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Cao PHA, Dominic A, Lujan FE, Senthilkumar S, Bhattacharya PK, Frigo DE, Subramani E. Unlocking ferroptosis in prostate cancer - the road to novel therapies and imaging markers. Nat Rev Urol 2024; 21:615-637. [PMID: 38627553 DOI: 10.1038/s41585-024-00869-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Ferroptosis is a distinct form of regulated cell death that is predominantly driven by the build-up of intracellular iron and lipid peroxides. Ferroptosis suppression is widely accepted to contribute to the pathogenesis of several tumours including prostate cancer. Results from some studies reported that prostate cancer cells can be highly susceptible to ferroptosis inducers, providing potential for an interesting new avenue of therapeutic intervention for advanced prostate cancer. In this Perspective, we describe novel molecular underpinnings and metabolic drivers of ferroptosis, analyse the functions and mechanisms of ferroptosis in tumours, and highlight prostate cancer-specific susceptibilities to ferroptosis by connecting ferroptosis pathways to the distinctive metabolic reprogramming of prostate cancer cells. Leveraging these novel mechanistic insights could provide innovative therapeutic opportunities in which ferroptosis induction augments the efficacy of currently available prostate cancer treatment regimens, pending the elimination of major bottlenecks for the clinical translation of these treatment combinations, such as the development of clinical-grade inhibitors of the anti-ferroptotic enzymes as well as non-invasive biomarkers of ferroptosis. These biomarkers could be exploited for diagnostic imaging and treatment decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pham Hong Anh Cao
- Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Abishai Dominic
- Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Fabiola Ester Lujan
- Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sanjanaa Senthilkumar
- Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
- Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Pratip K Bhattacharya
- Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Daniel E Frigo
- Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
- Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signalling, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - Elavarasan Subramani
- Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
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2
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Guo W, Liu Y, Chen B, Fan L. Target prediction and potential application of dihydroartemisinin on hepatocarcinoma treatment. NAUNYN-SCHMIEDEBERG'S ARCHIVES OF PHARMACOLOGY 2024; 397:7711-7724. [PMID: 38713259 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-024-03123-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
With high incidence of hepatocarcinoma and limited effective treatments, most patients suffer in pain. Antitumor drugs are single-targeted, toxicity, causing adverse side effects and resistance. Dihydroartemisinin (DHA) inhibits tumor through multiple mechanisms effectively. This study explores and evaluates safety and potential mechanism of DHA towards human hepatocarcinoma based on network pharmacology in a comprehensive way. Adsorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) properties of DHA were evaluated with pkCSM, SwissADME, and ADMETlab. Potential targets of DHA were obtained from SwissTargetPrediction, Drugbank, TargetNET, and PharmMapper. Target gene of hepatocarcinoma was obtained from OMIM, GeneCards, and DisGeNET. Overlapping targets and hub genes were identified and analyzed for Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Reactome pathway. Molecular docking was utilized to investigate the interactions sites and hydrogen bonds. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK8), wound healing, invasion, and migration assays on HepG2 and SNU387 cell proved DHA inhibits malignant biological features of hepatocarcinoma cell. DHA is safe and desirable for clinical application. A total of 131 overlapping targets were identified. Biofunction analysis showed targets were involved in kinase activity, protein phosphorylation, intracellular reception, signal transduction, transcriptome dysregulation, PPAR pathway, and JAK-STAT signaling axis. Top 9 hub genes were obtained using MCC (Maximal Clique Centrality) algorithm, namely CDK1, CCNA2, CCNB1, CCNB2, KIF11, CHEK1, TYMS, AURKA, and TOP2A. Molecular docking suggests that all hub genes form a stable interaction with DHA for optimal binding energy were all less than - 5 kcal/mol. Dihydroartemisinin might be a potent and safe anticarcinogen based on its biological safety and effective therapeutic effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjia Guo
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Yu'e Liu
- Tongji University Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Bingdi Chen
- The Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Nano Science, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China.
| | - Lieying Fan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China.
