1
|
Ran Y, Hu J, Chen Y, Rao Z, Zhao J, Xu Z, Ming J. Morusin-Cu(II)-indocyanine green nanoassembly ignites mitochondrial dysfunction for chemo-photothermal tumor therapy. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 662:760-773. [PMID: 38377695 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.02.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Nanoscale drug delivery systems derived from natural bioactive materials accelerate the innovation and evolution of cancer treatment modalities. Morusin (Mor) is a prenylated flavonoid compound with high cancer chemoprevention activity, however, the poor water solubility, low active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) loading content, and instability compromise its bioavailability and therapeutic effectiveness. Herein, a full-API carrier-free nanoparticle is developed based on the self-assembly of indocyanine green (ICG), copper ions (Cu2+) and Mor, termed as IMCNs, via coordination-driven and π-π stacking for synergistic tumor therapy. The IMCNs exhibits a desirable loading content of Mor (58.7 %) and pH/glutathione (GSH)-responsive motif. Moreover, the photothermal stability and photo-heat conversion efficiency (42.8 %) of IMCNs are improved after coordination with Cu2+ and help to achieve photothermal therapy. Afterward, the released Cu2+ depletes intracellular overexpressed GSH and mediates Fenton-like reactions, and further synergizes with ICG at high temperatures to expand oxidative damage. Furthermore, the released Mor elicits cytoplasmic vacuolation, expedites mitochondrial dysfunction, and exerts chemo-photothermal therapy after being combined with ICG to suppress the migration of residual live tumor cells. In vivo experiments demonstrate that IMCNs under laser irradiation could excellently inhibit tumor growth (89.6 %) through the multi-modal therapeutic performance of self-enhanced chemotherapy/coordinated-drugs/ photothermal therapy (PTT), presenting a great potential for cancer therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yalin Ran
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, People's Republic of China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Speciality Food Co-Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, Chongqing 400715, People's Republic of China
| | - Junfeng Hu
- School of Materials and Energy, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuanyuan Chen
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, People's Republic of China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Speciality Food Co-Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, Chongqing 400715, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenan Rao
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, People's Republic of China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Speciality Food Co-Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, Chongqing 400715, People's Republic of China
| | - Jichun Zhao
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, People's Republic of China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Speciality Food Co-Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, Chongqing 400715, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhigang Xu
- School of Materials and Energy, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jian Ming
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, People's Republic of China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Speciality Food Co-Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, Chongqing 400715, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Alqahtani QH, Alkharashi LA, Alajami H, Alkharashi I, Alkharashi L, Alhinti SN. Pioglitazone enhances cisplatin's impact on triple-negative breast cancer: Role of PPARγ in cell apoptosis. Saudi Pharm J 2024; 32:102059. [PMID: 38601974 PMCID: PMC11004990 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsps.2024.102059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ) has been recently shown to play a role in many cancers. The breast tissue of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients were found to have a significantly lower expression of PPARγ than the other subtypes. Furthermore, PPARγ activation was found to exert anti-tumor effects by inhibiting cell proliferation, differentiation, cell growth, cell cycle, and inducing apoptosis. To start with, we performed a bioinformatic analysis of data from OncoDB, which showed a lower expression pattern of PPARγ in different cancer types. In addition, high expression of PPARγ was associated with better breast cancer patient survival. Therefore, we tested the impact of pioglitazone, a PPARγ ligand, on the cytotoxic activity of cisplatin in the TNBC cell line. MDA-MB-231 cells were treated with either cisplatin (40 μM) with or without pioglitazone (30 or 60 μM) for 72 h. The MTT results showed a significant dose-dependent decrease in cell viability as a result of using cisplatin and pioglitazone combination compared with cisplatin alone. In addition, the protein expression of Bcl-2, a known antiapoptotic marker, decreased in the cells treated with cisplatin and pioglitazone combination at doses of 40 and 30 μM, respectively. On the other hand, cleaved- poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) and -caspase-9, which are known as pro-apoptotic markers, were upregulated in the combination group compared with the solo treatments. Taken together, the addition of pioglitazone to cisplatin further reduced the viability of MDA-MB-231 cells and enhanced apoptosis compared with chemotherapy alone.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qamraa Hamad Alqahtani
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11495, Saudi Arabia
| | - Layla Abdullah Alkharashi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11495, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hanaa Alajami
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11495, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ishraq Alkharashi
- PharmD Student, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Layan Alkharashi
- PharmD Student, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shoug Nasser Alhinti
- PharmD Student, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Hu X, Li J, Yu L, Ifejola J, Guo Y, Zhang D, Khosravi Z, Zhang K, Cui H. Screening of anti-melanoma compounds from Morus alba L.: Sanggenon C promotes melanoma cell apoptosis by disrupting intracellular Ca 2+ homeostasis. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 324:117759. [PMID: 38219884 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.117759] [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: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Morus alba L. is a widespread plant that has long been considered to have remarkable medical values, including anti-inflammation in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The components of Morus Alba L. constituents have been extensively studied and have been shown to have high prospects for cancer therapy. However, limited investigations have been done on the bioactive compounds in Morus alba L. AIM OF THE STUDY This study aimed to systematically examine the anticancer properties of 28 commercially available compounds from Morus alba L. against melanoma cells in vitro. Additionally, the anticancer mechanisms of the bioactive compound exhibiting the most significant potential were further studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS The anti-proliferative effects of Morus alba L.-derived compounds on melanoma cells were determined by colony formation assays. Their effects on cell viability and apoptosis were determined using the CCK8 assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The binding affinity of identified Morus alba L. compounds with anticancer activities towards melanoma targets was analyzed via molecular docking. The molecular mechanism of Sanggenon C was explored using soft agar assays, EdU incorporation assays, flow cytometry, western blotting, transcriptome analysis, and xenograft assays. RESULTS Based on colony formation assays, 11 compounds at 20 μM significantly inhibited colony growth on a panel of melanoma cells. These compounds displayed IC50 values (half maximal inhibitory concentrations) ranging from 5 μM to 30 μM. Importantly, six compounds were identified as novel anti-melanoma agents, including Sanggenon C, 3'-Geranyl-3-prenyl-2',4',5,7-tetrahydroxyflavone, Moracin P, Moracin O, Kuwanon A, and Kuwanon E. Among them, Sanggenon C showed the most potent effects, with an IC50 of about 5 μM, significantly reducing proliferation and inducing apoptosis in melanoma cells. Based on the xenograft model assay, Sanggenon C significantly inhibited melanoma cell proliferation in vivo. Sanggenon C triggered ER stress in a dose-dependent manner, which further disrupted cellular calcium ion (Ca2+) homeostasis. The Ca2+ chelator BAPTA partially restored cell apoptosis induced by Sanggenon C, confirming that Ca2+ signaling contributed to the anticancer activity of Sanggenon C against melanoma. CONCLUSIONS In our study, 11 compounds demonstrated anti-melanoma properties. Notably, Sanggenon C was found to promote apoptosis by disrupting the intracellular calcium homeostasis in melanoma cells. This study provides valuable information for the future development of novel cancer therapeutic agents from Morus alba L.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xin Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China; Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, 401329, China; Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Silk Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine, Chongqing, 400716, China.
| | - Jing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China; Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, 401329, China; Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Silk Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine, Chongqing, 400716, China.
| | - Lang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China; Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, 401329, China; Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Silk Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine, Chongqing, 400716, China.
| | - Jemirade Ifejola
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China; Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Silk Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine, Chongqing, 400716, China.
| | - Yan Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China; Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, 401329, China.
| | - Dandan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China; Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, 401329, China; Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Silk Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine, Chongqing, 400716, China.
| | - Zahra Khosravi
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China; Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Silk Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine, Chongqing, 400716, China.
| | - Kui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China; Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, 401329, China; Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Silk Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine, Chongqing, 400716, China.
| | - Hongjuan Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China; Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, 401329, China; Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Silk Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine, Chongqing, 400716, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Chen M, Xiao S, Sun P, Li Y, Xu Z, Wang J. Morusin suppresses the stemness characteristics of gastric cancer cells induced by hypoxic microenvironment through inhibition of HIF-1α accumulation. Toxicon 2024; 241:107675. [PMID: 38432611 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2024.107675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) is a common, life-threatening malignancy that contributes to the global burden of cancer-related mortality, as conventional therapeutic modalities show limited effects on GC. Hence, it is critical to develop novel agents for GC therapy. Morusin, a typical prenylated flavonoid, possesses antitumor effects against various cancers. The present study aimed to demonstrate the inhibitory effect and mechanism of morusin on the stemness characteristics of human GC in vitro under hypoxia and to explore the potential molecular mechanisms. The effects of morusin on cell proliferation and cancer stem cell-like properties of the human GC cell lines SNU-1 and AGS were assessed by MTT assay, colony formation test, qRT-PCR, flow cytometry analysis, and sphere formation test under hypoxia or normoxia condition through in vitro assays. The potential molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of morusin on the stem-cell-like properties of human GC cells in vitro were investigated by qRT-PCR, western blotting assay, and immunofluorescence assay by evaluating the nuclear translocation and expression level of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). The results showed that morusin exerted growth inhibitory effects on SNU-1 and AGS cells under hypoxia in vitro. Moreover, the proportions of CD44+/CD24- cells and the sphere formation ability of SNU-1 and AGS reduced in a dose-dependent manner following morusin treatment. The expression levels of stem cell-related genes, namely Nanog, OCT4, SOX2, and HIF-1α, gradually decreased, and the nuclear translocation of the HIF-1α protein was apparently attenuated. HIF-1α overexpression partially reversed the abovementioned effects of morusin. Taken together, morusin could restrain stemness characteristics of GC cells by inhibiting HIF-1α accumulation and nuclear translocation and could serve as a promising compound for GC treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mo Chen
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Burn Plastic Surgery, Pu'er People's Hospital, Pu 'er 665000, Yunnan Province, China.
| | - Shufeng Xiao
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Burn Plastic Surgery, Pu'er People's Hospital, Pu 'er 665000, Yunnan Province, China.
| | - Ping Sun
- Department of Science and Education, Pu'er People's Hospital, Pu 'er 665000, Yunnan Province, China.
| | - Yongfu Li
- Department of Science and Education, Pu'er People's Hospital, Pu 'er 665000, Yunnan Province, China.
| | - Zhixing Xu
- Department of Neuro surgery, Pu'er People's Hospital, Pu 'er 665000, Yunnan Province, China.
