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Spivak AY, Kuzmina US, Nedopekina DA, Dubinin MV, Khalitova RR, Davletshin EV, Vakhitova YV, Belosludtsev KN, Vakhitov VA. Synthesis and comparative analysis of the cytotoxicity and mitochondrial effects of triphenylphosphonium and F16 maslinic and corosolic acid hybrid derivatives. Steroids 2024; 209:109471. [PMID: 39002922 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2024.109471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024]
Abstract
The cytotoxic profile and antiproliferative and mitochondrial effects of triterpene acid conjugates with mitochondriotropic lipophilic triphenylphosphonium (TPP+) and F16 cations were evaluated. Maslinic and corosolic acids chosen as the investigation objects were synthesized from commercially available oleanolic and ursolic acids. Study of the cytotoxic activity of TPP+ and F16 triterpenoid derivatives against six tumor cell lines demonstrated a comparable synergistic effect in the anticancer activity, which was most pronounced in the case of MCF-7 mammary adenocarcinoma cells and Jurkat and THP-1 leukemia cells. The corosolic and maslinic acid hybrid derivatives caused changes in the progression of tumor cell cycle phases when present in much lower doses than their natural triterpene acid precursors. The treatment of tumor cell lines with the conjugates resulted in the cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase and increase in the cell population in the subG1 phase. The cationic derivatives of the acids were markedly superior to their precursors as inducers of hyperproduction of reactive oxygen species and more effectively decreased the mitochondrial potential in isolated rat liver mitochondria. We concluded that the observed cytotoxic effect of TPP+ and F16 triterpenoid conjugates is attributable to the ability of these compounds to initiate mitochondrial dysfunctions. Their cytotoxicity, antiproliferative action, and mitochondrial effects depend little on the type of cationic groups used.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Yu Spivak
- Institute of Petrochemistry and Catalysis, Ufa Federal Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Prospekt Oktyabrya 141, 450075 Ufa, Russia
| | - Ulyana Sh Kuzmina
- Institute of Biochemistry and Genetics, Ufa Federal Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Prospekt Oktyabrya 71, 450054 Ufa, Russia
| | - Darya A Nedopekina
- Institute of Petrochemistry and Catalysis, Ufa Federal Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Prospekt Oktyabrya 141, 450075 Ufa, Russia
| | - Mikhail V Dubinin
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell Biology and Microbiology, Mari State University, pl. Lenina 1, Yoshkar-Ola 424001, Russia.
| | - Rezeda R Khalitova
- Institute of Petrochemistry and Catalysis, Ufa Federal Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Prospekt Oktyabrya 141, 450075 Ufa, Russia
| | - Eldar V Davletshin
- Institute of Petrochemistry and Catalysis, Ufa Federal Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Prospekt Oktyabrya 141, 450075 Ufa, Russia
| | - Yulia V Vakhitova
- Institute of Biochemistry and Genetics, Ufa Federal Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Prospekt Oktyabrya 71, 450054 Ufa, Russia
| | - Konstantin N Belosludtsev
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell Biology and Microbiology, Mari State University, pl. Lenina 1, Yoshkar-Ola 424001, Russia; Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Institutskaya 3, 142290 Pushchino, Russia
| | - Vener A Vakhitov
- Institute of Biochemistry and Genetics, Ufa Federal Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Prospekt Oktyabrya 71, 450054 Ufa, Russia
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2
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Al-Medhtiy MH, Mohammed MT, M Raouf MMH, Al-Qaaneh AM, Jabbar AAJ, Abdullah FO, Mothana RA, Alanzi AR, Hassan RR, Abdulla MA, Saleh MI, Hasson S. A triterpenoid (corosolic acid) ameliorated AOM-mediated aberrant crypt foci in rats: modulation of Bax/PCNA, antioxidant and inflammatory mechanisms. J Mol Histol 2024:10.1007/s10735-024-10229-x. [PMID: 39122895 DOI: 10.1007/s10735-024-10229-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
Corosolic acid (CA) is a well-known natural pentacyclic triterpene found in numerous therapeutic plants that can exhibit many bioactivities including anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor actions. The current investigation explores the chemoprotective roles of CA against azoxymethane (AOM)-induced colonic aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in rats. Thirty Sprague Dawley rats were grouped in 5 cages; Group A, normal control rats inoculated subcutaneously (sc) with two doses of normal saline and fed orally on 10% tween 20; Groups B-E received two doses (sc) of azoxymethane in two weeks and treated with either 10% tween 20 (group B) or two intraperitoneal injections of 35 mg/kg 5-fluorouracil each week for one month (group C), while group D and E treated with 30 and 60 mg/kg, respectively, for 2 months. The toxicity results showed lack of any behavioral abnormalities or mortality in rats ingested with up-to 500 mg/kg of CA. The present AOM induction caused a significant initiation of ACF characterized by an increased number, larger in size, and well-matured tissue clusters in cancer controls. AOM inoculation created a bizarrely elongated nucleus, and strained cells, and significantly lowered the submucosal glands in colon tissues of cancer controls compared to 5-FU or CA-treated rats. CA treatment led to significant suppression of ACF incidence, which could be mediated by its modulatory effects on the immunohistochemical proteins (pro-apoptotic (Bax) and reduced PCNA protein expressions in colon tissues). Moreover, CA-treated rats had improved oxidative stress-mediated cytotoxicity indicated by increased endogenous antioxidants (SOD and CAT) and reduced lipid peroxidation indicators (MDA). In addition, CA ingestion (30 and 60 mg/kg) suppressed the inflammatory cascades, indicated by decreased serum TNF-α and IL-6 cytokines and increased anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines consequently preventing further tumor development. CA treatment maintained liver and kidney functions in rats exposed to AOM cytotoxicity. CA could be a viable alternative for the treatment of oxidative-related human disorders including ACF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morteta H Al-Medhtiy
- Department of Anatomy and Histology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Kufa, Kufa, Najaf Region, 540011, Iraq
| | - Mohammed T Mohammed
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of veterinary medicine, University of Kufa, Kufa, Iraq
| | - Mohammed M Hussein M Raouf
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Applied Science, Cihan University-Erbil, Erbil, Kurdistan Region, 44001, Iraq
| | - Ayman M Al-Qaaneh
- Department of Allied Health Sciences, Al-Balqa Applied University (BAU), Al-Salt, 19117, Jordan
| | - Ahmed A J Jabbar
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Erbil Technical Health and Medical College, Erbil Polytechnic University, Erbil, 44001, Iraq.
| | - Fuad Othman Abdullah
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Salahaddin University-Erbil, Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
| | - Ramzi A Mothana
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2457, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah R Alanzi
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2457, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rawaz Rizgar Hassan
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Science, Knowledge University, Kirkuk Road, Erbil, 44001, Iraq
| | - Mahmood Ameen Abdulla
- Department of Medical Analysis, Faculty of Applied Science, Tishk International University, Erbil, Iraq
| | - Musher Ismail Saleh
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Health, Koya University, Koya KOY45, Kurdistan Region, Erbil, 44001, Iraq
| | - Sidgi Hasson
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK
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Yamamura A, Fujiwara M, Kawade A, Amano T, Hossain A, Nayeem MJ, Kondo R, Suzuki Y, Inoue Y, Hayashi H, Suzuki S, Sato M, Yamamura H. Corosolic acid attenuates platelet-derived growth factor signaling in macrophages and smooth muscle cells of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 973:176564. [PMID: 38614383 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176564] [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: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive and life-threatening disease that is characterized by vascular remodeling of the pulmonary artery. Pulmonary vascular remodeling is primarily caused by the excessive proliferation and migration of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs), which are facilitated by perivascular inflammatory cells including macrophages. Corosolic acid (CRA) is a natural pentacyclic triterpenoid that exerts anti-inflammatory effects. In the present study, the effects of CRA on the viability of macrophages were examined using monocrotaline (MCT)-induced PAH rats and human monocyte-derived macrophages. Although we previously reported that CRA inhibited signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling and ameliorated pulmonary vascular remodeling in PAH, the inhibitory mechanism remains unclear. Therefore, the underlying mechanisms were investigated using PASMCs from idiopathic PAH (IPAH) patients. In MCT-PAH rats, CRA inhibited the accumulation of macrophages around remodeled pulmonary arteries. CRA reduced the viability of human monocyte-derived macrophages. In IPAH-PASMCs, CRA attenuated cell proliferation and migration facilitated by platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB released from macrophages and PASMCs. CRA also downregulated the expression of PDGF receptor β and its signaling pathways, STAT3 and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). In addition, CRA attenuated the phosphorylation of PDGF receptor β and STAT3 following the PDGF-BB simulation. The expression and phosphorylation levels of PDGF receptor β after the PDGF-BB stimulation were reduced by the small interfering RNA knockdown of NF-κB, but not STAT3, in IPAH-PASMCs. In conclusion, CRA attenuated the PDGF-PDGF receptor β-STAT3 and PDGF-PDGF receptor β-NF-κB signaling axis in macrophages and PASMCs, and thus, ameliorated pulmonary vascular remodeling in PAH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aya Yamamura
- Department of Physiology, Aichi Medical University, Nagakute, Aichi, Japan.