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3
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Zhang X, Yu D, Tang P, Chen F. Insights into the role of mitophagy in lung cancer: current evidence and perspectives. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1420643. [PMID: 38962310 PMCID: PMC11220236 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1420643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer, recognized globally as a leading cause of malignancy-associated morbidity and mortality, is marked by its high prevalence and lethality, garnering extensive attention within the medical community. Mitophagy is a critical cellular process that plays a crucial role in regulating metabolism and ensuring quality control within cells. Its relevance to lung cancer has garnered significant attention among researchers and scientists. Mitophagy's involvement in lung cancer encompasses its initiation, progression, metastatic dissemination and treatment. The regulatory landscape of mitophagy is complex, involving numerous signaling proteins and pathways that may exhibit aberrant alterations or mutations within the tumor environment. In the field of treatment, the regulation of mitophagy is considered key to determining cancer chemotherapy, radiation therapy, other treatment options, and drug resistance. Contemporary investigations are directed towards harnessing mitophagy modulators, both inhibitors and activators, in therapeutic strategies, with an emphasis on achieving specificity to minimize collateral damage to healthy cellular populations. Furthermore, molecular constituents and pathways affiliated with mitophagy, serving as potential biomarkers, offer promising avenues for enhancing diagnostic accuracy, prognostic assessment, and prediction of therapeutic responses in lung cancer. Future endeavors will also involve investigating the impact of mitophagy on the composition and function of immune cells within the tumor microenvironment, aiming to enhance our understanding of how mitophagy modulates the immune response to lung cancer. This review aims to comprehensively overview recent advancements about the role of mitophagy in the tumor genesis, progenesis and metastasis, and the impact of mitophagy on the treatment of lung cancer. We also discussed the future research direction of mitophagy in the field of lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Dongzhi Yu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Peng Tang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Fengshou Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
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4
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Wang Y, Hu J, Fleishman JS, Li Y, Ren Z, Wang J, Feng Y, Chen J, Wang H. Inducing ferroptosis by traditional medicines: a novel approach to reverse chemoresistance in lung cancer. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1290183. [PMID: 38855750 PMCID: PMC11158628 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1290183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is the leading cause of global cancer-related deaths. Platinum-based chemotherapy is the first-line treatment for the most common type of lung cancer, i.e., non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but its therapeutic efficiency is limited by chemotherapeutic resistance. Therefore, it is vital to develop effective therapeutic modalities that bypass the common molecular mechanisms associated with chemotherapeutic resistance. Ferroptosis is a form of non-apoptotic regulated cell death characterized by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation (LPO). Ferroptosis is crucial for the proper therapeutic efficacy of lung cancer-associated chemotherapies. If targeted as a novel therapeutic mechanism, ferroptosis modulators present new opportunities for increasing the therapeutic efficacy of lung cancer chemotherapy. Emerging studies have revealed that the pharmacological induction of ferroptosis using natural compounds boosts the efficacy of chemotherapy in lung cancer or drug-resistant cancer. In this review, we first discuss chemotherapeutic resistance (or chemoresistance) in lung cancer and introduce the core mechanisms behind ferroptosis. Then, we comprehensively summarize the small-molecule compounds sourced from traditional medicines that may boost the anti-tumor activity of current chemotherapeutic agents and overcome chemotherapeutic resistance in NSCLC. Cumulatively, we suggest that traditional medicines with ferroptosis-related anticancer activity could serve as a starting point to overcome chemotherapeutic resistance in NSCLC by inducing ferroptosis, highlighting new potential therapeutic regimens used to overcome chemoresistance in NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumin Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Aerospace Center Hospital, Peking University Aerospace School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Hu
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Joshua S. Fleishman
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John’s University, Queens, NY, United States
| | - Yulin Li
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Aerospace Center Hospital, Peking University Aerospace School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Zhao Ren
- Department of Pharmacy, Aerospace Center Hospital, Peking University Aerospace School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jinhua Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Target and Screening Research, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yukuan Feng
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Jichao Chen
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Aerospace Center Hospital, Peking University Aerospace School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Hongquan Wang
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
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Luo Y, Zhang J, Jiao Y, Huang H, Ming L, Song Y, Niu Y, Tang X, Liu L, Li Y, Jiang Y. Dihydroartemisinin abolishes cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in vivo. J Nat Med 2024; 78:439-454. [PMID: 38351420 DOI: 10.1007/s11418-024-01783-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), a derivative of artemisinin which is primarily used to treat malaria in clinic, also confers protective effect on lipopolysaccharide-induced nephrotoxicity. While, the activities of DHA in cisplatin (CDDP)-caused nephrotoxicity are elusive. To investigate the role and underlying mechanism of DHA in CDDP-induced nephrotoxicity. Mice were randomly separated into four groups: normal, CDDP, and DHA (25 and 50 mg/kg were orally injected 1 h before CDDP for consecutive 10 days). All mice except the normal were single injected intraperitoneally with CDDP (22 mg/kg) for once on the 7th day. Combined with quantitative proteomics and bioinformatics analysis, the impact of DHA on renal cell apoptosis, oxidative stress, biochemical indexes, and inflammation in mice were investigated. Moreover, a human hepatocellular carcinoma cells xenograft model was established to elucidate the impact of DHA on tumor-related effects of CDDP. DHA reduced the levels of creatinine (CREA) (p < 0.01) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (p < 0.01), reversed CDDP-induced oxidative, inflammatory, and apoptosis indexes (p < 0.01). Mechanistically, DHA attenuated CDDP-induced inflammation by inhibiting nuclear factor κB p65 (NFκB p65) expression, and suppressed CDDP-induced renal cell apoptosis by inhibiting p63-mediated endogenous and exogenous apoptosis pathways. Additionally, DHA alone significantly decreased the tumor weight and did not destroy the antitumor effect of CDDP, and did not impact AST and ALT. In conclusion, DHA prevents CDDP-triggered nephrotoxicity via reducing inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. The mechanisms refer to inhibiting NFκB p65-regulated inflammation and alleviating p63-mediated mitochondrial endogenous and Fas death receptor exogenous apoptosis pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Luo
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Biomaterials and Biofabrication in Tissue Engineering of Jiangxi Province, School of Pharmacy, Scientific Research Center, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Jiaxing Zhang
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yue Jiao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Basic Research On Prevention and Treatment of Major Diseases, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Huang
- National Engineering Research Center for Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine-Hakka Medical Resources Branch, Gannan Medical University, Jiangxi, China
| | - Liangshan Ming
- Institute for Advanced Study, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yunlei Song
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Biomaterials and Biofabrication in Tissue Engineering of Jiangxi Province, School of Pharmacy, Scientific Research Center, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Yanlong Niu
- National Engineering Research Center for Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine-Hakka Medical Resources Branch, Gannan Medical University, Jiangxi, China
| | - Xiaolu Tang
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Science, Gannan Medical University, Jiangxi, China
| | - Liwei Liu
- Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Li
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China.
