Purified Vitexin Compound 1 Suppresses Tumor Growth and Induces Cell Apoptosis in a Mouse Model of Human Choriocarcinoma

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-mediated signaling alleviates ferroptosis during cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury

Cardiac arrest (CA) is a significant challenge for emergency physicians worldwide and leads to increased morbidity and mortality rates. The poor prognosis of CA primarily stems from the complexity and irreversibility of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI). Ferroptosis, a form of programmed cell death characterized by iron overload and lipid peroxidation, plays a crucial role in the progression and treatment of CIRI. In this review, we highlight the mechanisms of ferroptosis within the context of CIRI, focusing on its role as a key contributor to neuronal damage and dysfunction post-CA. We explore the crucial involvement of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2)-mediated signaling pathway in modulating ferroptosis-associated processes during CIRI. Through comprehensive analysis of the regulatory role of Nrf2 in the cellular responses to oxidative stress, we highlight its potential as a therapeutic target for mitigating ferroptotic cell death and improving the neurological prognosis of patients experiencing CA. Furthermore, we discuss interventions targeting the Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1/Nrf2/antioxidant response element pathway, including the use of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine, which demonstrate potential for attenuating ferroptosis and preserving neuronal function in CIRI. Owing to the limitations in the safety, specificity, and effectiveness of Nrf2-targeted drugs, as well as the technical difficulties and ethical constraints in obtaining the results related to the brain pathological examination of patients, most of the studies focusing on Nrf2-related regulation of ferroptosis in CIRI are still in the basic research stage. Overall, this review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying ferroptosis in CIRI, offering insights into novel therapeutics aimed at enhancing the clinical outcomes of patients with CA.

Natural Flavonoid Apigenin, an Effective Agent Against Nervous System Cancers

Cancer is a serious public health concern worldwide, and nervous system (NS) cancers are among the most life-threatening malignancies. Efforts have been devoted to introduce natural anticancer agents with minimal side effects. Apigenin is an edible flavonoid that is abundantly found in many vegetables and fruits. Various pharmaceutical activities, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, antimicrobial, and anticancer effects have been reported for apigenin. This review provides insights into the therapeutic effects of apigenin and flavonoids with similar structure on glioblastoma and neuroblastoma. Current evidence indicates that apigenin has the unique ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, and its antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, neurogenic, and neuroprotective effects have made this flavonoid a great option for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. Meanwhile, apigenin has low toxicity on normal neuronal cells, while induces cytotoxicity on NS cancer cells via triggering several signal pathways and molecular targets. Anticancer effects of apigenin have been contributed to various mechanisms such as induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, and inhibition of migration, invasion, and angiogenesis. Although apigenin is a promising pharmaceutical agent, its low bioavailability is an important issue that must be solved before introducing to clinic. Recently, nano-delivery of apigenin by liposomes and poly lactic-co-glycolide nanoparticles has greatly improved functionality of this agent. Hence, investigating pharmaceutical effects of apigenin-loaded nanocarriers on NS cancer cell lines and animal models is recommended for future studies.

Protection of β-pancreatic cells from dysfunctionality of insulin using vitexin by apoptosis of INS-1 cells

AIMS

This study was performed to explore the possible beneficial effects of vitexin on high glucose (HG)-induced cytotoxicity in pancreatic β-cells.

METHODS

INS-1 pancreatic β-cell line has used this study. HG-induced (33 Mm) exposed INS-1 cell death; the apoptosis INS-1 cells treated vitexin 10, 20, 40, and 80 µg/mL for 24 hours. The anti-apoptosis properties were evaluated by MTT assay, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion assay, biochemical assay, annexin-V-FITC staining and western blot analysis.

RESULTS

These findings demonstrate that vitexin treatment improved the HG-exposure, reduced the INS-1 cell viability and significantly enhanced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in a dose-dependent manner. The antioxidant studies revealed that vitexin treatment significantly decreased lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species and increased antioxidant level of INS-1 cell line in 24 hrs. The findings of the study suggested that in the vitexin treatment group, pancreatic apoptosis and Bax protein expression reduced significantly. At the same time, Bcl-2 protein expression increased, and NF-κB protein in HG-induced INS-cells was inhibited.

CONCLUSION

Therefore, our results suggest that vitexin can be successfully used to regulate the expression of Bcl-2 family proteins, reduce lipid peroxidation and to improve the secretion of antioxidants in pancreatic β-cell lines.

Microfluidic Generation of Near-Infrared Photothermal Vitexin/ICG Liposome with Amplified Photodynamic Therapy

Glioma, in which a malignant tumor cell occurs in neural mesenchymal cells, has a rapid progression and poor prognosis, which is still far from desirable in clinical treatments. We developed a lab-on-a-chip (LOC) device for the rapid and efficient preparation of vitexin/indocyanine green (ICG) liposomes. Vitexin could be released from liposome to kill cancer cell, which can potentially improve the glioma therapeutic effect and reduce the treatment time through synergistic photodynamic/photothermal therapies (PDT/PTT). The vitexin/ICG liposome was fabricated via LOC and its physicochemical property and release in vitro were evaluated. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method and live/dead staining were used to examine the enhanced antitumor effect of vitexin/ICG liposome in cooperation with PDT/PTT, while the related mechanism was explored by flow cytometry and western blot. The results were as follows: (1) The prepared vitexin/ICG liposome was smaller in size, homogenous in particle size distribution with significant low polydispersity index (PDI), and enhanced cumulative release in vitro. (2) We found that the formulated liposome presented strong cancer cell inhibition and suppression of its migration in a dose-dependent manner. (3) Further mechanistic studies showed that liposome combined with near-infrared irradiation could significantly upregulate levels of B cell lymphoma 2-associated X (Bax) protein and decrease B cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) at protein levels. The vitexin/ICG liposomes prepared based on a simple LOC platform can effectively enhance the solubility of insoluble drugs, and the combined effect of PTT/PDT can effectively increase their antitumor effect, which provides a simple and valid method for the clinical translation of liposomes.