| | - Moe Fujiwara
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Akiko Kawade
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Taiki Amano
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Alamgir Hossain
- Department of Physiology, Aichi Medical University, Nagakute, Aichi, Japan
| | - Md Junayed Nayeem
- Department of Physiology, Aichi Medical University, Nagakute, Aichi, Japan
| | - Rubii Kondo
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Suzuki
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Yasumichi Inoue
- Department of Cell Signaling, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Hidetoshi Hayashi
- Department of Cell Signaling, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Susumu Suzuki
- Research Creation Support Center, Aichi Medical University, Nagakute, Aichi, Japan
| | - Motohiko Sato
- Department of Physiology, Aichi Medical University, Nagakute, Aichi, Japan
| | - Hisao Yamamura
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
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Kadsanit N, Worsawat P, Sakonsinsiri C, McElroy CR, Macquarrie D, Noppawan P, Hunt AJ. Sustainable methods for the carboxymethylation and methylation of ursolic acid with dimethyl carbonate under mild and acidic conditions. RSC Adv 2024; 14:16921-16934. [PMID: 38799212 PMCID: PMC11124730 DOI: 10.1039/d4ra02122c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Ursolic acid is a triterpene plant extract that exhibits significant potential as an anti-cancer, anti-tumour, and anti-inflammatory agent. Its direct use in the pharmaceutical industry is hampered by poor uptake of ursolic acid in the human body coupled with rapid metabolism causing a decrease in bioactivity. Modification of ursolic acid can overcome such issues, however, use of toxic reagents, unsustainable synthetic routes and poor reaction metrics have limited its potential. Herein, we demonstrate the first reported carboxymethylation and/or methylation of ursolic acid with dimethyl carbonate (DMC) as a green solvent and sustainable reagent under acidic conditions. The reaction of DMC with ursolic acid, in the presence of PTSA, ZnCl2, or H2SO4-SiO2 yielded the carboxymethylation product 3β-[[methoxy]carbonyl]oxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid, the methylation product 3β-methoxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid and the dehydration product urs-2,12-dien-28-oic acid. PTSA demonstrated high conversion and selectivity towards the previously unreported carboxymethylation of ursolic acid, while the application of formic acid in the system led to formylation of ursolic acid (3β-formylurs-12-en-28-oic acid) in quantitative yields via esterification, with DMC acting solely as a solvent. Meanwhile, the methylation product of ursolic acid, 3β-methoxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid, was successfully synthesised with FeCl3, demonstrating exceptional conversion and selectivity, >99% and 99%, respectively. Confirmed with the use of qualitative and quantitative green metrics, this result represents a significant improvement in conversion, selectivity, safety, and sustainability over previously reported methods of ursolic acid modification. It was demonstrated that these methods could be applied to other triterpenoids, including corosolic acid. The study also explored the potential pharmaceutical applications of ursolic acid, corosolic acid, and their derivatives, particularly in anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-tumour treatments, using molecular ADMET and docking methods. The methods developed in this work have led to the synthesis of novel molecules, thus creating opportunities for the future investigation of biological activity and the modification of a wide range of triterpenoids applying acidic DMC systems to deliver novel active pharmaceutical intermediates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuttapong Kadsanit
- Materials Chemistry Research Center (MCRC), Department of Chemistry and Centre of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University Khon Kaen 40002 Thailand
| | - Pattamabhorn Worsawat
- Materials Chemistry Research Center (MCRC), Department of Chemistry and Centre of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University Khon Kaen 40002 Thailand
| | - Chadamas Sakonsinsiri
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University Khon Kaen 40002 Thailand
| | - Con R McElroy
- School of Chemistry, University of Lincoln Brayford Pool Campus Lincoln LN6 7TS UK
- Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence, Department of Chemistry, University of York Heslington York YO10 5DD UK
| | - Duncan Macquarrie
- Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence, Department of Chemistry, University of York Heslington York YO10 5DD UK
| | - Pakin Noppawan
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University Maha Sarakham 44150 Thailand
| | - Andrew J Hunt
- Materials Chemistry Research Center (MCRC), Department of Chemistry and Centre of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University Khon Kaen 40002 Thailand
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5
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Jedram O, Maphanao P, Karnchanapandh K, Mahalapbutr P, Thanan R, Sakonsinsiri C. Corosolic Acid Induced Apoptosis via Upregulation of Bax/Bcl-2 Ratio and Caspase-3 Activation in Cholangiocarcinoma Cells. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:1278-1286. [PMID: 38222611 PMCID: PMC10785084 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c07556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), an aggressive malignancy arising from the biliary epithelium, exhibits a high incidence in Thailand. CCA usually lacks specific symptoms and is typically diagnosed in its advanced stages, presenting significant treatment challenges. Current CCA therapeutic options, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, have limited success rates and often cause side effects. Nature-derived compounds hold promise for reducing undesirable adverse effects and are an excellent source of anticancer drugs. Corosolic acid (CA), a triterpenoid found in Lagerstroemia speciosa L. leaves, exhibits anticancer properties; however, the effectiveness of CA against CCA and its molecular mechanisms remained unexplored. Herein, the anti-CCA and apoptosis-inducing effects of CA were investigated using various techniques, i.e., the MTT assay, flow cytometry with FITC-labeled Annexin V (Annexin V-FITC) and propidium iodide double staining, JC-1 staining, western blot analysis, caspase-3 activity assay, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. CA inhibited the proliferation of KKU-213A and KKU-213B CCA cells and triggered apoptosis through alterations in mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), and increases in the Bax/Bcl-2 expression ratio, cytochrome c release, and caspase-3 activity. As indicated by MD simulations, CA has the potential to bind to Bcl-2 through hydrogen bonds between amino acid residues R146 and N143. These findings underscore the potential of CA as a promising candidate for treatment of CCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Onanong Jedram
- Department
of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon
Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
- Cholangiocarcinoma
Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Pornpattra Maphanao
- Department
of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon
Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
- Cholangiocarcinoma
Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Kun Karnchanapandh
- Structural
and Computational Biology Research Unit, Department of Biochemistry,
Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Panupong Mahalapbutr
- Department
of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon
Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Raynoo Thanan
- Department
of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon
Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
- Cholangiocarcinoma
Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Chadamas Sakonsinsiri
- Department
of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon
Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
- Cholangiocarcinoma
Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
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Hashemi SF, Khorramdelazad H. The cryptic role of CXCL17/CXCR8 axis in the pathogenesis of cancers: a review of the latest evidence. J Cell Commun Signal 2023; 17:409-422. [PMID: 36352331 PMCID: PMC10409701 DOI: 10.1007/s12079-022-00699-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemokines are immune system mediators that mediate various activities and play a role in the pathogenesis of several cancers. Among these chemokines, C-X-C motif chemokine 17 (CXCL-17) is a relatively novel molecule produced along the airway epithelium in physiological and pathological conditions, and evidence shows that it plays a homeostatic role in most cases. CXCL17 has a protective role in some cancers and a pathological role in others, such as liver and lung cancer. This chemokine, along with its possible receptor termed G protein-coupled receptor 35 (GPR35) or CXCR8, are involved in recruiting myeloid cells, regulating angiogenesis, defending against pathogenic microorganisms, and numerous other mechanisms. Considering the few studies that have been performed on the dual role of CXCL17 in human malignancies, this review has investigated the possible pro-tumor and anti-tumor roles of this chemokine, as well as future treatment options in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hossein Khorramdelazad
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.
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Divyajanani S, Harithpriya K, Ganesan K, Ramkumar KM. Dietary Polyphenols Remodel DNA Methylation Patterns of NRF2 in Chronic Disease. Nutrients 2023; 15:3347. [PMID: 37571283 PMCID: PMC10420661 DOI: 10.3390/nu15153347] [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: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) is a transcription factor crucial in regulating cellular homeostasis and apoptosis. The NRF2 gene has been implicated in various biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. NRF2 can be regulated genetically and epigenetically at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and translational levels. Although DNA methylation is one of the critical biological processes vital for gene expression, sometimes, anomalous methylation patterns result in the dysregulation of genes and consequent diseases and disorders. Several studies have reported promoter hypermethylation downregulated NRF2 expression and its downstream targets. In contrast to the unalterable nature of genetic patterns, epigenetic changes can be reversed, opening up new possibilities in developing therapies for various metabolic disorders and diseases. This review discusses the current state of the NRF2-mediated antioxidative and chemopreventive activities of several natural phytochemicals, including sulforaphane, resveratrol, curcumin, luteolin, corosolic acid, apigenin, and most other compounds that have been found to activate NRF2. This epigenetic reversal of hypermethylated NRF2 states provides new opportunities for research into dietary phytochemistry that affects the human epigenome and the possibility for cutting-edge approaches to target NRF2-mediated signaling to prevent chronic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srinivasaragavan Divyajanani
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur 603210, Tamil Nadu, India; (S.D.); (K.H.)
| | - Kannan Harithpriya
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur 603210, Tamil Nadu, India; (S.D.); (K.H.)
| | - Kumar Ganesan
- School of Chinese Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, 3 Sassoon Road, Hong Kong, China;
| | - Kunka Mohanram Ramkumar
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur 603210, Tamil Nadu, India; (S.D.); (K.H.)