| | - Yumao Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Biomaterials and Biofabrication in Tissue Engineering of Jiangxi Province, School of Pharmacy, Scientific Research Center, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China.
- Artemisinin Research Center, and Institute of Chinese Materia Medical, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China.
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6
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Luo KF, Zhou LX, Wu ZW, Tian Y, Jiang J, Wang MH. Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic applications of huaier in breast cancer treatment. Front Pharmacol 2024; 14:1269096. [PMID: 38313074 PMCID: PMC10836597 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1269096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is one of the most common female malignant tumors today and represents a serious health risk for women. Although the survival rate and quality of life of patients with breast cancer are improving with the continuous development of medical technology, metastasis, recurrence, and drug resistance of breast cancer remain a significant problem. Huaier, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) fungus, is a type of Sophora embolism fungus growing on old Sophora stems. The polysaccharides of Trametes robiniophila Murr (PS-T) are the main active ingredient of Huaier. There is increasing evidence that Huaier has great potential in breast cancer treatment, and its anti-cancer mechanism may be related to a variety of biological activities, such as the inhibition of cell proliferation, metastasis, tumor angiogenesis, the promotion of cancer cell death, and regulation of tumor-specific immunity. There is growing evidence that Huaier may be effective in the clinical treatment of breast cancer. This review systematically summarizes the basic and clinical studies on the use of Huaier in the treatment of breast cancer, providing useful information to guide the clinical application of Huaier and future clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke-fei Luo
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of The Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lin-xi Zhou
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of The Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zi-wei Wu
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of The Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuan Tian
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of The Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Department of Emergency Surgery, Linyi People’s Hospital, Linyi, China
| | - Jun Jiang
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of The Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ming-hao Wang
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of The Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
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Zhang Y, Zhang J, Li M, Qiao Y, Wang W, Ma L, Liu K. Target discovery of bioactive natural products with native-compound-coupled CNBr-activated Sepharose 4B beads (NCCB): Applications, mechanisms and outlooks. Bioorg Med Chem 2023; 96:117483. [PMID: 37951136 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2023.117483] [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: 07/23/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
Natural products (NPs) represent a treasure trove for drug discovery and development due to their chemical structural diversity and a broad spectrum of biological activities. Uncovering the biological targets and understanding their molecular mechanism of actions are crucial steps in the development of clinical therapeutics. However, the structural complexity of NPs and intricate nature of biological system present formidable challenges in target identification of NPs. Although significant advances have been made in the development of new chemical tools, these methods often require high levels of synthetic skills for preparing chemical probes. This can be costly and time-consuming relaying on operationally complicated procedures and instruments. In recent efforts, we and others have successfully developed an operationally simple and practical chemical tool known as native-compound-coupled CNBr-activated Sepharose 4B beads (NCCB) for NP target identification. In this approach, a native compound readily reacts with commercial CNBr-activated Sepharose 4B beads with a process that is easily performed in any biology laboratory. Based on NCCB, our group has identified the direct targets of more than 60 NPs. In this review, we will elucidate the application scopes, including flavonoids, quinones, terpenoids and others, characteristics, chemical mechanisms, procedures, advantages, disadvantages, and future directions of NCCB in specific target discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueteng Zhang
- Basic Medical Research Center, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China
| | - Junjie Zhang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China
| | - Menglong Li
- Basic Medical Research Center, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China
| | - Yan Qiao
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Departments of Pharmacology & Toxicology and Chemistry & Biochemistry, and BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, United States
| | - Lu Ma
- Basic Medical Research Center, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China.
| | - Kangdong Liu
- Basic Medical Research Center, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China; Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China.
