Extract of Ginkgo biloba exacerbates liver metastasis in a mouse colon cancer Xenograft model

Effects of metronidazole on colorectal cancer occurrence and colorectal cancer liver metastases by regulating Fusobacterium nucleatum in mice

OBJECTIVE

Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents a leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Metronidazole (MNZ) is exceedingly implicated in CRC. This study explored the roles of MNZ in mouse CRC occurrence and liver metastasis (CRLM).

METHODS

Male BALB/c nude mice were subjected to CRC and CRLM modeling, orally administration with MNZ (1 g/L) 1 week before modeling, and disease activity index (DAI) evaluation. Fresh stool and anal swab samples were collected on the morning of the 28th day after modeling. The relative expression of Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum) DNA was assessed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. After euthanasia, tumor tissues and liver tissues were separated and the tumor volume and weight change were measured. The liver tissues were stained with hematoxylin-eosin to quantitatively analyze the metastatic liver nodules. Malignant tumor biomarker Ki67 protein levels in liver tissues/DNA from stool samples were detected by immunohistochemistry/high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Bioinformatics analysis was performed on the raw sequence data to analyze microbial community richness (Chao1 index, ACE index) and microbial community diversity (Shannon index).

RESULTS

The DAI and F. nucleatum DNA relative expression in feces and anal swabs of the CRC and CRLM groups were raised and repressed after MNZ intervention. MNZ repressed tumor occurrence and growth in mice to a certain extent, alleviated CRLM malignant degree (reduced liver metastases and Ki67-positive cell density/number), and suppressed CRC liver metastasis by regulating intestinal flora structure, which affected the intestinal characteristic flora of CRC and CRLM mice.

CONCLUSION

MNZ suppressed CRC occurrence and CRLM in mice by regulating intestinal F. nucleatum.

Effect of Ginkgo biloba extract on pharmacology and pharmacokinetics of atorvastatin in rats with hyperlipidaemia

Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) is a common dietary supplement used by people with dyslipidaemia worldwide to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Many studies have found that GBE itself has a variety of pharmacological activities. However, the role of GBE as an adjunct to conventional therapy with chemical drugs remains controversial. Therefore, this study explored the additional benefits of GBE in the treatment of hyperlipidaemia with statins in terms of both pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics. A hyperlipidaemia model was established by feeding rats a high-fat diet for a long time. The animals were treated with atorvastatin only, GBE only, or a combination of atorvastatin and GBE. The results showed that statins combined with GBE could significantly improve the blood lipid parameters, reduce the liver fat content, and reduce the size of adipocytes in abdominal fat. The effect was superior to statin therapy alone. In addition, the combination has shown additional liver protection against possible pathological liver injury or statin-induced liver injury. A lipidomic study showed that GBE could regulate the abnormal lipid metabolism of the liver in hyperlipemia. When statins are combined with GBE, this callback effect introduced by GBE on endogenous metabolism has important implications for resistance to disease progression and statin resistance. Finally, in the presence of GBE, there was a significant increase in plasma statin exposure. These results all confirmed that GBE has incremental benefits as a dietary supplement of statin therapy for dyslipidaemia.

Current Trends in Toxicity Assessment of Herbal Medicines: A Narrative Review

Even in modern times, the popularity level of medicinal plants and herbal medicines in therapy is still high. The World Health Organization estimates that 80% of the population in developing countries uses these types of remedies. Even though herbal medicine products are usually perceived as low risk, their potential health risks should be carefully assessed. Several factors can cause the toxicity of herbal medicine products: plant components or metabolites with a toxic potential, adulteration, environmental pollutants (heavy metals, pesticides), or contamination of microorganisms (toxigenic fungi). Their correct evaluation is essential for the patient’s safety. The toxicity assessment of herbal medicine combines in vitro and in vivo methods, but in the past decades, several new techniques emerged besides conventional methods. The use of omics has become a valuable research tool for prediction and toxicity evaluation, while DNA sequencing can be used successfully to detect contaminants and adulteration. The use of invertebrate models (Danio renio or Galleria mellonella) became popular due to the ethical issues associated with vertebrate models. The aim of the present article is to provide an overview of the current trends and methods used to investigate the toxic potential of herbal medicinal products and the challenges in this research field.

Anti-tumor effect of ginkgetin on human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines by inducing cell cycle arrest and promoting cell apoptosis

This study explored the anti-tumor effect of ginkgetin, an extract from ginkgo biloba, on human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines and the underlying mechanisms. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay. Apoptotic cell morphology was observed under an inverted microscope after Hoechst 33,258 staining, and the ratio of apoptotic and necrotic cells was examined by flow cytometry after FITC/PI staining. Cell cycle changes were analyzed using flow cytometry. Cytochrome c release and caspase 3 and 8 activities were monitored using the relevant reagent kits. The levels of cell cycle-related proteins were detected by Western blot. MTT results indicated that ginkgetin significantly reduced HepG2 cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. Cellular morphology observation revealed that ginkgetin induced typical apoptotic morphological features of HepG2 cells, such as increased apoptotic bodies and cell shrinkage. Cell cycle analysis showed that ginkgetin increased the proportion of cells in the S phase. S-phase cell accumulation could be attributed to the decreased expression of cell cycle regulatory factors. Similarly, ginkgetin also induced the apoptosis and S phase cell accumulation of another human HCC cell line SK-HEP-1. Furthermore, ginkgetin treatment increased caspase-3 activity and cytochrome c release but not caspase-8 activity, implying that ginkgetin might mediate cell apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway. In addition, the tumor formation experiment in nude mice showed that ginkgetin administration inhibited tumor growth. These results suggest that ginkgetin could be a cell apoptosis stimulator by affecting the balance between cell proliferation and apoptosis, suggesting that ginkgetin might be suitable for human HCC treatment.

