Effects and Mechanism of Tanshinone II A in Proliferation, Apoptosis, and Migration of Human Colon Cancer Cells

Tanshinone IIA alleviates IL-1β-induced chondrocyte apoptosis and inflammation by regulating FBXO11 expression

OBJECTIVE

This study explored the pharmacological mechanism of Tanshinone IIA (TAN IIA) in the treatment of Osteoarthritis (OA), which provided a certain reference for further research and clinical application of Tan IIA in OA.

METHODS

CHON-001 cells were stimulated with 10 μg/mL IL-1β for 48 h and treated with 10 μM TAN IIA for 48 h. Cellular viability and apoptosis were evaluated by CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry, and Cleaved caspase-3 was measured by Immunoblot assay and RT-qPCR. TNF-α, IL-6, and iNOS in CHON-001 cells were determined by RT-qPCR and ELISA. To further verify the effect of TAN IIA on OA, a rat model of OA in vivo was established by right anterior cruciate ligament transection. TAN IIA was administered at 50 mg/kg or 150 mg/kg for 7 weeks. The degree of cartilage destruction in OA rats was observed by TUNEL and HE staining. Cleaved caspase-3 and FBXO11 were measured by immunohistochemical staining, RT-qPCR, and Immunoblot. TNF-α, IL-6, and iNOS in chondrocytes of OA rats were detected by ELISA.

RESULTS

IL-1β stimulated CHON-001 cell apoptosis and inflammation, and TAN IIA had anti-apoptosis and anti-inflammatory effects on IL-1β-regulated CHON-001 cells. TAN IIA down-regulated FBXO11 and inhibited PI3K/AKT and NF-κB pathways, thereby alleviating apoptotic and inflammatory reactions in CHON-001 cells under IL-1β treatment. Moreover, TAN IIA treatment improved chondrocyte apoptosis and inflammations in OA rats.

CONCLUSION

TAN IIA inhibits PI3K/Akt and NF-κB pathways by down-regulating FBXO11 expression, alleviates chondrocyte apoptosis and inflammation, and delays the progression of OA.

Tanshinone IIA promotes apoptosis by downregulating BCL2 and upregulating TP53 in triple-negative breast cancer

Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) was mainly used for cardiovascular disease treatment. Recent studies have demonstrated the role of Tan IIA for tumor treatment, but its mechanism remains unclear. At the first, the inhibitory effect of Tan IIA on 4T1 breast cancer cells was determined by CCK8 and colony formation assay. Then, a 4T1 BALB/c model of breast cancer was established to evaluate the anti-cancer effect of Tan IIA in vivo. Flow cytometry analysis and the TUNEL test were used to detect cell apoptosis in vitro and in vivo, respectively. The related targets and mechanisms of Tan IIA were predicted through network-based systems biology. At last, molecular docking and the molecular biological techniques were used to evaluate the predicted targets. Tan IIA displayed encouraging inhibitory influences on 4T1 cells after incubation for 24 h and showed a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 49.78 μM after 48-h incubation. After 23 days of treatment, the relative tumor volumes in the Tan IIA group were 65.53% inhibited compared with the control group. Furthermore, Tan IIA induced 4T1 cell apoptosis both in vivo and in vitro. The possible targets of Tan IIA for TNBC treatment were predicted with network-based systems biology, and results showed that TP53, NF-κB, AKT, MYC, and BCL-2 were the hub targets. The mechanism against breast cancer may be based on the P53 signaling pathway, the PI3K/Akt pathway, the MAPK signaling pathway, and the mTOR signaling pathways. Molecular docking analysis reveals that Tan IIA has a high affinity for p53, Bcl-2, and NF-κB1; the binding energies were - 6.92, - 6.07, and - 6.28 kcal/mol, respectively. The predicted proteins were further validated using Western blotting. Increased expression of phosphorylated p53 and p53 and decreased expression of Bcl-2 were found in Tan IIA-treated 4T1 cells. Tan IIA is potentially effective for the treatment of 4T1 breast cancer, and the molecular mechanism may be through enhancing the activity of p53 and decreasing Bcl-2 to suppress proliferation and promote apoptosis.

