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Huang W, Wen F, Yang P, Li Y, Li Q, Shu P. Yi-qi-hua-yu-jie-du decoction induces ferroptosis in cisplatin-resistant gastric cancer via the AKT/GSK3β/NRF2/GPX4 axis. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 123:155220. [PMID: 38056149 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.155220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Resistance to chemotherapy in gastric cancer (GC) is a ubiquitous challenge for its treatment. Yi-qi-hua-yu-jie-du decoction (YJD), an empirical formula in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), demonstrated survival-prolonging functions in patients with GC. Previous research has shown that YJD could also inhibit drug resistance in GC. However, the precise mechanisms for how YJD accomplishes this remain incompletely explained. PURPOSE The research aimed to identify differential metabolic characteristics in cisplatin-resistant GC and investigate whether YJD can target these differences to suppress GC drug resistance. METHODS Metabolomic analysis was conducted to identify metabolic disparities between cisplatin-resistant and parental GC cells, as well as metabolic modifications resulting from YJD intervention in cisplatin-resistant GC cells. The effect of YJD on ferroptosis stimulation was assessed by measuring the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), iron ions, the reduced glutathione (GSH) to oxidised glutathione (GSSG) ratio, and alterations in mitochondrial morphology. Western blotting and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) were employed to verity the mechanisms of YJD-triggered ferroptosis through GPX4 and NRF2 overexpression models, alongside the AKT activator SC79. In vivo validation was conducted using nude mouse xenograft models. RESULTS Cisplatin-resistant GC exhibited altered GSH/GPX4 metabolism, and ferroptosis was a significantly enriched cell death pattern with YJD treatment in cisplatin-resistant GC cells. Ferroptosis biomarkers, including ROS, MDA, iron ions, the GSH/GSSG ratio, and mitochondrial morphology, were remarkably changed with the YJD intervention. Mechanistic experiments demonstrated that YJD inhibited the phosphorylation cascade activity of the AKT/GSK3β pathway, thereby reducing NRF2 expression. The level of GPX4, a crucial enzyme involved in glutathione metabolism, was attenuated, facilitating ferroptosis induction in cisplatin-resistant GC. CONCLUSION The research reveals, for the first time, changes in GSH/GPX4 metabolism in cisplatin-resistant GC cells based on metabolomic analysis. YJD induced ferroptosis in cisplatin-resistant GC by inhibiting GPX4 through the AKT/GSK3β/NRF2 pathway, thus attenuating the cisplatin drug resistance in GC. Our findings identify metabolic changes in cisplatin-resistant GC and establish a theoretical framework for YJD on tackling drug resistance in GC through ferroptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Huang
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China; School of No. 1 Clinical Medical, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Fang Wen
- School of Chinese Medicine and School of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Peipei Yang
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China; School of No. 1 Clinical Medical, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Ye Li
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China; School of No. 1 Clinical Medical, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Qiurong Li
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China; School of No. 1 Clinical Medical, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Peng Shu
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China; School of No. 1 Clinical Medical, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
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Huang W, Wen F, Ruan S, Gu P, Gu S, Song S, Zhou J, Li Y, Liu J, Shu P. Integrating HPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS, network pharmacology and experimental validation to decipher the chemical substances and mechanism of modified Gui-shao-liu-jun-zi decoction against gastric cancer. J Tradit Complement Med 2023; 13:245-262. [PMID: 37128200 PMCID: PMC10148141 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtcme.2023.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and aim Gastric cancer (GC) is a common malignant tumor worldwide. Modified Gui-shao-liu-jun-zi decoction (mGSLJZ) is a clinically effective traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) compound in GC treatment. This study aimed to analyze main chemical substances of mGSLJZ and investigate active ingredients and molecular mechanism of mGSLJZ against GC. Experimental procedure HPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS was used to analyze chemical substances of mGSLJZ, and potential active ingredients were screened from TCMSP. The target set of mGSLJZ for GC was obtained based on SwissTargetPrediction. The PPI network was constructed to screen out core targets. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were conducted to identify BPs, CCs, MFs and pathways. The "active ingredient-core target-pathway" regulatory network was constructed to obtain core substances. Subsequently, Oncomine, Proteinatlas and molecular docking were performed to validate these findings. The cell experiments were conducted to confirm the anti-GC effects of mGLSJZ. Results and conclusion Forty-one potential active ingredients were filtered out from 120 chemical substances in mGSLJZ, including various organic acids and flavonoids. The top 10 key targets, 20 related pathways and 6 core medicinal substances were obtained based on network pharmacology analysis. Molecular docking results indicated that the core substances and key targets had good binding activities. The cell experiments validated that mGSLJZ and the core substances inhibited the proliferation in multiple GC cells and that mGLSJZ restrained the migration of GC. Meanwhile, the top 5 targets and top 2 pathways were verified. The rescue experiments demonstrated that mGSLJZ suppressed the proliferation and migration of GC through the PI3K/AKT/HIF-1 pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Huang
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Fang Wen
- Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Shuai Ruan
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Peixing Gu
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Suping Gu
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Siyuan Song
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiayu Zhou
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Ye Li
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiatong Liu
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Peng Shu
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Corresponding author. 155 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210000, China.