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Tang FF, Liu L, Tian XT, Li N, Peng YX, Qian CM, Jia TT, Liu JJ, Gao WH, Xu YF. Network pharmacological analysis of corosolic acid reveals P4HA2 inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma progression. BMC Complement Med Ther 2023; 23:171. [PMID: 37248456 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-023-04008-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Corosolic acid is a pentacyclic triterpene acid with hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects. However, its potential targets in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are unknown, hindering clinical utilization. METHODS Differentially expressed proteins of the Bel-7404 cell line were identified with tandem mass tag analysis and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of an HCC TCGA dataset using bioinformatics. Gene functions and pathways were inferred using the DAVID database. Online databases were used to establish P4HA2 expression in HCC (GEPIA2) and its relationship with patient survival (UALCAN and The Human Protein Atlas), the association between P4HA2 expression and immune cell infiltration (TIMER2), and DNA methylation of the P4HA2 gene (MethSurv). Cell proliferation, cell cycle, and cell death were assessed with PI and SYTOX-Green staining, CCK-8, and colony formation assays. Protein expression levels were detected by Western blotting. RESULTS A total of 44 differentially expressed proteins and 4498 DEGs were identified. Four genes whose proteins were also found in the differential protein profile but with opposing expressions were selected as candidate targets. The candidate gene prolyl 4-hydroxylase subunit alpha 2 (P4HA2) was recognized as the only potential target due to its high expression in public datasets, association with poor patient survival, and relation to immune cell infiltration in HCC tissues. Moreover, the DNA methylation status in 4 CpG islands of the P4HA2 gene correlated with a poor prognosis. Furthermore, corosolic acid treatment inhibited the proliferation of HCC cell lines Bel-7404 and HepG2 in a dose-dependent manner, caused G2/M phase cell cycle arrest, and promoted cell death. In addition, the treatment reduced P4HA2 protein levels. CONCLUSION Our results indicate that P4HA2 is a potential target of corosolic acid. Thus, they contribute to understanding molecular changes in HCC after corosolic acid treatment and facilitate finding new treatment regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei-Feng Tang
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200071, People's Republic of China
| | - Long Liu
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianyou Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai, 200331, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Ting Tian
- Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Institute of Thoracic Oncology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, People's Republic of China
| | - Ning Li
- Central Laboratory, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200071, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying-Xiu Peng
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200071, People's Republic of China
| | - Chun-Mei Qian
- Central Laboratory, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200071, People's Republic of China
| | - Ting-Ting Jia
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200071, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing-Jin Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200071, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Hui Gao
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200071, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan-Feng Xu
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200071, People's Republic of China.
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9
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Kawade A, Yamamura A, Kondo R, Suzuki Y, Yamamura H. Corosolic acid ameliorates vascular remodeling in pulmonary arterial hypertension via the downregulation of STAT3 signaling. J Pharmacol Sci 2023; 151:119-127. [PMID: 36707177 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphs.2022.12.007] [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: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive and fatal disease that is characterized by vascular remodeling of the pulmonary artery. PAH remodeling is primarily caused by the excessive proliferation of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). Therefore, an inhibitory mechanism is expected as a target for the treatment of PAH. Corosolic acid (CRA) is a pentacyclic triterpenoid extracted from the leaves of Banaba (Lagerstroemia speciosa) that exerts anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor effects. In the present study, the effects of CRA on PAH remodeling were examined using PASMCs from idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) patients and monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary hypertensive (PH) rats. CRA inhibited the excessive proliferation of IPAH-PASMCs in a concentration-dependent manner (IC50 = 14.1 μM). It also reduced the migration of IPAH-PASMCs. The CRA treatment downregulated the expression of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) in IPAH-PASMCs. In MCT-PH rats, the administration of CRA (1 mg/kg/day) attenuated increases in right ventricular systolic pressure, pulmonary vascular remodeling, and right ventricular hypertrophy. CRA also decreased the expression of STAT3 in pulmonary arterial smooth muscles from MCT-PH rats. In conclusion, the anti-proliferative and anti-migratory effects of CRA in PASMCs ameliorated PAH remodeling by downregulating STAT3 signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akiko Kawade
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, 3-1 Tanabedori Mizuhoku, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan
| | - Aya Yamamura
- Department of Physiology, Aichi Medical University, 1-1 Yazakokarimata, Nagakute, Aichi 480-1195, Japan
| | - Rubii Kondo
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, 3-1 Tanabedori Mizuhoku, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Suzuki
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, 3-1 Tanabedori Mizuhoku, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan
| | - Hisao Yamamura
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, 3-1 Tanabedori Mizuhoku, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan.
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10
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Banerjee A, Sriramulu S, Catanzaro R, He F, Chabria Y, Balakrishnan B, Hari S, Ayala A, Muñoz M, Pathak S, Marotta F. Natural Compounds as Integrative Therapy for Liver Protection against Inflammatory and Carcinogenic Mechanisms: From Induction to Molecular Biology Advancement. Curr Mol Med 2023; 23:216-231. [PMID: 35297348 DOI: 10.2174/1566524022666220316102310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The liver is exposed to several harmful substances that bear the potential to cause excessive liver damage ranging from hepatitis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease to extreme cases of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Liver ailments have been effectively treated from very old times with Chinese medicinal herbal formulations and later also applied by controlled trials in Japan. However, these traditional practices have been hardly well characterized in the past till in the last decades when more qualified studies have been carried out. Modern advances have given rise to specific molecular targets which are specifically good candidates for affecting the intricate mechanisms that play a role at the molecular level. These therapeutic regimens that mainly affect the progression of the disease by inhibiting the gene expression levels or by blocking essential molecular pathways or releasing cytokines may prove to play a vital role in minimizing the tissue damage. This review, therefore, tries to throw light upon the variation in the therapies for the treatment of benign and malignant liver disease from ancient times to the current date. Nonetheless, clinical research exploring the effectiveness of herbal medicines in the treatment of benign chronic liver diseases as well as prevention and treatment of HCC is still warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antara Banerjee
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chettinad Academy of Research and Education (CARE), Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute (CHRI), Chennai 603103, India
| | - Sushmitha Sriramulu
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chettinad Academy of Research and Education (CARE), Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute (CHRI), Chennai 603103, India
| | - Roberto Catanzaro
- Dept of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Fang He
- Dept of Nutrition, West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yashna Chabria
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chettinad Academy of Research and Education (CARE), Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute (CHRI), Chennai 603103, India
| | | | - Sruthi Hari
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chettinad Academy of Research and Education (CARE), Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute (CHRI), Chennai 603103, India
| | - Antonio Ayala
- Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Seville, Spain
| | - Mario Muñoz
- Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Surajit Pathak
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chettinad Academy of Research and Education (CARE), Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute (CHRI), Chennai 603103, India
| | - Francesco Marotta
- ReGenera R&D International for Aging Intervention, Milano, Italy and Vitality and Longevity Medical Science Commission, FEMTEC World Federation
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11
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Peng Y, Li N, Tang F, Qian C, Jia T, Liu J, Xu Y. Corosolic acid sensitizes ferroptosis by upregulating HERPUD1 in liver cancer cells. Cell Death Dis 2022; 8:376. [PMID: 36038536 PMCID: PMC9424261 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-022-01169-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Primary liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in the world, and the lack of effective treatments is the main reason for the high mortality. Corosolic acid (CA) has been proved to have antitumor activity. In this study, we found that CA can sensitize liver cancer cells to ferroptosis, which is a regulated form of cell death characterized by iron-dependent lipid peroxides reaching lethal levels. Here, we revealed that CA can inhibit glutathione (GSH) synthesis via HERPUD1, decreasing the cellular GSH level and causing liver cancer cells to become more sensitive to ferroptosis. Mechanistically, further studies found that HERPUD1 reduced the ubiquitination of the GSS-associated E3 ubiquitin ligase MDM2, which promoted ubiquitination of GSS, thereby inhibiting GSH synthesis to increase ferroptosis susceptibility. Importantly, a mouse xenograft model also demonstrated that CA inhibits tumor growth via HERPUD1. Collectively, our findings suggesting that CA is a candidate component for the development of treatments against liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingxiu Peng
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 200071, Shanghai, China
| | - Ning Li
- Central Laboratory, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 200071, Shanghai, China
| | - Feifeng Tang
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 200071, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunmei Qian
- Central Laboratory, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 200071, Shanghai, China
| | - Tingting Jia
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 200071, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingjin Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 200071, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanfeng Xu
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 200071, Shanghai, China.
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12
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Novel artemisinin derivative FO8643 with anti-angiogenic activity inhibits growth and migration of cancer cells via VEGFR2 signaling. Eur J Pharmacol 2022; 930:175158. [PMID: 35878807 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2022.175158] [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: 04/02/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) is widely recognized as a key effector in angiogenesis and cancer progression and has been considered a critical target for the development of anti-cancer drugs. Artemisinin (ARS) and its derivatives exert profound efficacy in treating not only malaria but also cancer. As a novel ARS-type compound, FO8643 caused significant suppression of the growth of a panel of cancer cells, including both solid and hematologic malignancies. In CCRF-CEM leukemia cells, FO8643 dramatically inhibited cell proliferation coupled with increased apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Additionally, FO8643 restrained cell migration in the 2D wound healing assay as well as in a 3D spheroid model of human hepatocellular carcinoma HUH-7 cells. Importantly, SwissTargetPrediction predicted VEGFR2 as an underlying target for FO8643. Molecular docking simulation further indicated that FO8643 forms hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions within the VEGFR2 kinase domain. Moreover, FO8643 directly inhibited VEGFR2 kinase activity and its downstream action including MAPK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways in HUH-7 cells. Encouragingly, FO8643 decreased angiogenesis in the chorioallantoic membrane assay in vivo. Collectively, FO8643 is a novel ARS-type compound exerting potential VEGFR2 inhibition. FO8643 may be a viable drug candidate in cancer therapy.
