Omega-3PUFA Attenuates MNU-Induced Colorectal Cancer in Rats by Blocking PI3K/AKT/Bcl-2 Signaling

Exploring the multi-targeting phytoestrogen potential of Calycosin for cancer treatment: A review

Cancer remains a significant challenge in the field of oncology, with the search for novel and effective treatments ongoing. Calycosin (CA), a phytoestrogen derived from traditional Chinese medicine, has garnered attention as a promising candidate. With its high targeting and low toxicity profile, CA has demonstrated medicinal potential across various diseases, including cancers, inflammation, and cardiovascular disease. Studies have revealed that CA possesses inhibitory effects against a diverse array of cancers. The underlying mechanism of action involves a reduction in tumor cell proliferation, induction of tumor cell apoptosis, and suppression of tumor cell migration and invasion. Furthermore, CA has been shown to enhance the efficacy of certain chemotherapeutic drugs, making it a potential component in treating malignant tumors. Given its high efficacy, low toxicity, and multi-targeting characteristics, CA holds considerable promise as a therapeutic agent for cancer treatment. The objective of this review is to present a synthesis of the current understanding of the antitumor mechanism of CA and its research progress.

In-vivo assessment of a rat rectal tumor using optical-resolution photoacoustic endoscopy

Optical-resolution photoacoustic endoscopy (OR-PAE) has been proven to realize imaging on the vascular network in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract with high sensitivity and spatial resolution, providing morphological information. Various photoacoustic endoscopic catheters were developed to improve the resolution and adaptivity of in-vivo imaging. However, this technology has not yet been validated on in-vivo GI tumors, which generally feature angiogenesis. The tumor causes thickened mucosa and neoplasia, requiring large depth-of-field (DOF) in imaging, which contradicts to high-resolution imaging. In this work, a novel catheter was developed with a high resolution of ∼27 µm, providing a matched DOF of ∼400 µm to cover the vessels up to the submucosa layer. Optical-resolution photoacoustic endoscopic imaging was first performed on in-vivo rat rectal tumors. In addition, to further characterize the vessel morphology, tumor-suspected regions and normal regions were selected for quantification and analysis of vessel dimension distribution and tortuosity. All the results suggest that the OR-PAE has great application potential in tumor diagnosis, evaluation, and monitoring of therapeutic efficacy.

Effects of Helicobacter pylori and Moluodan on the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in mice with precancerous gastric cancer lesions

BACKGROUND

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is the primary risk factor for gastric cancer (GC), the Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway is closely linked to tumourigenesis. GC has a high mortality rate and treatment cost, and there are no drugs to prevent the progression of gastric precancerous lesions to GC. Therefore, it is necessary to find a novel drug that is inexpensive and preventive to against GC.

AIM

To explore the effects of H. pylori and Moluodan on the Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway and precancerous lesions of GC (PLGC).

METHODS

Mice were divided into the control, N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU), H. pylori + MNU, and Moluodan groups. We first created an H. pylori infection model in the H. pylori + MNU and Moluodan groups. A PLGC model was created in the remaining three groups except for the control group. Moluodan was fed to mice in the Moloudan group ad libitum. The general condition of mice were observed during the whole experiment period. Gastric tissues of mice were grossly and microscopically examined. Through quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting analysis, the expression of relevant genes were detected.

RESULTS

Mice in the H. pylori + MNU group showed the worst performance in general condition, gastric tissue visual and microscopic observation, followed by the MNU group, Moluodan group and the control group. QRT-PCR and Western blotting analysis were used to detect the expression of relevant genes, the results showed that the H. pylori + MNU group had the highest expression, followed by the MNU group, Moluodan group and the control group.

CONCLUSION

H. pylori can activate the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, thereby facilitating the development and progression of PLGC. Moluodan suppressed the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, thereby decreasing the progression of PLGC.