Screening of potential bio-molecules from Moringa olifera against SARS-CoV-2 main protease using computational approaches

COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for the deaths of millions of people worldwide. It is having devastating effects on the people of all countries. In this regard, the phytochemicals of medicinal plants could be explored to prevent this disease. M. oleifera is a miracle plant with antibacterial, antiviral, and antioxidant properties because of its high content of flavonoids, glucosides and glucosinolates. Therefore, we constructed a library of 294 phytochemicals of M. oleifera and filtered it through the FAF-Drugs4. Further, molecular docking studies of filtered phytochemicals were performed with Mpro enzyme to investigate the binding interactions. Drug likeness properties, ADMET prediction were analyzed to determine the therapeutic aspect of these compounds. Based on the binding energy score of the top 4 compounds, the results indicate that Vicenin-2 has the highest binding affinity (-8.6 kcal mol^-1) as compared to the reference molecule (-8.4 kcal mol^-1). ADMET result reveals that all top four compounds have minimal toxic effects and good absorption. Further, 500 ns molecular dynamics simulation of the top four compounds showed that Kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside and Vitexin have good stability with Mpro. These two compounds were then subjected for MMPBSA (last 50 ns) calculation to analyze the protein-ligand stability and dynamic behavior. Kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside and Vitexin showed very good binding free energy i.e. -40.136 kJ mol^-1 and -26.784 kJ mol^-1, respectively. Promising outcomes from MD simulations evidence the worth of these compounds for future drug development to combat coronavirus disease.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Purified Vitexin Compound 1 Serves as a Promising Antineoplastic Agent in Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer is a common gynecologic aggressive neoplasm. The mortality of ovarian cancer is top among gynecologic malignancies due to the insidious onset, atypical early symptoms, and chemoresistance. Therefore, it is urgent to seek another promising treatment for ovarian cancer. Purified vitexin compound 1 (VB1) is a kind of neolignan from the seed of traditional Chinese herb vitex negundo that possessed diverse pharmacological effects. VB1 can exhibit anti-neoplastic activities against various cancers. However, the role of VB1 in ovarian cancer treatment has not been elaborated, and the mechanism is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of VB1 in ovarian cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo, along with the molecular mechanism of action. In vitro, VB-1 can effectively suppress the proliferation, induce apoptosis, and block cell cycle at G2/M phase with a concentration dependent manner in ovarian cancer cells. Western blot assay showed that VB1 induce apoptosis via upregulating expression of cleaved-caspase3 and block cell cycle at G2/M phase through upregulating expression of P21. Meanwhile, VB1 can effectively inhibit tumor growth in xenograft mouse model. Our research indicated that VB1 can significantly exert its anti-neoplastic effects and may represent a new class of agents in ovarian cancer therapy.

Dermal Drug Delivery of Phytochemicals with Phenolic Structure via Lipid-Based Nanotechnologies

Phenolic compounds are a large, heterogeneous group of secondary metabolites found in various plants and herbal substances. From the perspective of dermatology, the most important benefits for human health are their pharmacological effects on oxidation processes, inflammation, vascular pathology, immune response, precancerous and oncological lesions or formations, and microbial growth. Because the nature of phenolic compounds is designed to fit the phytochemical needs of plants and not the biopharmaceutical requirements for a specific route of delivery (dermal or other), their utilization in cutaneous formulations sets challenges to drug development. These are encountered often due to insufficient water solubility, high molecular weight and low permeation and/or high reactivity (inherent for the set of representatives) and subsequent chemical/photochemical instability and ionizability. The inclusion of phenolic phytochemicals in lipid-based nanocarriers (such as nanoemulsions, liposomes and solid lipid nanoparticles) is so far recognized as a strategic physico-chemical approach to improve their in situ stability and introduction to the skin barriers, with a view to enhance bioavailability and therapeutic potency. This current review is focused on recent advances and achievements in this area.

Vitexin isolated from Prosopis cineraria leaves induce apoptosis in K-562 leukemia cells via inhibition of the BCR-ABL-Ras-Raf pathway

OBJECTIVES

Leukemia is one of the severe cancer types all around the globe. Even though some chemotherapeutic drugs are available for treating leukemia, they have various side effects. As an alternative approach, herbal drugs are focused on current research to overcome leukemia. The present work was conducted to investigate the antileukemic mechanism of active phytochemical vitexin, which was isolated from ethno-medicine (Prosopis cineraria leaf) used by traditional healers of West Bengal, India.

METHODS

Antiproliferative mechanisms of selected phyto-compound against K-562 cells were evaluated using cellular uptake, morphological changes, DNA fragmentation, mitochondrial membrane potential and signaling pathways analysis.