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Medical Laboratory Center, Pu'er People's Hospital, Pu 'er 665000, Yunnan Province, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Zhang K, Hu X, Su J, Li D, Thakur A, Gujar V, Cui H. Gastrointestinal Cancer Therapeutics via Triggering Unfolded Protein Response and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress by 2-Arylbenzofuran. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:999. [PMID: 38256073 PMCID: PMC10816499 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25020999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Gastrointestinal cancers are a major global health challenge, with high mortality rates. This study investigated the anti-cancer activities of 30 monomers extracted from Morus alba L. (mulberry) against gastrointestinal cancers. Toxicological assessments revealed that most of the compounds, particularly immunotoxicity, exhibit some level of toxicity, but it is generally not life-threatening under normal conditions. Among these components, Sanggenol L, Sanggenon C, Kuwanon H, 3'-Geranyl-3-prenyl-5,7,2',4'-tetrahydroxyflavone, Morusinol, Mulberrin, Moracin P, Kuwanon E, and Kuwanon A demonstrate significant anti-cancer properties against various gastrointestinal cancers, including colon, pancreatic, and gastric cancers. The anti-cancer mechanism of these chemical components was explored in gastric cancer cells, revealing that they inhibit cell cycle and DNA replication-related gene expression, leading to the effective suppression of tumor cell growth. Additionally, they induced unfolded protein response (UPR) and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, potentially resulting in DNA damage, autophagy, and cell death. Moracin P, an active monomer characterized as a 2-arylbenzofuran, was found to induce ER stress and promote apoptosis in gastric cancer cells, confirming its potential to inhibit tumor cell growth in vitro and in vivo. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of Morus alba L. monomers in gastrointestinal cancers, especially focusing on Moracin P as a potent inducer of ER stress and apoptosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xin Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Jingjing Su
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Dong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Abhimanyu Thakur
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Vikramsingh Gujar
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Okhlahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, OK 74107, USA
| | - Hongjuan Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Jin C, Zheng J, Yang Q, Jia Y, Li H, Liu X, Xu Y, Chen Z, He L. Morusin Inhibits RANKL-induced Osteoclastogenesis and Ovariectomized Osteoporosis. Comb Chem High Throughput Screen 2024; 27:1358-1370. [PMID: 37807416 DOI: 10.2174/0113862073252310230925062415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) is a classic type of osteoporosis that has gradually become a significant health problem worldwide. There is an urgent need for a safe alternative therapeutic agent considering the poor therapeutic strategies currently available for this disease. The roots and bark of the Morus australis tree (Moraceae) are used to make a traditional Chinese medicine known as "Morusin", and accumulating evidence has demonstrated its multiple activities, such as anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects. OBJECTIVE In this study, we aim to explore the effect of Morusin on mouse osteoclasts and its mechanism. METHODS In this study, we explored the inhibitory effects of Morusin on murine osteoclasts in vitro and its mechanism, and the protective effect of Morusin on an ovariectomy (OVX)-induced osteoporosis model in vivo. RESULTS The results showed that Morusin prevented OVX-induced bone loss and dramatically decreased RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis. Morusin interfered with RANKL-activated NF- κB, MAPK, and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways. The expression of three master factors that control osteoclast differentiation, c-Fos, NFATc1, and c-Jun, was reduced by Morusin treatment. Collectively, in vitro results indicated that Morusin has a protective effect on OVX-induced bone loss in a mouse model. CONCLUSION Our data provide encouraging evidence that Morusin may be an effective treatment for PMOP.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cong Jin
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shaoxing People's Hospital, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, 312000, China
| | - Jiewen Zheng
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shaoxing People's Hospital, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, 312000, China
- Shaoxing University School of Medicine, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, 312000, China
| | - Qichang Yang
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shaoxing People's Hospital, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, 312000, China
- The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, China
| | - Yewei Jia
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shaoxing People's Hospital, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, 312000, China
| | - Haibo Li
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shaoxing People's Hospital, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, 312000, China
| | - Xuewen Liu
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shaoxing People's Hospital, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, 312000, China China
- The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, China
| | - Yangjun Xu
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shaoxing People's Hospital, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, 312000, China
- Shaoxing University School of Medicine, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, 312000, China
| | - Zhuolin Chen
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shaoxing People's Hospital, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, 312000, China
- Department of Orthopaedics, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, China
| | - Lei He
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shaoxing People's Hospital, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, 312000, China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Zhang X, Dong Z, Yang Y, Liu C, Li J, Sun W, Zhu Y, Shen Y, Wang Z, Lü M, Cui H. Morusinol Extracted from Morus alba Inhibits Cell Proliferation and Induces Autophagy via FOXO3a Nuclear Accumulation-Mediated Cholesterol Biosynthesis Obstruction in Colorectal Cancer. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2023; 71:16016-16031. [PMID: 37870273 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c01244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
The incidence rate of colorectal cancer (CRC) has been increasing significantly in recent years, and it is urgent to develop novel drugs that have more effects for its treatment. It has been reported that many molecules extracted from the root bark of Morus alba L. (also known as Cortex Mori) have antitumor activities. In our study, we identified morusinol as a promising anticancer agent by selecting from 30 molecules extracted from Morus alba L. We found that morusinol treatment suppressed cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis of CRC cells in vitro. Besides this, we observed that morusinol induced cytoprotective autophagy. The GO analysis of differentially expressed genes from RNA-seq data showed that morusinol affected cholesterol metabolism. Then we found that key enzyme genes in the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway as well as the sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor 2 (SREBF2) were significantly downregulated. Furthermore, additional cholesterol treatment reversed the anti-CRC effect of morusinol. Interestingly, we also found that morusinol treatment could promote forkhead box O3 (FOXO3a) nuclear accumulation, which subsequently suppressed SREBF2 transcription. Then SREBF2-controlled cholesterol biosynthesis was blocked, resulting in the suppression of cell proliferation, promotion of apoptosis, and production of autophagy. The experiments in animal models also showed that morusinol significantly impeded tumor growth in mice models. Our results suggested that morusinol may be used as a candidate anticancer drug for the treatment of CRC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Zhen Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
- Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing 401329, China
- Engineering Research Center for Cancer Biomedical and Translational Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing 400716, China
- Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Silk Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Yuanmiao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Chaolong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Jisheng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Wenli Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Yikang Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Yang Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Zhi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Muhan Lü
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Hongjuan Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
- Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing 401329, China
- Engineering Research Center for Cancer Biomedical and Translational Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing 400716, China
- Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Silk Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing 400716, China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Hegde M, Girisa S, Naliyadhara N, Kumar A, Alqahtani MS, Abbas M, Mohan CD, Warrier S, Hui KM, Rangappa KS, Sethi G, Kunnumakkara AB. Natural compounds targeting nuclear receptors for effective cancer therapy. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2023; 42:765-822. [PMID: 36482154 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-022-10068-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Human nuclear receptors (NRs) are a family of forty-eight transcription factors that modulate gene expression both spatially and temporally. Numerous biochemical, physiological, and pathological processes including cell survival, proliferation, differentiation, metabolism, immune modulation, development, reproduction, and aging are extensively orchestrated by different NRs. The involvement of dysregulated NRs and NR-mediated signaling pathways in driving cancer cell hallmarks has been thoroughly investigated. Targeting NRs has been one of the major focuses of drug development strategies for cancer interventions. Interestingly, rapid progress in molecular biology and drug screening reveals that the naturally occurring compounds are promising modern oncology drugs which are free of potentially inevitable repercussions that are associated with synthetic compounds. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to draw our attention to the potential therapeutic effects of various classes of natural compounds that target NRs such as phytochemicals, dietary components, venom constituents, royal jelly-derived compounds, and microbial derivatives in the establishment of novel and safe medications for cancer treatment. This review also emphasizes molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways that are leveraged to promote the anti-cancer effects of these natural compounds. We have also critically reviewed and assessed the advantages and limitations of current preclinical and clinical studies on this subject for cancer prophylaxis. This might subsequently pave the way for new paradigms in the discovery of drugs that target specific cancer types.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mangala Hegde
- Cancer Biology Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India
| | - Sosmitha Girisa
- Cancer Biology Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India
| | - Nikunj Naliyadhara
- Cancer Biology Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India
| | - Aviral Kumar
- Cancer Biology Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India
| | - Mohammed S Alqahtani
- Radiological Sciences Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha, 61421, Saudi Arabia
- BioImaging Unit, Space Research Centre, University of Leicester, Michael Atiyah Building, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Mohamed Abbas
- Electrical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, King Khalid University, Abha, 61421, Saudi Arabia
- Electronics and Communications Department, College of Engineering, Delta University for Science and Technology, 35712, Gamasa, Egypt
| | | | - Sudha Warrier
- Division of Cancer Stem Cells and Cardiovascular Regeneration, School of Regenerative Medicine, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Bangalore, 560065, India
- Cuor Stem Cellutions Pvt Ltd, Manipal Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Bangalore, 560065, India
| | - Kam Man Hui
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Research, Humphrey Oei Institute of Cancer Research, National Cancer Centre, Singapore, 169610, Singapore
| | | | - Gautam Sethi
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117600, Singapore.
| | - Ajaikumar B Kunnumakkara
- Cancer Biology Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Liu W, Ji Y, Wang F, Li C, Shi S, Liu R, Li Q, Guo L, Liu Y, Cui H. Morusin shows potent antitumor activity for melanoma through apoptosis induction and proliferation inhibition. BMC Cancer 2023; 23:602. [PMID: 37386395 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-11080-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The discovery of new anti-melanoma drugs with low side effect is urgently required in the clinic. Recent studies showed that morusin, a flavonoid compound isolated from the root bark of Morus Alba, has the potential to treat multiple types of cancers, including breast cancer, gastric cancer, and prostate cancer. However, the anti-cancer effect of morusin on melanoma cells has not been investigated. METHODS We analyzed the effects of morusin on the proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, cell migration and invasion ability of melanoma cells A375 and MV3, and further explored the effects of morusin on tumor formation of melanoma cell. Finally, the effects of morusin on the proliferation, cycle, apoptosis, migration and invasion of A375 cells after knockdown of p53 were detected. RESULTS Morusin effectively inhibits the proliferation of melanoma cells and induces cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase. Consistently, CyclinB1 and CDK1 that involved in the G2/M phase transition were down-regulated upon morusin treatment, which may be caused by the up-regulation of p53 and p21. In addition, morusin induces cell apoptosis and inhibits migration of melanoma cells, which correlated with the changes in the expression of the associated molecules including PARP, Caspase3, E-Cadherin and Vimentin. Moreover, morusin inhibits tumor growth in vivo with little side effect on the tumor-burden mice. Finally, p53 knockdown partially reversed morusin-mediated cell proliferation inhibition, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and metastasis. CONCLUSION Collectively, our study expanded the spectrum of the anti-cancer activity of morusin and guaranteed the clinical use of the drug for melanoma treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Liu
- Department of Dermatology, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Zi qiang Road 139, 050000, Shijiazhuang, China
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, No. 2 Tiansheng Road, Beibei District, 400715, Chongqing, P.R. China
- Cancer Centre, Reproductive Medicine Centre, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yacong Ji
- Department of Dermatology, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Zi qiang Road 139, 050000, Shijiazhuang, China
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, No. 2 Tiansheng Road, Beibei District, 400715, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Feng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, No. 2 Tiansheng Road, Beibei District, 400715, Chongqing, P.R. China
- Cancer Centre, Reproductive Medicine Centre, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Chongyang Li
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shaomin Shi
- Department of Dermatology, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Zi qiang Road 139, 050000, Shijiazhuang, China
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, No. 2 Tiansheng Road, Beibei District, 400715, Chongqing, P.R. China
- Cancer Centre, Reproductive Medicine Centre, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ruochen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, No. 2 Tiansheng Road, Beibei District, 400715, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Qian Li
- Department of Dermatology, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Zi qiang Road 139, 050000, Shijiazhuang, China
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, No. 2 Tiansheng Road, Beibei District, 400715, Chongqing, P.R. China
- Cancer Centre, Reproductive Medicine Centre, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Leiyang Guo
- Department of Dermatology, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Zi qiang Road 139, 050000, Shijiazhuang, China
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, No. 2 Tiansheng Road, Beibei District, 400715, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Yaling Liu
- Department of Dermatology, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Zi qiang Road 139, 050000, Shijiazhuang, China.
| | - Hongjuan Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, No. 2 Tiansheng Road, Beibei District, 400715, Chongqing, P.R. China.