Molecular Mechanisms Associated with the Inhibitory Role of Long Chain n-3 PUFA in Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the world. Multiple evidence suggests that there is an association between excess fat consumption and the risk of CRC. The long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-3 PUFA), especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are essential for human health, and both in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that these fatty acids can prevent CRC development through various molecular mechanisms. These include the modulation of arachidonic acid (AA) derived prostaglandin synthesis, alteration of growth signaling pathways, arrest of the cell cycle, induction of cell apoptosis, suppression of angiogenesis and modulation of inflammatory response. Human clinical studies found that LC n-3 PUFA combined with chemotherapeutic agents can improve the efficacy of treatment and reduce the dosage of chemotherapy and associated side effects. In this review, we discuss comprehensively the anti-cancer effects of LC n-3 PUFA on CRC, with a main focus on the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Cancer Resistance Is Mediated by the Upregulation of Several Anti-Apoptotic Gene Products via the Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase/Nitric Oxide Pathway: Therapeutic Implications

Significance: Several therapeutic strategies for cancer treatments have been developed with time, and significant milestones have been achieved recently. However, with these novel therapies, not all cancer types respond and in the responding cancer types only a subset is affected. The failure to respond is principally the result that these cancers develop several mechanisms of resistance. Thus, a focus of current research investigations is to unravel the various mechanisms that regulate resistance and identify suitable targets for new therapeutics. Recent Advances: Hence, many human cancer types have been reported to overexpress the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and it has been suggested that iNOS/nitric oxide (NO) plays a pivotal role in the regulation of resistance. We have postulated that iNOS overexpression or NO regulates the overexpression of pivotal anti-apoptotic gene products such as B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), B-cell lymphoma extra large (Bcl-xL), myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl-1), and survivin. In this report, we describe the various mechanisms, transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and post-translational, by which iNOS/NO regulates the expression of the above anti-apoptotic gene products. Critical Issues: The iNOS/NO-mediated regulation of the four gene products is not the same with both specific and overlapping pathways. Our findings are, in large part, validated by bioinformatic analyses demonstrating, in several cancers, several direct correlations between the expression of iNOS and each of the four examined anti-apoptotic gene products. Future Directions: We have proposed that targeting iNOS may be highly efficient since it will result in the underexpression of multiple anti-apoptotic proteins and shifting the balance toward the proapoptotic gene products and reversal of resistance. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 39, 853-889.

Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Properties of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) and Their Impact on Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Prevention and Treatment

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a leading cause of death from cancer worldwide, with increasing incidence in the Western world. Diet has become the focus of research as a significant risk factor for CRC occurrence, and the role of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) has become an area of interest given their potential role in modulating inflammation, particularly in the pro-carcinogenic inflammatory environment of the colon. This work reviews the main types of PUFAs, their characteristics, structure, and physiologic role. We then highlight their potential role in preventing CRC, their signaling function vis-à-vis tumorigenic signaling, and their subsequent potential role in modulating response to different treatment modalities. We review pre-clinical and clinical data and discuss their potential use as adjunct therapies to currently existing treatment modalities. Given our understanding of PUFAs' immune and inflammation modulatory effects, we explore the possible combination of PUFAs with immune checkpoint inhibitors and other targeted therapies.

Experimental Murine Models for Colorectal Cancer Research

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most prevalent malignancy worldwide and in both sexes. Numerous animal models for CRC have been established to study its biology, namely carcinogen-induced models (CIMs) and genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs). CIMs are valuable for assessing colitis-related carcinogenesis and studying chemoprevention. On the other hand, CRC GEMMs have proven to be useful for evaluating the tumor microenvironment and systemic immune responses, which have contributed to the discovery of novel therapeutic approaches. Although metastatic disease can be induced by orthotopic injection of CRC cell lines, the resulting models are not representative of the full genetic diversity of the disease due to the limited number of cell lines suitable for this purpose. On the other hand, patient-derived xenografts (PDX) are the most reliable for preclinical drug development due to their ability to retain pathological and molecular characteristics. In this review, the authors discuss the various murine CRC models with a focus on their clinical relevance, benefits, and drawbacks. From all models discussed, murine CRC models will continue to be an important tool in advancing our understanding and treatment of this disease, but additional research is required to find a model that can correctly reflect the pathophysiology of CRC.