Salvia miltiorrhiza in cancer: Potential role in regulating MicroRNAs and epigenetic enzymes

MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that play important roles in gene regulation by influencing the translation and longevity of various target mRNAs and the expression of various target genes as well as by modifying histones and DNA methylation of promoter sites. Consequently, when dysregulated, microRNAs are involved in the development and progression of a variety of diseases, including cancer, by affecting cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, migration, and apoptosis. Preparations from the dried root and rhizome of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge (Lamiaceae), also known as red sage or danshen, are widely used for treating cardiovascular diseases. Accumulating data suggest that certain bioactive constituents of this plant, particularly tanshinones, have broad antitumor effects by interfering with microRNAs and epigenetic enzymes. This paper reviews the evidence for the antineoplastic activities of S. miltiorrhiza constituents by causing or promoting cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, autophagy, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, angiogenesis, and epigenetic changes to provide an outlook on their future roles in the treatment of cancer, both alone and in combination with other modalities.

Salvia miltiorrhiza in Breast Cancer Treatment: A Review of Its Phytochemistry, Derivatives, Nanoparticles, and Potential Mechanisms

Breast cancer is one of the most deadly malignancies in women worldwide. Salvia miltiorrhiza, a perennial plant that belongs to the genus Salvia, has long been used in the management of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. The main anti-breast cancer constituents in S. miltiorrhiza are liposoluble tanshinones including dihydrotanshinone I, tanshinone I, tanshinone IIA, and cryptotanshinone, and water-soluble phenolic acids represented by salvianolic acid A, salvianolic acid B, salvianolic acid C, and rosmarinic acid. These active components have potent efficacy on breast cancer in vitro and in vivo. The mechanisms mainly include induction of apoptosis, autophagy and cell cycle arrest, anti-metastasis, formation of cancer stem cells, and potentiation of antitumor immunity. This review summarized the main bioactive constituents of S. miltiorrhiza and their derivatives or nanoparticles that possess anti-breast cancer activity. Besides, the synergistic combination with other drugs and the underlying molecular mechanisms were also summarized to provide a reference for future research on S. miltiorrhiza for breast cancer treatment.

Tanshinone IIA: New Perspective on the Anti-Tumor Mechanism of A Traditional Natural Medicine

The search for natural and efficacious antineoplastic drugs, with minimal toxicity and side effects, is an important part of antitumor drug research and development. Tanshinone IIA is the most evaluated lipophilic active component of Salvia miltiorrhiza. Tanshinone IIA is a path-breaking traditional drug applied in cardiovascular treatment. It has also been found that tanshinone IIA plays an important role in the digestive, respiratory and circulatory systems, as well as in other tumor diseases. Tanshinone IIA significantly inhibits the proliferation of several types of tumors, blocks the cell cycle, induces apoptosis and autophagic death, in addition to inhibiting cell migration and invasion. Among these, the regulation of tumor-cell apoptosis signaling pathways is the key breakthrough point in several modes of antitumor therapy. The PI3K/AKT/MTOR signaling pathway and the JNK pathway are the key pathways for tanshinone IIA to induce tumor cell apoptosis. In addition to glycolysis, reactive oxygen species and signal transduction all play an active role with the participation of tanshinone IIA. Endogenous apoptosis is considered the main mechanism of tumor apoptosis induced by tanshinone IIA. Multiple pathways and targets play a role in the process of endogenous apoptosis. Tanshinone IIA can protect chemotherapy drugs, which is mainly reflected in the protection of the side effects of chemotherapy drugs, such as neurotoxicity and inhibition of the hematopoietic system. Tanshinone IIA also has a certain regulatory effect on tumor angiogenesis, which is mainly manifested in the control of hypoxia. Our findings indicated that tanshinone IIA is an effective treatment agent in the cardiovascular field and plays a significant role in antitumor therapeutics. This paper reviews the pharmacological potential and inhibitory effect of tanshinone IIA on cancer. It is greatly anticipated that tanshinone IIA will be employed as an adjuvant in the treatment of various cancers.

New Insights Into the Effects of Individual Chinese Herbal Medicines on Chronic Kidney Disease

The clinical and experimental study into the effects of Chinese herbal medicines on chronic kidney disease has evolved over the past 40 years with new insight into their mechanism and evidence of their clinical effects. Among the many traditional Chinese herbs examined in chronic renal disease, five were found to have evidence of sufficient clinical efficacy, high frequency of use, and well-studied mechanism. They are: Abelmoschus manihot and Huangkui capsule, Salvia miltiorrhiza and its components (tanshinone II A, salvianolic acid A and B); Rhizoma coptidis and its monomer berberine; Tripterygium wilfordii and its components (triptolide, tripterygium glycosides); Kudzu root Pueraria and its monomer Puerarin. These Chinese herbal medications have pharmaceutical effects against fibrosis, inflammation and oxidative stress and also promote renal repair and regeneration. This article reviews their clinical efficacy, anti-fibrotic effects in animal models, and molecular mechanism of action.