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Huang W, Wen F, Gu P, Liu J, Xia Y, Li Y, Zhou J, Song S, Ruan S, Gu S, Chen X, Shu P. The inhibitory effect and mechanism of Yi-qi-hua-yu-jie-du decoction on the drug resistance of gastric cancer stem cells based on ABC transporters. Chin Med 2022; 17:93. [PMID: 35941687 PMCID: PMC9361523 DOI: 10.1186/s13020-022-00647-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The drug resistance of tumor stem cells is an obstacle in gastric cancer (GC) treatment and the high expression of ABC transporters is a classic reason for drug resistance. This study aimed to construct a reliable GC drug-resistant stem cell model and explore the inhibitory effect and mechanism of Yi-qi-hua-yu-jie-du medicated serum (YQHY) on the drug resistance of GC stem cells based on ABC transporters. Methods The tumor stemness biomarker CD44 was primary identification from WGCNA. The magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) method was used to separate CD44( +)BGC823/5-Fu (BGC823/5–Fu-CSCs) cells and the stemness characteristics were verified from multiple dimensions. Then, the drug resistance index and expression of ABC transporter genes MDR1 and MRP1 were detected in CD44(−)/CD44(+) cells. The inhibition and apoptosis rates of the cells administrated with YQHY or/and 5-Fu were calculated to confirm that YQHY can suppress the drug resistance of BGC823/5-Fu-CSCs. Afterwards, the effects of YQHY on the expression of MDR1 and MRP1 and the activation of the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 pathway were observed. Finally, under the administration of IGF-1 (the activator of PI3K/Akt pathway) and Nrf2 siRNA, the mechanism of YQHY on reversing the drug resistance of BGC823/5–Fu-CSCs through inhibiting the expression of MDR1 and MRP1 via PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 was verified. Results CD44 was a reliable GC stemness biomarker and can be applied to construct the drug-resistant GC stem cell model CD44(+)BGC823/5-Fu. The growth rate, cell proliferation index, soft agar colony formation, expression of stemness specific genes and tumorigenesis ability of CD44(+)BGC823/5-Fu cells were significantly higher than those of CD44(−)BGC823/5-Fu cells. BGC823/5–Fu-CSCs exhibited strong drug resistance to 5-Fu and high expression of ABC transporter genes MDR1 and MRP1 compared to CD44(-) cells. YQHY increased the inhibition and apoptosis rates to efficiently inhibit the drug resistance of BGC823/5–Fu-CSCs. Meanwhile, it suppressed the expression of MDR1 and MRP1 and restrained the activation of PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 signaling pathway. Finally, it was found that IGF-1 partially restored the activation of PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 pathway, alleviated the inhibition of MDR1 and MRP1, blocked the proliferation-inhibitory and apoptosis-promotion effects. YQHY and si-Nrf2 synergistically suppressed the MDR1/MRP1 expression and the drug resistance of BGC823/5–Fu-CSCs. Conclusions CD44 was a reliable GC stemness biomarker, and the high expression of ABC transporter genes MDR1 and MRP1 was an important feature of drug-resistant stem cells. YQHY inhibited the MDR1 and MRP1 expression via PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 pathway, thus reversing the drug resistance of BGC823/5–Fu-CSCs. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13020-022-00647-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Huang
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 155 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, 210000, Jiangsu, China.,First College of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Fang Wen
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 155 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, 210000, Jiangsu, China.,First College of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Peixing Gu
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 155 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, 210000, Jiangsu, China.,First College of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiatong Liu
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 155 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, 210000, Jiangsu, China.,First College of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Yun Xia
- Department of Respiratory, Wujin Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changzhou, China
| | - Ye Li
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 155 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, 210000, Jiangsu, China.,First College of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiayu Zhou
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 155 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, 210000, Jiangsu, China.,First College of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Siyuan Song
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 155 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, 210000, Jiangsu, China.,First College of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Shuai Ruan
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 155 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, 210000, Jiangsu, China.,First College of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Suping Gu
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 155 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, 210000, Jiangsu, China.,First College of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoxue Chen
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 155 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, 210000, Jiangsu, China.,First College of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Peng Shu
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 155 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, 210000, Jiangsu, China. .,First College of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
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A Network Pharmacology Study Based on the Mechanism of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium-Pinelliae Rhizoma in the Treatment of Gastric Cancer. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2021; 2021:6667560. [PMID: 33953786 PMCID: PMC8068544 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6667560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2020] [Revised: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Objective To explore the mechanism of action of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium-Pinelliae Rhizoma (CRP-PR) in treating gastric cancer (GC) by using pharmacology network. Methods Based on oral bioavailability and drug-likeness, the main active components of CRP-PR were screened using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP). DisGeNET Database was used to establish target databases for GC. Cytoscape software was used to construct a visual interactive network diagram of “Active Component-Target” and screen out the key targets. The STRING database was used to construct a protein interaction network. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed on the key targets. Additionally, TCGA and HPA databases were used for key target verification. Results Thirty-seven active components of CRP-PR were screened. The results of network analysis showed that the main components include 8-octadecenoic acid, stigmasterol, ferulic acid, and naringenin of the CRP-PR herb pair. The key targets of the PPI network mainly involved GAPDH, MAPK3, JUN, STAT3, GSK3B, SIRT1, ERBB2, and SMAD2. GO enrichment analysis involves 540 biological processes, 118 cellular components, and 171 molecular functions. CRP-PR components were predicted to exert their therapeutic effect on the tumor signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, and estrogen signaling pathway. The validation of the key genes in the TCGA and HPA database showed that most of the key target verification results were consistent with this article. Conclusion CRP-PR can treat GC by mediating PI3K-Akt signal pathway, MAPK signal pathway, and other biological processes such as tumor cell proliferation, apoptosis, and vascular regeneration, which embodies the synergistic effect of multi-components, multi-targets, and multi-channels, and provides the theoretical basis and research ideas for further study of CRP-PR in treating GC. 8-octadecenoic acid, stigmasterol, ferulic acid, and naringenin may be the material basis for the treatment of GC.
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