Docosahexaenoic acid may inhibit immune evasion of colorectal cancer cells through targeting immune checkpoint and immunomodulator genes and their controlling microRNAs

Colorectal cancer is one of the major concerns in both developed and developing societies. Because of the serious side effects of the current treatments, novel therapy agents have been developed that target immune checkpoint and immunomodulatory molecules in the tumor environment. Therefore, this study investigates the effect of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) fatty acid on the expression of immune checkpoint molecule, PD-L1, and immunomodulatory molecules, CD47 and CD39, and their controlling miRNAs in the colorectal cancer cell lines. Human colorectal cell lines HT-29 and Caco-2 were treated with 100 μM DHA and 50 μM LA for 24 h under the normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Total RNA was extracted and the qRT-PCR was performed to analyze the expression of the studied genes and miRNAs. The western blotting technique was also used for validation. The qRT-PCR results showed that DHA treatment decreased the expression of the PD-L1, CD47, and CD39 genes, but decreases these genes controlling miRNAs, mir-424, mir-133a, and mir-142, respectively. Western blotting analysis demonstrated that PD-L1 protein expression decreased after DHA treatment. LA administration had no inhibitory effect on the studied genes. This study showed that DHA may have anti-cancer properties by downregulation of proteins involved in the immune evasion of colorectal tumors. DHA could be used as a potential immune checkpoint inhibitor for the treatment of colorectal cancers.

17β-Estradiol promotes angiogenesis of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells by upregulating the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway

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The role and mechanism of 17β -estradiol in the regulation of BMSC promoting angiogenesis were analyzed by bioinformatics techniques for the first time.

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Combined with FN1, MCM2, XPO1, NTRK1 and other proteins, 17β-estradiol is able to activate PI3K-Akt, MAPK and other signaling pathways to regulate BMSCs to promote or remodel angiogenesis.

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17β-estradiol upregulates the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway to promote the BMSC angiogenesis process of differentiation.

Objective

Estrogen is an important hormone affecting angiogenesis in women and is important for female physical development. Menopausal women are prone to serious cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases when estrogen is significantly reduced. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC) have potential roles in processes such as angiogenesis and remodeling. This study is to investigate the effect of 17β-estradiol on BMSC angiogenic differentiation and its underlying molecular mechanism, and to provide a basis for the treatment of microvascular diseases.

Methods

Enrichment analysis of apoptosis, migration or angiogenesis processes and molecular mechanisms of BMSC treated with 17β-estradiol was performed to screen core proteins and perform molecular docking validation. Human MSCs were cultured in vitro to examine the effect of 17β-estradiol on BMSC migration or angiogenic differentiation.

Results

17β-estradiol acted on 48 targets of BMSC and was involved in regulating 52 cell migration processes or 17 angiogenesis processes through 66 KEGG pathways such as PI3K-Akt, MAPK, etc. 17β-estradiol bound tightly to 10 core proteins including APP, NTRK1, EGFR, and HSP90AA1. 17β-estradiol promoted cell scratch area closure rate and CD31 expression in BMSCs, downregulated BMSC apoptosis rate, and promoted Akt and p-Akt protein expression in BMSC.

Conclusion

17β-estradiol binds to FN1, MCM2, XPO1, NTRK1 and other proteins to initiate PI3K-Akt, MAPK and other signaling pathways, so as to regulate BMSC to promote or remodel angiogenesis, verifying that 17β-estradiol up-regulates PI3K-Akt signaling pathway to promote BMSC angiogenic differentiation.

The Preparation of Gen-NH2-MCM-41@SA Nanoparticles and Their Anti-Rotavirus Effects

Genistein (Gen), a kind of natural isoflavone drug monomer with poor water solubility and low oral absorption, was incorporated into oral nanoparticles with a new mesoporous carrier material, NH₂-MCM-41, which was synthesized by copolycondensation. When the ratio of Gen to NH₂-MCM-41 was 1:0.5, the maximum adsorption capacity of Gen was 13.15%, the maximum drug loading was 12.65%, and the particle size of the whole core–shell structure was in the range of 370 nm–390 nm. The particles were characterized by a Malvern particle size scanning machine, XRD, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and nitrogen adsorption and desorption. Finally, Gen-NH₂-MCM-41 was encapsulated by sodium alginate (SA), and the chimerism of this material, denoted as GEN-NH₂-MCM-41@SA, was investigated. In vitro release experiments showed that, after 5 h in artificial colon fluid (pH = 8.0), the cumulative release reached 99.56%. In addition, its anti-rotavirus (RV) effect showed that the maximum inhibition rate was 62.24% at a concentration of 30 μM in RV-infected Caco-2 cells, and it significantly reduced the diarrhea rate and diarrhea index in an RV-infected-neonatal mice model at a dose of 0.3 mg/g, which was better than the results of Gen. Ultimately, Gen-NH₂-MCM-41@SA was successfully prepared, which solves the problems of low solubility and poor absorption and provides an experimental basis for the application of Gen in the clinical treatment of RV infection.