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13
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Widjaya AS, Liu Y, Yang Y, Yin W, Liang J, Jiang Y. Tumor-permeable smart liposomes by modulating the tumor microenvironment to improve the chemotherapy. J Control Release 2022; 344:62-79. [PMID: 35182612 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.02.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Low levels of accumulation and permeability in tumors are two primary reasons for the limited efficacy of conventional antineoplastic nanodrugs. In the present study, based on an original corosolic acid liposome (CALP) carrier with the functions of cell penetration, tumor permeability and anti-inflammation developed by our previous work, a versatile PTX/CALP was achieved by CALP loading paclitaxel (PTX). Compared to conventional PTX liposomes (PTX/LP) prepared by cholesterol and phospholipid, PTX/CALP exhibited extremely increasing cellular uptake and cytotoxicity in vitro, and in vivo enhancing the accumulation and permeability of tumor, thus significantly improving the antitumor efficacy. Further evidence indicated that PTX/CALP conspicuously promoted the recruitment of CD8+ T cells as well as reduced the infiltration of regulatory T cells and M2 macrophages into tumor by inducing enhanced immunogenic cell death (ICD) and down-regulating the inflammation level. Therefore, the improvement of efficacy was also attributed to the superiorities of PTX/CALP in modulating the inflammatory and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Overall, the smart PTX liposomes based on the multi-functional CALP carrier without any modification could overcome the harsh tumor biological barriers, enhance the induction of ICD and then achieve satisfactory efficacy, suggesting its promising potentials in industrial transfer and clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andy Samuel Widjaya
- Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education (Fudan University), Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yunhu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education (Fudan University), Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yueying Yang
- Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education (Fudan University), Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Weiwei Yin
- Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education (Fudan University), Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Jianying Liang
- Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education (Fudan University), Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yanyan Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education (Fudan University), Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China.
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14
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Zheng Y, Zhang W, Xu L, Zhou H, Yuan M, Xu H. Recent Progress in Understanding the Action of Natural Compounds at Novel Therapeutic Drug Targets for the Treatment of Liver Cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 11:795548. [PMID: 35155196 PMCID: PMC8825370 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.795548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is the third most common cause of cancer-related death following lung and stomach cancers. As a highly lethal disease, liver cancer is diagnosed frequently in less developed countries. Natural compounds extracted from herbs, animals and natural materials have been adopted by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practices and reported to be effective in the development of new medications for the treatment of diseases. It is important to focus on the mechanisms of action of natural compounds against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), particularly in terms of cell cycle regulation, apoptosis induction, autophagy mediation and cell migration and invasion. In this review, we characterize novel representative natural compounds according to their pharmacologic effects based on recently published studies. The aim of this review is to summarize and explore novel therapeutic drug targets of natural compounds, which could accelerate the discovery of new anticancer drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannan Zheng
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Engineering Research Center of Shanghai Colleges for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) New Drug Discovery, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenhui Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Engineering Research Center of Shanghai Colleges for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) New Drug Discovery, Shanghai, China
| | - Lin Xu
- Engineering Research Center of Shanghai Colleges for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) New Drug Discovery, Shanghai, China.,School of Chinese Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hua Zhou
- Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Man Yuan
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Engineering Research Center of Shanghai Colleges for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) New Drug Discovery, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongxi Xu
- Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
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15
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Sun LW, Kao SH, Yang SF, Jhang SW, Lin YC, Chen CM, Hsieh YH. Corosolic Acid Attenuates the Invasiveness of Glioblastoma Cells by Promoting CHIP-Mediated AXL Degradation and Inhibiting GAS6/AXL/JAK Axis. Cells 2021; 10:cells10112919. [PMID: 34831142 PMCID: PMC8616539 DOI: 10.3390/cells10112919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2021] [Revised: 10/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Corosolic acid (CA), a bioactive compound obtained from Actinidia chinensis, has potential anti-cancer activities. Glioblastoma (GBM) is a malignant brain tumor and whether CA exerts anti-cancer activity on GBM remains unclear. This study was aimed to explore the anticancer activity and its underlying mechanism of CA in GBM cells. Our findings showed that CA ≤ 20 μM did not affect cell viability and cell proliferative rate of normal astrocyte and four GBM cells. Notably, 10 or 20 μM CA significantly inhibited cell migration and invasion of three GBM cells, decreased the protein level of F-actin and disrupted F-actin polymerization in these GBM cells. Further investigation revealed that CA decreased AXL level by promoting ubiquitin-mediated proteasome degradation and upregulating the carboxyl terminus of Hsc70-interacting protein (CHIP), an inducer of AXL polyubiquitination. CHIP knock-down restored the CA-reduced AXL and invasiveness of GBM cells. Additionally, we observed that CA-reduced Growth arrest-specific protein 6 (GAS6) and inhibited JAK2/MEK/ERK activation, and GAS6 pre-treatment restored attenuated JAK2/MEK/ERK activation and invasiveness of GBM cells. Furthermore, molecular docking analysis revealed that CA might bind to GAS6 and AXL. These findings collectively indicate that CA attenuates the invasiveness of GBM cells, attributing to CHIP upregulation and binding to GAS6 and AXL and subsequently promoting AXL degradation and downregulating GAS6-mediated JAK2/MEK/ERK cascade. Conclusively, this suggests that CA has potential anti-metastatic activity on GBM cells by targeting the CHIP/GAS6/AXL axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Wei Sun
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 40201, Taiwan; (L.-W.S.); (S.-H.K.); (S.-F.Y.); (Y.-C.L.)
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua 50006, Taiwan;
| | - Shao-Hsuan Kao
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 40201, Taiwan; (L.-W.S.); (S.-H.K.); (S.-F.Y.); (Y.-C.L.)
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40201, Taiwan
| | - Shun-Fa Yang
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 40201, Taiwan; (L.-W.S.); (S.-H.K.); (S.-F.Y.); (Y.-C.L.)
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40201, Taiwan
| | - Shang-Wun Jhang
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua 50006, Taiwan;
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40201, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chen Lin
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 40201, Taiwan; (L.-W.S.); (S.-H.K.); (S.-F.Y.); (Y.-C.L.)
| | - Chien-Min Chen
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua 50006, Taiwan;
- School of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
- College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Dayeh University, Changhua 51591, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (C.-M.C.); (Y.-H.H.)
| | - Yi-Hsien Hsieh
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 40201, Taiwan; (L.-W.S.); (S.-H.K.); (S.-F.Y.); (Y.-C.L.)
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40201, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (C.-M.C.); (Y.-H.H.)
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16
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Qian XP, Zhang XH, Sun LN, Xing WF, Wang Y, Sun SY, Ma MY, Cheng ZP, Wu ZD, Xing C, Chen BN, Wang YQ. Corosolic acid and its structural analogs: A systematic review of their biological activities and underlying mechanism of action. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2021; 91:153696. [PMID: 34456116 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/31/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The corosolic acid (CA), also known as plant insulin, is a pentacyclic triterpenoid extracted from plants such as Lagerstroemia speciosa. It has been shown to have anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects. Its structural analogs ursolic acid (UA), oleanolic acid (OA), maslinic acid (MA), asiatic acid (AA) and betulinic acid (BA) display similar individual pharmacological activities to those of CA. However, there is no systematic review documenting pharmacological activities of CA and its structural analogues. This study aims to fill this gap in literature. PURPOSE This systematic review aims to summarize the medical applications of CA and its analogues. METHODS A systematic review summarizes and compares the extraction techniques, pharmacokinetic parameters, and pharmacological effects of CA and its structural analogs. Hypoglycemic effect is one of the key inclusion criteria for searching Web of Science, PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases up to October 2020 without language restrictions. 'corosolic acid', 'ursolic acid', 'oleanolic acid', 'maslinic acid', 'asiatic acid', 'betulinic acid', 'extraction', 'pharmacokinetic', 'pharmacological' were used to extract relevant literature. The PRISMA guidelines were followed. RESULTS At the end of the searching process, 140 articles were selected for the systematic review. Information of CA and five of its structural analogs including UA, OA, MA, AA and BA were included in this review. CA and its structural analogs are pentacyclic triterpenes extracted from plants and they have low solubilities in water due to their rigid scaffold and hydrophobic properties. The introduction of water-soluble groups such as sugar or amino groups could increase the solubility of CA and its structural analogs. Their biological activities and underlying mechanism of action are reviewed and compared. CONCLUSION CA and its structural analogs UA, OA, MA, AA and BA are demonstrated to show activities in lowering blood sugar, anti-inflammation and anti-tumor. Their oral absorption and bioavailability can be improved through structural modification and formulation design. CA and its structural analogs are promising natural product-based lead compounds for further development and mechanistic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu-Ping Qian
- Research Division of Clinical Pharmacology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University & Jiangsu Province Hospital, Nanjing, China; Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Xue-Hui Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Jiangsu Shengze Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China
| | - Lu-Ning Sun
- Research Division of Clinical Pharmacology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University & Jiangsu Province Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Wei-Fan Xing
- Nanjing Chenxiang Pharmaceutical Research Co. Ltd
| | - Yu Wang
- Research Division of Clinical Pharmacology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University & Jiangsu Province Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Shi-Yu Sun
- Research Division of Clinical Pharmacology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University & Jiangsu Province Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Meng-Yuan Ma
- Research Division of Clinical Pharmacology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University & Jiangsu Province Hospital, Nanjing, China; Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Zi-Ping Cheng
- Research Division of Clinical Pharmacology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University & Jiangsu Province Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Zu-Dong Wu
- Nanjing Chenxiang Pharmaceutical Research Co. Ltd
| | - Chen Xing
- Nanjing Chenxiang Pharmaceutical Research Co. Ltd
| | - Bei-Ning Chen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Sheffield, Brookhill, Sheffield S3 7HF, United Kingdom.
| | - Yong-Qing Wang
- Research Division of Clinical Pharmacology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University & Jiangsu Province Hospital, Nanjing, China; Department of Pharmacy, Jiangsu Shengze Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China.
