Developing curcumin into a viable therapeutic for lymphoma

Curcumin derivative NL01 induces ferroptosis in ovarian cancer cells via HCAR1/MCT1 signaling

OBJECTIVE

Curcumin has been shown to have anti-tumor proliferative properties, but its clinical application is limited by its low bioavailability, etc. Derivatives of curcumin have been developed and tested to improve its therapeutic efficacy. Derivative NL01 could induce ferroptosis through the HCAR1/MCT1 pathway.

METHOD

CCK-8 was used to detect curcumin and derivative IC₅₀, crystalline violet staining was used to detect the proliferation inhibition effect of NL01 in ovarian cancer, western blot and qPCR were used to detect downstream related molecular expression changes, Transwell and survival curve assays were used to detect malignant phenotypic.

RESULTS

NL01 inhibited cell growth of Anglne and HO8910PM ovarian cancer cells by 13 times more potent than curcumin and induced ferroptosis of these two cells. we found that NL01 was able to reduce the expression of HCAR1/MCT1 and activate the AMPK signaling pathway, which in turn induced cellular ferroptosis via SREBP1 pathway. Knock-down HCAR1 expression revealed similar phenotype and pathway alterations to NL01 treatment. HCAR1 overexpression promoted a malignant phenotype and resistance to cisplatin in both cancer cells, whereas knockdown of HCAR1 showed the opposite phenotype. Subcutaneous transplantation tumor experiments in nude mice also showed that NL01 induced iron death and inhibited ovarian cancer proliferation. Further study showed that NL01 promoted the downregulation of GPX4 expression, which is related to ferroptosis, and that addition of ferrostatin-1 partially reversed NL01-mediated inhibition of the growth of two cell lines.

CONCLUSION

NL01 exhibits better anti-tumor growth properties than curcumin, and NL01 induces ferroptosis in ovarian cancer cells.

Co-delivery of Doxorubicin and Curcumin with Polypeptide Nanocarrier for Synergistic Lymphoma Therapy

The traditional chemotherapy, including Adriamycin (Doxorubicin, DOX), is widely used and is part of the first-line chemotherapy of invasive B cell lymphoma. DOX is nonselective cytotoxic drug and has many adverse effects, which limit its clinical application in combination with other anti-cancer drugs. Optimization of the delivery system targeting tumor microenvironment could be a feasible approach that may have significant clinical significance. Further, combination of DOX with other anticancer drugs, such as curcumin, can enhance the synergistic effects, possibly through epigenetic mechanisms. Hence, we evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of novel nanoparticles that enable the co-delivery of DOX and curcumin in the treatment of invasive B cell lymphoma both in vivo and vitro. The polymer nano materials [mPEG-b-P(Glu-co-Phe)] was used to co-load DOX and curcumin (CUR): L-DOX + CUR. DOX signal was measured to determine the ability of the drugs entering the cells by flow cytometry, and the different enrichment areas in the cells were directly observed by confocal microscope. The toxicity of LDOX + CUR was tested by CCK-8 assay in different cells, and the synergistic coefficients were calculated. The cell apoptosis and the possible mechanisms of apoptosis pathways regulation by L-DOX + CUR were examined using flow cytometry and Western Blot. The MTD (maximum tolerable dose) test was performed in mice. Tumor-bearing SCID mice (i.e., BJAB cell) were used to evaluate the in vivo efficacy of L-DOX + CUR. L-DOX + CUR, was prepared successfully, and the mole ratio of DOX and CUR fixed in 1.0:1.2. (DOX loading rate 9.7%, CUR loading rate 8.1%). L-DOX + CUR exhibited increased intracellular delivery and the main enrichment area of DOX was nucleus. L-DOX + CUR increased cytotoxicity, induced higher rates of apoptosis, and had synergistic effect, especially in BJAB cells (min CI 0.019). It even had epigenetic effect and affected miRNA levels favorably by down-regulating miR-21, miR-199a and up-regulating miR-98 and miR-200c. Additionally, L-DOX + CUR increased MTD in Kunming mice (i.e., 25 mg/kg), compared to DOX (10 mg/kg) and L-DOX (20 mg/kg). In BJAB cell bearing SCID mice, L-DOX + CUR treatment suppressed tumor growth compared to DOX or L-DOX alone, and exhibited less weight loss in mice. We developed new polymer nanoparticles-mPEG-b-P (Glu-co-Phe) co-loaded with DOX and DUR. L-DOX + CUR exhibited synergistic cytotoxic and apoptotic effects on invasive B cell lymphoma. Treatment of L-DOX + CUR potentiated tumor killing in xenografts and reduced toxicity in vivo.