- Cancer Centre, Reproductive Medicine Centre, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
- The Ninth People's Hospital of Chongqing, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Li DH, Liu XK, Tian XT, Liu F, Yao XJ, Dong JF. PPARG: A Promising Therapeutic Target in Breast Cancer and Regulation by Natural Drugs. PPAR Res 2023; 2023:4481354. [PMID: 37334066 PMCID: PMC10270765 DOI: 10.1155/2023/4481354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is the most common type of cancer among females. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG) can regulate the production of adipocyte-related genes and has anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects. Our aim was to investigate PPARG expression, its possible prognostic value, and its effect on immune cell infiltration in BC, and explore the regulatory effects of natural drugs on PPARG to find new ways to treat BC. Using different bioinformatics tools, we extracted and comprehensively analyzed the data from the Cancer Genome Atlas, Genotype-Tissue Expression, and BenCaoZuJian databases to study the potential anti-BC mechanism of PPARG and potential natural drugs targeting it. First, we found that PPARG was downregulated in BC and its expression level correlates with pathological tumor stage (pT-stage) and pathological tumor-node-metastasis stage (pTNM-stage) in BC. PPARG expression was higher in estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) BC than in estrogen receptor-negative (ER-) BC, which tends to indicate a better prognosis. Meanwhile, PPARG exhibited a significant positive correlation with the infiltration of immune cells and correlated with better cumulative survival in BC patients. In addition, PPARG levels were shown to be positively associated with the expression of immune-related genes and immune checkpoints, and ER+ patients had better responses to immune checkpoint blocking. Correlation pathway research revealed that PPARG is strongly associated with pathways, such as angiogenesis, apoptosis, fatty acid biosynthesis, and degradation in ER+ BC. We also found that quercetin is the most promising natural anti-BC drug among natural medicines that upregulate PPARG. Our research showed that PPARG may reduce BC development by regulating the immune microenvironment. Quercetin as PPARG ligands/agonists is a potential natural drug for BC treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- De-Hui Li
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Hebei Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050011, China
| | - Xu-Kuo Liu
- Graduate School of Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050091, China
| | - Xiao-Tong Tian
- Graduate School of Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050091, China
| | - Fei Liu
- Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050091, China
| | - Xu-Jiong Yao
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Hebei Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050011, China
| | - Jing-Fei Dong
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Hebei Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050011, China
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Sun J, Yu L, Qu X, Huang T. The role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors in the tumor microenvironment, tumor cell metabolism, and anticancer therapy. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1184794. [PMID: 37251321 PMCID: PMC10213337 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1184794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) have been extensively studied for over 3 decades and consist of three isotypes, including PPARα, γ, and β/δ, that were originally considered key metabolic regulators controlling energy homeostasis in the body. Cancer has become a leading cause of human mortality worldwide, and the role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors in cancer is increasingly being investigated, especially the deep molecular mechanisms and effective cancer therapies. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors are an important class of lipid sensors and are involved in the regulation of multiple metabolic pathways and cell fate. They can regulate cancer progression in different tissues by activating endogenous or synthetic compounds. This review emphasizes the significance and knowledge of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors in the tumor microenvironment, tumor cell metabolism, and anti-cancer treatment by summarizing recent research on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors. In general, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors either promote or suppress cancer in different types of tumor microenvironments. The emergence of this difference depends on various factors, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor type, cancer type, and tumor stage. Simultaneously, the effect of anti-cancer therapy based on drug-targeted PPARs differs or even opposes among the three peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor homotypes and different cancer types. Therefore, the current status and challenges of the use of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors agonists and antagonists in cancer treatment are further explored in this review.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiaao Sun
- Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Liyan Yu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Xueling Qu
- Dalian Women and Children’s Medical Center(Group), Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Tao Huang
- Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Alharbi KS, Almalki WH, Makeen HA, Albratty M, Meraya AM, Nagraik R, Sharma A, Kumar D, Chellappan DK, Singh SK, Dua K, Gupta G. Role of Medicinal plant-derived Nutraceuticals as a potential target for the treatment of breast cancer. J Food Biochem 2022; 46:e14387. [PMID: 36121313 DOI: 10.1111/jfbc.14387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most challenging cancers to treat, accounting for many cancer-related deaths. Over some years, chemotherapy, hormone treatment, radiation, and surgeries have been used to treat cancer. Unfortunately, these treatment options are unsuccessful due to crucial adverse reactions and multidrug tolerance/resistance. Although it is clear that substances in the nutraceuticals category have a lot of anti-cancer activity, using a supplementary therapy strategy, in this case, could be very beneficial. Nutraceuticals are therapeutic agents, which are nutrients that have drug-like characteristics and can be used to treat diseases. Plant nutraceuticals categorized into polyphenols, terpenoids, vitamins, alkaloids, and flavonoids are part of health food products, that have great potential for combating BC. Nutraceuticals can reduce BC's severity, limit malignant cell growth, and modify cancer-related mechanisms. Nutraceuticals acting by attenuating Hedgehog, Nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), Notch, and Wnt/β-catenin signaling are the main pathways in controlling the self-renewal of breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs). This article reviews some important nutraceuticals and their modes of action, which can be very powerful versus BC. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Nutraceuticals' importance to the control and diagnosis of breast cancer is undeniable and cannot be overlooked. Natural dietary compounds have a wide range of uses and have been used in traditional medicine. In addition, these natural chemicals can enhance the effectiveness of other traditional medicines. They may also be used as a treatment process independently because of their capacity to affect several cancer pathways. This study highlights a variety of natural chemicals, and their mechanisms of action, routes, synergistic effects, and future potentials are all examined.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Khalid Saad Alharbi
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University, Al-Jouf, Saudi Arabia
| | - Waleed Hassan Almalki
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hafiz A Makeen
- Pharmacy Practice Research Unit, Clinical Pharmacy Department, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Albratty
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulkarim M Meraya
- Pharmacy Practice Research Unit, Clinical Pharmacy Department, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rupak Nagraik
- School of Bioengineering and Food Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Avinash Sharma
- School of Bioengineering and Food Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Deepak Kumar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Dinesh Kumar Chellappan
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Sachin Kumar Singh
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India.,Faculty of Health, Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kamal Dua
- Faculty of Health, Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia.,Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Gaurav Gupta
- School of Pharmacy, Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Jaipur, India.,Department of Pharmacology, Saveetha Dental College, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, India.,Uttaranchal Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, India
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
TRIB3 Modulates PPARγ-Mediated Growth Inhibition by Interfering with the MLL Complex in Breast Cancer Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810535. [PMID: 36142452 PMCID: PMC9503934 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant expression or activity of proteins are amongst the best understood mechanisms that can drive cancer initiation and progression, as well as therapy resistance. TRIB3, a member of the Tribbles family of pseudokinases, is often dysregulated in cancer and has been associated with breast cancer initiation and metastasis formation. However, the underlying mechanisms by which TRIB3 contributes to these events are unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that TRIB3 regulates the expression of PPARγ, a transcription factor that has gained attention as a potential drug target in breast cancer for its antiproliferative actions. Proteomics and phosphoproteomics analyses together with classical biochemical assays indicate that TRIB3 interferes with the MLL complex and reduces MLL-mediated H3K4 trimethylation of the PPARG locus, thereby reducing PPARγ mRNA expression. Consequently, the overexpression of TRIB3 blunts the antiproliferative effect of PPARγ ligands in breast cancer cells, while reduced TRIB3 expression gives the opposite effect. In conclusion, our data implicate TRIB3 in epigenetic gene regulation and suggest that expression levels of this pseudokinase may serve as a predictor of successful experimental treatments with PPARγ ligands in breast cancer.
Collapse
|
14
|
Morusin Enhances Temozolomide Efficiency in GBM by Inducing Cytoplasmic Vacuolization and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11133662. [PMID: 35806945 PMCID: PMC9267261 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11133662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive brain tumor with high risks of recurrence and mortality. Chemoradiotherapy resistance has been considered a major factor contributing to the extremely poor prognosis of GBM patients. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop highly effective therapeutic agents. Here, we demonstrate the anti-tumor effect of morusin, a typical prenylated flavonoid, in GBM through in vivo and in vitro models. Morusin showed selective cytotoxicity toward GBM cell lines without harming normal human astrocytes when the concentration was less than 20 µM. Morusin treatment significantly induced apoptosis of GBM cells, accompanied by the activation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and the appearance of cytoplasmic vacuolation and autophagosomes in cells. Then, we found the ER stress activation and cytotoxicity of morusin were rescued by ER stress inhibitor 4-PBA. Furthermore, morusin arrested cell cycle at the G1 phase and inhibited cell proliferation of GBM cells through the Akt–mTOR–p70S6K pathway. Dysregulation of ERs and cell cycle in morusin exposed GBM cells were confirmed by RNA-seq analysis. Finally, we demonstrated the combination of morusin and TMZ remarkably enhanced ER stress and displayed a synergistic effect in GBM cells, and suppressed tumor progression in an orthotopic xenograft model. In conclusion, these findings reveal the toxicity of morusin to GBM cells and its ability to enhance drug sensitivity to TMZ, suggesting the potential application value of morusin in the development of therapeutic strategies for human GBM.
Collapse
|
15
|
Memete AR, Timar AV, Vuscan AN, Miere (Groza) F, Venter AC, Vicas SI. Phytochemical Composition of Different Botanical Parts of Morus Species, Health Benefits and Application in Food Industry. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:plants11020152. [PMID: 35050040 PMCID: PMC8777750 DOI: 10.3390/plants11020152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, mulberry has acquired a special importance due to its phytochemical composition and its beneficial effects on human health, including antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic and immunomodulatory effects. Botanical parts of Morus sp. (fruits, leaves, twigs, roots) are considered a rich source of secondary metabolites. The aim of our study was to highlight the phytochemical profile of each of the botanical parts of Morus tree, their health benefits and applications in food industry with an updated review of literature. Black and white mulberries are characterized in terms of predominant phenolic compounds in correlation with their medical applications. In addition to anthocyanins (mainly cyanidin-3-O-glucoside), black mulberry fruits also contain flavonols and phenolic acids. The leaves are a rich source of flavonols, including quercetin and kaempferol in the glycosylated forms and chlorogenic acid as predominant phenolic acids. Mulberry bark roots and twigs are a source of prenylated flavonoids, predominantly morusin. In this context, the exploitation of mulberry in food industry is reviewed in this paper, in terms of developing novel, functional food with multiple health-promoting effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Ramona Memete
- Doctoral School of Biomedical Science, University of Oradea, 410087 Oradea, Romania;
| | - Adrian Vasile Timar
- Faculty of Environmental Protection, University of Oradea, 410048 Oradea, Romania; (A.V.T.); (A.N.V.)
| | - Adrian Nicolae Vuscan
- Faculty of Environmental Protection, University of Oradea, 410048 Oradea, Romania; (A.V.T.); (A.N.V.)
| | - Florina Miere (Groza)
- Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Oradea, 410073 Oradea, Romania; (F.M.); (A.C.V.)
| | - Alina Cristiana Venter
- Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Oradea, 410073 Oradea, Romania; (F.M.); (A.C.V.)
| | - Simona Ioana Vicas
- Faculty of Environmental Protection, University of Oradea, 410048 Oradea, Romania; (A.V.T.); (A.N.V.)