Tumor suppressive effect of scavenger receptor class A member 5 overexpression in colorectal cancer by regulating PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) exhibits high risks of morbidity and mortality.

Objective

To investigate the effect of scavenger receptor class A member 5 (SCRAR5) on CRC and its mechanism on modulation of cancer development.

Methods

The SCRAR5 expression in four kinds of CRC cell lines (SW620, SW480, HT29, and HCT116) was measured by quantitative PCR and western blotting, respectively. The effects of SCRAR5 abnormal expression on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and migration were analyzed by CCK-8 assay, EdU assay, colony-forming assay, flow cytometry assay, Transwell assay and wound healing assay, respectively. Meanwhile, the involvements of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway with the role of SCRAR5 were investigated by western blotting. Afterwards, the in vivo effects of SCRAR5 abnormal expression on CRC xenograft mice were finally investigated by evaluating tumor volume, apoptosis and Ki67 expression.

Results

SCRAR5 was lowly expressed in CRC cell lines, especially SW480 cells. Up-regulation of SCRAR5 significantly promoted cell apoptosis, reduced cell proliferation and migration in SW480 cells. Notably, SCRAR5 overexpression obviously inhibited the phosphorylation levels of PI3K, AKT, and mTOR. Reversely, SCRAR5 silence exhibited promoting effects on HT29 cells. Consistently, in vivo experiments also revealed that SCRAR5 overexpression remarkably suppressed tumor volume and Ki67 expression, as well as promoted cell apoptosis.

Conclusions

Overall, up-regulating of SCRAR5 obviously inhibited CRC tumor growth in vitro and in vivo, which might be related to PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.

Tanshinones and their Derivatives: Heterocyclic Ring-Fused Diterpenes of Biological Interest

The available scientific literature regarding tanshinones is very abundant, and after its review, it is noticeable that most of the articles focus on the properties of tanshinone I, cryptotanshinone, tanshinone IIA, sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate and the dried root extract of Salvia miltiorrhiza (Tan- Shen). However, although these products have demonstrated important biological properties in both in vitro and in vivo models, their poor solubility and bioavailability have limited their clinical applications. For these reasons, many studies have focused on the search for new pharmaceutical formulations for tanshinones, as well as the synthesis of new derivatives that improve their biological properties. To provide new insights into the critical path ahead, we systemically reviewed the most recent advances (reported since 2015) on tanshinones in scientific databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, Scopus, and Clinical Trials). With a broader perspective, we offer an update on the last five years of new research on these quinones, focusing on their synthesis, biological activity on noncommunicable diseases and drug delivery systems, to support future research on its clinical applications.

Traditional Chinese Medicine and Colorectal Cancer: Implications for Drug Discovery

As an important part of complementary and alternative medicine, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been applied to treat a host of diseases for centuries. Over the years, with the incidence rate of human colorectal cancer (CRC) increasing continuously and the advantage of TCM gradually becoming more prominent, the importance of TCM in both domestic and international fields is also growing with each passing day. However, the unknowability of active ingredients, effective substances, and the underlying mechanisms of TCM against this malignant tumor greatly restricts the translation degree of clinical products and the pace of precision medicine. In this review, based on the characteristics of TCM and the oral administration of most ingredients, we herein provide beneficial information for the clinical utilization of TCM in the prevention and treatment of CRC and retrospect the current preclinical studies on the related active ingredients, as well as put forward the research mode for the discovery of active ingredients and effective substances in TCM, to provide novel insights into the research and development of innovative agents from this conventional medicine for CRC treatment and assist the realization of precision medicine.