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8
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Liu G, Liu M, Li X, Ye X, Cao K, Liu Y, Yu Y. Peroxide-Simulating and GSH-Depleting Nanozyme for Enhanced Chemodynamic/Photodynamic Therapy via Induction of Multisource ROS. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:47955-47968. [PMID: 37812458 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c09873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, using photodynamic therapy (PDT) and chemodynamic therapy (CDT), is a promising strategy for cancer treatment. However, the production of ROS in tumor cells is often limited by hypoxia, insufficient substrates, and high level of ROS scavengers in a tumor microenvironment, which seriously affects the efficacy of ROS-related tumor therapies. Herein, we report a lipid-supported manganese oxide nanozyme, MLP@DHA&Ce6, by decorating a MnO2 nano-shell on the liposome loaded with dihydroartemisinin (DHA) and photosensitizer Ce6 for generating multisource ROS to enhance cancer therapy. MLP@DHA&Ce6 can be accumulated in tumors and can release active components, Mn2+ ions, and O2. The conjugate generates ROS via nanozyme-catalyzed CDT using DHA as a substrate, PDT through Ce6, and the Fenton reaction catalyzed by Mn2+ ions. The production of O2 from MnO2 enhanced Ce6-mediated PDT under near-infrared light irradiation. Meanwhile, MLP@DHA&Ce6 showed prominent glutathione depletion, which allowed ROS to retain high activity in tumor cells. In addition, the release of Mn2+ ions and DHA in tumor cells induced ferroptosis. This multisource ROS generation and ferroptosis effect of MLP@DHA&Ce6 led to enhanced therapeutic effects in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Liu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230031, P. R. China
| | - Mingyu Liu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230031, P. R. China
| | - Xiujing Li
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230031, P. R. China
| | - Xiaorong Ye
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230031, P. R. China
| | - Kaiming Cao
- Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, P. R. China
| | - Yangzhong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, P. R. China
| | - Yue Yu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230031, P. R. China
- Department of Gastroenterology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230001, P. R. China
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Marchesi E, Perrone D, Navacchia ML. Molecular Hybridization as a Strategy for Developing Artemisinin-Derived Anticancer Candidates. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2185. [PMID: 37765156 PMCID: PMC10536797 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15092185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Artemisinin is a natural compound extracted from Artemisia species belonging to the Asteraceae family. Currently, artemisinin and its derivatives are considered among the most significant small-molecule antimalarial drugs. Artemisinin and its derivatives have also been shown to possess selective anticancer properties, however, there are several limitations and gaps in knowledge that retard their repurposing as effective anticancer agents. Hybridization resulting from a covalent combination of artemisinin with one or more active pharmacophores has emerged as a promising approach to overcome several issues. The variety of hybridization partners allows improvement in artemisinin activity by tuning the ability of conjugated artemisinin to interact with various molecule targets involved in multiple biological pathways. This review highlights the current scenario of artemisinin-derived hybrids with potential anticancer activity. The synthetic approaches to achieve the corresponding hybrids and the structure-activity relationships are discussed to facilitate further rational design of more effective candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Marchesi
- Department of Environmental and Prevention Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy;
| | - Daniela Perrone
- Department of Environmental and Prevention Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy;
| | - Maria Luisa Navacchia
- Institute for Organic Synthesis and Photoreactivity (ISOF), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), 40129 Bologna, Italy
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Wang Y, Yang Z, Zhu W, Chen Y, He X, Li J, Han Z, Yang Y, Liu W, Zhang K. Dihydroartemisinin inhibited stem cell-like properties and enhanced oxaliplatin sensitivity of colorectal cancer via AKT/mTOR signaling. Drug Dev Res 2023; 84:988-998. [PMID: 37132439 DOI: 10.1002/ddr.22067] [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: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common tumor with high morbidity and mortality. The use of oxaliplatin (L-OHP) as a first-line treatment for CRC is limited due to chemoresistance. Growing evidence have revealed that the existence of cancer stem-like cells (CSLCs) is one of the important reasons for drug resistance and recurrence of cancers. Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), a derivative of artemisinin, has showed anticancer effects on a variety of malignancies, in addition to its antimalarial effects. However, the effect and mechanism of DHA on CSLCs and chemosensitivity in CRC cells remains unclear. In this study, we found that DHA inhibited cell viability in HCT116 and SW620 cells. Moreover, DHA decreased cell clonogenicity, and improved L-OHP sensitivity. Furthermore, DHA treatment attenuated tumor sphere formation, and the expressions of stem cell surface marker (CD133 and CD44) and stemness-associated transcription factor (Nanog, c-Myc, and OCT4). Mechanistically, the present findings showed that DHA inhibited of AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. The activation of AKT/mTOR signaling reversed DHA-decreased cell viability, clonogenicity, L-OHP resistance, tumor sphere, and expressions of stemness-associated protein in CRC. The inhibitory effect of DHA on tumorigenicity of CRC cells has also been demonstrated in BALB/c nude mice. In conclusion, this study revealed that DHA inhibited CSLCs properties in CRC via AKT/mTOR signaling, suggesting that DHA may be used as a potential therapeutic agent for CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujun Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhirong Yang
- Pathology Department, Deyang People's Hospital, Deyang, China
| | - Wanglong Zhu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital, Chengdu, China