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Guo N, Gao J. Harmol alleviates dimethylhydrazine induced colon cancer by downregulating Bcl2/IL-6/TNF-α expression in association with p53 mediated apoptosis. EUR J INFLAMM 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/1721727x221110044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives: Colorectal cancer is the world’s third most prevalent cancer. Herbal drugs are increasingly being used to treat a variety of disorders, including cancer, due to the severe adverse effects. Harmol, natural molecule containing β-carboline alkaloids, has aroused the interest of researchers due to its diverse biological functions, including anticancer properties. Methods: In this study, the chemotherapeutic effects of harmol have been investigated on HT-29 colon cancer cell line and a rat model of colon cancer. In the in vitro study the cytotoxicity assay, DAPI analysis and the flow cytometric analysis was performed to assess the anticancer efficacy of harmol in HT-29 cell. The colorectal cancer was developed in male Wistar rats through the administration of DMH followed by treatment with DSS. The rats were treated with harmol (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) for 18 weeks. At the end of therapy, the colon tissues were assessed for ACF, in vivo antioxidant activity, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence analysis and apoptosis assay. Results: The in vitro data suggested that the harmol therapy would significantly increase the percentage of early apoptosis in HT-29 cells through halting of G0/G1 phase. Furthermore, inhibition of ACF development with improved colonic abrasion and morphological features in colonic mucosal region were noted. Harmol treatment also increased the levels of antioxidants and p53 and downregulated Bcl2, IL-6 and TNF-α expression. Conclusion: These outcomes signify that harmol successfully recover colorectal carcinoma by reprogramming the p53, Bcl2, IL-6 and TNF-α pathway in rats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ni Guo
- Department of Gastroenterology, Dongying People’s Hospital, Dongying, China
| | - Jie Gao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Dongying People’s Hospital, Dongying, China
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Apple polyphenol phloretin complexed with ruthenium is capable of reprogramming the breast cancer microenvironment through modulation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR/VEGF pathways. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2022; 434:115822. [PMID: 34896434 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2021.115822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Our recent investigation directed to synthesize a novel ruthenium-phloretin complex accompanied by the study of antioxidant in addition to DNA binding capabilities, to determine the chemotherapeutic activity against breast carcinoma in vitro and in vivo. Ruthenium-phloretin complex was synthesized and characterized by different spectroscopic methods. The complex was further investigated to determine its efficacy in both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 human carcinoma cell lines and finally in an in vivo model of mammary carcinogenesis induced by DMBA in rats. Our studies confirm that the chelation of the metal and ligand was materialize by the 3-OH and 9-OH functional groups of the ligand and the complex is found crystalline and was capable of intercalating with CT-DNA. The complex was capable of reducing cellular propagation and initiate apoptotic events in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast carcinoma cell lines. Ruthenium-phloretin complex could modulate p53 intervene apoptosis in the breast carcinoma, initiated by the trail of intrinsic apoptosis facilitated through Bcl2 and Bax and at the same time down regulating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway coupled with MMP9 regulated tumor invasive pathways. Ruthenium-phloretin chemotherapy could interrupt, revoke or suspend the succession of breast carcinoma by altering intrinsic apoptosis along with the anti-angiogenic pathway.
Collapse
|
18
|
Chi T, Wang M, Wang X, Yang K, Xie F, Liao Z, Wei P. PPAR-γ Modulators as Current and Potential Cancer Treatments. Front Oncol 2021; 11:737776. [PMID: 34631571 PMCID: PMC8495261 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.737776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Worldwide, cancer has become one of the leading causes of mortality. Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors (PPARs) is a family of critical sensors of lipids as well as regulators of diverse metabolic pathways. They are also equipped with the capability to promote eNOS activation, regulate immunity and inflammation response. Aside from the established properties, emerging discoveries are also made in PPAR's functions in the cancer field. All considerations are given, there exists great potential in PPAR modulators which may hold in the management of cancers. In particular, PPAR-γ, the most expressed subtype in adipose tissues with two isoforms of different tissue distribution, has been proven to be able to inhibit cell proliferation, induce cell cycle termination and apoptosis of multiple cancer cells, promote intercellular adhesion, and cripple the inflamed state of tumor microenvironment, both on transcriptional and protein level. However, despite the multi-functionalities, the safety of PPAR-γ modulators is still of clinical concern in terms of dosage, drug interactions, cancer types and stages, etc. This review aims to consolidate the functions of PPAR-γ, the current and potential applications of PPAR-γ modulators, and the challenges in applying PPAR-γ modulators to cancer treatment, in both laboratory and clinical settings. We sincerely hope to provide a comprehensive perspective on the prospect of PPAR-γ applicability in the field of cancer treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tiange Chi
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.,First Clinical Medical School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Mina Wang
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.,Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Beijing Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Neuromodulation, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xu Wang
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Ke Yang
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Feiyu Xie
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.,Oncology Department, Wangjing Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zehuan Liao
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Peng Wei
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Zeng J, Zhao Y, Li K, Long D, Li W, Liang L. A coordinated ruthenium-rifampicin complex reprogramming the colon carcinoma micro-environment mediated by modulation of p53/AkT/mTOR/VEGF pathway. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2021; 426:115618. [PMID: 34126112 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2021.115618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
WHO suggests that colon cancer incidences are rising steadily, propelling researchers to search for novel chemotherapeutic options. Metal-based chemotherapy is a potential forte to explore ruthenium-based complexes, exhibiting the capability to influence a variety of cellular targets. We discovered the chemotherapeutic effects of ruthenium-rifampicin complex on HT-29 and HCT-116 human colorectal cell lines and on a chemically developed murine colorectal cancer model. Complex was synthesized and characterized by analytical techniques and evaluation of antioxidant potential along with DNA binding capabilities. The complex minimizes cellular propagation and initiates apoptotic events in the colon cancer cell lines of HT-29 and HCT-116. The results of the in vivo study suggest that the complex has been successful in minimizing the wide spectrum of aberrant crypt foci and hyperplastic lesions, as well as encouraging elevated amounts of CAT, SOD and glutathione. Along with that, p53 could be modulated by the ruthenium-rifampicin complex to interfere with apoptosis in colon carcinoma, initiated by the intrinsic apoptotic trail facilitated through Bcl2 and Bax, thus controlling the Akt/mTOR/VEGF pathway coupled through the WNT/β-catenin trail. Ruthenium-rifampicin chemotherapy could interrupt, retract or interrupt the progression of colorectal cancer through modifying intrinsic apoptosis including the antiangiogenic pathway, thereby achieving the function of a potential contender in chemotherapy in the near future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zeng
- Department of Emergency Surgery, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan ProvinciA People's Hospital, Chinese Academy of Sciences Sichuan Translational Medicine Research Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, China
| | - Yu Zhao
- Department of Emergency Surgery, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan ProvinciA People's Hospital, Chinese Academy of Sciences Sichuan Translational Medicine Research Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, China
| | - Kexun Li
- Department of Emergency Surgery, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan ProvinciA People's Hospital, Chinese Academy of Sciences Sichuan Translational Medicine Research Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, China
| | - Daoling Long
- Department of Emergency Surgery, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan ProvinciA People's Hospital, Chinese Academy of Sciences Sichuan Translational Medicine Research Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Emergency Surgery, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan ProvinciA People's Hospital, Chinese Academy of Sciences Sichuan Translational Medicine Research Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, China.
| | - Liang Liang
- Department of Cancer Center, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chinese Academy of Sciences Sichuan Translational Medicine Research Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, China.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Panek-Krzyśko A, Stompor-Gorący M. The Pro-Health Benefits of Morusin Administration-An Update Review. Nutrients 2021; 13:3043. [PMID: 34578920 PMCID: PMC8470188 DOI: 10.3390/nu13093043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenylflavonoids are widespread in nature. Plants are valuable sources of natural polyphenolic compounds with isoprenyl groups, which include flavones, flavanones, chalcones and aurones. They can be found in flowers, bark and stems. One of the most important compounds found in the bark of white mulberry (Morus alba) is morusin, a prenylated flavone with interesting pro-health properties. The research carried out so far revealed that morusin has antioxidant, antitumor, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic activity. Moreover, its neuroprotective and antihyperglycemic properties have also been confirmed. Morusin suppresses the growth of different types of tumors, including breast cancer, glioblastoma, pancreatic cancer, hepatocarcinoma, prostate cancer, and gastric cancer. It also inhibits the inflammatory response by suppressing COX activity and iNOS expression. Moreover, an antimicrobial effect against Gram-positive bacteria was observed after treatment with morusin. The objective of this review is to summarize the current knowledge about the positive effects of morusin on human health in order to facilitate future study on the development of plant polyphenolic drugs and nutraceutics in the group of prenylflavones.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Monika Stompor-Gorący
- Department of Human Pathophysiology, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Rzeszów, Warzywna 1a, 35-310 Rzeszów, Poland;
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Modulating cell differentiation in cancer models. Biochem Soc Trans 2021; 49:1803-1816. [PMID: 34436513 DOI: 10.1042/bst20210230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Cancer has been traditionally viewed as a disease characterised by excessive and uncontrolled proliferation, leading to the development of cytotoxic therapies against highly proliferating malignant cells. However, tumours frequently relapse due to the presence of slow-cycling cancer stem cells eluding chemo and radiotherapy. Since these malignant stem cells are largely undifferentiated, inducing their lineage commitment has been proposed as a potential intervention strategy to deplete tumours from their most resistant components. Pro-differentiation approaches have thus far yielded clinical success in the reversion of acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL), and new developments are fast widening their therapeutic applicability to solid carcinomas. Recent advances in cancer differentiation discussed here highlight the potential and outstanding challenges of differentiation-based approaches.