Histone acetyltransferases and histone deacetylases in B- and T-cell development, physiology and malignancy

The development of B and T cells from hematopoietic precursors and the regulation of the functions of these immune cells are complex processes that involve highly regulated signaling pathways and transcriptional control. The signaling pathways and gene expression patterns that give rise to these developmental processes are coordinated, in part, by two opposing classes of broad-based enzymatic regulators: histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs). HATs and HDACs can modulate gene transcription by altering histone acetylation to modify chromatin structure, and by regulating the activity of non-histone substrates, including an array of immune-cell transcription factors. In addition to their role in normal B and T cells, dysregulation of HAT and HDAC activity is associated with a variety of B- and T-cell malignancies. In this review, we describe the roles of HATs and HDACs in normal B- and T-cell physiology, describe mutations and dysregulation of HATs and HDACs that are implicated lymphoma and leukemia, and discuss HAT and HDAC inhibitors that have been explored as treatment options for leukemias and lymphomas.

Violacein anticancer activity is enhanced under hypoxia

Current cancer treatments of solid tumours such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, have yet to produce effective therapeutic results due to non-specific targeting. This has led to many complications, such as toxicities in cancer patients. The ability of natural compounds in inducing programmed cell death (apoptosis), a process dysregulated in cancer cells, has been extensively studied in recent studies. This study assessed the anti-proliferative activity of violacein in a number of human cancer cell lines under normal and hypoxic conditions. Furthermore, we investigated its effects in a tumour‑bearing subcutaneous mouse model. We also examined the ability of a tumour‑targeting Salmonella strain to produce violacein for local delivery within the tumour microenvironment. The results showed that hypoxia significantly increased the cytotoxic effects of violacein. The most significant reduction in the IC50 was in the HT29 (12.6-fold) and HCT116 (4.8-fold) colon cancer cell lines, HN5 head and neck squamous carcinoma cell line (6.5-fold), and MCF-7 breast ductal carcinoma cell line (4-fold). Among the cell lines tested for active caspase-3/7 activity, violacein only increased caspase-3/7 activity in the A549 non-small lung cancer cell line. In vivo efficacy of violacein showed that HN5 tumour‑bearing mice had regressed tumours during the treatment period and survival increased. The results also showed that transfer of the violacein biosynthetic cluster into the oncolytic strain VNP20009 of Salmonella resulted in the production of active violacein, suggesting targeted delivery of violacein by VNP20009. Taken together, our study has shown that hypoxia synergises the effects of violacein and the results from the in vivo administration of violacein require further investigation of violacein as an anticancer chemotherapeutic.

The mechanisms of chansu in inducing efficient apoptosis in colon cancer cells

Chansu is one of the most widely used traditional Chinese medicines in China, Japan, and other Southeast Asian countries primarily for antipain, anti-inflammation, and recently anticancer. Over 10 recipes and remedies contained Chansu, which are easily available in pharmacies and hospitals, but the mechanisms of action were not clearly articulated. In the present study, Cinobufagin (CBF), the major compound of Chansu, was employed as a surrogate marker to determine its ability in inducing cancer cell death. As expected, CBF has significant cancer-killing capacity for a range of cancers, but such ability differs markedly. Colon and prostate cancers are more sensitive than skin and lung cancers. Interestingly, cancer cells die through apoptotic pathway either being biphasic caspase-3-dependent (HCT116) or independent (HT29). Multipathway analysis reveals that CBF-induced apoptosis is likely modulated by the hypoxia-inducing factor-1 alpha subunit (HIF-1α) as its inhibition was evident in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, these results demonstrate that CBF is a potent apoptotic inducer with potential for further development as a novel and effective anticancer agent for a range of cancers, especially colon cancer.