Combination of UPLC-Q-TOF/MS and Network Pharmacology to Reveal the Mechanism of Qizhen Decoction in the Treatment of Colon Cancer

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been utilized for the treatment of colon cancer. Qizhen decoction (QZD), a potential compound prescription of TCM, possesses multiple biological activities. It has been proven clinically effective in the treatment of colon cancer. However, the molecular mechanism of anticolon cancer activity is still not clear. This study aimed to identify the chemical composition of QZD. Furthermore, a collaborative analysis strategy of network pharmacology and cell biology was used to further explore the critical signaling pathway of QZD anticancer activity. First, ultraperformance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight/mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS) was performed to identify the chemical composition of QZD. Then, the chemical composition database of QZD was constructed based on a systematic literature search and review of chemical constituents. Moreover, the common and indirect targets of chemical components of QZD and colon cancer were searched by multiple databases. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using the String database (https://www.string-db.org/). All of the targets were analyzed by Gene Oncology (GO) bioanalysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, and the visual network topology diagram of "Prescription-TCM-Chemical composition-Direct target-Indirect target-Pathway" was constructed by Cytoscape software (v3.7.1). The top molecular pathway ranked by statistical significance was further verified by molecular biology methods. The results of UPLC-Q-TOF/MS showed that QZD had 111 kinds of chemical components, of which 103 were unique components and 8 were common components. Ten pivotal targets of QZD in the treatment of colon cancer were screened by the PPI network. Targets of QZD involve many biological processes, such as the signaling pathway, immune system, gene expression, and so on. QZD may interfere with biological pathways such as cell replication, oxygen-containing compounds, or organic matter by protein binding, regulation of signal receptors or enzyme binding, and affect cytoplasm and membrane-bound organelles. The main antitumor core pathways were the apoptosis metabolic pathway, the PI3K-Akt signal pathway, and so on. Expression of the PI3K-Akt signal pathway was significantly downregulated after the intervention of QZD, which was closely related to the inhibition of proliferation and migration of colon cancer cells by cell biology methods. The present work may facilitate a better understanding of the effective components, therapeutic targets, biological processes, and signaling pathways of QZD in the treatment of colon cancer and provide useful information about the utilization of QZD.

Network Pharmacology Validation of Therapeutic Mechanisms of Tanshinone IIA in Colorectal Cancer

Curative therapies with fewer adverse effects are required for cancer treatment. Medicinal plants represent a promising source of novel therapeutic candidates. We employed network pharmacology to predict potential molecular mechanisms of salvia root-derived tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) in the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC), followed by empirical validation. The Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology (TCMSP), DrugBank, and GeneCards databases were queried to identify overlapping Tan IIA (therapeutic)- and CRC (disease)-relevant protein targets. Cytoscape and STRING were used to generate component-target and protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks, respectively, and topology analysis identified highly connected nodes within the latter. Target proteins were subjected to gene ontology (GO)-based biological process annotation using DAVID, and to biological pathway enrichment analysis using the Kyoto encyclopedia and genome (KEGG) database. Enriched biological processes included cell cycling and proliferation, and enriched KEGG pathways included neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, PI3K-Akt, and cancer. Network pharmacology results predicted that Tan IIA impacts multiple targets and pathways, but that its therapeutic effect is predominantly attributable to cell cycle regulation, inhibition of cell proliferation, and induction of apoptosis. Investigation of the in vitro impact of Tan IIA on proliferation, viability, and cell cycling of 2 hoursuman CRC cell lines (SW480 and SW620), using the CCK-8 method and flow cytometry, demonstrated that Tan IIA significantly inhibits cell proliferation via inducing cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase. Network pharmacology-predicted hypotheses were thus empirically validated, providing a basis for in-depth study of the therapeutic mechanisms of Tan IIA in the context of CRC.

Anticancer activities of TCM and their active components against tumor metastasis

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has the characteristics of multiple targets, slight side effects and good therapeutic effects. Good anti-tumor effects are shown by Traditional Chinese Medicine prescription, Chinese patent medicine, single Traditional Chinese Medicine and Traditional Chinese medicine monomer compound. Clinically, TCM prolonged the survival time of patients and improved the life quality of patients, due to less side effects. Cancer metastasis is a complex process involving numerous steps, multiple genes and their products. During the process of tumor metastasis, firstly, cancer cell increases its proliferative capacity by reducing autophagy and apoptosis, and then the cancer cell capacity is stimulated by increasing the ability of tumors to absorb nutrients from the outside through angiogenesis. Both of the two steps can increase tumor migration and invasion. Finally, the purpose of tumor metastasis is achieved. By inhibiting autophagy and apoptosis of tumor cells, angiogenesis and EMT outside the tumor can inhibit the invasion and migration of cancer, and consequently achieve the purpose of inhibiting tumor metastasis. This review explores the research achievements of Traditional Chinese Medicine on breast cancer, lung cancer, hepatic carcinoma, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer and other cancer metastasis in the past five years, summarizes the development direction of TCM on cancer metastasis research in the past five years and makes a prospect for the future.