- School of Biological Sciences and Technology, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuzhuo Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Xingqiang He
- College of Laboratory Medicine, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiaofeng Li
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhengyu Han
- School of Biological Sciences and Technology, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuhan Yang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital, Chengdu, China
- School of Biological Sciences and Technology, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Wei Liu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital, Chengdu, China
- School of Biological Sciences and Technology, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Kun Zhang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital, Chengdu, China
- School of Biological Sciences and Technology, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
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Zhang Z, Shi X, Ji J, Guo Y, Peng Q, Hao L, Xue Y, Liu Y, Li C, Lu J, Yu K. Dihydroartemisinin increased the abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila by YAP1 depression that sensitizes hepatocellular carcinoma to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. Front Med 2023; 17:729-746. [PMID: 37121958 DOI: 10.1007/s11684-022-0978-2] [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: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
The effect of anti-programmed cell death 1 (anti-PD-1) immunotherapy is limited in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) expression increased in liver tumor cells in early HCC, and Akkermansia muciniphila abundance decreased in the colon. The response to anti-PD-1 treatment is associated with A. muciniphila abundance in many tumors. However, the interaction between A. muciniphila abundance and YAP1 expression remains unclear in HCC. Here, anti-PD-1 treatment decreased A. muciniphila abundance in the colon, but increased YAP1 expression in the tumor cells by mice with liver tumors in situ. Mechanistically, hepatocyte-specific Yap1 knockout (Yap1LKO) maintained bile acid homeostasis in the liver, resulting in an increased abundance of A. muciniphila in the colon. Yap1 knockout enhanced anti-PD-1 efficacy. Therefore, YAP1 inhibition is a potential target for increasing A. muciniphila abundance to promote anti-PD-1 efficacy in liver tumors. Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), acting as YAP1 inhibitor, increased A. muciniphila abundance to sensitize anti-PD-1 therapy. A. muciniphila by gavage increased the number and activation of CD8+ T cells in liver tumor niches during DHA treatment or combination with anti-PD-1. Our findings suggested that the combination anti-PD-1 with DHA is an effective strategy for liver tumor treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqin Zhang
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, 050200, China
| | - Xinli Shi
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, 050200, China.
| | - Jingmin Ji
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, 050200, China
| | - Yinglin Guo
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, 050200, China
| | - Qing Peng
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, 050200, China
| | - Liyuan Hao
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, 050200, China
| | - Yu Xue
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, 050200, China
| | - Yiwei Liu
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, 050200, China
| | - Caige Li
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, 050200, China
| | - Junlan Lu
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, 050200, China
| | - Kun Yu
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, 050200, China
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12
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Shi H, Xiong L, Yan G, Du S, Liu J, Shi Y. Susceptibility of cervical cancer to dihydroartemisinin-induced ferritinophagy-dependent ferroptosis. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1156062. [PMID: 37065442 PMCID: PMC10102504 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1156062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The clinical therapeutics of cervical cancer is limited due to the drug resistance and metastasis of tumor. As a novel target for antitumor therapy, ferroptosis is deemed to be more susceptible for those cancer cells with resistance to apoptosis and chemotherapy. Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), the primary active metabolites of artemisinin and its derivatives, has exhibited a variety of anticancer properties with low toxicity. However, the role of DHA and ferroptosis in cervical cancer remained unclear. Here, we showed that DHA could time-dependently and dose-dependently inhibit the proliferation of cervical cancer cells, which could be alleviated by the inhibitors of ferroptosis rather than apoptosis. Further investigation confirmed that DHA treatment initiated ferroptosis, as evidenced by the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA) and liquid peroxidation (LPO) levels and simultaneously depletion of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and glutathione (GSH). Moreover, nuclear receptor coactivator 4 (NCOA4)-mediated ferritinophagy was also induced by DHA leading to subsequent increases of intracellular labile iron pool (LIP), exacerbated the Fenton reaction resulting in excessive ROS production, and enhanced cervical cancer ferroptosis. Among them, we unexpectedly found that heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) played an antioxidant role in DHA-induced cell death. In addition, the results of synergy analysis showed that the combination of DHA and doxorubicin (DOX) emerged a highly synergistic lethal effect for cervical cancer cells, which was related also to ferroptosis. Overall, our data revealed the molecular mechanisms that DHA triggered ferritinophagy-dependent ferroptosis and sensitized to DOX in cervical cancer, which may provide novel avenues for future therapy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanqiang Shi
- Central Laboratory of Molecular Medicine Research Center, Jiaxing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Jiaxing, China
- Jiaxing Key Laboratory of Diabetic Angiopathy Research, Jiaxing, China
| | - Lie Xiong
- Central Laboratory of Molecular Medicine Research Center, Jiaxing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Jiaxing, China
- Jiaxing Key Laboratory of Diabetic Angiopathy Research, Jiaxing, China
| | - Guang Yan
- Department of Urology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuqin Du
