, particularly in patients with bacterial infections. Salidroside (SAL) has recently been shown to suppress lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) induced NSCLC proliferation and migration, but its mechanism of action remains unclear. It has been shown that SAL improves metabolic inflammation in diabetic rodents through AMP-activated protein kinase- (AMPK-) dependent inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome. However, whether the NLRP3 inflammasome is regulated by SAL in NSCLC cells and how its underlying mechanism(s) can be determined require clarification. In this study, human lung alveolar basal carcinoma epithelial (A549) cells were treated with LPS, and the effects of SAL on cell proliferation, migration, AMPK activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and NLRP3 inflammasome activation were investigated. We found that LPS induction increases the proliferation and migration of A549 cells which was suppressed by SAL. Moreover, SAL protected A549 cells against LPS-induced AMPK inhibition, ROS production, and NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Blocking AMPK using Compound C almost completely suppressed the beneficial effects of SAL. In summary, these results indicate that SAL suppresses the proliferation and migration of human lung cancer cells through AMPK-dependent NLRP3 inflammasome regulation.

Curcumin Activates ROS Signaling to Promote Pyroptosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma HepG2 Cells

BACKGROUND/AIM

Curcumin is a polyphenol that exerts a variety of pharmacological activities and plays an anti-cancer role in many cancer cells. It was recently reported that gasdermin E (GSDME) is involved in the progression of pyroptosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

HepG2 cells were treated with various concentrations of curcumin and cell viability was examined using MTT assay, apoptosis was analysed using flow cytometry, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels using dihydroethidium, LDH release using an LDH cytotoxicity assay, and protein expression using western blot.

RESULTS

Curcumin increased the expression of the GSDME N-terminus and proteins involved in pyrolysis, promoted HspG2 cell pyrolysis and increased intracellular ROS levels. Moreover, inhibition of the production of intracellular ROS with n-acetylcysteine (NAC) improved the degree of apoptosis and pyrolysis induced by curcumin.

CONCLUSION

Curcumin induces HspG2 cell death by increasing apoptosis and pyroptosis, and ROS play a key role in this process. This study improves our understanding of the potential anti-cancer properties of curcumin in liver cancer.

A narrative review of the migration and invasion features of non-small cell lung cancer cells upon xenobiotic exposure: insights from in vitro studies

Lung cancer (LC) is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, being non-small lung cancer (NSCLC) sub-types the most prevalent. Since most LC cases are only detected during the last stage of the disease the high mortality rate is strongly associated with metastases. For this reason, the migratory and invasive capacity of these cancer cells as well as the mechanisms involved have long been studied to uncover novel strategies to prevent metastases and improve the patients’ prognosis. This narrative review provides an overview of the main in vitro migration and invasion assays employed in NSCLC research. While several methods have been developed, experiments using conventional cell culture models prevailed, specifically the wound-healing and the transwell migration and invasion assays. Moreover, it is provided herewith a summary of the available information concerning chemical contaminants that may promote the migratory/invasive properties of NSCLC cells in vitro, shedding some light on possible LC risk factors. Most of the reported agents with pro-migration/invasion effects derive from cigarette smoking [e.g., Benzo(a)pyrene and cadmium] and air pollution. This review further presents several studies in which different dietary/plant-derived compounds demonstrated to impair migration/invasion processes in NSCLC cells in vitro. These chemicals that have been proposed as anti-migratory consisted mainly of natural bioactive substances, including polyphenols non-flavonoids, flavonoids, bibenzyls, terpenes, alkaloids, and steroids. Some of these compounds may eventually represent novel therapeutic strategies to be considered in the future to prevent metastasis formation in LC, which highlights the need for additional in vitro methodologies that more closely resemble the in vivo tumor microenvironment and cancer cell interactions. These studies along with adequate in vivo models should be further explored as proof of concept for the most promising compounds.