KEY FINDINGS

Vitexin exhibited cytotoxicity by reducing mitochondrial membrane potential (32.40%) and causing DNA fragmentation (84.15%). The western blotting study indicated inhibition of cell survival proteins (BCR, ABL, H-RAS, N-RAS, K-RAS and RAF) and expression of apoptotic proteins (p38, BAX and caspase-9) in leukemia cells upon treatment with vitexin.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the results, presently investigated phyto-compound vitexin could be considered for developing safe and natural drugs to treat leukemia after conducting suitable preclinical and clinical trials.

Micro-Structural Stability of Micropropagated Plants of Vitex negundo L

Micropropagation techniques allow producing large numbers of clones of genetically identical plants. However, there is evidence of disorders in internal structures due to sophisticated in vitro conditions. Such variations are responsible for the mortality of plantlets in the field and cause huge loss to the tissue culture industry. Anatomical evaluation at different growth conditions allows for understanding structural repair of in vitro raised plantlets. Therefore, the present study was aimed to identify the structural changes that occurred in micropropagated plants of Vitex negundo under heterotrophic, photomixotrophic, and photoautotrophic conditions. To achieve this, structural variations were analyzed in the plantlets obtained from in vitro, greenhouse and field transferred stages using light microscopy. Underdeveloped dermal tissues, palisade cells, intercellular spaces, mechanical tissues, vascular bundles, and ground tissues were observed with the plants growing under in vitro conditions. The self-repairing of structural disorders and transitions in vegetative anatomy was observed during hardening under the greenhouse environment. Field transferred plantlets were characterized by well-developed internal anatomy. These findings showed that the micropropagated plantlets of V. negundo were well-adapted through a series of self-repairing the in vitro induced structural abnormalities at the subsequent stages of plant development.

Vitexin prevents colitis-associated carcinogenesis in mice through regulating macrophage polarization

BACKGROUND

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease are at increased risks of developing ulcerative colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC). Vitexin can suppress the proliferation of colorectal carcinoma cells in vitro orin vivo. However, different from colorectal carcinoma, CAC is more consistent with the transformation from inflammation to cancer in clinical chronic IBD patients. Therefore, we aim to investigated that vitexin whether possess benefic effects on CAC mice.

PURPOSE

We aimed to determine the beneficial effects of vitexin on CAC mice and reveal its underlying mechanism.

METHODS

The mouse CAC model was induced by Azoxymethane and dextran sodium sulfate (AOM/DSS) and CAC mice were treated with vitexin. At the end of this study, inflammatory cytokines of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-10 as well as nitric oxide (NO) were detected by kits after long-term treatment of vitexin. Pathological changes and macrophage polarization were determined by H&E and immunofluorescence in adjacent noncancerous tissue and carcinomatous tissue respectively of CAC mice.

RESULTS

Our results showed that oral administration of vitexin could significantly improve the clinical signs and symptoms of chronic colitis, relieve colon damage, regulate colonic inflammatory cytokines, as well as suppress tumor incidence and tumor burden. Interesting, vitexin caused a significant increase in serum level of NO and a higher content of NO in tumor tissue. In addition, vitexin significantly decreased M1 phenotype macrophages in the adjacent noncancerous tissue, while markedly up-regulated M1 macrophage polarization in the tumor tissue in the colon of CAC mice.

CONCLUSION

Vitexin can attenuate chronic colitis-associated carcinogenesis induced by AOM/DSS in mice and its protective effects are partly associated with its alternations in macrophage polarization in the inflammatory and tumor microenvironment .

ADAM12 silencing promotes cellular apoptosis by activating autophagy in choriocarcinoma cells

ADAM metallopeptidase domain 12 (ADAM12) has been demonstrated to mediate cell proliferation and apoptosis resistance in several types of cancer cells. However, the effect of ADAM12 silencing on the proliferation and apoptosis of choriocarcinoma cells remains unknown. The present study revealed that ADAM12 silencing significantly inhibited cellular activity and proliferation in the human choriocarcinoma JEG3 cell line and increased the rate of apoptosis. In addition, ADAM12 silencing significantly increased the expression levels of the autophagy proteins microtubule-associated protein-light-chain 3 (LC3B) and autophagy related 5 (ATG5) and the fluorescence density of LC3B in JEG-3 cells. However, the suppression of autophagy by 3-methyladenine could block ADAM12 silencing-induced cellular apoptosis. ADAM12 silencing reduced the levels of the inflammatory factors interleukin-1β, interferon-γ and TNF-α, and inactivated nuclear p65-NF-κB and p-mTOR in JEG-3 cells. The downregulation of p-mTOR expression by ADAM12 silencing was rescued in 3-methyladenine-treated JEG-3 cells, indicating that mTOR might participate in the autophagy-mediated pro-apoptotic effect of ADAM12 silencing. In conclusion, ADAM12 silencing promoted cellular apoptosis in human choriocarcinoma JEG3 cells, which might be associated with autophagy and the mTOR response. These findings indicate that ADAM12 silencing might be a potential novel therapeutic target for choriocarcinoma.