Tanshinone IIA suppresses ovarian cancer growth through inhibiting malignant properties and angiogenesis

Background

In Chinese herbal medicine, Tanshinone IIA (Tan-IIA) is one of the main compounds extracted from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge. Tan-IIA has been demonstrated to inhibit the growth of various tumors. However, the detailed molecular and cellular mechanisms of the antitumor effect of Tan-IIA have yet to be fully illuminated.

Methods

A2780 and ID-8 were treated with 0, 1.2, 2.4, 4.8, or 9.6 µg/mL Tan-IIA for 24 hours. Cell counting Kit-8 assay and EdU staining were used to evaluate cell proliferation. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay and flow cytometry were performed to analyze apoptosis. Western blot was carried out to determine the protein levels. Flow cytometry was used for cell cycle analysis. The levels of mRNA expression were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The anti-tumor effect of Tan-IIA was observed in a tumor-bearing mouse model.

Results

Tan-IIA inhibited the proliferation of ovarian cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner by inducing G2/M phase arrest. It also down-regulated B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and up-regulated Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) in ovarian cancer cells to induce apoptosis, and suppressed cell migration by inhibiting focal adhesion kinase phosphorylation. Tan-IIA significantly reduced vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) mRNA expression in ovarian cancer cells. In vivo, Tan-IIA significantly inhibited tumor growth by inducing apoptosis and promoting anti-angiogenesis.

Conclusions

The results of this study shed light on the molecular and cellular mechanisms for the antitumor effect of Tan-IIA.

Tanshinone IIA induces autophagy in colon cancer cells through MEK/ERK/mTOR pathway

Background

Colon cancer is a common malignancy of the digestive tract. The search for effective drugs to treat colon cancer has become the focus of current researches. Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) is a fat-soluble component extracted from tanshinone, a traditional Chinese medicine. Tan IIA can modulate the occurrence and development of tumors, but its effect on autophagy in colon cancer cells has not been reported.

Methods

Two types of colon cancer cell lines were selected and different concentrations of Tan IIA were used to treat cells at different time points. Cell Counting Kit-8 assay (CCK-8) was used to detect the effect of Tan IIA on cell proliferation; transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the formation of autophagosomes; reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blot were used to detect the expression of autophagy related genes and proteins. Cell transfection was used to interfere with MEK (mitogen-activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase) expression, and RT-qPCR and western blot were used to detect the expression of MEK/ERK/mTOR pathway-related proteins.

Results

Tan IIA resulted in a significant reduction in the viability of the two kinds of colon cancer cells. The number of autophagosomes increased significantly after the treatment of Tan IIA into these cells. Addition of autophagy inhibitor 3-MA (3-Methyladenine) improved the increase of autophagosomes in cells induced by Tan IIA. At the same time, Tan IIA induced the expression of autophagy-related proteins in the two colon cancer cell lines. When Tan IIA induced autophagy in colon cancer cells, the expression of MEK/ERK/mTOR pathway-related proteins increased significantly. After interfering with the expression of MEK, the expression of autophagy decreased significantly, indicating that Tan IIA promoted autophagy of colon cancer cells through MEK/ERK/mTOR pathway.

Conclusions

Tan IIA stimulates autophagy in colon cancer cells through MEK/ERK/mTOR pathway, hence inhibiting the growth of colon cancer cells.

Tanshinone IIA down-regulated p-Smad3 signaling to inhibit TGF-β1-mediated fibroblast proliferation via lncRNA-HSRL/SNX9

INTRODUCTION

Tanshinone IIA (TSIIA), an active component of Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen), is reported to inhibit cell proliferation in hypertrophic scars (HS). In our previous study, we observed that lncRNA human-specific regulatory loci (HSRL) was up-regulated in HS tissues. However, whether TSIIA serves as an effective treatment for HS through affecting HSRL is still unexplored.

METHODS

TGF-β1-stimulated fibroblast were used as the in vitro HS model. The effects of TSIIA on cell proliferation were evaluated using CCK-8, Edu staining and colony formation assays. By performing loss-of-function and rescue experiments, we explored the role of HSRL and Sorting nexin 9 (SNX9) in TGF-β1-stimulated fibroblast. Employing RNA-protein pull-down assay and Co-immunoprecipitation, we further investigated the mechanisms through which TSIIA attenuated TGF-β1-stimulated fibroblast.