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17
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Wang T, Zhang Q, Wang N, Liu Z, Zhang B, Zhao Y. Research Progresses of Targeted Therapy and Immunotherapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Curr Med Chem 2021; 28:3107-3146. [PMID: 33050856 DOI: 10.2174/0929867327666201013162144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, with nearly one million new cases and deaths every year. Owing to the complex pathogenesis, hidden early symptoms, rapidly developing processes, and poor prognosis, the morbidity and mortality of HCC are increasing yearly. With the progress being made in modern medicine, the treatment of HCC is no longer limited to traditional methods. Targeted therapy and immunotherapy have emerged to treat advanced and metastatic HCC in recent years. Since Sorafenib is the first molecular targeting drug against angiogenesis, targeted drugs for HCC are continually emerging. Moreover, immunotherapy plays a vital role in clinical trials. In particular, the application of immune checkpoint inhibitors, which have received increasing attention in the field of cancer treatment, is a possible research path. Interestingly, these two therapies generally complement each other at some stages of HCC, bringing new hope for patients with advanced HCC. In this paper, we discuss the research progress of targeted therapy and immunotherapy for HCC in recent years, which will provide a reference for the further development of drugs for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Wang
- Institute of Drug Discovery Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
| | - Qiting Zhang
- Institute of Drug Discovery Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
| | - Ning Wang
- Institute of Drug Discovery Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
| | - Ziqi Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, the PLA Rocket Force Characteristic Medical Center, Beijing 100088, China
| | - Bin Zhang
- Li Dak Sum Yip Yio Chin Kenneth Li Marine Biopharmaceutical Research Center, Department of Marine Pharmacy, College of Food and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
| | - Yufen Zhao
- Institute of Drug Discovery Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
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18
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Molehin D, Rasha F, Rahman RL, Pruitt K. Regulation of aromatase in cancer. Mol Cell Biochem 2021; 476:2449-2464. [PMID: 33599895 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-021-04099-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The regulation of aromatase, an enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of estrogen in normal and cancer cells, has been associated with growth factor signaling and immune response modulation. The tissue-specific regulatory roles of these factors are of particular importance as local aromatase expression is strongly linked to cancer development/progression and disease outcomes in patients. Therefore, aromatase has become a chemotherapeutic target and aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are used in the clinic for treating hormone-dependent cancers. Although AIs have shown promising results in the treatment of cancers, the emerging increase in AI-resistance necessitates the development of new and improved targeted therapies. This review discusses the role of tumor and stromal-derived growth factors and immune cell modulators in regulating aromatase. Current single-agent and combination therapies with or without AIs targeting growth factors and immune checkpoints are also discussed. This review highlights recent studies that show new connections between growth factors, mediators of immune response, and aromatase regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah Molehin
- Department of Immunology & Molecular Microbiology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Fahmida Rasha
- Department of Immunology & Molecular Microbiology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | | | - Kevin Pruitt
- Department of Immunology & Molecular Microbiology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA. .,Department of Immunology & Molecular Microbiology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 3601 4th Street, Lubbock, TX, 79430-6591, USA.
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19
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Zhao J, Zhou H, An Y, Shen K, Yu L. Biological effects of corosolic acid as an anti-inflammatory, anti-metabolic syndrome and anti-neoplasic natural compound. Oncol Lett 2020; 21:84. [PMID: 33363621 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2020.12345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence has indicated that corosolic acid exerts anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperlipidemic and anti-viral effects. More importantly, corosolic acid has recently attracted much attention due to its anticancer properties and innocuous effects on normal cells. Furthermore, the increasing proportion of obese and/or diabetic populations has led to an epidemic of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which frequently progresses to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Evidence has indicated that NAFLD is closely associated with the development of HCC and comprises a high risk factor. The present review summarizes the anticancer effects of corosolic acid in vitro and in vivo, and its related molecular mechanisms. It also describes the inhibitory effects of corosolic acid on the progression of NAFLD and its associated molecular mechanisms, providing guidance for future research on corosolic acid in NAFLD-related HCC prevention and treatment. To the best of our knowledge, a review of corosolic acid as an anticancer agent has not yet been reported. Due to its multitargeted activity in cancer cells, corosolic acid exerts anticancer effects when administered alone, and acts synergistically when administered with chemotherapeutic drugs, even in drug-resistant cells. In addition, as a novel tool to treat metabolic syndromes, corosolic acid uses the same mechanism in its action against cancer as that used in the progression of NAFLD-related HCC. Therefore, corosolic acid has been suggested as an agent for the prevention and treatment of NAFLD-related HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinwei Zhao
- Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research, Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Institute of Zoonosis, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130062, P.R. China
| | - Hong Zhou
- Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research, Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Institute of Zoonosis, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130062, P.R. China
| | - Yanan An
- Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research, Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Institute of Zoonosis, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130062, P.R. China
| | - Keshu Shen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Medicine of Jilin Hepatobiliary Hospital, Changchun, Jilin 130062, P.R. China
| | - Lu Yu
- Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research, Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Institute of Zoonosis, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130062, P.R. China
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Liu Y, Dou Y, Yan L, Yang X, He B, Kong L, Smith W. The role of Rho GTPases' substrates Rac and Cdc42 in osteoclastogenesis and relevant natural medicinal products study. Biosci Rep 2020; 40:BSR20200407. [PMID: 32578854 PMCID: PMC7364480 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20200407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, Rho GTPases substrates include Rac (Rac1 and Rac2) and Cdc42 that have been reported to exert multiple cellular functions in osteoclasts, the most prominent of which includes regulating the dynamic actin cytoskeleton rearrangements. In addition, natural products and their molecular frameworks have a long tradition as valuable starting points for medicinal chemistry and drug discovery. Although currently, there are reports about the natural product, which could play a therapeutic role in bone loss diseases (osteoporosis and osteolysis) through the regulation of Rac1/2 and Cdc42 during osteoclasts cytoskeletal structuring. There have been several excellent studies for exploring the therapeutic potentials of various natural products for their role in inhibiting cancer cells migration and function via regulating the Rac1/2 and Cdc42. Herein in this review, we try to focus on recent advancement studies for extensively understanding the role of Rho GTPases substrates Rac1, Rac2 and Cdc42 in osteoclastogenesis, as well as therapeutic potentials of natural medicinal products for their properties on the regulation of Rac1, and/or Rac2 and Cdc42, which is in order to inspire drug discovery in regulating osteoclastogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Liu
- Department of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
- Department of Orthopedics, Yan’an University Medical School, Yan’an, China
| | - Yusheng Dou
- Department of Shoulder and Elbow Joint, Honghui Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi’an Jiaotong University, China
| | - Liang Yan
- Department of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaobin Yang
- Department of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Baorong He
- Department of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Lingbo Kong
- Department of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Wanli Smith
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, U.S.A
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Wang K, Zhu X, Yin Y. Maslinic Acid Enhances Docetaxel Response in Human Docetaxel-Resistant Triple Negative Breast Carcinoma MDA-MB-231 Cells via Regulating MELK-FoxM1-ABCB1 Signaling Cascade. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:835. [PMID: 32581798 PMCID: PMC7295941 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.00835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Docetaxel (DOC) is the most important chemotherapeutic drug for the treatment of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC); however, acquired drug resistance upon the long-term treatment limits its therapeutic effect. Maslinic acid (MA), a natural triterpene from Olea europaea L., attracts increasing interest in recent years because of its promising anti-cancer activity, but the reversal effect of MA on drug resistance in cancer therapy is rarely explored. In this study, the combined effect of DOC and MA on human docetaxel-resistant triple negative breast carcinoma MDA-MB-231 (MDA-MB-231/DOC) cells was investigated. The enhanced effect of MA on DOC cytotoxicity and DOC accumulation was assessed by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay and HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography) analysis in MDA-MB-231/DOC cells. Western blot, co-immunoprecipitation assay, luciferase reporter assay, and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay were performed for exploring the underlying mechanisms. Our data indicated that the co-treatment of MA could dose-dependently enhance DOC sensitivity and cellular DOC accumulation in MDA-MB-231/DOC cells. Moreover, MELK-FoxM1-ABCB1 signaling cascade was confirmed to contribute to DOC resistance in MDA-MB-231/DOC cells. In such process, MA directly suppressed expressions and interaction of MELK and FoxM1 as well as the transcriptional activity of FoxM1, and thus reducing the expression of ABCB1. Overall, our study suggests that the combined use of DOC and MA may be helpful for overcoming DOC resistance in human TNBC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Wang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Wuxi, China
| | - Xue Zhu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Wuxi, China
| | - Yongxiang Yin
- Department of Pathology, the Affiliated Maternity and Children Health Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
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22
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Cell-penetrating corosolic acid liposome as a functional carrier for delivering chemotherapeutic drugs. Acta Biomater 2020; 106:301-313. [PMID: 32081779 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2020.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Corosolic acid (CA), a natural pentacyclic triterpenoid, exhibits antitumor and synergistic therapy effect with chemotherapeutic drugs mainly through inhibiting STAT3 activation. In this study, it is found that CA possesses cholesterol-like properties in liposome by regulating membrane phase behavior to form stable cholesterol-free CA liposomes (CALP). Compared with traditional cholesterol liposomes (CHOLP), CALP exhibit stronger membrane fusion and higher cellular uptake, and other functions including inhibition of STAT3 activation and suppression of the recruitment of macrophages to tumor microenvironment. Therefore, CALP is used as a functional carrier, and doxorubicin-loaded CALP (DOX/CALP) based on PEGylated liposomal doxorubicin (DOXILⓇ) are prepared by replacing its cholesterol with CA. The physicochemical properties and biological activities are compared with those of doxorubicin-loaded cholesterol liposomes (DOX/LP). Both DOX/CALP and DOX/LP possess approximately similar physical properties and exhibit high stability and low drug leakage as shown by the published data of DOXILⓇ. Nevertheless, it is noteworthy that DOX/CALP displays higher in vitro cellular uptake and tumor spheroid permeation along with stronger cytotoxicity against tumor cells than DOX/LP. Despite DOX/CALP has the same PK parameters, normal tissue biodistribution, and safety profile as DOX/LP, the results of an in vivo study in 4T1-bearing mice indicate that the DOX/CALP treatment group exhibit higher tumor accumulation, more significant tumor growth inhibition, and longer life span than the DOX/LP group. Overall, DOX/CALP is a representative example of CA-doped liposomes, suggesting that CALP as a functional drug carrier for solving low efficacy of present liposomal drugs might have promising application potential. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: An original drug delivery nanocarrier, corosolic acid liposome (CALP), was developed in this study. It was found that CA possesses cholesterol-like function to regulate phospholipid membrane phase behavior. By replacing the cholesterol with CA, the liposomes were converted into high cellular uptake carriers, possessing anti-inflammatory activity and synergism with chemotherapeutic drugs. The variability of CALP formulations enabled to deliver therapeutic agents. The use of CALP to deliver doxorubicin not only significantly enhanced the therapeutic efficacy compared with the classic PEGylated liposomal doxorubicin, but also maintained the improved safety. Because CALP can be obtained by conventional liposome preparation methods, its use as functional drug carriers for solving low efficacy of present liposomal drugs would have promising application potential.