Vitexin compound 1, a novel extraction from a Chinese herb, suppresses melanoma cell growth through DNA damage by increasing ROS levels

BACKGROUND

Vitex negundo L (Verbenaceae) is an aromatic shrub that is abundant in Asian countries. A series of compounds from Vitex negundo have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of various diseases. Cutaneous melanoma is one of the most aggressive malignancies. A significant feature of melanoma is its resistance to traditional chemotherapy and radiotherapy; therefore, there is an urgent need to develop novel treatments for melanoma.

METHODS

We first examined the effects of VB1 (vitexin compound 1) on cell viability by CCK-8 (cell counting kit) and Colony Formation Assay; And then, we analyzed the apoptosis and cell cycle by flow cytometry, verified apoptosis by Immunoblotting. The in vivo effect of VB1 was evaluated in xenograft mouse model. Potential mechanisms of VB1's antitumor effects were explored by RNA sequencing and the key differential expression genes were validated by real-time quantitative PCR. Finally, the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was detected by flow cytometry, and the DNA damage was revealed by Immunofluorescence and Immunoblotting.

RESULTS

In this study, we show that VB1, which is a compound purified from the seed of the Chinese herb Vitex negundo, blocks melanoma cells growth in vitro and in vivo, arrests the cell cycle in G2/M phase and induces apoptosis in melanoma cell lines, whereas the effects are not significantly observed in normal cells. To study the details of VB1, we analyzed the alteration of gene expression profiles after treatment with VB1 in melanoma cells. The findings showed that VB1 can affect various pathways, including p53, apoptosis and the cell cycle pathway, in a variety of melanoma cell lines. Furthermore, we confirmed that VB1 restored the P53 pathway protein level, and then we demonstrated that VB1 significantly induced the accumulation of ROS, which resulted in DNA damage in melanoma cell lines. Interestingly, our results showed that VB1 also increased the ROS levels in BRAFi (BRAF inhibitor)-resistant melanoma cells, leading to DNA cytotoxicity, which caused G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, our findings indicate that vitexin compound 1 might be a promising therapeutic Chinese medicine for melanoma treatment regardless of BRAFi resistance.

Vitex negundo and its medicinal value

Natural products are rich in several potent bioactive compounds, targeting complex network of proteins involved in various diseases. Vitex negundo (VN), commonly known as "chaste tree", is an ethnobotanically important plant with enormous medicinal properties. Different species of Vitex vary in chemical composition, thus producing different phytochemicals. Several bioactive compounds have been extracted from leaves, seeds, roots in form of volatile oils, flavonoids, lignans, iridoids, terpenes, and steroids. These bioactive compounds exhibit anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, anticancer, antimicrobial. VN is typically known for its role in the modulation of cellular events like apoptosis, cell cycle, motility of sperms, polycystic ovary disease, and menstrual cycle. VN, reportedly, perturbs many cancer-signaling pathways involving p-p38, p-ERK1/2, and p-JNK in LPS-elicited cells, N-terminal kinase (JNK), COX-1 pathways, MAPK, NF-κB, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), Akt, mTOR, vascular endothelial growth factor, hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1α). Several bioactive compounds obtained from VN have been commercialized and others are under investigation. This is the first review presenting up-to-date information about the VN, its bioactive constituents and their mode of action.

Apoptosis of posterior silk gland of Bombyx mori during spinning period and the role of PI3K/Akt pathway

Bombyx mori is an economic insect of the Lepidoptera. Its posterior silk gland (PSG) is an important organ for fibroin synthesis. In order to study the occurrence of apoptosis in PSG and the role of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway during spinning period, changes in morphology of silk gland, expressions of fibroin components Fib-H, Fib-L and P25 and Akt, TOR2, P70S6K and S6 in PI3K/Akt pathway, expressions of apoptosis related genes caspase-3, caspase-9 and activity of caspase-3 were explored. The results showed that the morphology of silk gland dramatically degenerated; transcription of Fib-H, Fib-L, and P25 gradually declined with time; and Fib-L protein level reduced by 0.6-fold at 72 h. Moreover, the transcription levels of Akt, TOR2, P70S6K, and S6 also decreased by 0.3-, 0.8-, 0.7-, and 0.1-fold, respectively, indicating that the downregulation of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway could lead to reduction in fibroin synthesis. In addition, the transcription levels of caspase-3 and caspase-9 increased by 1.3- and 3.6-fold, respectively, and the enzyme activity of caspase-3 grew at a maximum of 1.6-fold. The results showed the occurrence of apoptosis in PSG during spinning period. In conclusion, the present study indicated that both the decline in fibroin components and the increase in apoptosis-related genes were regulated by PI3K/Akt signaling pathway during spinning period, which shed new light on the functions of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Cancer-Specific Inhibitory Effects of Genetically Engineered Stem Cells Expressing Cytosine Deaminase and Interferon-β Against Choriocarcinoma in Xenografted Metastatic Mouse Models