Sophocarpine can enhance the inhibiting effect of oxaliplatin on colon cancer liver metastasis-in vitro and in vivo

To determine whether sophocarpine (SC) can enhance the inhibiting effect of oxaliplatin on colorectal cancer (CRC) liver metastasis (CRCLM)-in vitro and in vivo. The inhibitory effect of SC and/or oxaliplatin on the proliferation, invasion, and migration of CRC cells was determined by CCK-8, MTT, wound healing migration, and transwell assay. Western blot and immunohistochemistry were used to evaluate the inhibitory effect of SC and/or oxaliplatin on the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. Nude mouse models of human CRCLM were established to test the anti-metastasis effect of SC and oxaliplatin in the single or combined form. SC exerted an inhibitory effect on the proliferation, invasion, and migration of CRC cells both in vitro and in vivo. The combination index of SC and oxaliplatin was 0.58. In addition, the inhibitory effect of SC in combination with oxaliplatin was found to be significantly stronger compared with that mediated by either SC or oxaliplatin alone, suggesting that SC can effectively enhance the inhibitory effect of oxaliplatin on CRCLM both in vitro and in vivo. SC was also revealed to reverse EMT process in cell lines and tissues, as reflected by the observed downregulation of N-cadherin and vimentin expression and the upregulation of E-cadherin expression. Taken together, data from the present study suggest that SC administration can inhibit CRC cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and EMT, while enhancing the inhibitory effects of oxaliplatin both in vitro and in vivo. These findings indicate (that) SC to be a promising anti-metastasis agent for CRCLM.

Jiedu Sangen Decoction Reverses Epithelial-to-mesenchymal Transition and Inhibits Invasion and Metastasis of Colon Cancer via AKT/GSK-3β Signaling Pathway

Ethnopharmacology relevance: Jiedu Sangen Decoction (JSD), an empirical prescription of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), has been reported to inhibit invasion and metastasis of colon cancer in our previous study. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of JSD-triggered inhibition of invasion and metastasis in colon cancer. Methods: In vitro, AKT1 knockdown (si-AKT1) or overexpression (oe-AKT1) cells were successfully constructed both in SW480 and SW620 cell lines. Si-AKT1 and oe-AKT1 cells were then treated with or without JSD. Cell invasion, metastasis potential and expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT)-related and AKT1/GSK-3β proteins were then observed by wound healing, transwell, and western blot assays. In vivo, liver metastasis model mice were developed by inoculating SW480 cells. After JSD diet intervention, living fluorescence imaging and weight measurements were carried out to investigate JSD induced inhibition effects on liver metastasis of colon cancer. Immunohistochemistry and western blot assays were performed to observe tissue features and detect protein expression. Results: Invasion and metastasis potential, as well as EMT of colon cancer, can be markedly inhibited by JSD treatment or AKT1 knockdown, while enhanced by AKT1 overexpression. JSD-induced inhibition effects were significantly weakened when AKT1 was knocked down, while clearly enhanced when AKT1 was overexpressed. Additionally, JSD could lead to an increase in expression of E-cadherin, and a decrease in expression of N-cadherin, Vimentin, p-AKT1, AKT1, p- GSK-3β, Snail, Slug, and Twist in colon cancer cells. Conclusion: JSD reverses EMT and inhibits invasion and metastasis of colon cancer through the AKT/GSK-3β signaling pathway.

Ginkgo biloba induces different gene expression signatures and oncogenic pathways in malignant and non-malignant cells of the liver

Ginkgo biloba (EGb761) is a widely used botanical drug. Several reports indicate that EGb761 confers preventive as well as anti-tumorigenic properties in a variety of tumors, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We here evaluate functional effects and molecular alterations induced by EGb761 in hepatoma cells and non-malignant hepatocytes. Hepatoma cell lines, primary human HCC cells and immortalized human hepatocytes (IH) were exposed to various concentrations (0–1000 μg/ml) of EGb761. Apoptosis and proliferation were evaluated after 72h of EGb761 exposure. Response to oxidative stress, tumorigenic properties and molecular changes were further investigated. While anti-oxidant effects were detected in all cell lines, EGb761 promoted anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects mainly in hepatoma cells. Consistently, EGb761 treatment caused a significant reduction in colony and sphere forming ability in hepatoma cells and no mentionable changes in IH. Transcriptomic changes involved oxidative stress response as well as key oncogenic pathways resembling Nrf2- and mTOR signaling pathway. Taken together, EGb761 induces differential effects in non-transformed and cancer cells. While treatment confers protective effects in non-malignant cells, EGb761 significantly impairs tumorigenic properties in cancer cells by affecting key oncogenic pathways. Results provide the rational for clinical testing of EGb761 in preventive and therapeutic strategies in human liver diseases.

Orthotopic mouse models of colorectal cancer liver metastases

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a malignancy with high incidence and mortality, and its high mortality rate is mainly attributed to metastases, with liver metastasis being the main cause of death. Appropriate animal models can provide a basis for studying the metastatic mechanism of colorectal cancer and assessing pre-clinical therapeutic effects. Orthotopic transplantation models that simulate colorectal cancer with liver metastases can better reflect the characteristic of liver metastasis in colorectal cancer. In this article, we review orthotopic transplantation models of liver metastases of colorectal cancer.