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23
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Jia M, Xiong Y, Li M, Mao Q. Corosolic Acid Inhibits Cancer Progress Through Inactivating YAP in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Oncol Res 2020; 28:371-383. [PMID: 32220262 PMCID: PMC7851517 DOI: 10.3727/096504020x15853075736554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapy is critical for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Despite the proapoptotic effects of corosolic acid (CA) treatment, its underlying mechanism is not completely clear. The aim of this study was to determine the molecular mechanism of CA in HCC treatment. MTT assay was used to determine the IC50 of CA. Immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence were used to detect the interaction and subcellular localization of Yes-associated protein (YAP) and mouse double minute 2 (MDM2). In addition, in vivo xenotransplantation was performed to assess the effects of CA, YAP, and MDM2 on tumorigenesis. The IC50 of CA was about 40 μM in different HCC cell lines, and CA decreased YAP expression by reducing its stability and increasing its ubiquitination. CA treatment and MDM2 overexpression significantly decreased the crosstalk between YAP and cAMP-responsive element-binding protein (CREB), TEA domain transcription factor (TEAD), and Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2). CA stimulation promoted the translocation of YAP and MDM2 from the nucleus to the cytoplasm and increased their binding. In addition, CA treatment obviously reduced tumorigenesis, whereas this effect was abolished when cells were transfected with sh-MDM2 or Vector-YAP. The present study uncovered that CA induced cancer progress repression through translocating YAP from the nucleus in HCC, which might provide a new therapeutic target for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Jia
- Institute of Infectious Diseases of Chinese PLA, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University)ChongqingP.R. China
| | - Yulin Xiong
- Department of Laboratory, The Fourth Medical Center of PLA General HospitalBeijingP.R. China
| | - Maoshi Li
- Institute of Infectious Diseases of Chinese PLA, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University)ChongqingP.R. China
| | - Qing Mao
- Institute of Infectious Diseases of Chinese PLA, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University)ChongqingP.R. China
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Hudlikar RR, Sargsyan D, Wu R, Su S, Zheng M, Kong AN. Triterpenoid corosolic acid modulates global CpG methylation and transcriptome of tumor promotor TPA induced mouse epidermal JB6 P+ cells. Chem Biol Interact 2020; 321:109025. [PMID: 32135139 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2020.109025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic regulation is one of the driving forces in the process of carcinogenesis. Corosolic acid (CA); triterpenoid abundantly found in Lagerstroemia speciosa L. is known to modulate various cellular process including cellular oxidative stress and signaling kinases in various diseases, including skin cancer. Genetic mutations in early stages of skin cancer are well-documented, the epigenetic alterations remain elusive. In the present study, we identified the transcriptomic gene expression changes with RNAseq and genome-wide DNA CpG methylation changes with DNA methylseq to profile the early stage transcriptomic and epigenomic changes using tumor promoter TPA-mediated mouse epidermal epithelial JB6 P+ cells. JB6 P+ cells were treated with TPA and Corosolic acid by 7.5uM optimized by MTS assay. Differentiated expressed genes (DEGs) and Differentially methylated genes (DMRs) were analyzed by R software. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) was employed to understand the differential regulation of specific pathways. Novel TPA induced differentially overexpressed genes like tumor promoter Prl2c2, small prolin rich protein (Sprr2h) was reported which was downregulated by corosolic acid treatment. Several cancer related pathways were identified by Ingenuity Pathways Analysis (IPA) including p53, Erk, TGF beta signaling pathways. Moreover, differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in genes like Dusp22 (Dual specificity protein phosphatase 22), Rassf (tumor suppressor gene family, Ras association domain family) in JB6 P+ cells were uncovered which are altered by TPA and are reversed by CA treatment. Interestingly, genes like CDK1 (Cyclin-dependent kinases 1) and RASSF2 (Ras association domain family member 2) observed to be differentially methylated and expressed which was further modulated by corosolic acid treatment, validated by qPCR. Given study indicated gene expression changes to DNA CpG methylation epigenomic changes modulated various molecular pathways in TPA-induced JB6 cells and revealed that CA can potentially reverse these changes which deciphering novel molecular targets for future prevention of early stages of skin cancer studies in human.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rasika R Hudlikar
- Center for Phytochemical Epigenome Studies, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA; Department of Pharmaceutics, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Davit Sargsyan
- Center for Phytochemical Epigenome Studies, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA; Department of Pharmaceutics, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Renyi Wu
- Center for Phytochemical Epigenome Studies, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA; Department of Pharmaceutics, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Shan Su
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Meinizi Zheng
- Center for Phytochemical Epigenome Studies, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA; Department of Pharmaceutics, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Ah-Ng Kong
- Center for Phytochemical Epigenome Studies, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA; Department of Pharmaceutics, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA.
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25
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Liang R, Chen X, Chen L, Wan F, Chen K, Sun Y, Zhu X. STAT3 signaling in ovarian cancer: a potential therapeutic target. J Cancer 2020; 11:837-848. [PMID: 31949487 PMCID: PMC6959025 DOI: 10.7150/jca.35011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/08/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence has shown that Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) is thought to be a promising target for cancer therapy as STAT3 is frequently overexpressed in a wide range of cancer cells as well as clinical specimens, promoting tumor progression. It is widely accepted that STAT3 regulates a variety of cellular processes, such as tumor cell growth, survival, invasion, cancer stem cell-like characteristic, angiogenesis and drug-resistance. In this review, we focus on the role of STAT3 in tumorigenesis in ovarian cancer and discuss the existing inhibitors of STAT3 signaling that can be promisingly developed as the strategies for ovarian cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renba Liang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital and Cancer Institute of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, Guangxi, P.R. China
| | - Xishan Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital and Cancer Institute of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, Guangxi, P.R. China
| | - Li Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital and Cancer Institute of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, Guangxi, P.R. China
| | - Fangzhu Wan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital and Cancer Institute of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, Guangxi, P.R. China
| | - Kaihua Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital and Cancer Institute of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, Guangxi, P.R. China
| | - Yongchu Sun
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital and Cancer Institute of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, Guangxi, P.R. China
| | - Xiaodong Zhu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital and Cancer Institute of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, Guangxi, P.R. China
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26
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Hu S, Li SW, Yan Q, Hu XP, Li LY, Zhou H, Pan LX, Li J, Shen CP, Xu T. Natural products, extracts and formulations comprehensive therapy for the improvement of motor function in alcoholic liver disease. Pharmacol Res 2019; 150:104501. [DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2019.104501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Revised: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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27
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He X, Fang J, Chen X, Zhao Z, Li Y, Meng Y, Huang L. Actinidia chinensis Planch.: A Review of Chemistry and Pharmacology. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:1236. [PMID: 31736750 PMCID: PMC6833939 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.01236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Actinidia chinensis Planch. (A. chinensis), commonly known as Chinese kiwifruit, is a China native fruit, which becomes increasingly popular due to attractive economic, nutritional, and health benefits properties. The whole plant including fruits, leaves, vines, and roots of A. chinensis are used mainly as food or additive in food products and as folk medicine in China. It is a good source of triterpenoids, polyphenols, vitamin C, carbohydrate, amino acid, and minerals. These constituents render the A. chinensis with a wide range of pharmacological properties including antitumor, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunoregulatory, hypolipemic, antidiabetic, and cardiovascular protective activities, suggesting that it may possibly be value in the prevention and treatment of pathologies associated to cancer, oxidative stress, and aging. This minireview provides a brief knowledge about the recent advances in chemistry, biological activities, utilization, and storage of Chinese kiwifruit. Future research directions on how to better use of this crop are suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xirui He
- Department of Bioengineering, Zhuhai Campus Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Jiacheng Fang
- The College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xufei Chen
- The College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zefeng Zhao
- The College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yongsheng Li
- Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yibing Meng
- Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Linhong Huang
- Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
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28
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Maldonado-Cubas J, Albores-Méndez EM, San Martín-Martínez E, Quiroz-Reyes CN, González-Córdova GE, Casañas-Pimentel RG. Mexican hawthorn (Crataegus gracilior J. B. Phipps) stems and leaves induce cell death on breast cancer cells. Nutr Cancer 2019; 72:1411-1421. [DOI: 10.1080/01635581.2019.1678657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Juan Maldonado-Cubas
- Centro de Investigación en Ciencia Aplicada y Tecnología Avanzada, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Exsal M. Albores-Méndez
- Centro de Investigación en Ciencia Aplicada y Tecnología Avanzada, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Eduardo San Martín-Martínez
- Centro de Investigación en Ciencia Aplicada y Tecnología Avanzada, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Cinthya N. Quiroz-Reyes
- Centro de Investigación en Ciencia Aplicada y Tecnología Avanzada, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Gerardo E. González-Córdova
- Centro de Investigación en Ciencia Aplicada y Tecnología Avanzada, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Rocio G. Casañas-Pimentel
- Centro de Investigación en Ciencia Aplicada y Tecnología Avanzada, CONACYT - Instituto Politécnico Nacional, CDMX, Mexico
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29
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Li B, Li Y, Wang Q, Li F, Li F. Corosolic acid impairs human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells proliferation by inhibiting cell migration. Oncol Lett 2019; 17:5747-5753. [PMID: 31186800 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2019.10262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to investigate the anticancer effects of corosolic acid (CA) in the human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cell line. A549 cells were treated with increasing concentrations of CA, prior to assessing cell viability, migration rate, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) kinase activity and cytoskeleton structure. In addition, in vivo imaging system was used to analyze the anticancer effects of CA in vivo. Results demonstrated that CA exhibited a low cytotoxicity with a half maximal inhibitory concentration of 65 µM. In addition, 4 µM CA efficiently inhibited A549 cell migration. Furthermore, CA inhibited VEGFR2 kinase activity and disrupted tubulin structure. Data also revealed that CA inhibited A549 cell proliferation in a xenograft mouse model. In conclusion, results from the present study suggested that CA may be used as a novel potential therapy for lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biao Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan 570311, P.R. China
| | - Yongjie Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan 570311, P.R. China
| | - Qiongyu Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan 570311, P.R. China
| | - Fan Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan 570311, P.R. China
| | - Fu Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan 570311, P.R. China
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Bahadori MB, Vandghanooni S, Dinparast L, Eskandani M, Ayatollahi SA, Ata A, Nazemiyeh H. Triterpenoid corosolic acid attenuates HIF-1 stabilization upon cobalt (II) chloride-induced hypoxia in A549 human lung epithelial cancer cells. Fitoterapia 2019; 134:493-500. [PMID: 30898728 DOI: 10.1016/j.fitote.2019.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2019] [Revised: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 is a target for the management of cancer. Here, the anti-proliferation properties of corosolic acid (CA) against A549 human lung epithelial cancer cells in CoCl2-induced hypoxia is reported. CA was isolated from the roots of Salvia syriaca based on a bioassay-guided isolation platform and identified by 1D and 2D NMR experiments. Several cytotoxicies and genotoxicity analyses were performed using MTT, DAPI, cell cycle, DNA ladder, and annexin V/PI detection. Cobalt chloride (CoCl2) was used to stimulate hypoxia. The adaptation of A549 cells to a stimulated hypoxic condition in the presence of CA was evaluated. CA decreased the growth of A549 cells with an IC50 of 12 μg/mL at 48 h. Also, chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation were detected as signs of apoptosis occurrence. CA induced ~85% apoptosis and even 1% necrosis. The expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 α (HIF-1α), HIF-1β and downstream genes was strongly suppressed in the presence of CA in CoCl2-stimulated hypoxia condition. Results indicated that CA has remarkable cytotoxicity against the cancerous cell in hypoxia condition and may be regarded for preparation of new formulations for possible uses as supplement and medicine in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mir Babak Bahadori
- Medicinal Plants Research Center, Maragheh University of Medical Sciences, Maragheh, Iran
| | - Somayeh Vandghanooni
- Research Center for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Biomedicine Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Leila Dinparast
- Biotechnology research center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Morteza Eskandani
- Research Center for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Biomedicine Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
| | - Seyed Abdulmajid Ayatollahi
- Phytochemistry Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Chemistry, Richardson College for the Environmental Science Complex, The University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg MB R3B 2G3, Canada.
| | - Athar Ata
- Department of Chemistry, Richardson College for the Environmental Science Complex, The University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg MB R3B 2G3, Canada
| | - Hossein Nazemiyeh
- Research Center for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Biomedicine Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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31
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Ma B, Zhang H, Wang Y, Zhao A, Zhu Z, Bao X, Sun Y, Li L, Zhang Q. Corosolic acid, a natural triterpenoid, induces ER stress-dependent apoptosis in human castration resistant prostate cancer cells via activation of IRE-1/JNK, PERK/CHOP and TRIB3. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2018; 37:210. [PMID: 30176898 PMCID: PMC6122202 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-018-0889-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Background The development of potent non-toxic chemotherapeutic drugs against castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) remains a major challenge. Corosolic acid (CA), a natural triterpenoid, has anti-cancer activity with limited side effects. However, CA anti-prostate cancer activities and mechanisms, particularly in CRPC, are not clearly understood. In this study, we investigated CA anti-tumor ability against human CRPC and its mechanism of action. Methods The cell apoptosis and proliferation effects were evaluated via MTT detection, colony formation assay and flow cytometry. Western blot, gene transfection and immunofluorescence assay were applied to investigate related protein expression of Endoplasmic reticulum stress. A xenograft tumor model was established to investigate the inhibitory effect of CA on castration resistant prostate cancer in vivo. Results The results showed that CA inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis in human prostate cancer cell (PCa) line PC-3 and DU145, as well as retarded tumor growth in a xenograft model, exerting a limited toxicity to normal cells and tissues. Importantly, CA activated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-associated two pro-apoptotic signaling pathways, as evidenced by increased protein levels of typical ER stress markers including IRE-1/ASK1/JNK and PERK/eIF2α/ATF4/CHOP. IRE-1, PERK or CHOP knockdown partially attenuated CA cytotoxicity against PCa cells. Meanwhile, CHOP induced expression increased Tribbles 3 (TRIB3) level, which lead to AKT inactivation and PCa cell death. CHOP silencing resulted in PCa cells sensitive to CA-induced apoptosis. Conclusion Our data demonstrated, for the first time, that CA might represent a novel drug candidate for the development of an anti-CRPC therapy. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13046-018-0889-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Ma
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Hang Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China.,Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Ang Zhao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhiming Zhu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaowen Bao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Sun
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Lin Li
- Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China.
| | - Qi Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China.
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Antrodia cinnamomea boosts the anti-tumor activity of sorafenib in xenograft models of human hepatocellular carcinoma. Sci Rep 2018; 8:12914. [PMID: 30150684 PMCID: PMC6110745 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-31209-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been recognized worldwide as one of the major causes of cancer death. The medicinal fungus Antrodia cinnamomea (A. cinnamomea) has been served as a functional food for liver protection. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential activity of A. cinnamomea extracts as a safe booster for the anticancer activity of sorafenib, a multi-kinase inhibitor approved for the treatment of HCC. The biologically active triterpenoids in the ethanolic extracts of A. cinnamomea (EAC) were initially identified by HPLC/LC/MS then the different extracts and sorafenib were assessed in vitro and in vivo. EAC could effectively sensitize HCC cells to low doses of sorafenib, which was perceived via the ability of the combination to repress cell viability and to induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in HCC cells. The ability of EAC to enhance sorafenib activity was mediated through targeting mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases, modulating cyclin proteins expression and inhibiting cancer cell invasion. Moreover, the proposed combination significantly suppressed ectopic tumor growth in mice with high safety margins compared to single-agent treatment. Thus, this study highlights the advantage of combining EAC with sorafenib as a potential adjuvant therapeutic strategy against HCC.