- Central Laboratory of Molecular Medicine Research Center, Jiaxing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Jiaxing, China
- School of Pharmacy, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Oncology Department, Jiaxing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Jiaxing, China
| | - Yanbo Shi
- Central Laboratory of Molecular Medicine Research Center, Jiaxing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Jiaxing, China
- Jiaxing Key Laboratory of Diabetic Angiopathy Research, Jiaxing, China
- *Correspondence: Yanbo Shi,
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13
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Novel Thioethers of Dihydroartemisinin Exhibiting Their Biological Activities. HETEROATOM CHEMISTRY 2023. [DOI: 10.1155/2023/6761186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Eleven conjugates between dihydroartemisinin (DHA) with thiols containing both ether and thioether bonds were designed, synthesized by a two-step procedure including etherification and S-alkylation. Analysis of the NMR spectral data indicated that the dimer of DHA with thiols 6-mercaptopurine and 2-mercaptoimidazole was produced with yields of 31% and 62%, respectively. Furthermore, the tautomerization of thiol 5-methoxy-2-mercaptobenzimidazole led to the formation of a mixture of two isomers in which they might be interchangeable through a dynamic tautomeric equilibrium in the solution. Screening in vitro biological activities revealed that most of the synthesized conjugates showed good cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory activity, while three of them displayed α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Notably, two conjugates 5d and 5e of DHA with thiols 2-mercaptopyrimidine and 2-mercaptobenzothiazole had an effect in all tested activities in which conjugate 5e is the most potent.
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14
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Wang S, Yu K, Yu Z, Zhang B, Chen C, Lin L, Li Z, Li Z, Zheng Y, Yu Z. Targeting self-enhanced ROS-responsive artesunatum prodrug nanoassembly potentiates gemcitabine activity by down-regulating CDA expression in cervical cancer. CHINESE CHEM LETT 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cclet.2023.108184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
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15
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Yao Y, Wang H, Xu J, Gao F, Cao W. The Anti-Breast Cancer Activity of Dihydroartemisinin-5-methylisatin Hybrids Tethered via Different Carbon Spacers. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27227994. [PMID: 36432095 PMCID: PMC9695041 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27227994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Sixteen dihydroartemisinin-5-methylisatin hybrids 6a-c and 7a-m tethered via different carbon spacers were assessed for their antiproliferative activity against MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, MCF-7/ADR and MDA-MB-231/ADR breast cancer cell lines as well as cytotoxicity towards MCF-10A cells to investigate the influence of the length of carbon spacers on the activity. The preliminary results illustrated that the length of the carbon spacer was the main parameter which affected the activity, and hybrids tethered via the two-carbon linker showed the highest activity. Amongst the synthesized hybrids, the representative hybrid 7a (IC50: 15.3-20.1 µM) not only demonstrated profound activity against both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant breast cancer cell lines, but also possessed excellent safety and selectivity profile. Collectivity, hybrid 7a was a promising candidate for the treatment of both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant breast cancers and worthy of further preclinical evaluations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanfen Yao
- Shandong Provincial Third Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250031, China
| | - Hong Wang
- Shandong Provincial Third Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250031, China
| | - Jing Xu
- Shandong Provincial Third Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250031, China
| | - Feng Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Biobased Material and Green Papermaking (LBMP), Qilu University of Technology, Jinan 250353, China
| | - Wei Cao
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong Institute of Nephrology, Jinan 250014, China
- The First Clinical College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China
- Correspondence:
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Dihydroartemisinin Reduces Irradiation-Induced Mitophagy and Radioresistance in Lung Cancer A549 Cells via CIRBP Inhibition. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12081129. [PMID: 36013308 PMCID: PMC9410454 DOI: 10.3390/life12081129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Radiotherapy is a major therapeutic strategy for lung cancer, and radiation resistance (radioresistance) is an important cause of residual and recurring cancer after treatment. However, the mechanism of radioresistance remains unclear. Mitochondrial autophagy (mitophagy), an important selective autophagy, plays an important role in maintaining cell homeostasis and affects the response to therapy. Recent studies have shown that dihydroartemisinin (DHA), a derivative of artemisinin, can increase the sensitivity to treatment in multiple types of cancer, including lung cancer. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the function and molecular mechanisms of DHA-regulating mitophagy and DHA-reducing radioresistance in lung cancer A549 cells. We first constructed the radioresistant lung cancer A549 cells model (A549R) through fractional radiation, then elucidated the function and mechanism of DHA-regulating mitophagy to reduce the radioresistance of lung cancer by genomic, proteomic, and bioinformatic methods. The results showed that fractional radiation can significantly induce radioresistance and mitophagy in A549 cells, DHA can reduce mitophagy and radioresistance, and the inhibition of mitophagy can reduce radioresistance. Protein chip assay and bioinformatics analysis showed the following: Cold-Inducible RNA Binding Protein (CIRBP) might be a potential target of DHA-regulating mitophagy; CIRBP is highly expressed in A549R cells; the knockdown of CIRBP increases the effect of DHA, reduces mitophagy and radioresistance, and inhibits the mitophagy-related PINK1/Parkin pathway. In conclusion, we believe that DHA reduces radiation-induced mitophagy and radioresistance of lung cancer A549 cells via CIRBP inhibition.