Salidroside Inhibits CCl4-Induced Liver Fibrosis in Mice by Reducing Activation and Migration of HSC Induced by Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cell-Derived Exosomal SphK1

Sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK1)/Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P)/S1PRs signaling pathway is known to involve the advancement of liver fibrosis. Exosomal SphK1 promotes hepatic stellate cells (HSC) migration. Salidroside (Sal) inhibits liver fibrosis, but its mechanism is yet to be elucidated. This study was to explore the influences of Sal on the SphK/S1P/S1PRs signaling pathway in liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) in vivo, and investigated the mechanism of Sal affecting the migration and activation of HSC triggered by exosomal SphK1 in vitro. Our data showed that Sal reduced the activities of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in serum, and hydroxyproline (Hyp) content in the liver tissue. Sal subdued the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), fibronectin (FN) and type I collagen (Col I) of the liver. Sal also reduced mitochondria-induced hepatocyte apoptosis and to inhibit JNK activation. Furthermore, Sal remarkably eradicated the influence of SphK1, SphK2, S1P, and S1PRs triggered by CCl₄, whether stimulating or hindering. Compared with serum-derived exosomes from model group mice, serum-derived exosomes from Sal group mice expressed lower SphK1 and reduced JS 1 (mouse HSC cell line) migration. In addition, Sal was also observed to subdue Col I expression, AKT activation, and LX-2 migration induced by exosomal SphK1 from SK-HEP-1 (a kind of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC) cell line). In conclusion, Sal could effectively alleviate liver injury, hepatocyte apoptosis, and liver fibrosis in vivo, providing supports that the protective effects of Sal might be realized by suppressing JNK activation and modulating the SphK/S1P/S1PRs axis. In vitro, it was observed that Sal might alleviate LX-2 migration and activation induced by exosomal SphK1 by inhibiting the AKT activation.

Systems pharmacology unravels the synergic target space and therapeutic potential of Rhodiola rosea L. for non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer is the most common and mortal cancer worldwide. Rhodiola rosea L. (RR), a well-known traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has been turned out to be effective in anti-lung cancer therapy, but its molecular mechanism of action has not been clearly understood.

PURPOSE

In this study, we aimed to elucidate the possible molecular mechanism underlying the effect of RR against non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by systems pharmacology.

METHODS

The effects of RR on NSCLC were examined in Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) tumor-bearing mice models. The possible molecular mechanism was unraveled by systems pharmacology, which includes pharmacokinetics evaluation, active compounds screening, target prediction and network analysis. Cell proliferation was examined by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay; cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry; protein and proinflammatory cytokines expression were evaluated by Western blot and qRT-PCR.

RESULTS

In vivo, RR significantly inhibited the tumor growth and prolonged the survival of the tumor bearing mice. In silico, we identified 19 potential active molecules (e.g., salidroside and rhodiosin), 112 targets (e.g., COX-2 and AKT) and 27 pathways (e.g., PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and NF-κB signaling pathway) for RR. Additionally, targets analysis and networks construction further revealed that RR exerted anti-cancer effects by regulating apoptosis, angiogenesis and inflammation. In vitro, salidroside could significantly decrease expression of pro-angiogenic factors (e.g., VEGF and eNOS) and proinflammatory cytokines (e.g., COX-2, iNOS and TNF-α). Also, Bcl-2, an anti-apoptotic protein was decreased whereas Bax, a pro-apoptotic protein, was increased. Further flow cytometry analysis showed that salidroside could induce apoptosis in H1975 cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Mechanistically, the antitumor effect of RR on NSCLC was responsible for the synergy among anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic and pro-apoptotic.

Salidroside - Can it be a Multifunctional Drug?

BACKGROUND

Salidroside is a glucoside of tyrosol found mostly in the roots of Rhodiola spp. It exhibits diverse biological and pharmacological properties. In the last decade, enormous research is conducted to explore the medicinal properties of salidroside; this research reported many activities like anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, anti-aging, anti-diabetic, anti-depressant, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, etc. Objective: Despite its multiple pharmacological effects, a comprehensive review detailing its metabolism and therapeutic activities is still missing. This review aims to provide an overview of the metabolism of salidroside, its role in alleviating different metabolic disorders, diseases and its molecular interaction with the target molecules in different conditions. This review mostly concentrates on the metabolism, biological activities and molecular pathways related to various pharmacological activities of salidroside.