Collapse
|
22
|
Liang W, Shi J, Xia H, Wei X. A Novel Ruthenium-Fluvastatin Complex Downregulates SNCG Expression to Modulate Breast Carcinoma Cell Proliferation and Apoptosis via Activating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR/VEGF/MMP9 Pathway. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2021; 2021:5537737. [PMID: 34221232 PMCID: PMC8221895 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5537737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most common cause of malignancy and cancer-related morbidity and death worldwide that requests effective and safe chemotherapy. Evaluation of metallodrug-based anticancer agents and statins as chemotherapeutics with fewer side effects is a largely unexplored research field. Synthesis and characterization of the ruthenium-fluvastatin complex were achieved using multiple spectroscopic techniques and thus further examined to evaluate its chemotherapeutic prospects in both MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cancer lines and eventually in vivo models of DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis in rodents. Our studies indicate that the metal and ligand chelation was materialized by the ligand's functional groups of carbonyl (=O) oxygen and hydroxyl (-OH), and the complex has been observed to be crystalline and able to chelate with CT-DNA. The complex was able to reduce cell proliferation and activate apoptotic events in breast carcinoma cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. In addition, the complex was able to modify p53 expressions to interfere with apoptosis in the carcinoma of the breast, stimulated by the intrinsic apoptotic path assisted by Bcl2 and Bax in vivo, yet at the same point, controlling the PI3K/Akt/mTOR/VEGF pathway, as obtained from western blotting, correlates with the MMP9-regulated tumor mechanisms. Our research reveals that ruthenium-fluvastatin chemotherapy may disrupt, rescind, or interrupt breast carcinoma progression by modifying intrinsic apoptosis as well as the antiangiogenic cascade, thereby taking the role of a potential candidate in cancer therapy for the immediate future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Liang
- Department of Oncology, Nanjing First Hospital Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210006, China
| | - Junfeng Shi
- Department of Oncology, Nanjing First Hospital Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210006, China
| | - Haiyan Xia
- Department of Oncology, Nanjing First Hospital Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210006, China
| | - Xiaowei Wei
- Department of Oncology, Nanjing First Hospital Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210006, China
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Zhang X, Su L, Sun K. Expression status and prognostic value of the perilipin family of genes in breast cancer. Am J Transl Res 2021; 13:4450-4463. [PMID: 34150026 PMCID: PMC8205812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Perilipin (PLIN) family of genes were previously shown to be involved in the formation and degradation of Lipid Droplets (LDs). In addition, they may play important roles in the development and progression of breast cancer. However, the prognostic value of PLIN family members in breast cancer patients remains unclear. METHODS Mutations and copy number alterations of PLIN family genes in breast cancer were examined using the cBioportal for Cancer Genomics. In addition, the expression patterns of PLIN family genes were explored using the UCSC Xena online tool. Finally, the Kaplan-Meier Plotter was used to investigate the prognostic value of PLIN family genes in breast cancer. RESULTS The findings revealed a low frequency of genetic alterations and amplification was the most frequent change in the PLIN family genes. Additionally, there was an increase in the expression of Perilipin 3 (PLIN3) in breast cancer tissues compared to normal breast tissues. However, expression of the other genes in the PLIN family was significantly lower in breast cancer tissues compared to normal breast tissues. Moreover, there was an increase in the expression levels of Perilipin 1 (PLIN1), PLIN3, Perilipin 4 (PLIN4) and Perilipin 5 (PLIN5) in the luminal A and luminal B subgroups. On the other hand, the expression of Perilipin 2 (PLIN2) was elevated in the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive and basal-like subgroups. Furthermore, Kaplan-Meier Plotter analysis demonstrated that high expression of PLIN1 might predict a longer Overall Survival (OS) in patients with breast cancer while overexpression of PLIN2 indicated poor OS of breast cancer patients. CONCLUSION The findings from this study indicated that genes in the PLIN family were aberrantly expressed in breast cancer and may serve as novel therapeutic targets as well as prognostic biomarkers for the disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xuede Zhang
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Beilun District People’s HospitalNingbo, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lei Su
- Department of Oncology, Zhangqiu District People’s HospitalJinan, Shandong, China
| | - Kai Sun
- Department of Oncology, Liuzhou People’s HospitalLiuzhou 545001, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Gan L, Gan Z, Dan Y, Li Y, Zhang P, Chen S, Ye Z, Pan T, Wan C, Hu X, Yu Y. Tetrazanbigen Derivatives as Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma (PPARγ) Partial Agonists: Design, Synthesis, Structure-Activity Relationship, and Anticancer Activities. J Med Chem 2021; 64:1018-1036. [PMID: 33423463 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Tetrazanbigen (TNBG) is a novel sterol isoquinoline derivative with poor water solubility and moderate inhibitory effects on human cancer cell lines via lipoapoptosis induction. Herein, we developed a series of novel TNBG analogues with improved water solubility and antiproliferative activities. The CCK-8 assay enabled us to identify a novel compound, 14g, which strongly inhibited HepG2 and A549 cell growth with IC50 values of 0.54 and 0.47 μM, respectively. The anticancer effects might be explained by the partial activation and upregulation of PPARγ expression, as indicated by the transactivation assay and western blotting evaluation. Furthermore, the in vitro antiproliferative activity was verified in an in vivo xenograft model in which 14g strongly reduced tumor growth at a dose of 10 mg/kg. In line with these positive observations, 14g exhibited an excellent water solubility of 31.4 mg/mL, which was more than 1000-fold higher than that of TNBG (4 μg/mL). Together, these results suggest that 14g is a promising anticancer therapeutic that deserves further investigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Linling Gan
- Key Laboratory for Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology of Chongqing, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Zongjie Gan
- Key Laboratory for Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology of Chongqing, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Yanrong Dan
- Key Laboratory for Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology of Chongqing, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Yaowei Li
- Key Laboratory for Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology of Chongqing, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Peiming Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology of Chongqing, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Shanwen Chen
- Key Laboratory for Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology of Chongqing, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Zaijun Ye
- Key Laboratory for Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology of Chongqing, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Tao Pan
- Key Laboratory for Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology of Chongqing, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Chunmei Wan
- Key Laboratory for Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology of Chongqing, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Xuelian Hu
- Key Laboratory for Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology of Chongqing, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Yu Yu
- Key Laboratory for Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology of Chongqing, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Yousefi H, Mashouri L, Okpechi SC, Alahari N, Alahari SK. Repurposing existing drugs for the treatment of COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 infection: A review describing drug mechanisms of action. Biochem Pharmacol 2021; 183:114296. [PMID: 33191206 PMCID: PMC7581400 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2020.114296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The outbreak of a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a major public health concern across the globe. SARS-CoV-2 is the seventh coronavirus that is known to cause human disease. As of September 2020, SARS-CoV-2 has been reported in 213 countries and more than 31 million cases have been confirmed, with an estimated mortality rate of ∼3%. Unfortunately, a drug or vaccine is yet to be discovered to treat COVID-19. Thus, repurposing of existing cancer drugs will be a novel approach in treating COVID-19 patients. These drugs target viral replication cycle, viral entry and translocation to the nucleus. Some can enhance innate antiviral immune response as well. Hence this review focuses on comprehensive list of 22 drugs that work against COVID-19 infection. These drugs include fingolimod, colchicine, N4-hydroxycytidine, remdesivir, methylprednisone, oseltamivir, icatibant, perphanizine, viracept, emetine, homoharringtonine, aloxistatin, ribavirin, valrubicin, famotidine, almitrine, amprenavir, hesperidin, biorobin, cromolyn sodium, and antibodies- tocilzumab and sarilumab. Also, we provide a list of 31 drugs that are predicted to function against SARS-CoV-2 infection. In summary, we provide succinct overview of various therapeutic modalities. Among these 53 drugs, based on various clinical trials and literature, remdesivir, nelfinavir, methylpredinosolone, colchicine, famotidine and emetine may be used for COVID-19. SIGNIFICANCE: It is of utmost important priority to develop novel therapies for COVID-19. Since the effect of SARS-CoV-2 is so severe, slowing the spread of diseases will help the health care system, especially the number of visits to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of any country. Several clinical trials are in works around the globe. Moreover, NCI developed a recent and robust response to COVID-19 pandemic. One of the NCI's goals is to screen cancer related drugs for identification of new therapies for COVID-19. https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2020/covid-19-cancer-nci-response?cid=eb_govdel.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hassan Yousefi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Ladan Mashouri
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Arkansas, Little Rock, AK, USA
| | - Samuel C Okpechi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Nikhilesh Alahari
- Department of Biological Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Suresh K Alahari
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA; Stanley Scott Cancer Research Center, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Zhang Y, Weng Q, Chen J, Han J. Morusin Inhibits Human Osteosarcoma via the PI3K-AKT Signaling Pathway. Curr Pharm Biotechnol 2020; 21:1402-1409. [PMID: 32297574 DOI: 10.2174/1389201021666200416093457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Osteosarcoma is considered as one of the most common types of bone tumors, which occurs among adolescents and children. METHODS Current therapy strategies still have limited effectiveness therefore, the development of new therapies is urgent. Morusin is a compound isolated from Morus australis (Moraceae). Many studies have reported its anti-tumor effect on several tumor types. However, its role in osteosarcoma is still unclear. RESULTS In this study, we determined that morusin significantly suppresses the proliferation and promotes the apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells. Furthermore, the migration and invasion of osteosarcoma were reduced after exposure to morusin. The deep mechanism was determined to be the inhibition of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. CONCLUSION In conclusion, our study indicates morusin as a potential candidate for osteosarcoma therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yong Zhang
- Departments of Trauma Orthopedics, Ningbo No. 6 Hospital, Ningbo 315000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qiuyan Weng
- Departments of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of the Medical School of Ningbo University, 315000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jianming Chen
- Departments of Trauma Orthopedics, Ningbo No. 6 Hospital, Ningbo 315000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jinming Han
- Departments of Spine, Ningbo No 6 Hospital, Ningbo 315000, Zhejiang, China
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Choi DW, Cho SW, Lee SG, Choi CY. The Beneficial Effects of Morusin, an Isoprene Flavonoid Isolated from the Root Bark of Morus. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E6541. [PMID: 32906784 PMCID: PMC7554996 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The root bark of Morus has long been appreciated as an antiphlogistic, diuretic and expectorant drug in Chinese herbal medicine, albeit with barely known targets and mechanisms of action. In the 1970s, the development of analytic chemistry allowed for the discovery of morusin as one of 7 different isoprene flavonoid derivatives in the root bark of Morus. However, the remarkable antioxidant capacity of morusin with the unexpected potential for health benefits over the other flavonoid derivatives has recently sparked scientific interest in the biochemical identification of target proteins and signaling pathways and further clinical relevance. In this review, we discuss recent advances in the understanding of the functional roles of morusin in multiple biological processes such as inflammation, apoptosis, metabolism and autophagy. We also highlight recent in vivo and in vitro evidence on the clinical potential of morusin treatment for multiple human pathologies including inflammatory diseases, neurological disorders, diabetes, cancer and the underlying mechanisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dong Wook Choi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea; (D.W.C.); (S.W.C.)
| | - Sang Woo Cho
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea; (D.W.C.); (S.W.C.)
| | - Seok-Geun Lee
- Department of Science in Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea
- KHU-KIST Department of Converging Science & Technology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea
| | - Cheol Yong Choi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea; (D.W.C.); (S.W.C.)