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17
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Rao Q, Li R, Yu H, Xiang L, He B, Wu F, Zhao G. Effects of dihydroartemisinin combined with cisplatin on proliferation, apoptosis and migration of HepG2 cells. Oncol Lett 2022; 24:275. [PMID: 35782905 PMCID: PMC9247656 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2022.13395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Cisplatin (DDP) is a potent and widely applied chemotherapeutic agent. However, its clinical efficacy for the treatment of liver cancer is limited by adverse effects and the development of resistance. Combinatorial therapy may alleviate these issues. Dihydroartemisinin (DHA) is a first-generation derivative of artemisinin. The effects of DDP on liver cancer when applied in combination with DHA have not previously been studied. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of DHA combined with DDP on HepG2 cells and their potential underlying molecular mechanisms. HepG2 cells were treated with different concentrations of DHA and/or DDP. Cell Counting Kit-8 assay was used to assess the cell viability. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were quantified using flow cytometry, acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) fluorescent dual staining and the colony formation assay. Cell migration was quantified using the Transwell and wound healing assays. The HepG2 cell protein expression levels of Fas, Fas-associated death domain (FADD), procaspase-3, cleaved caspase-3, pro-caspase-8, cleaved caspase-8, Bax, Bcl-2, E-cadherin and N-cadherin, were detected via western blotting. Gelatin zymography was used to assess the levels of MMP-9 secreted by HepG2 cells into the supernatant. Following combined DHA and DDP treatment, the percentage of apoptotic cells was significantly increased, whereas cell proliferation and migration were significantly reduced, compared with cells treated with DDP only. DHA and DPP in combination significantly inhibited the expression of MMP-9, significantly increased the protein expression levels of Fas, FADD, Bax and E-cadherin, significantly increased the ratio of cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-8 to their precursor proteins and significantly decreased the protein expression levels of Bcl-2 and N-cadherin. The findings of the present study suggested that, DHA may confer synergistic effects with DDP in potentially promoting apoptosis and inhibiting the epithelial-mesenchymal transition for the treatment of liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Rao
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei 430065, P.R. China
| | - Ruochan Li
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei 430065, P.R. China
| | - He Yu
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei 430065, P.R. China
| | - Lei Xiang
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei 430065, P.R. China
| | - Bin He
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei 430065, P.R. China
| | - Fenghua Wu
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei 430065, P.R. China
| | - Gang Zhao
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei 430065, P.R. China
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18
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Ren G, Duan D, Wang G, Wang R, Li Y, Zuo H, Zhang Q, Zhang G, Zhao Y, Wang R, Zhang S. Construction of reduction-sensitive heterodimer prodrugs of doxorubicin and dihydroartemisinin self-assembled nanoparticles with antitumor activity. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2022; 217:112614. [PMID: 35700564 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2022.112614] [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: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Doxorubicin (DOX) is used as a first-line chemotherapeutic drug, whereas dihydroartemisinin (DHA) also shows a certain degree of antitumor activity. Disulfide bonds (-SS-) in prodrug molecules can be degraded in highly reducing environments. Thus, heterodimer prodrugs of DOX and DHA linked by a disulfide bond was designed and subsequently prepared as reduction-responsive self-assembled nanoparticles (DOX-SS-DHA NPs). In an in vitro release study, DOX-SS-DHA NPs exhibited reduction-responsive activity. Upon cellular evaluation, DOX-SS-DHA NPs were found to have better selectivity toward tumor cells and less cytotoxicity to normal cells. Compared to free DiR, DOX-SS-DHA NPs showed improved accumulation at the tumor site and even had a longer clearance half-life. More importantly, DOX-SS-DHA NPs possessed a much higher tumor inhibition efficacy than DOX-sol and MIX-sol in 4T1 tumor-bearing mice. Our results suggested the superior antitumor efficacy of DOX-SS-DHA NPs with less cytotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guolian Ren
- School of Pharmacy, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Danyu Duan
- School of Pharmacy, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Geng Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Rongrong Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Yujie Li
- School of Pharmacy, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Hengtong Zuo
- School of Pharmacy, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Qichao Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Guoshun Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Yongdan Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Ruili Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China.
| | - Shuqiu Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China.