Cancer treatments using stem cells expressing therapeutic genes have been identified for various types of cancers. In this study, we investigated inhibitory effects of HB1.F3.CD and HB1.F3.CD.IFN-β cells expressing Escherichia coli cytosine deaminase (CD) and human interferon-β (IFN-β) genes in intravenously (i.v.) injected mice with a metastasis model. In this treatment, pro-drug 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) is converted to cytotoxic drug 5-fluorouracil by hNSCs expressing the CD gene, which inhibits DNA synthesis in cancer cells. Moreover, IFN-β induces apoptosis and reduces the growth of cancer cells. Upon MTT assay, proliferation of choriocarcinoma (JEG-3) cells decreased when co-cultured with hNSCs expressing CD and IFN-β genes. To confirm the cancer-tropic effect of these stem cells, chemoattractant factors (VEGF, CXCR4, and C-kit) secreted from JEG-3 cells were identified by polymerase chain reaction. hNSCs migrate toward JEG-3 cells due to ligand-receptor interactions of these factors. Accordingly, the migration capability of hNSCs toward JEG-3 cells was confirmed using an in vitro Trans-well assay, in vivo subcutaneously (s.c.) injected mice groups (xenograft model), and metastasis model. Intravenously injected hNSCs migrated freely to other organs when compared to s.c. injected hNSCs. Thus, we confirmed the inhibition of lung and ovarian metastasis of choriocarcinoma by i.v. injected HB1.F3.CD or HB1.F3.CD.IFN-β cells in the presence of 5-FC. Treatment of these stem cells also increased the survival rates of mice. In conclusion, this study showed that metastatic cancer was diminished by genetically engineered hNSCs and noncytotoxic drug 5-FC. This is the first report of the therapeutic potential of i.v. injected hNSCs in a metastasis model; therefore, the results indicate that this stem cell therapy can be used as an alternative novel tool to treat metastatic choriocarcinoma.

Vitexin confers HSF-1 mediated autophagic cell death by activating JNK and ApoL1 in colorectal carcinoma cells

Heat shock transcription factor-1 (HSF-1) guards the cancerous cells proteome against the alterations in protein homeostasis generated by their hostile tumor microenvironment. Contrasting with the classical induction of heat shock proteins, the pro-oncogenic activities of HSF-1 remains to be explored. Therefore, cancer's fragile proteostatic pathway governed by HSF-1 could be a potential therapeutic target and novel biomarker by natural compounds. Vitexin, a natural flavonoid has been documented as a potent anti-tumor agent on various cell lines. However, in the present study, when human colorectal carcinoma HCT-116 cells were exposed to vitexin, the induction of HSF-1 downstream target proteins, such as heat shock proteins were suppressed. We identified HSF-1 as a potential molecular target of vitexin that interact with DNA-binding domain of HSF-1, which inhibited HSF-1 oligomerization and activation (in silico). Consequently, HSF-1 hyperphosphorylation mediated by JNK operation causes transcriptional inactivation of HSF-1, and supported ROS-mediated autophagy induction. Interestingly, in HSF-1 immunoprecipitated and silenced HCT-116 cells, co-expression of apolipoprotein 1 (ApoL1) and JNK was observed which promoted the caspase independent autophagic cell death accompanied by p62 downregulation and increased LC3-I to LC3-II conversion. Finally, in vivo findings confirmed that vitexin suppressed tumor growth through activation of autophagic cascade in HCT-116 xenograft model. Taken together, our study insights a probable novel association between HSF-1 and ApoL-1 was established in this study, which supports HSF-1 as a potential target of vitexin to improve treatment outcome in colorectal cancer.

Vitexin alleviates ox-LDL-mediated endothelial injury by inducing autophagy via AMPK signaling activation

Endothelial cell injury plays a crucial role in the development and pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. Vitexin is a natural flavonoid characterized by anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of vitexin on ox-LDL-induced endothelial dysfunction and to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. In the present study, vitexin was found to play a protective role against ox-LDL-induced endothelial injury. Vitexin significantly promoted cell viability and inhibited apoptosis in ox-LDL-treated HUVECs. The up-regulation of cleaved Caspase-3, cleaved Caspase-9 and Bax induced by ox-LDL were inhibited by treatment with vitexin; meanwhile, the down-regulation of Bcl-2 was suppressed by vitexin. Pretreatment with vitexin was found to inhibit the ox-LDL-induced overexpression of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, E-selectin, ICAM1 and VCAM1. Moreover, vitexin reduced ox-LDL-induced oxidative stress by inhibiting the production of ROS and MDA, and by promoting the expression of SOD. Furthermore, we had shown that vitexin protected against the ox-LDL induced cell injury by activating autophagy. The protective effects of vitexin in ox-LDL-treated HUVECs were all reversed following treatment with the autophagy inhibitor 3-MA. In addition, we found that vitexin increased the expression of p-AMPK and decreased the expression of p-mTOR. The combination of the AMPK inhibitor Compound C plus vitexin significantly reversed the effects of vitexin in ox-LDL-treated HUVECs, such as the inhibition of autophagy, reduction in cell viability, increase in apoptosis and ROS production. In conclusion, these data suggest that vitexin ameliorates ox-LDL-mediated endothelial injury by inducing autophagy via AMPK signaling.