Jolkinolide B inhibits proliferation or migration and promotes apoptosis of MCF-7 or BT-474 breast cancer cells by downregulating the PI3K-Akt pathway

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The diterpenoids extracted from Euphorbia kansui S.L. Liou ex S.B.Ho, Euphorbia fischeriana Steud. have good antitumor effects. Jolkinolide B has anti-breast cancer effect, but it is unclear whether it has different therapeutic effects between luminal A subtype and luminal B subtype breast cancer.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study investigated the Jolkinolide B has different therapeutic, important targets and pathways effects between luminal A subtype and luminal B subtype breast cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We used bioinformatics to predict the biological process and molecular mechanism of Jolkinolide B in treating two types of breast cancer. Then, in vitro, cultured MCF-7 cells and BT-474 cells were divided into control group, PI3K inhibitor + control group, Jolkinolide B group and PI3K inhibitor + Jolkinolide B group. The CCK-8 assay, Flow cytometric analysis and Transwell cell migration assay was used to detect the cell proliferation, apoptosis, and migration in each group, respectively. ELISA was used to measure the content of Akt and phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt) in cell lysis buffer.

RESULTS

Compared to luminal A breast cancer, Jolkinolide B had more targets, proliferation, migration processes and KEGG pathways when treating luminal B subtype breast cancer. Jolkinolide B significantly prolonged the survival time of luminal B subtype breast cancer patients. Compared to the control group, the cell proliferation absorbance value (A value) and migration number of the two kinds of breast cancer cells in the Jolkinolide B group were decreased (P < 0.01, n = 6), and the number of apoptotic cells was increased (P < 0.01, n = 6). Compared to the Jolkinolide B group, the A value and migration number of the two types of breast cancer cells were significantly decreased in the PI3K inhibitor + Jolkinolide B group (P < 0.01, n = 6), and the number of apoptotic cells was significantly increased (P < 0.01, n = 6). In addition, compared to MCF-7 cells, the A value and migration number of BT-474 cells stimulated with Jolkinolide B were significantly decreased (P < 0.01, n = 6), and the number of apoptotic cells was significantly increased (P < 0.01, n = 6). Akt and p-Akt protein levels in the two breast cancer cell lines in the Jolkinolide B group were all decreased (P < 0.01, n = 6), especially in BT-474 cells stimulated by Jolkinolide B.

CONCLUSION

Jolkinolide B regulates the luminal A and luminal B subtypes of breast cancer through PI3K-Akt, EGFR and other pathways. Jolkinolide B has more significant therapeutic effect on luminal B subtype breast cancer. In vitro, experiments verified that Jolkinolide B significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration activity of BT-474 breast cancer cells by downregulating the PI3K-Akt pathway.

Periplocymarin Induced Colorectal Cancer Cells Apoptosis Via Impairing PI3K/AKT Pathway

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide, and approximately one-third of CRC patients present with metastatic disease. Periplocymarin (PPM), a cardiac glycoside isolated from Periploca sepium, is a latent anticancer compound. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of PPM on CRC cells. CRC cells were treated with PPM and cell viability was evaluated by CCK-8 assay. Flow cytometry and TUNEL staining were performed to assess cell cycle and apoptosis. Quantitative proteomics has been used to check the proteins differentially expressed by using tandem mass tag (TMT) labeling and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Bioinformatic analysis was undertaken to identify the biological processes that these differentially expressed proteins are involved in. Gene expression was analyzed by western blotting. The effect of PPM in vivo was primarily checked in a subcutaneous xenograft mouse model of CRC, and the gene expression of tumor was checked by histochemistry staining. PPM could inhibit the proliferation of CRC cells in a dose-dependent manner, induce cell apoptosis and promote G0/G1 cell cycle arrest. A total of 539 proteins were identified differentially expressed following PPM treatment, where among those there were 286 genes upregulated and 293 downregulated. PPM treatment caused a pro-apoptosis gene expression profile both in vivo and in vitro, and impaired PI3K/AKT signaling pathway might be involved. In addition, PPM treatment caused less detrimental effects on blood cell, hepatic and renal function in mice, and the anti-cancer effect was found exaggerated by PPM+5-FU combination treatment. PPM may perform anti-CRC effects by promoting cell apoptosis and this might be achieved by targeting PI3K/AKT pathway. PPM might be a safe and promising anti-cancer drug that needs to be further studied.