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Aelenei P, Rimbu CM, Horhogea CE, Lobiuc A, Neagu AN, Dunca SI, Motrescu I, Dimitriu G, Aprotosoaie AC, Miron A. Prenylated phenolics as promising candidates for combination antibacterial therapy: Morusin and kuwanon G. Saudi Pharm J 2020; 28:1172-1181. [PMID: 33132710 PMCID: PMC7584796 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsps.2020.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Combination of antibiotics with natural products is a promising strategy for potentiating antibiotic activity and overcoming antibiotic resistance. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether morusin and kuwanon G, prenylated phenolics in Morus species, have the ability to enhance antibiotic activity and reverse antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Commonly used antibiotics (oxacillin, erythromycin, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, clindamycin) were selected for the combination studies. Checkerboard and time-kill assays were used to investigate potential bacteriostatic and bactericidal synergistic interactions, respectively between morusin or kuwanon G and antibiotics. According to both fractional inhibitory concentration index and response surface models, twenty combinations (14 morusin-antibiotic combinations, six kuwanon G-antibiotic combinations) displaying bacteriostatic synergy were identified, with 4–512-fold reduction in the minimum inhibitory concentration values of antibiotics in combination. Both morusin and kuwanon G reversed oxacillin resistance of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. In addition, morusin reversed tetracycline resistance of Staphylococcus epidermidis. At half of the minimum inhibitory concentrations, combinations of morusin with oxacillin or gentamicin showed bactericidal synergy against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Fluorescence and differential interference contrast microscopy and scanning electron microscopy showed an increase in the membrane permeability and massive leakage of cellular content in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus exposed to morusin or kuwanon G. Overall, our findings strongly indicate that both prenylated compounds are good candidates for the development of novel antibacterial combination therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Petruta Aelenei
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iasi, Universitatii Str. 16, Iasi 700115, Romania.,Regulatory Affairs Department, Fiterman Pharma LLC, Pacurari Road 127, Iasi 700544, Romania
| | - Cristina Mihaela Rimbu
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ion Ionescu de la Brad University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Iasi, Mihail Sadoveanu Al. 8, Iasi 700489, Romania
| | - Cristina Elena Horhogea
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ion Ionescu de la Brad University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Iasi, Mihail Sadoveanu Al. 8, Iasi 700489, Romania
| | - Andrei Lobiuc
- Human Health and Development Department, Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava, Universitatii Str. 13, Suceava 720229, Romania.,Integrated Research Centre for Environmental Studies in the N-E Area - CERNESIM, L2 Laboratory, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Carol I Bd. 20A, Iasi 700506, Romania
| | - Anca-Narcisa Neagu
- Faculty of Biology, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Carol I Bd. 20A, Iasi 700505, Romania
| | - Simona Isabela Dunca
- Faculty of Biology, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Carol I Bd. 20A, Iasi 700505, Romania
| | - Iuliana Motrescu
- Science Department & Research Institute for Agriculture and Environment, Ion Ionescu de la Brad University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Iasi, Mihail Sadoveanu Al. 3, Iasi 700490, Romania
| | - Gabriel Dimitriu
- Department of Medical Informatics and Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iasi, Universitatii Str. 16, Iasi 700115, Romania
| | - Ana Clara Aprotosoaie
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iasi, Universitatii Str. 16, Iasi 700115, Romania
| | - Anca Miron
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iasi, Universitatii Str. 16, Iasi 700115, Romania
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Park YJ, Choi DW, Cho SW, Han J, Yang S, Choi CY. Stress Granule Formation Attenuates RACK1-Mediated Apoptotic Cell Death Induced by Morusin. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21155360. [PMID: 32731602 PMCID: PMC7432505 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21155360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress granules are membraneless organelles composed of numerous components including ribonucleoproteins. The stress granules are characterized by a dynamic complex assembly in response to various environmental stressors, which has been implicated in the coordinated regulation of diverse biological pathways, to exert a protective role against stress-induced cell death. Here, we show that stress granule formation is induced by morusin, a novel phytochemical displaying antitumor capacity through barely known mechanisms. Morusin-mediated induction of stress granules requires activation of protein kinase R (PKR) and subsequent eIF2α phosphorylation. Notably, genetic inactivation of stress granule formation mediated by G3BP1 knockout sensitized cancer cells to morusin treatment. This protective function against morusin-mediated cell death can be attributed at least in part to the sequestration of receptors for activated C kinase-1 (RACK1) within the stress granules, which reduces caspase-3 activation. Collectively, our study provides biochemical evidence for the role of stress granules in suppressing the antitumor capacity of morusin, proposing that morusin treatment, together with pharmacological inhibition of stress granules, could be an efficient strategy for targeting cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ye-Jin Park
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea; (Y.-J.P.); (D.W.C.); (S.W.C.)
| | - Dong Wook Choi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea; (Y.-J.P.); (D.W.C.); (S.W.C.)
| | - Sang Woo Cho
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea; (Y.-J.P.); (D.W.C.); (S.W.C.)
| | - Jaeseok Han
- Soonchunhyang Institute of Medi-bio Science (SIMS), Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Chungcheongnam-do 31151, Korea;
| | - Siyoung Yang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ajou University Graduate School of Medicine, Suwon 16499, Korea;
| | - Cheol Yong Choi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea; (Y.-J.P.); (D.W.C.); (S.W.C.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-31-290-7010; Fax: +82-31-290-7015
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Decrypting the Molecular Mechanistic Pathways Delineating the Chemotherapeutic Potential of Ruthenium-Phloretin Complex in Colon Carcinoma Correlated with the Oxidative Status and Increased Apoptotic Events. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2020; 2020:7690845. [PMID: 32566099 PMCID: PMC7281810 DOI: 10.1155/2020/7690845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
To explore fresh strategies in colorectal cancer (CRC) chemotherapy, we evaluated the capability of the ruthenium-phloretin complex in exterminating colon cancer by effectively addressing multiple apoptotic mechanisms on HT-29 cancer cells together with an animal model of colorectal cancer activated by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine and dextran sulfate sodium. Our current approach offers tangible evidence of the application of the ruthenium-phloretin complex in future chemotherapy. The complex triggers intrinsic apoptosis triggered by p53 and modulates the Akt/mTOR pathway along with other inflammatory biomarkers. The ruthenium-phloretin complex has been synthesized and successfully characterized by numerous spectroscopic methodologies accompanied by DPPH, FRAP, and ABTS assays assessing its antioxidant potential. Studies conducted in human cell lines revealed that the complex improved levels of p53 and caspase-3 while diminishing the activities of VEGF and mTOR, triggers apoptosis, and induces fragmentation of DNA in the HT-29 cells. Toxicity studies were conducted to identify the therapeutic doses of the novel complex in animal models. The outcomes of the in vivo report suggest that the complex was beneficial in repressing multiplicity of aberrant crypt foci as well as hyperplastic lesions and also promoted increased levels of CAT, SOD, and glutathione. In addition, the ruthenium-phloretin complex was able to control cell proliferation and boosted apoptotic outbursts in cancer cells associated with the increase in cellular response towards Bax while diminishing responses towards Bcl-2, NF-κB, and MMP-9. Our observations from the experiments deliver testament that the ruthenium-phloretin complex has the potential to act as a promising chemotherapeutic agent in colorectal cancer because it can affect the growth of ACF and hyperplastic abrasions in the colon tissues by evoking cell death.
Collapse
|
31
|
Phenolic constituents and anticancer properties of Morus alba (white mulberry) leaves. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE-JIM 2020; 18:189-195. [DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2020.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
|
32
|
Yang C, Luo J, Luo X, Jia W, Fang Z, Yi S, Li L. Morusin exerts anti-cancer activity in renal cell carcinoma by disturbing MAPK signaling pathways. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2020; 8:327. [PMID: 32355771 PMCID: PMC7186639 DOI: 10.21037/atm.2020.02.107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Background Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has gradually become a severe type of kidney malignant tumor, which warrants an urgent need for highly efficacious therapeutic agents. Morusin, a typical prenylated flavonoid, has been revealed to possess anticarcinogenic effects against several cancers by inhibiting cell proliferation and tumorigenesis. Methods Cells proliferation was examined by CCK-8. Migration assays were performed using a 24-well transwell chamber. Apoptotic cells were detected using the Annexin V PE/7-AAD apoptosis detection kit. Cell cycle analysis was carried out by flow cytometry. Western blotting and quantitative real time (qRT) PCR were used to exam the change of target gene in mRNA and protein level. Nude mouse xenograft experiments were performed to identify vivo function of morusin. Results Here, we evaluated the effect of morusin against RCC. We treated three RCC cell lines, 769-P, 786-O, and OSRC-2, with morusin to study its effects on cell growth, migration, apoptosis, cell cycle and cancer-related pathways. Additionally, we assessed the effects of morusin on tumor growth using a nude mouse model. Morusin could inhibit cell growth and migration, induce cell apoptosis and downregulate apoptosis-related proteins, and disturb the cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase. Additionally, morusin could suppress RCC tumorigenesis in vivo. Moreover, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal pathways were found to be involved in morusin-induced anti-cancer activity. P-p38 and P-JNK levels were up-regulated by morusin, while the ERK phosphorylation level was down-regulated. Conclusions Our results show that morusin could inhibit the growth of RCC cells in vitro and in vivo through MAPK signal pathways. Thus, morusin could be a potential anti-cancer agent for RCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chengfei Yang
- Department of Urology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Army Military Medical University, Chongqing 400037, China
| | - Jing Luo
- Department of Urology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Army Military Medical University, Chongqing 400037, China
| | - Xing Luo
- Department of Urology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Army Military Medical University, Chongqing 400037, China
| | - Weisheng Jia
- Department of Urology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Army Military Medical University, Chongqing 400037, China
| | - Zhenqiang Fang
- Department of Urology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Army Military Medical University, Chongqing 400037, China
| | - Shanhong Yi
- Department of Urology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Army Military Medical University, Chongqing 400037, China
| | - Longkun Li
- Department of Urology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Army Military Medical University, Chongqing 400037, China
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Wu L, Guo C, Wu J. Therapeutic potential of PPARγ natural agonists in liver diseases. J Cell Mol Med 2020; 24:2736-2748. [PMID: 32031298 PMCID: PMC7077554 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.15028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2019] [Revised: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) is a vital subtype of the PPAR family. The biological functions are complex and diverse. PPARγ plays a significant role in protecting the liver from inflammation, oxidation, fibrosis, fatty liver and tumours. Natural products are a promising pool for drug discovery, and enormous research effort has been invested in exploring the PPARγ‐activating potential of natural products. In this manuscript, we will review the research progress of PPARγ agonists from natural products in recent years and probe into the application potential and prospects of PPARγ natural agonists in the therapy of various liver diseases, including inflammation, hepatic fibrosis, non‐alcoholic fatty liver and liver cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liwei Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Putuo People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Chuanyong Guo
- Department of Gastroenterology, Putuo People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianye Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Putuo People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Potential of herb-drug / herb interactions between substrates and inhibitors of UGTs derived from herbal medicines. Pharmacol Res 2019; 150:104510. [DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2019.104510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Revised: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
|
35
|
Brunetti L, Loiodice F, Piemontese L, Tortorella P, Laghezza A. New Approaches to Cancer Therapy: Combining Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase (FAAH) Inhibition with Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors (PPARs) Activation. J Med Chem 2019; 62:10995-11003. [PMID: 31407888 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b00885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Over the course of the past decade, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) have been identified as part of the cannabinoid signaling system: both phytocannabinoids and endocannabinoids are capable of binding and activating these nuclear receptors. Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) hydrolyzes the endocannabinoid anandamide and other N-acylethanolamines. These substances have been shown to have numerous anticancer effects, and indeed the inhibition of FAAH has multiple beneficial effects that are mediated by PPARα subtype and by PPARγ subtype, especially antiproliferation and activation of apoptosis. The substrates of FAAH are also PPAR agonists, which explains the PPAR-mediated effects of FAAH inhibitors. Much like cannabinoid ligands and FAAH inhibitors, PPARγ agonists show antiproliferative effects on cancer cells, suggesting that additive or synergistic effects may be achieved through the positive modulation of both signaling systems. In this Miniperspective, we discuss the development of novel FAAH inhibitors able to directly act as PPAR agonists and their promising utilization as leads for the discovery of highly effective anticancer compounds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Brunetti
- Dipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze del Farmaco , Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro" , via Orabona 4 , 70125 Bari , Italy
| | - Fulvio Loiodice
- Dipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze del Farmaco , Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro" , via Orabona 4 , 70125 Bari , Italy
| | - Luca Piemontese
- Dipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze del Farmaco , Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro" , via Orabona 4 , 70125 Bari , Italy
| | - Paolo Tortorella
- Dipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze del Farmaco , Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro" , via Orabona 4 , 70125 Bari , Italy
| | - Antonio Laghezza
- Dipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze del Farmaco , Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro" , via Orabona 4 , 70125 Bari , Italy
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Wang Y, Bian L, Chakraborty T, Ghosh T, Chanda P, Roy S. Construing the Biochemical and Molecular Mechanism Underlying the In Vivo and In Vitro Chemotherapeutic Efficacy of Ruthenium-Baicalein Complex in Colon Cancer. Int J Biol Sci 2019; 15:1052-1071. [PMID: 31182925 PMCID: PMC6535785 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.31143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
In pursuit of a novel approach in colon cancer therapy, we explored the ability of ruthenium baicalein complex to eradicate colon cancer by efficiently targeting various apoptotic pathways on human colon cancer cell line and on a DMH and DSS induced murine model of colorectal cancer. In this study, we provide direct proof of the chemotherapeutic potential of the ruthenium baicalein complex by activating p-53 dependent intrinsic apoptosis and modulating the AKT/mTOR and WNT/β- catenin pathways. The ruthenium baicalein complex was synthesized and its characterizations were accomplished through various spectroscopic techniques followed by assessment of antioxidant potential by DPPH, FRAP, and ABTS methods. In vitro study established that the complex increased p53 and caspase-3 expressions while down regulating VEGF and mTOR expression, induced apoptosis, and DNA fragmentation in the HT-29 cells. Acute and sub-acute toxicity study was also considered and results from in vivo study revealed that complex was effective in suppressing ACF multiplicity and hyperplastic lesions and also raised the CAT, SOD, and glutathione levels. Furthermore, the complex decreased cell proliferation and increased apoptotic events in tumor cells correlated with the upregulation of Bax and downregulation of Bcl2, WNT and β- catenin expressions. Our findings from the in vitro and in vivo study provide robust confirmation that ruthenium baicalein complex possesses a potential chemotherapeutic activity against colon cancer and is competent in reducing ACF multiplicity, hyperplastic lesions in the colon tissues of rats by inducing apoptosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yixuan Wang
- Department of Nephrology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130033, China
| | - Li Bian
- Department of Radiotherapy, The Second Hospital of Jilin university, Changchun, Jilin, 130041, China
| | - Tania Chakraborty
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, NSHM Knowledge Campus- Kolkata, 124 B.L. Saha Road, Kolkata -700053, West Bengal, India
| | - Torsha Ghosh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, NSHM Knowledge Campus- Kolkata, 124 B.L. Saha Road, Kolkata -700053, West Bengal, India
| | - Pallakhi Chanda
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, NSHM Knowledge Campus- Kolkata, 124 B.L. Saha Road, Kolkata -700053, West Bengal, India
| | - Souvik Roy
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, NSHM Knowledge Campus- Kolkata, 124 B.L. Saha Road, Kolkata -700053, West Bengal, India
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Roy S, Sil A, Chakraborty T. Potentiating apoptosis and modulation of p53, Bcl2, and Bax by a novel chrysin ruthenium complex for effective chemotherapeutic efficacy against breast cancer. J Cell Physiol 2019; 234:4888-4909. [PMID: 30246261 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.27287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most frequent cause of cancer in women. In the current study, transition metal ruthenium was complexed with flavonoid chrysin to evaluate the chemotherapeutic potential of this compound in Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF-7) human mammary cancer cell line and 7,12-dimethylbenz(α)anthracene-induced mammary cancer in female Sprague-Dawley rats. The characterizations of the complex were accomplished through UV-visible, NMR, IR, Mass spectra, and XRD techniques and antioxidant activity was assessed by DPPH, FRAP, and ABTS methods. In vitro studies included cell viability, cell cycle analysis, DNA fragmentation, and marker analysis by western blot analysis and found that complex treatment suppressed cell growth-induced cell cycle arrest and enhanced the induction of apoptosis in cancer cells. Moreover, complex treatment modulated signaling pathways including mTOR, VEGF, and p53 in the MCF-7 cells. Acute and subacute toxicity was performed in rats to determine the therapeutic doses. Breast cancer in rats was initiated by the administration of 7,12-dimethylbenz(α)anthracene (0.5 mg/100 g body weight) via single tail vein injection. The histopathological analysis after 24 weeks of carcinogenesis study depicted substantial repair of hyperplastic lesions. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed upregulation of Bax and p53 and downregulation of Bcl2 proteins and TUNEL assay showed an increase in apoptotic index in ruthenium-chrysin-treated groups as compared to the carcinogen control. Our findings from the in vitro and in vivo study support the continued investigation of ruthenium-chrysin complex possesses a potential chemotherapeutic activity against breast cancer and was efficient in reducing hyperplastic lesions in the mammary tissues of rats by inducing apoptosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Souvik Roy
- Department of Pharmacology, NSHM Knowledge Campus Kolkata-Group of Institutions, NSHM College of Pharmaceutical Technology, Kolkata, India
| | - Anweshan Sil
- Department of Pharmacology, NSHM Knowledge Campus Kolkata-Group of Institutions, NSHM College of Pharmaceutical Technology, Kolkata, India
| | - Tania Chakraborty
- Department of Pharmacology, NSHM Knowledge Campus Kolkata-Group of Institutions, NSHM College of Pharmaceutical Technology, Kolkata, India
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Jin SE, Ha H, Shin HK, Seo CS. Anti-Allergic and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Kuwanon G and Morusin on MC/9 Mast Cells and HaCaT Keratinocytes. Molecules 2019; 24:molecules24020265. [PMID: 30642008 PMCID: PMC6359505 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24020265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Revised: 12/24/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a prevalent chronic inflammatory skin disease. The use of immunomodulatory corticosteroids in AD treatment causes adverse side effects. Therefore, novel natural anti-inflammatory therapeutics are needed. The aim of the present study was to investigate the anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory activities of kuwanon G and morusin. To investigate the effect of kuwanon G and morusin on skin inflammation, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) to quantitate secreted (RANTES/CCL5), thymus- and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC/CCL17), and macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC/CCL22) were performed, followed by Western blotting to measure the phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) and nuclear transcription factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 in tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-stimulated HaCaT keratinocytes. In order to evaluate the anti-allergic effects, ELISA to quantify histamine and leukotriene C4 (LTC4) production and Western blotting to measure 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) activation were performed using PMA and A23187-stimulated MC/9 mast cells. Kuwanon G reduced the release of RANTES/CCL5, TARC/CCL17, and MDC/CCL22 via down-regulation of STAT1 and NF-κB p65 signaling in TNF-α and IFN-γ-stimulated HaCaT keratinocytes. Kuwanon G also inhibited histamine production and 5-LO activation in PMA and A23187-stimulated MC/9 mast cells. Morusin inhibited RANTES/CCL5 and TARC/CCL17 secretion via the suppression of STAT1 and NF-κB p65 phosphorylation in TNF-α and IFN-γ-stimulated HaCaT keratinocytes, and the release of histamine and LTC4 by suppressing 5-LO activation in PMA and A23187-stimulated MC/9 mast cells. Kuwanon G and morusin are potential anti-inflammatory mediators for the treatment of allergic and inflammatory skin diseases such as AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Seong Eun Jin
- Herbal Medicine Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, 1672 Yuseong-daero, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34054, Korea.
| | - Hyekyung Ha
- Herbal Medicine Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, 1672 Yuseong-daero, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34054, Korea.
| | - Hyeun-Kyoo Shin
- Herbal Medicine Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, 1672 Yuseong-daero, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34054, Korea.
| | - Chang-Seob Seo
- Herbal Medicine Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, 1672 Yuseong-daero, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34054, Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Morusin Functions as a Lipogenesis Inhibitor as Well as a Lipolysis Stimulator in Differentiated 3T3-L1 and Primary Adipocytes. Molecules 2018; 23:molecules23082004. [PMID: 30103469 PMCID: PMC6222347 DOI: 10.3390/molecules23082004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 08/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Conflicting results for morusin activity during adipogenic differentiation are reported in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and cancer cells. To elucidate the influence of morusin on fat metabolism, their anti-obesity effects and molecular mechanism were investigated in 3T3-L1 cells and primary adipocytes. Morusin at a dose of less than 20 µM does not induce any significant change in the viability of 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The accumulation of intracellular lipid droplets in 3T3-L1 adipocytes stimulated with 0.5 mM 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, 1 µM dexamethasone, 10 µg/mL insulin in DMEM containing 10% FBS (MDI)-significantly reduces in a dose-dependent manner after morusin treatment. The phosphorylation level of members in the MAP kinase signaling pathway under the insulin receptor downstream also decrease significantly in the MDI + morusin-treated group compared to MDI + vehicle-treated group. Also, the expression of adipogenic transcription factors (PPARγ and C/EBPα) and lipogenic proteins (aP2 and FAS) are significantly attenuated by exposure to the compound in MDI-stimulated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Furthermore, the decrease in the G0/G1 arrest of cell cycle after culturing in MDI medium was dramatically recovered after co-culturing in MDI + 20 µM morusin. Moreover, morusin treatment induces glycerol release in the primary adipocytes of SD rats and enhances lipolytic protein expression (HSL, ATGL, and perilipin) in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Overall, the results of the present study provide strong evidence that morusin inhibits adipogenesis by regulating the insulin receptor signaling, cell cycle and adipogenic protein expression as well as stimulating lipolysis by enhancing glycerol release and lipolytic proteins expression.
Collapse
|
40
|
Roy S, Chakraborty T. Deciphering the molecular mechanism and apoptosis underlying the in-vitro and in-vivo chemotherapeutic efficacy of vanadium luteolin complex in colon cancer. Cell Biochem Funct 2018; 36:116-128. [PMID: 29574863 DOI: 10.1002/cbf.3322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2017] [Revised: 12/23/2017] [Accepted: 12/26/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Souvik Roy
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology; NSHM Knowledge Campus-Kolkata, Group of Institutions; Kolkata West Bengal India
| | - Tania Chakraborty
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology; NSHM Knowledge Campus-Kolkata, Group of Institutions; Kolkata West Bengal India
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
UGT-mediated metabolism plays a dominant role in the pharmacokinetic behavior and the disposition of morusin in vivo and in vitro. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2018; 154:339-353. [PMID: 29571132 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2018.02.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2017] [Revised: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 02/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Morusin is a prenylated flavone isolated from mulberry, the branch and root bark of various Morus species, which possesses diverse pharmacological activities. However, it lacks extensive studies about its absorption and disposition. This study investigated the pharmacokinetic behavior of morusin in rat, and its first-pass metabolism in situ. The metabolic pathway of morusin was further investigated by 12 human recombinant UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs), 9 CYP450s, as well as liver and intestinal microsomes. Four mono-glucuronide metabolites (M-5-G, M-4'-G, M-2'-G, and MII-2) were identified in rat intestine and bile by LC-MS/MS, while three of them were also detected in plasma (M-5-G, M-4'-G, and MII-2). M-4'-G was the principal conjugate. However, few CYP450 metabolites were found in rat intestine and bile. Only a small amount of MI-1 could be detected in rat plasma. UGT1A1, 1A3, 1A7, and 2B7 were the major contributors to morusin glucuronidation. Morusin exhibited substrate inhibition kinetic characteristics in all UGTs. Clearance rates of M-4'-G in HLM, RLM, UGT1A1, UGT1A3, and UGT2B7 were 137.02, 127.55, 32.54, 41.18, and 35.07 ml/min/mg, respectively. Besides, CYP3A5, 3A4, and 2C19 primarily contributed to the oxidative metabolism of morusin. The pharmacokinetic curves of morusin and its conjugates presented double peaks, showing that an enterohepatic recycling may exist. In conclusion, glucuronidation was confirmed to be the crucial metabolic pathway for morusin in vivo, and M-4'-G was the main metabolite.