Vitexin suppresses autophagy to induce apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma via activation of the JNK signaling pathway

Vitexin, a flavonoids compound, is known to exhibit broad anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antitumor activity in many cancer xenograft models and cell lines. The purpose of this study was to investigate the antitumor effects and underlying mechanisms of vitexin on hepatocellular carcinoma. In this study, we found that vitexin suppressed the viability of HCC cell lines (SK-Hep1 and Hepa1-6 cells) significantly. Vitexin showed cytotoxic effects against HCC cell lines in vitro by inducing apoptosis and inhibiting autophagy. Vitexin induced apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner, and caused up-regulations of Caspase-3, Cleave Caspase-3, and a down-regulation of Bcl-2. The expression of autophagy-related protein LC3 II was significantly decreased after vitexin treatment. Moreover, western blot analysis presented that vitexin markedly up-regulated the levels of p-JNK and down-regulated the levels of p-Erk1/2 in SK-Hep1 cells and Hepa1-6 cells. Cotreatment with JNK inhibitor SP600125, we demonstrated that apoptosis induced by vitexin was suppressed, while the inhibition of autophagy by vitexin was reversed. The results of colony formation assay and mouse model confirmed the growth inhibition role of vitexin on HCC in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, vitexin inhibits HCC growth by way of apoptosis induction and autophagy suppression, both of which are through JNK MAPK pathway. Therefore, vitexin could be regarded as a potent therapeutic agent for the treatment of HCC.

Evaluation of the effects of the water-soluble total flavonoids from Isodon lophanthoides var.gerardianus (Benth.) H. Hara on apoptosis in HepG2 cell: Investigation of the most relevant mechanisms

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The water-soluble total flavonoids (WSTF) were extracted from Isodon lophanthoides var. gerardianus (Benth.) H. Hara, a common folk herbal medicine in China, which has been recorded by the "Chinese Pharmacopoeia" in 2015 and used for prevention and clinical treatment of common diseases of liver and gall for many years.

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of WSTF on apoptosis in HepG2 cell and investigate the relevant mechanisms underlying.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Cytotoxicity was evaluated in HepG2 cells (human hepatoma cell lines) using MTT assay. The influence of the WSTF on the intracellular reactive oxygen species (iROS) and the mitochondrial membrane potential were also determinated. We used flow cytometry analysis to detect the effects of WSTF on apoptosis, cell cycle. Then we applied RT-PCR for genetic expression of main effectors and western blot analysis for activation of main effectors involved in the potential apoptosis signaling pathways.

RESULTS

WSTF inhibited cell growth in HepG2 cells. Moreover, WSTF stimulates to increase amount of iROS, mitochondrial membrane potential, and the apoptotic relevant factors (cytochrome c, caspase-3) in HepG2 cells. WSTF could significantly induce apoptosis through downregulating apoptosis-antagonizing protein (Bcl-2, Survivin, mcl-1) and upregulating apoptosis-promoting proteins (Bax) and cell cycle G0/G1 arrest in HepG2 cells.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that WSTF induces cell apoptosis through mitochondrial pathway in the HepG2 cells. Therefore, these studies suggest that WSTF could be used as a chemotherapeutic agent to treat hepatoma.

Apigenin Reduces Survival of Choriocarcinoma Cells by Inducing Apoptosis via the PI3K/AKT and ERK1/2 MAPK Pathways

Apigenin is a flavonoid found in parsley, onions, oranges, tea, chamomile, wheat, and sprouts. It has a variety of biological properties including anti-oxidant, anti-mutagenic, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, and anti-spasmodic effects. Based on epidemiological and case-control studies, apigenin is regarded as a novel chemotherapeutic agent against various cancer types. However, little is known about the effects of apigenin on choriocarcinoma cells. Therefore, we investigated the anti-cancer effects of apigenin on choriocarcinoma cells (JAR and JEG3) in the present study. Apigenin reduced viability and migratory properties, increased apoptosis, and suppressed mitochondrial membrane potential in both the JAR and JEG3 cells. In addition, apigenin predominantly decreased phosphorylation of AKT, P70RSK, and S6 whereas the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and P90RSK was increased by apigenin treatment of JAR and JEG3 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, treatment of JAR and JEG3 cells with both apigenin and pharmacological inhibitors of PI3K/AKT (LY294002) and ERK1/2 (U0126) revealed synergistic anti-proliferative effects. Collectively, these results indicated that the apigenin is an invaluable chemopreventive agent that inhibits progression and metastasis of choriocarcinoma cells through regulation of PI3K/AKT and ERK1/2 MAPK signal transduction mechanism. J. Cell. Physiol. 231: 2690-2699, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Expression pattern of NMDA receptors reveals antiepileptic potential of apigenin 8-C-glucoside and chlorogenic acid in pilocarpine induced epileptic mice

The present study was aimed to evaluate the effect of apigenin 8-C-glucoside (Vitexin) and chlorogenic acid on epileptic mice induced by pilocarpine and explored its possible mechanisms. Intraperitonial administration of pilocarpine (85mg/kg) induced seizure in mice was assessed by behavior observations, which is significantly (p>0.05) reduced by apigenin 8-C-glucoside (AP8CG) (10mg/kg) and chlorogenic acid (CA) (5mg/kg), similar to diazepam. Seizure was accompanied by an imbalance in the levels of Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate in the pilocarpine administered group. Moreover, convulsion along with reduced acetylcholinesterase, increased monoamine oxidase and oxidative stress was observed in epileptic mice brain. AP8CG and CA significantly restored back to normal levels even at lower doses. Further, increased lipid peroxidation and nitrite content was also significantly attenuated by AP8CG and CA. However, CA was found to be more effective when compared to AP8CG. In addition, the mRNA expression of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR), mGluR1 and mGlu5 was significantly (P≤0.05) inhibited by AP8CG and CA in a lower dose. The mRNA expression of GRIK1 did not differ significantly in any of the group and showed a similar pattern of expression. Our result shows that AP8CG and CA selectively inhibit NMDAR, mGluR1 and mGlu5 expression. Modification in the provoked NMDAR calcium response coupled with neuronal death. Hence, these findings underline that the polyphenolics, AP8CG and CA have exerted antiepileptic and neuroprotective activity by suppressing glutamate receptors.