Calycosin Induces Gastric Cancer Cell Apoptosis via the ROS-Mediated MAPK/STAT3/NF-κB Pathway

Background

Calycosin, an active compound in plants, can promote the apoptosis of various cancer cells; however, the mechanism by which it regulates reactive oxygen species (ROS) in gastric cancer (GC) cells remains unclear.

Purpose

In this study, we investigated the effects of calycosin on apoptosis, the cell cycle, and migration in GC cells under ROS regulation.

Results

The results of the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay suggested that calycosin had significant cytotoxic effects on 12 gastric cancer cells, but no significant cytotoxic effects on normal cells. Hoechst 33342/propidium iodide (PI) double staining and flow cytometry showed that calycosin had clear pro-apoptotic effects on AGS cells. Western blotting revealed that the expression of cytochrome C and pro-apoptotic proteins B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2)-associated agonist of cell death (Bad), cleaved (cle)-caspase-3, and cle-poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase gradually increased, and the expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 gradually decreased. Calycosin also decreased the expression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), and increased the phosphorylation levels of p38, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and inhibitor of NF-κB. In addition, calycosin markedly increased ROS accumulation, and pretreatment with active oxygen scavenger n-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) clearly inhibited apoptosis. Calycosin downregulated the cell cycle proteins cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2), CDK4, CDK6, cyclin D1, and cyclin E; upregulated p21 and p27; and arrested cells in the G0/G1 phase. Similarly, calycosin also downregulated Snail family transcriptional repressor 1, E-cadherin, and β-catenin and inhibited cell migration. However, pretreatment with NAC inhibited the calycosin-induced effects of cycle arrest and migration.

Conclusion

In summary, calycosin induces apoptosis via ROS-mediated MAPK/STAT3/NF-κB pathways, thereby exerting its anti-carcinogenic functions in GC cells.

miR-4477b gene as a novel pathogenic mutation occurring during the transformation of colorectal adenoma into colorectal cancer

Background

Polyps may develop into colorectal cancer (CRC) after 10-20 years. The occurrence of polyps and tumors caused by somatic gene mutations is considered a main pathogenesis of CRC. Among all general patients with polyps or CRC, some had adenoma of varying degrees that were consistent with familial colorectal adenomas. A patient with CRC (the propositus) and his brothers and sister, all of whom had varying degrees of colorectal polyps showed different adenomas with different members in a family.

Methods

In the present study, a total of 9 family members were investigated, and a family tree was drawn. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral venous blood samples from family members, and whole-exome sequencing (WES) and Sanger sequencing were performed on the DNA samples. The result of WES was compared with compared directly to the reference genome (hg19) with Burrows-Wheeler Aligner, which is as control group from.

Results

We identified a base substitution in the miR-4477b gene (c.68415368T>G, chromosome 9 q13), predicted the target gene of miR-4477b through the biologic website, and analyzed the Gene Ontology (GO) and signal pathway of the target gene. The GO functional annotation analysis of the target gene of mir4477b revealed that these genes are involved mainly in the G1/S transition of the mitotic cell cycle, activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase activity, protein phosphorylation, and membrane, centrosome, cytoplasm, zinc ion-binding, protein-binding, and ligase activity. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genomes pathway analysis revealed that miR-4477b regulates target genes mainly involved in the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt signaling pathway, regulation of the actin cytoskeleton, proteoglycans in cancer, pathways in cancer, and renal cell carcinoma.

Conclusions

The mutation of the has-mir-4477b gene likely leads to the occurrence of adenoma and CRC. In-depth studies of patients from the same family with different stages of adenoma can avoid errors caused by gene diversity, incomplete clinical data, and uncertain disease development. The has-mir-4477b gene may represent a key gene mutation in colorectal carcinogenesis and a multiyear cancer risk for patients that requires further attention.