CONCLUSION

Salidroside is produced by a three-step pathway in the plants with tyrosol as an intermediate molecule. The molecule is biotransformed into many metabolites through phase I and II pathways. These metabolites, together with a certain amount of salidroside may be responsible for various pharmacological functions. The salidroside based inhibition of PI3k/AKT, JAK/ STAT, and MEK/ERK pathways and activation of apoptosis and autophagy are the major reasons for its anti-cancer activity. AMPK pathway modulation plays a significant role in its anti-diabetic activity. The neuroprotective activity was linked with decreased oxidative stress and increased antioxidant enzymes, Nrf2/HO-1 pathways, decreased inflammation through suppression of NF-κB pathway and PI3K/AKT pathways. These scientific findings will pave the way to clinically translate the use of salidroside as a multi-functional drug for various diseases and disorders in the near future.

Salidroside induces apoptosis and triggers endoplasmic reticulum stress in human hepatocellular carcinoma

Salidroside possesses excellent anti-tumor activity in many types of malignant tumor. In present study, we focused on the effects of salidroside on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The viability of human HCC cells was assayed using MTT. Apoptosis in the cells and tissues samples were detected by Annexin V/PI or TUNEL staining assays. The levels of apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress related proteins were measured by western blotting analysis. We found salidroside significantly suppressed cell viability and promoted apoptosis in HCC cells. Salidroside could activate intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways, by increasing activities of caspase-3, caspase-8 and caspase-9, up-regulating levels of Bax, Cytochrome c and decreasing level of Bcl-2 in HepG2 cells. Moreover, it was found salidroside induced ER stress and increased expression of p-PERK, eIF2a, p-eIF2a, ATF-6 and CHOP in HepG2 cells. Interestingly, knockdown of CHOP impaired salidroside induced inhibitory effects on HepG2 cells, suggesting the important role of ER stress in cytotoxic effect of salidroside. Finally, we have confirmed salidroside induced ER stress and inhibited development of HepG2 in an xenograft mouse model. In conclusion, our data suggest salidroside inhibits viability and induces apoptosis of HCC both in vitro and vivo, and this effect is partially mediated by activation of ER stress.

Salidroside inhibits platelet function and thrombus formation through AKT/GSK3β signaling pathway

Salidroside is the main bioactive component in Rhodiola rosea and possesses multiple biological and pharmacological properties. However, whether salidroside affects platelet function remains unclear. Our study aims to investigate salidroside’s effect on platelet function. Human or mouse platelets were treated with salidroside (0-20 μM) for 1 hour at 37°C. Platelet aggregation, granule secretion, and receptors expression were measured together with detection of platelet spreading and clot retraction. In addition, salidroside (20 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected into mice followed by measuring tail bleeding time, arterial and venous thrombosis. Salidroside inhibited thrombin- or CRP-induced platelet aggregation and ATP release and did not affect the expression of P-selectin, glycoprotein (GP) Ibα, GPVI and α_IIbβ₃. Salidroside-treated platelets presented decreased spreading on fibrinogen or collagen and reduced clot retraction with decreased phosphorylation of c-Src, Syk and PLCγ2. Additionally, salidroside significantly impaired hemostasis, arterial and venous thrombus formation in mice. Moreover, in thrombin-stimulated platelets, salidroside inhibited phosphorylation of AKT (T308/S473) and GSK3β (Ser9). Further, addition of GSK3β inhibitor reversed the inhibitory effect of salidroside on platelet aggregation and clot retraction. In conclusion, salidroside inhibits platelet function and thrombosis via AKT/GSK3β signaling, suggesting that salidroside may be a novel therapeutic drug for treating thrombotic or cardiovascular diseases.