RESULTS

Our data demonstrated that TSIIA could effectively attenuate TGF-β1-mediated fibroblast proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Meanwhile, TSIIA could down-regulate the expression of α-SMA, VEGFA, Collagen 1, HSRL, SNX9 and p-Smad2/3 in TGF-β1-stimulated HSF. In addition, we found that SNX9 overexpression reversed the effects of HSRL knockdown on TGF-β1-stimulated HSF. Furthermore, we confirmed that TSIIA treatment weakens the interaction between p-Smad3 and SNX9 in HS models.

CONCLUSIONS

Tanshinone IIA down-regulated p-Smad3 signaling to inhibit TGF-β1-mediated fibroblast proliferation via lncRNA-HSRL/SNX9.

Pharmacological basis of tanshinone and new insights into tanshinone as a multitarget natural product for multifaceted diseases

Drug development has long included the systematic exploration of various resources. Among these, natural products are one of the most important resources from which novel agents are developed due to the multiple pharmacologic effects of these natural products on diseases. Tanshinone, a representative natural product, is the main compound extracted from the dried root and rhizome of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. Research on tanshinone began in the early 1930s. With the in-depth investigation of an increasing number of identified analogs, tanshinone has demonstrated a wide variety of bioactivities and contradicted the saying, 'You can't teach an old dog new tricks'. This review is focused on the pharmacological action of tanshinone and status of research on tanshinone in recent years. The mechanism of tanshinone has also drawn much attention, with the findings of representative targets and pathways of tanshinone. The most recent studies have comprehensively shown that tanshinone can be used to treat leukemia and solid carcinoma, protect against cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and alleviate liver- and kidney-related diseases, among its other effects. Multiple signaling pathways, including antiproliferative, antiapoptotic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative stress pathways, are involved in its actions.

Tanshinone IIA inhibits oral squamous cell carcinoma via reducing Akt-c-Myc signaling-mediated aerobic glycolysis

Aerobic glycolysis is one of the hallmarks of human cancer cells. Overexpression of hexokinase 2 (HK2) plays a crucial role in the maintaining of unlimited tumor cell growth. In the present study, we found that the oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells exhibited an aerobic glycolysis phenotype. Moreover, HK2 is highly expressed in OSCC patient derived-tissues and cell lines. Depletion of HK2 inhibited OSCC cell growth in vitro and in vivo. With a natural product screening, we identified Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) as a potential anti-tumor compound for OSCC through suppressing HK2-mediated glycolysis. Tan IIA decreased glucose consumption, lactate production, and promoted intrinsic apoptosis in OSCC cells. The mechanism study revealed that Tan IIA inhibited the Akt-c-Myc signaling and promoted E3 ligase FBW7-mediated c-Myc ubiquitination and degradation, which eventually reduced HK2 expression at the transcriptional level. In summary, these results indicate that targeting HK2-mediated aerobic glycolysis is a promising anti-tumor strategy for OSCC treatment.

Tanshinone IIA Suppresses Proliferation and Inflammatory Cytokine Production of Synovial Fibroblasts from Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Induced by TNF-α and Attenuates the Inflammatory Response in AIA Mice

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic and progressive autoimmune disease in which activated RA fibroblast-1ike synoviocytes (RA-FLSs) are one of the main factors responsible for inducing morbidity. Previous reports have shown that RA-FLSs have proliferative features similar to cancer cells, in addition to causing cartilage erosion that eventually causes joint damage. Thus, new therapeutic strategies and drugs that can effectively contain the abnormal hyperplasia of RA-FLSs and restrain RA development are necessary for the treatment of RA. Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA), one of the main phytochemicals isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, is capable of promoting RA-FLS apoptosis and inhibiting arthritis in an AIA mouse model. In addition, RA patients treated at our clinic with Tan IIA showed significant improvements in their clinical symptoms. However, the details of the molecular mechanism by which Tan IIA effects RA are unknown. To clarify this mechanism, we evaluated the antiproliferative and inhibitory effects of proinflammatory factor production caused by Tan IIA to RA-FLSs. We demonstrated that Tan IIA can restrict the proliferation, migration, and invasion of RA-FLSs in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Moreover, Tan IIA effectively suppressed the increase in mRNA expression of some matrix metalloproteinases and proinflammatory factors induced by TNF-α in RA-FLSs, resulting in inflammatory reactivity inhibition and blocking the destruction of the knee joint. Through the integration of network pharmacology analyses with the experimental data obtained, it is revealed that the effects of Tan IIA on RA can be attributed to its influence on different signaling pathways, including MAPK, AKT/mTOR, HIF-1, and NF-kB. Taken together, these data suggest that the compound Tan IIA has great therapeutic potential for RA treatment.