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Zhang H, Zhuo Y, Li D, Zhang L, Gao Q, Yang L, Yuan X. Dihydroartemisinin inhibits the growth of pancreatic cells by inducing ferroptosis and activating antitumor immunity. Eur J Pharmacol 2022; 926:175028. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2022.175028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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20
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Kooshki L, Mahdavi P, Fakhri S, Akkol EK, Khan H. Targeting lactate metabolism and glycolytic pathways in the tumor microenvironment by natural products: A promising strategy in combating cancer. Biofactors 2022; 48:359-383. [PMID: 34724274 DOI: 10.1002/biof.1799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Anticancer drugs are not purely effective because of their toxicity, side effects, high cost, inaccessibility, and associated resistance. On the other hand, cancer is a complex public health problem that could intelligently adopt different signaling pathways and alter the body's metabolism to escape from the immune system. One of the cancer strategies to metastasize is modifying pH in the tumor microenvironment, ranging between 6.5 and 6.9. As a powerful determiner, lactate is responsible for this acidosis. It is involved in immune stimulation, including innate and adaptive immunity, apoptotic-related factors (Bax/Bcl-2, caspase), and glycolysis pathways (e.g., GLUT-1, PKM2, PFK, HK2, MCT-1, and LDH). Lactate metabolism, in turn, is interconnected with several dysregulated signaling mediators, including PI3K/Akt/mTOR, AMPK, NF-κB, Nrf2, JAK/STAT, and HIF-1α. Because of lactate's emerging and critical role, targeting lactate production and its transporters is important for preventing and managing tumorigenesis. Hence, exploring and developing novel promising anticancer agents to minimize human cancers is urgent. Based on numerous studies, natural secondary metabolites as multi-target alternative compounds with health-promoting properties possess more high effectiveness and low side effects than conventional agents. Besides, the mechanism of multi-targeted natural sources is related to lactate production and cancer-associated cross-talked factors. This review focuses on targeting the lactate metabolism/transporters, and lactate-associated mediators, including glycolytic pathways. Besides, interconnected mediators to lactate metabolism are also targeted by natural products. Accordingly, plant-derived secondary metabolites are introduced as alternative therapies in combating cancer through modulating lactate metabolism and glycolytic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila Kooshki
- Student Research Committee, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
- USERN Office, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Parisa Mahdavi
- Student Research Committee, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Sajad Fakhri
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Esra Küpeli Akkol
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Haroon Khan
- Department of Pharmacy, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan 23200, Pakistan
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Dihydroartemisinin Induces Ferroptosis in HCC by Promoting the Formation of PEBP1/15-LO. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2021; 2021:3456725. [PMID: 34925691 PMCID: PMC8683180 DOI: 10.1155/2021/3456725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Relevant researches have recognized the vital role of inducing ferroptosis in the treatment of tumor. The latest findings indicate that PEBP1/15-LO can play an essential role in the process of cell death. However, its role in regulating ferroptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (simplified by HCC) remains unclear. The previous research of our team has proved that DHA can induce ferroptosis of hepatic stellate cells. In this study, we found that DHA could also induce ferroptosis in HCC cells. Interestingly, DHA induced ferroptosis by promoting the formation of PEBP1/15-LO and promoting cell membrane lipid peroxidation. In addition, we also found that DHA had no obvious regulatory effect on 15-LO, but it could promote PEBP1 protein expression. Importantly, we discovered the upregulation of PEBP1 induced by DHA was related to the inhibition of its ubiquitination degradation. In vivo experiments have also obtained consistent results that DHA can inhibit tumor growth and affect the expression of ferroptosis markers in tumor tissues, which would be partially offset by interference with PEBP1.
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22
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Immunomolecular evaluation of dihydroartemisinin effects on apoptosis in chronic lymphocytic leukemia cell lines. Leuk Res 2021; 110:106702. [PMID: 34571432 DOI: 10.1016/j.leukres.2021.106702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), a semi-synthetic derivative of artemisinin, has recently shown to induce apoptosis in many types of cancer cells. In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of DHA on apoptosis in human chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cell lines. METHODS The cells were treated separately and combined by DHA and Fludurabine (FLU) during 24, 48 and 72 hours. The cell viabilities determined by XTT method. Following separate and combined treatment of IC50 concentrations of DHA and FLU to the cells during 24 hours, the cells were analyzed by flow cytometry to determine the effects on apopotis staining with AnnexinV FITC and PI. mRNA and protein expression levels of TCTP, Mcl-1, Bcl-2, Bax and Caspase-3 were analyzed to find out the molecular mechanisms of apoptosis by using quantitative real-time PCR and flow cytometric methods. RESULTS Treatment with DHA alone or in combination with FLU induced apoptosis in a dose dependent manner in CLL cells. DHA alone was more effective than FLU alone or combined treatment with DHA and FLU. Our results suggest that Bcl-2 protein family member Bax was active in the apoptotic response of CLL cells after DHA treatment. Moreover, the apoptotic response induced by DHA was independent from the p53 mutation status of the CLL cells. CONCLUSION DHA might be a potential anti-cancer therapeutic for CLL.
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