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Up-regulation of CTD-2547G23.4 in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and its prospective molecular regulatory mechanism: a novel qRT-PCR and bioinformatics analysis study. Cancer Cell Int 2018; 18:74. [PMID: 29780284 PMCID: PMC5948809 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-018-0566-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Accepted: 04/27/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Dysregulated expression of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) has been reported in the pathogenesis and progression of multiple cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). LncRNA CTD-2547G23.4 is a novel lncRNA, and its role in HCC is still unknown. Here, we aimed to clarify the expression pattern and clinical value of CTD-2547G23.4 and to investigate the prospective regulatory mechanism via bioinformatics analysis in HCC. Methods To identify differentially expressed lncRNAs in HCC, we downloaded RNA-Seq data for HCC and adjacent non-tumour tissues via The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). CTD-2547G23.4 was selected by using the R language and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Furthermore, we validated the differential expression of CTD-2547G23.4 via Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), ArrayExpress, Oncomine databases and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The relationship between the CTD-2547G23.4 level and clinic pathological parameters was also assessed. To further probe the role of CTD-2547G23.4 in HCC cell cycle, lentivirus-mediated small interfering RNA was applied to silence CTD-2547G23.4 expression in Huh-7 cell line. In addition, the related genes of CTD-2547G23.4 gathered from The Atlas of Noncoding RNAs in Cancer (TANRIC) database and Multi Experiment Matrix (MEM) were assessed with Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, Protein Analysis Through Evolutionary Relationships and protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks. Results CTD-2547G23.4 expression was remarkably higher in 370 HCC tissue samples than that in adjacent non-tumour liver tissues (48.762 ± 27.270 vs. 14.511 ± 8.341, P < 0.001) from TCGA dataset. The relative expression level of CTD-2547G23.4 in HCC was consistently higher than that in adjacent non-cancerous tissues (2.464 ± 0.833 vs. 1.813 ± 0.784, P = 0.001) as assessed by real time RT-qPCR. The area under the curve of the summary receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.8720 based on TCGA, qRT-PCR and GEO data. Further analysis indicated that the increased expression levels of CTD-2547G23.4 were associated with the neoplasm histologic grade and vascular tumour cell type. The expression of CTD-2547G23.4 was significantly downregulated in CTD-2547G23.4 knockdown cells. Moreover, cell cycle analysis revealed that CTD-2547G23.4 depletion in Huh-7 cell line led to S phase arrest. Furthermore, 314 related genes identified by TANRIC and MEM databases were processed with a pathway analysis. The bioinformatics analysis indicated that CTD-2547G23.4 might play a key role in the progress of HCC through four hub genes, SRC, CREBBP, ADCY8 and PPARA. Conclusions Collectively, we put forward the hypothesis that the novel lncRNA CTD-2547G23.4 may act as an exceptional clinical index and promote the HCC tumourigenesis and progression via various related genes. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12935-018-0566-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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He M, Hou J, Wang L, Zheng M, Fang T, Wang X, Xia J. Actinidia chinensis Planch root extract inhibits cholesterol metabolism in hepatocellular carcinoma through upregulation of PCSK9. Oncotarget 2018; 8:42136-42148. [PMID: 28178673 PMCID: PMC5522055 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.15010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2016] [Accepted: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Actinidia chinensis Planch root extract (acRoots) is a traditional Chinese medicine with anti-tumor efficacy. To investigate the mechanisms responsible for this activity, we examined the effects of acRoots on cholesterol metabolism in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). mRNA chip analysis was used to identify the metabolic genes regulated by acRoots. The effects of acRoots on cholesterol synthesis and uptake were evaluated by measuring intracellular cholesterol levels and 3,3′-dioctadecylindocarbocyanine-labeled low-density lipoprotein (Dil-LDL) uptake. Expression of metabolic genes was analyzed using quantitative reverse transcription PCR, western blotting, and flow cytometry. acRoots reduced the viability of LM3 and HepG2 cells at 5 mg/mL and HL-7702 cells at 30 mg/mL. Gene expression profiling revealed that treatment with acRoots altered expression of genes involved in immune responses, inflammation, proliferation, cell cycle control, and metabolism. We also confirmed that acRoots enhances expression of PCSK9, which is important for cholesterol metabolism. This resulted in decreased LDL receptor expression, inhibition of LDL uptake by LM3 cells, decreased total intracellular cholesterol, and reduced proliferation. These effects were promoted by PCSK9 overexpression and rescued by PCSK9 knockdown. Our data demonstrate that acRoots is a novel anti-tumor agent that inhibits cholesterol metabolism though a PCSK9-mediated signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyan He
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiayun Hou
- Clinical Science Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lingyan Wang
- Clinical Science Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Minghuan Zheng
- Clinical Science Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tingting Fang
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiangdong Wang
- Clinical Science Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jinglin Xia
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Yang J, Wu R, Li W, Gao L, Yang Y, Li P, Kong AN. The triterpenoid corosolic acid blocks transformation and epigenetically reactivates Nrf2 in TRAMP-C1 prostate cells. Mol Carcinog 2018; 57:512-521. [PMID: 29247555 DOI: 10.1002/mc.22776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2017] [Revised: 12/03/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Corosolic acid (CRA) is found in various plants and has been used as a health food supplement worldwide. Although it has been reported that CRA exhibits significant anticancer activity, the effect of this compound on prostate cancer remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the effect of CRA on cellular transformation and the reactivation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) through epigenetic regulation in TRAMP-C1 prostate cells. Specifically, we found that CRA inhibited anchorage-independent growth of prostate cancer TRAMP-C1 cells but not Nrf2 knockout prostate cancer TRAMP-C1 cells. Moreover, CRA induced mRNA and protein expression of Nrf2, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and NAD(P)H Quinone Oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1). Bisulfite genomic sequencing and methylated DNA immunoprecipitation results revealed that CRA treatment decreased the level of methylation of the first five CpG sites of the Nrf2 promoter. Histone modification was analyzed using a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay, which revealed that CRA treatment increased the acetylation of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27ac) while decreasing the trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27me3) in the promoter region of Nrf2. Furthermore, CRA treatment attenuated the protein expression of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs). These findings indicate that CRA has a significant anticancer effect in TRAMP-C1 cells, which could be partly attributed to epigenetics including its ability to epigenetically restore the expression of Nrf2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China.,Department of Pharmaceutics, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey
| | - Renyi Wu
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey
| | - Wenji Li
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey
| | - Linbo Gao
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey
| | - Yuqing Yang
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey.,Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey
| | - Ping Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ah-Ng Kong
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey
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Sun J, Luo Q, Liu L, Yang X, Zhu S, Song G. Salinomycin attenuates liver cancer stem cell motility by enhancing cell stiffness and increasing F-actin formation via the FAK-ERK1/2 signalling pathway. Toxicology 2017; 384:1-10. [PMID: 28395993 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2017.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2016] [Revised: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 04/06/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Salinomycin has recently been identified as an antitumour drug for several types of cancer stem cell (CSC) treatments. However, the effects of salinomycin on the migratory and invasive properties of liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs) are unclear. In present study, we investigated the effect of salinomycin on the migration and invasion of LCSCs, and examined the molecular mechanisms underlying the anticancer effects of salinomycin. Here we showed that the migration and invasion of LCSCs were significantly suppressed in a salinomycin dose-dependent manner. Moreover, western blot analysis showed that salinomycin repressed the phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2). Taken together, these findings provide new evidence that salinomycin suppresses the migration and invasion of LCSCs by inhibiting the expression of the FAK-ERK1/2 signalling pathway. In addition, the analysis of the mechanical properties showed that salinomycin increased cell stiffness in LCSCs via the FAK, and ERK1/2 pathways, suggesting that the inhibition of LCSC migration might partially contribute to the increase in cell stiffness stimulated by salinomycin. To further examine the role of salinomycin on cell motility and stiffness, the actin cytoskeleton of LCSCs was detected. The increased F-actin filaments in LCSCs induced by salinomycin reflected the increase in cell stiffness and the decrease in cell migration. Overall, these results showed that salinomycin inhibits the migration and invasion of LCSCs through the dephosphorylated FAK and ERK1/2 pathways, reflecting the changes in cell stiffness resulting from the increased actin cytoskeleton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinghui Sun
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030, People's Republic of China; School of Medical Laboratory Science, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, People's Republic of China
| | - Qing Luo
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030, People's Republic of China
| | - Lingling Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030, People's Republic of China
| | - Xianjiong Yang
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030, People's Republic of China; Department of Chemistry, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 500025, People's Republic of China
| | - Shunqin Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030, People's Republic of China; School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, People's Republic of China
| | - Guanbin Song
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030, People's Republic of China.
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Panera N, Crudele A, Romito I, Gnani D, Alisi A. Focal Adhesion Kinase: Insight into Molecular Roles and Functions in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18010099. [PMID: 28067792 PMCID: PMC5297733 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18010099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2016] [Revised: 12/23/2016] [Accepted: 12/30/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Due to the high incidence of post-operative recurrence after current treatments, the identification of new and more effective drugs is required. In previous years, new targetable genes/pathways involved in HCC pathogenesis have been discovered through the help of high-throughput sequencing technologies. Mutations in TP53 and β-catenin genes are the most frequent aberrations in HCC. However, approaches able to reverse the effect of these mutations might be unpredictable. In fact, if the reactivation of proteins, such as p53 in tumours, holds great promise as anticancer therapy, there are studies arguing that chronic activation of these types of molecules may be deleterious. Thus, recently the efforts on potential targets have focused on actionable mutations, such as those occurring in the gene encoding for focal adhesion kinase (FAK). This tyrosine kinase, localized to cellular focal contacts, is over-expressed in a variety of human tumours, including HCC. Moreover, several lines of evidence demonstrated that FAK depletion or inhibition impair in vitro and in vivo HCC growth and metastasis. Here, we provide an overview of FAK expression and activity in the context of tumour biology, discussing the current evidence of its connection with HCC development and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Panera
- Liver Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Via S. Paolo, 15, 00146 Rome, Italy.
| | - Annalisa Crudele
- Liver Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Via S. Paolo, 15, 00146 Rome, Italy.
| | - Ilaria Romito
- Liver Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Via S. Paolo, 15, 00146 Rome, Italy.
| | - Daniela Gnani
- Liver Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Via S. Paolo, 15, 00146 Rome, Italy.
| | - Anna Alisi
- Liver Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Via S. Paolo, 15, 00146 Rome, Italy.
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Liu X, Zhang A, Xiang J, Lv Y, Zhang X. miR-451 acts as a suppressor of angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting the IL-6R-STAT3 pathway. Oncol Rep 2016; 36:1385-92. [PMID: 27461244 DOI: 10.3892/or.2016.4971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2016] [Accepted: 04/07/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly vascularized tumor and the third ranking contributor of tumor-associated death. Our previous study corroborated the inhibitory roles of miRNA-451 (miR-451) in HCC cell growth and invasion. However, its effect on angiogenesis in HCC remains poorly elucidated. In this study, overexpression of miR-451 clearly attenuated the promoting effects of HCC cells on cell proliferation, migration and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Importantly, ectopic expression of miR‑451 also attenuated tumor growth and angiogenesis in nude mice. In vitro, the expression of IL‑6 receptor (IL‑6R) was reduced and identified as a direct target of miR‑451 by bioinformatics and a dual‑firefly luciferase reporter assay. Moreover, upregulation of IL‑6R strikingly ameliorated the inhibitory function of conditioned medium from miR‑451‑transfected HCC cells in HUVEC proliferation, migration and tube formation. Further mechanistic assay substantiated that miR‑451 restrained vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production of HCC cells by targeting IL‑6R‑STAT3 signaling as evidenced that IL‑6R upregulation induced the increase in VEGF levels and interrupting signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling with ectopic expression of dominant-negative STAT3 (STAT3D) markedly decreased VEGF expression. Additionally, conditioned medium of miR-451-overexpressed HCC also impaired the VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2) signaling in HUVECs. Accordingly, miR-451 may function as a potential suppressor of tumor angiogenesis in HCC by targeting IL-6R-STAT3-VEGF signaling, suggesting a promising therapeutic avenue for managing HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuemin Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
| | - Anpeng Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
| | - Junxi Xiang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
| | - Yi Lv
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
| | - Xufeng Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
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