Inhibition of EGFR Signaling and Activation of Mitochondrial Apoptosis Contribute to Tanshinone IIA-Mediated Tumor Suppression in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells

Background

Deregulation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling plays a critical role in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumorigenesis. The natural product Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) exhibits significant anti-tumor effect in various human cancers, however, the mechanism remains elusive.

Methods

The inhibitory effect of Tan IIA NSCLC cells was determined by MTS and soft agar assays. The activation of EGFR signaling and the protein level of myeloid cell leukemia 1 (Mcl-1) were examined by immunoblot (IB), immunohistochemical staining (IHC), and ubiquitination analysis. The in vivo anti-tumor effect was validated by the xenograft mouse model.

Results

Tan IIA inhibits NSCLC cells through suppression of EGFR signaling. Tan IIA decreases cell viability and colony formation in EGFR wild type and activating mutant cell lines. The IB data further confirmed that Tan IIA suppresses EGFR phosphorylation time- and dose-dependently. Tan IIA destabilizes Mcl-1 and shortens the half-life. Ubiquitination analysis showed that treatment with Tan IIA promotes Mcl-1 ubiquitination and degradation. Further study showed that the downregulation of EGFR-Akt signaling is required for Tan IIA-induced Mcl-1 reduction. Ectopic overexpression of constitutively activated Akt1 compromised these antitumor efficacies in Tan IIA-treated NSCLC cells. Finally, Tan IIA inhibited the in vivo tumor growth.

Conclusion

Our data indicate that Tan IIA acts as an EGFR signaling inhibitor, and targeting EGFR-Akt-Mcl1 axis could provide a new option for NSCLC treatment.

Efficacy and Safety of Tanshinone for Chronic Kidney Disease: A Meta-Analysis

Objective

To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of tanshinone for chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the treatment of CKD using tanshinone were searched using 4 Chinese databases (China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Value In Paper (VIP), Wanfang, and Chinese Biology Medicine (CBM)) and 3 English databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Excerpta Medica Database (Embase)). The results included data on blood urine nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (Scr), glomerular filtration rate (GFR), 24 h urine protein, microalbuminuria (mALB), β2-macroglobulin (β2-MG), cystatin C (CysC), and safety events. The data were analyzed using Revman 5.3 and Stata 12.0 software.

Results

Twenty-one studies were entered into this meta-analysis, which involved 1857 patients including 954 cases from the tanshinone treatment group and 903 cases from the control group. BUN levels in the tanshinone treatment group were significantly reduced compared with the control (standardized mean difference (SMD) = −0.65, 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.81 to −0.49, p < 0.01). In addition, subgroup analysis indicated that tanshinone had a significant effect in reducing Scr levels at 14, 21, and 28 days. Scr levels in the tanshinone treatment group were significantly reduced compared with the control group (SMD = −1.40, 95% CI: −2.09 to −0.71, p < 0.01); subgroup analysis based on treatment time also yielded the same results. GFR in the tanshinone treatment group was better than that in the control group (SMD = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.59 to 1.07, p < 0.01). In terms of urine protein levels, 24 h urine protein level, mALB, and β2-MG of CKD patients were reduced to some degree compared with controls, and CysC levels in the tanshinone treatment group were also significantly reduced compared with the control group (SMD = −0.24, 95% CI: −0.44 to −0.03, p < 0.05). Safety in the tanshinone treatment group did not differ significantly from that of the control group (risk ratio (RR) = 7.78, 95% CI: 0.99 to 61.05, p > 0.05).

Conclusion

This meta-analysis showed that tanshinone could control urine protein level in CKD patients, improve kidney function, and delay the evolution of CKD without significant side effects. However, the results were limited and should be interpreted with caution because of the low quality of the included studies. In the future, more rigorous clinical trials need to be conducted to provide sufficient and accurate evidence.