The Potential of Plant Phenolics in Prevention and Therapy of Skin Disorders

Phenolic compounds constitute a group of secondary metabolites which have important functions in plants. Besides the beneficial effects on the plant host, phenolic metabolites (polyphenols) exhibit a series of biological properties that influence the human in a health-promoting manner. Evidence suggests that people can benefit from plant phenolics obtained either by the diet or through skin application, because they can alleviate symptoms and inhibit the development of various skin disorders. Due to their natural origin and low toxicity, phenolic compounds are a promising tool in eliminating the causes and effects of skin aging, skin diseases, and skin damage, including wounds and burns. Polyphenols also act protectively and help prevent or attenuate the progression of certain skin disorders, both embarrassing minor problems (e.g., wrinkles, acne) or serious, potentially life-threatening diseases such as cancer. This paper reviews the latest reports on the potential therapy of skin disorders through treatment with phenolic compounds, considering mostly a single specific compound or a combination of compounds in a plant extract.

Central Antinociceptive and Mechanism of Action of Pereskia bleo Kunth Leaves Crude Extract, Fractions, and Isolated Compounds

Pereskia bleo (Kunth) DC. (Cactaceae) is a plant commonly used in popular medicine in Malaysia. In this work, we evaluate the antinociceptive effect of P. bleo leaf extracts and isolated compounds in central antinociceptive model. Ethanol extract (E), hexane (H), ethyl acetate (EA), or butanol (B) fractions (30, 50, or 100 mg/kg, p.o.), sitosterol (from hexane) and vitexin (from ethyl acetate), were administered to mice. Antinociceptive effect was evaluated in the hot plate and capsaicin- or glutamate-induced licking models. Morphine (1 mg/kg, p.o.) was used as reference drug. Naloxone (1 mg/kg, i.p.), atropine (1 mg/kg, i.p.), and L-nitro arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 3 mg/kg, i.p.) were administered 30 min earlier (100 mg/kg, p.o.) in order to evaluate the mechanism of the antinociceptive action. Higher dose of B developed an effect significantly superior to morphine-treated group. Naloxone prevented the antinociceptive effect of all fractions. L-NAME demonstrated effect against E, EA, and B. In all fractions, sitosterol and vitexin reduced the licking time after capsaicin injection. Glutamate-induced licking response was blocked by H, EA, and B. Our results indicate that Pereskia bleo fractions, sitosterol and vitexin, possessed a central antinociceptive effect. Part of this effect is mediated by opioid receptors and nitrergic pathway.

Redox-Active Profile Characterization of Remirea maritima Extracts and Its Cytotoxic Effect in Mouse Fibroblasts (L929) and Melanoma (B16F10) Cells

Remirea maritima is a tropical plant with a reticulated root system belonging to the family Cyperaceae, also known to have biologically active secondary metabolites. However, very few data on R. maritima’s biological actions are available and there are no reports regarding the redox-active profile of this plant. In this study, we examined the total phenolic content of Remirea maritima hydroalcoholic (RMHA) extracts, redox properties against different reactive species generated in vitro and their cytotoxic effect against fibroblasts (L929) and melanoma (B16F10) cells. Total reactive antioxidant potential index (TRAP) and total antioxidant reactivity (TAR) results revealed that RMHA at all concentrations tested showed significant antioxidant capacity. RMHA was also effective against hydroxyl radical formation, reduction of Fe³⁺ to Fe²⁺ and in scavenging nitric oxide (NO) radicals. In vitro, the level of lipid peroxidation was reduced by RMHA extract and the data showed significant oxidative damage protection. The RMHA cytotoxicity was evaluated by a neutral red assay in fibroblast (L929) and melanome (B16F10) cells. The obtained results showed that the RMHA (40 and 80 µg/mL, respectively) reduced 70% of the viable cells. In conclusion, this study represents the first report regarding the antioxidant and anti-proliferative potential of R. maritima against B16F10 melanoma cells.

Purified vitexin compound 1 induces apoptosis through activation of FOXO3a in hepatocellular carcinoma

We previously reported that purified vitexin compound 1 (VB1, a neolignan from the seed of Chinese herb Vitex negundo) exhibited antitumor activity in cancer cell lines and xenograft models. In the present study, we examined the molecular mechanisms by which activation of the FOXO3a transcription factor mediated VB1-induced apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. The effects of VB1 on the proliferation of HCC cell lines HepG2, Hep3B, Huh-7 and human embryo liver L-02 cells were investigated using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Apoptotic death in HepG2 cells was examined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detection kit, flow cytometry after propidium iodide (PI) staining, and by DNA agarose gel electrophoresis. Caspase activity was measured using ELISA. The AKT/FOXO3a and ERK/FOXO3a pathways were analyzed using western blotting. VB1 inhibited human HCC cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner and increased the percentage of sub-G1 population HepG2 cells. Histone/DNA fragmentation and active caspase-3, -8 and -9 levels increased in a concentration-dependent manner and a DNA ladder was formed. The phosphorylation of AKT and ERK1/2 were inhibited and FOXO3a transcription factor was activated, resulting in apoptotic death. Knockdown of AKT1 by small interfering RNA (siRNA) and the MEK1/2 inhibitor, PD98059, enhanced VB1-induced apoptosis and FOXO3a transcriptional activity. Suppression of FOXO3a expression by siRNA inhibited VB1-induced apoptosis. VB1 induced expression of Bim, TRAIL, DR4 and DR5. Activation of the FOXO3a transcription factor appears to mediate pro-apoptotic effects of VB1 by inhibiting the AKT and ERK pathways.