A long non-coding RNA LINC00461-dependent mechanism underlying breast cancer invasion and migration via the miR-144-3p/KPNA2 axis

Background

The purpose of this study was to explore the regulatory mechanism of the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) LINC00461 underlying the breast cancer invasion and migration via the miR-144-3p/KPNA2 axis.

Methods

Bioinformatics methods were applied to screen differentially expressed mRNAs, miRNAs and lncRNAs for construction of a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network. LINC00461, KPNA2 and miR-144-3p were identified, and KPNA2 was predicted to be a target of miR-144-3p and significantly correlated with breast cancer prognosis. To make the findings more convincible, we used qRT-PCR to detect the expression levels of LINC00461 and miR-144-3p in breast cancer cells, and conducted western blot to determine KPNA2 protein level. Then, RIP was performed to assess the combination between miR-144-3p and LINC00461 or KPNA2, and dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to validate the targeted relationship between miR-144-3p and KPNA2. Furthermore, Transwell was employed for the examination of cell invasion and migration in breast cancer.

Results

LINC00461 was predicted to regulate KPNA2 through sponging miR-144-3p as revealed by the ceRNA network. Besides, LINC00461 and KPNA2 were found to be remarkably highly-expressed in breast cancer cells, while miR-144-3p was poorly-expressed. Silencing LINC00461 could promote miR-144-3p expression, thus inhibiting cell invasion and migration. In addition, KPNA2 was confirmed to be a direct target of miR-144-3p. Silencing miR-144-3p or overexpressing KPNA2 could reverse the inhibitory effect of LINC00461 silencing on cell invasion and migration in breast cancer.

Conclusion

LINC00461 promoted the expression of KPNA2 by competitively binding to miR-144-3p, thereby promoting the invasion and migration of breast cancer cells.

Anticancer properties and mechanism of action of the quassinoid ailanthone

Ailanthone (AIT) is a quassinoid natural product isolated from the worldwide-distributed plant Ailanthus altissima. The drug displays multiple pharmacological properties, in particular significant antitumor effects against a variety of cancer cell lines in vitro. Potent in vivo activities have been evidenced in mice bearing hepatocellular carcinoma, nonsmall cell lung cancer and castration-resistant prostate cancer. This review focusses on the mechanism of action of AIT, notably to highlight the capacity of the drug to activate DNA damage responses, to inhibit the Hsp90 co-chaperone p23 and to modulate the expression of several microRNA. The interconnexion between these effects is discussed. The unique capacity of AIT to downregulate oncogenic miR-21 and to upregulate the tumor suppressor miRNAs miR-126, miR-148a, miR-195, and miR-449a is presented. AIT exploits several microRNAs to exert its anticancer effects in distinct tumor types. AIT is one of the rare antitumor natural products that binds to and strongly inhibits cochaperone p23, opening interesting perspectives to treat cancers. However, the toxicity profile of the molecule may limit its development as an anticancer drug, unless it can be properly formulated to prevent AIT-induced gastro-intestinal damages in particular. The antitumor properties of AIT and analogs are underlined, with the aim to encourage further pharmacological studies with this underexplored natural product and related quassinoids. HIGHLIGHTS: Ailanthone (AIT) is an anticancer quassinoid isolated from Ailanthus altissima It inhibits proliferation and induces cell death of many cancer cell types The drug activates DNA damage response and targets p23 cochaperone Up or downregulation of several microRNA by AIT contributes to the anticancer activity Analogs or specific formulations must be developed to prevent the toxicity of AIT.

Advances in Research on Anticancer Properties of Salidroside

Salidroside is a phenolic secondary metabolite present in plants of the genus Rhodiola, and studies investigating its extensive pharmacological activities and mechanisms have recently attracted increasing attention. This review summarizes the progress of recent research on the antiproliferative activities of salidroside and its effects on breast, ovarian, cervical, colorectal, lung, liver, gastric, bladder, renal, and skin cancer as well as gliomas and fibrosarcomas. Thus, it provides a reference for the further development and utilization of salidroside.