Collapse
|
42
|
Roy S, Das R, Ghosh B, Chakraborty T. Deciphering the biochemical and molecular mechanism underlying the in vitro and in vivo chemotherapeutic efficacy of ruthenium quercetin complex in colon cancer. Mol Carcinog 2018; 57:700-721. [PMID: 29442390 DOI: 10.1002/mc.22792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Revised: 01/18/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Flavonoids are the most investigated phytochemicals due to their pharmacological and therapeutic activities. Their ability to chelate with metal ions has resulted in the emergence of a new category of molecules with a broader spectrum of pharmacological activities. In this study, the ruthenium quercetin complex has been synthesized and anticancer activity has been evaluated on a well-defined model of DMH followed by DSS induced rat colon cancer and on human colon cancer cell line HT-29. The characterizations accomplished through UV-visible, NMR, IR, Mass spectra and XRD techniques, and antioxidant activity was assessed by DPPH, FRAP, and ABTS methods. In vitro study confirmed that the complex increased p53 expression, reduced VEGF and mTOR expression, apoptosis induction, and DNA fragmentation in the HT-29 cells. Acute and subacute toxicity study was also assessed and results from in vivo study revealed that complex was efficient to suppress ACF multiplicity and hyperplastic lesions and elevated the CAT, SOD, and glutathione levels. Furthermore, the complex was found to decrease cell proliferation and increased apoptotic events in tumor cells correlates upregulation of p53 and Bax and downregulation of Bcl2 expression. Our findings from the in vitro and in vivo study support the continued investigation of ruthenium quercetin complex possesses a potential chemotherapeutic activity against colon cancer and was efficient in reducing ACF multiplicity, hyperplastic lesions in the colon tissues of rats by inducing apoptosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Souvik Roy
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, NSHM Knowledge Campus-Kolkata, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Rituparna Das
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, NSHM Knowledge Campus-Kolkata, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Balaram Ghosh
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology, Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Tania Chakraborty
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, NSHM Knowledge Campus-Kolkata, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Xue J, Li R, Zhao X, Ma C, Lv X, Liu L, Liu P. Morusin induces paraptosis-like cell death through mitochondrial calcium overload and dysfunction in epithelial ovarian cancer. Chem Biol Interact 2018; 283:59-74. [PMID: 29421517 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2018.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Revised: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the leading cause of death among all gynecological cancers. Morusin, a prenylated flavonoid extracted from the root bark of Morus australis, has been reported to exhibit anti-tumor activity against various human cancers except EOC. In the present study, we explored the potential anti-cancer activity of morusin against EOC in vitro and in vivo and possible underlying mechanisms for the first time. We first found that morusin effectively inhibited EOC cell proliferation and survival in vitro and suppressed tumor growth in vivo. Then we observed that treatment of EOC cells with morusin resulted in paraptosis-like cell death, a novel mode of non-apoptotic programmed cell death that is characterized by extensive cytoplasmic vacuolation due to dilation of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria and lack of apoptotic hallmarks. In addition, we discovered that morusin induced obvious increase in mitochondrial Ca2+ levels, accumulation of ER stress markers, generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) in EOC cells. Furthermore, pretreatment with 4, 4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2, 2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS), a chemical inhibitor of voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) on the outer mitochondrial membrane, effectively inhibited mitochondrial Ca2+ influx, cytoplasmic vacuolation and cell death induced by morusin in EOC cells. Moreover, DIDS pretreatment also suppressed morusin-induced accumulation of ER stress markers, ROS production and depletion of Δψm. Consistently, tumor xenograft assays showed that co-treatment with DIDS partially reversed the inhibitory effects of morusin on tumor growth in vivo and inhibited the increased levels of ER stress markers induced by morusin in tumor tissues. Collectively, our results suggest that VDAC-mediated Ca2+ influx into mitochondria and subsequent mitochondrial Ca2+ overload contribute to mitochondrial swelling and dysfunction, leading to morusin-induced paraptosis-like cell death in EOC. This study may provide alternative therapeutic strategies for EOC exhibiting resistance to apoptosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jing Xue
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, 107 West Wenhua Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China.
| | - Rui Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, 107 West Wenhua Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xinrui Zhao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, 107 West Wenhua Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China.
| | - Congcong Ma
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, 107 West Wenhua Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xin Lv
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, 107 West Wenhua Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China.
| | - Lidong Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, 107 West Wenhua Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China.
| | - Peishu Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, 107 West Wenhua Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Agarwal S, Mohamed MS, Raveendran S, Rochani AK, Maekawa T, Kumar DS. Formulation, characterization and evaluation of morusin loaded niosomes for potentiation of anticancer therapy. RSC Adv 2018; 8:32621-32636. [PMID: 35547672 PMCID: PMC9086195 DOI: 10.1039/c8ra06362a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Morusin, a water-insoluble prenylated flavonoid is known for its numerous medicinal properties. It manifests its anticancer potential by suppression of genes involved in tumor progression. However, poor solubility of the drug results in low bioavailability and rapid degradation thus hindering its clinical utilization. In order to overcome this, we have synthesized a niosome system composed of non-ionic surfactant span 60 and cholesterol using a thin-layer evaporation technique to improve the aqueous-phase solubility of the drug. Highly cytocompatible niosomes of 479 nm average size with smooth and uniform spherical morphology were synthesized in a facile manner. Unlike free morusin, nanomorusin was found to be freely dispersible in aqueous media. Having an extremely high drug entrapment efficiency (97%), controlled and sustained release of morusin resulting in enhanced therapeutic efficacy was observed in cancer cell lines of 4 different lineages. The results demonstrate that the morusin-niosome system is a promising strategy for enhanced anti-cancer activity against multiple cancer types and could be an indispensable tool for future targeted chemotherapeutic strategies. Highly cytocompatible morusin-loaded niosomes were synthesized showing high drug loading and encapsulation efficiencies with sustained release of the drug. Enhanced therapeutic efficacy was observed against 4 different cancer cell lines.![]()
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Srishti Agarwal
- Bio Nano Electronics Research Center
- Graduate School of Interdisciplinary New Science
- Toyo University
- Kawagoe
- Japan
| | - M. Sheikh Mohamed
- Bio Nano Electronics Research Center
- Graduate School of Interdisciplinary New Science
- Toyo University
- Kawagoe
- Japan
| | - Sreejith Raveendran
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences
- University of Brighton
- Brighton
- UK
| | - Ankit K. Rochani
- Jefferson College of Pharmacy
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science
- Thomas Jefferson University
- Philadelphia
- USA
| | - Toru Maekawa
- Bio Nano Electronics Research Center
- Graduate School of Interdisciplinary New Science
- Toyo University
- Kawagoe
- Japan
| | - D. Sakthi Kumar
- Bio Nano Electronics Research Center
- Graduate School of Interdisciplinary New Science
- Toyo University
- Kawagoe
- Japan
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Wang F, Zhang D, Mao J, Ke XX, Zhang R, Yin C, Gao N, Cui H. Morusin inhibits cell proliferation and tumor growth by down-regulating c-Myc in human gastric cancer. Oncotarget 2017; 8:57187-57200. [PMID: 28915664 PMCID: PMC5593635 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.19231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2017] [Accepted: 06/26/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Morusin is a pure extract from the root bark of Morus australis (Moraceae). In recent years, morusin has been reported to exhibit anti-tumor biological activity in some types of human cancers through different mechanisms. Here, we attempted to investigate the inhibitory effect and mechanism of morusin on gastric cancer. Morusin markedly inhibited gastric cancer cell proliferation by down-regulating CDKs and Cyclins, such as CDK2, CDK4, Cyclin D1 and Cyclin E1. Additionally, morusin suppressed tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. Up-regulation of CDKs and Cyclins in gastric cancer cells was induced by c-Myc binding at the E-Box regions of CDKs and the Cyclin promoter. In addition, compared with the control group, the morusin-treated group showed reduced expression of c-Myc and c-Myc protein binding at the E-Box regions. Based on these results, we overexpressed c-Myc in gastric cancer cells and found that overexpressing c-Myc rescued morusin-induced inhibition of cell proliferation and tumor growth. These results suggest that morusin inhibits cell proliferation and tumor growth by down-regulating c-Myc in human gastric cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Feng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Dunke Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Jingxin Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Xiao-Xue Ke
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Rui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Chao Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Ning Gao
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Hongjuan Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Gao L, Wang L, Sun Z, Li H, Wang Q, Yi C, Wang X. Morusin shows potent antitumor activity for human hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro and in vivo through apoptosis induction and angiogenesis inhibition. Drug Des Devel Ther 2017; 11:1789-1802. [PMID: 28670112 PMCID: PMC5481341 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s138320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most aggressive cancers with high mortality worldwide. Research and development of novel agents for HCC therapy is in demand, urgently. Morusin has been reported to exhibit potential cytotoxic activity in several cancer cell lines. However, whether it has potential antiangiogenic activity especially in HCC remains unclear. In the current study, we found that morusin exerted growth inhibition effects on human HCC cells (HepG2 and Hep3B) in vitro and human HCC cell (HepG2) xenografts in vivo. Moreover, apoptosis induction was observed in a dose-dependent manner after morusin treatment along with an increase in the expression of active caspase-3 and the Bax/Bcl-2 expression ratio. More importantly, morusin inhibited proliferation, migration, and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro and downregulated angiogenic proteins in HCC cells and HUVECs. In vivo, tumor angiogenesis was also attenuated after morusin treatment. In addition, morusin suppressed constitutive as well as IL-6-induced STAT3 phosphorylation in HCC cells and corresponding tumor tissues. Overall, morusin has a potential anticancer effect on human HCC cells in vitro and in vivo by inducing apoptosis and inhibiting anti-angiogenesis. The corresponding mechanism might be associated with the attenuation of the IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway. Morusin might serve as a promising novel anticancer agent in HCC therapy, and requires further study.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Li Wang
- Laboratory of Lung Cancer, Lung Cancer Center
| | - Zhen Sun
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, West China Hospital, West China Clinical Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| | - Haiyan Li
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, West China Hospital, West China Clinical Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiaoping Wang
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, West China Hospital, West China Clinical Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| | | | - Xiujie Wang
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, West China Hospital, West China Clinical Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Cho SW, Na W, Choi M, Kang SJ, Lee SG, Choi CY. Autophagy inhibits cell death induced by the anti-cancer drug morusin. Am J Cancer Res 2017; 7:518-530. [PMID: 28401008 PMCID: PMC5385640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2016] [Accepted: 12/15/2016] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is a cellular process by which damaged organelles and dysfunctional proteins are degraded. Morusin is an anti-cancer drug isolated from the root bark of Morus alba. Morusin induces apoptosis in human prostate cancer cells by reducing STAT3 activity. In this study, we examined whether morusin induces autophagy and also examined the effects of autophagy on the morusin-induced apoptosis. Morusin induces LC3-II accumulation and ULK1 activation in HeLa cells. In addition, we found that induction of ULK1 Ser317 phosphorylation and reduction of ULK1 Ser757 phosphorylation occurred simultaneously during morusin-induced autophagy. Consistently, morusin induces autophagy by activation of AMPK and inhibition of mTOR activity. Next, we investigated the role of autophagy in morusin-induced apoptosis. Inhibition of autophagy by treating cells with the 3-methyladenine (3-MA) autophagic inhibitor induces high levels of morusin-mediated apoptosis, while treatment of cells with morusin alone induces moderate levels of apoptosis. Cell survival was greatly reduced when cells were treated with morusin and 3-MA. Taken together, morusin induces autophagy, which is an impediment for morusin-induced apoptosis, suggesting combined treatment of morusin with an autophagic inhibitor would increase the efficacy of morusin as an anti-cancer drug.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sang Woo Cho
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan UniversitySuwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Wooju Na
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan UniversitySuwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Minji Choi
- Department of Science in Korean Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee UniversitySeoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Shin Jung Kang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Sejong UniversitySeoul 05006, Republic of Korea
| | - Seok-Geun Lee
- Department of Science in Korean Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee UniversitySeoul 02447, Republic of Korea
- KHU-KIST Department of Converging Science & Technology, Kyung Hee UniversitySeoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Cheol Yong Choi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan UniversitySuwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|