Vitexin inhibits inflammatory pain in mice by targeting TRPV1, oxidative stress, and cytokines

The flavonoid vitexin (1) is a flavone C-glycoside (apigenin-8-C-β-D-glucopyranoside) present in several medicinal and other plants. Plant extracts containing 1 are reported to possess antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities. However, the only evidence that 1 exhibits antinociceptive activity was demonstrated in the acetic acid-induced writhing model. Therefore, the analgesic effects and mechanisms of 1 were evaluated. In the present investigation, intraperitoneal treatment with 1 dose-dependently inhibited acetic acid-induced writhing. Furthermore, treatment with 1 also inhibited pain-like behavior induced by phenyl-p-benzoquinone, complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA), capsaicin (an agonist of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1, TRPV1), and both phases of the formalin test. It was also observed that inhibition of carrageenan-, capsaicin-, and chronic CFA-induced mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia occurred. Regarding the antinociceptive mechanisms of 1, it prevented the decrease of reduced glutathione levels, ferric-reducing ability potential, and free-radical scavenger ability, inhibited the production of hyperalgesic cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-33, and up-regulated the levels of the anti-hyperalgesic cytokine IL-10. These results demonstrate that 1 exhibits an analgesic effect in a variety of inflammatory pain models by targeting TRPV1 and oxidative stress and by modulating cytokine production.

Anti-nociceptive effect of vitexin mediated by the opioid system in mice

In the present study, we determined the potential anti-nociceptive activity of vitexin, a C-glycosylated flavone, by conducting some acute nociceptive tests in mice. Centrally mediated anti-nociceptive effect was evaluated by hot-plate and tail-clip tests, whereas peripherally mediated anti-nociception was assessed by acetic acid-induced writhing tests. Rota-rod test was performed to evaluate the probable effect of vitexin on the motor coordination of mice. Vitexin administered orally at doses of 10, 20, and 30 mg/kg significantly increased the reaction times of animals in the hot-plate and tail-clip tests and reduced the number of acetic acid-induced writhes and stretches in writhing tests, which clearly indicated the presence of the anti-nociceptive effect. This effect disappeared by pretreatment with naloxone (a non-selective opioid receptor antagonist, 5.48 mg/kg, i.p.), which indicated the involvement of opioid mechanisms in anti-nociception. We evaluated the contribution of mu, delta, and kappa subtypes of opioid receptors to the anti-nociceptive activity by using naloxonazine (7 mg/kg, s.c.), naltrindole (0.99 mg/kg, i.p.), and nor-binaltorphimine (1.03 mg/kg, i.p.), respectively. Pretreatment using these antagonists reversed the anti-nociceptive effect of vitexin in all the nociceptive tests, which indicated that mu, delta, and kappa opioid receptors contributed to the anti-nociceptive effect of this flavonoid. Falling latencies of mice in the Rota-rod test did not change upon the administration of vitexin, which indicated that vitexin showed specific anti-nociceptive effect. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on centrally and peripherally mediated anti-nociceptive effect of vitexin via opioid-related mechanisms.

The novel p53-dependent metastatic and apoptotic pathway induced by vitexin in human oral cancer OC2 cells

Vitexin, identified as apigenin-8-C-D-glucopyranoside, a natural flavonoid compound found in certain herbs such as hawthorn herb, has been reported to exhibit anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-metastatic and antitumor properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible existence of p53-dependent pathway underlying vitexin-induced metastasis and apoptosis in human oral cancer cells, OC2 cells. Vitexin decreased cell viability significantly. Meanwhile, the expression of tumor suppressor p53 and a small group of its downstream genes, p21(WAF1) and Bax, were upregulated. The p53 inhibitor pifithrin-α (PFT-α) knockdown of the signaling of p53 led vitexin to lose its antitumor effect and inhibited the expression of p53 downstream genes, p2(WAF1) and Bax. Vitexin had anti-metastatic potential accompanied with increasing plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) accumulation and decreasing matrix metalloproteinase-2 expression. Our present study evidenced, by using p53 inhibitor PFT-α, PAI-1 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ are downstream genes of p53 in vitexin-induced signaling. MAPK inhibitor PD98059 decreased the OC2 cells viability significantly. The expression of p53 and its downstream genes p21(WAF1) and Bax were enhanced by blocking the activation of p42/p44 MAPK in response to treatment with vitexin. Moreover, p42/p44 MAPK played a negative role in p53-dependent metastasis and apoptosis. We give evidence for the first time that the novel p53-dependent metastatic and apoptotic pathway induced by vitexin in human oral cancer OC2 cells.