Cyclin-dependent kinase modulators and cancer therapy

Oridonin Targets Multiple Drug-Resistant Tumor Cells as Determined by in Silico and in Vitro Analyses

Drug resistance is one of the main reasons of chemotherapy failure. Therefore, overcoming drug resistance is an invaluable approach to identify novel anticancer drugs that have the potential to bypass or overcome resistance to established drugs and to substantially increase life span of cancer patients for effective chemotherapy. Oridonin is a cytotoxic diterpenoid isolated from Rabdosia rubescens with in vivo anticancer activity. In the present study, we evaluated the cytotoxicity of oridonin toward a panel of drug-resistant cancer cells overexpressing ABCB1, ABCG2, or ΔEGFR or with a knockout deletion of TP53. Interestingly, oridonin revealed lower degree of resistance than the control drug, doxorubicin. Molecular docking analyses pointed out that oridonin can interact with Akt/EGFR pathway proteins with comparable binding energies and similar docking poses as the known inhibitors. Molecular dynamics results validated the stable conformation of oridonin docking pose on Akt kinase domain. Western blot experiments clearly revealed dose-dependent downregulation of Akt and STAT3. Pharmacogenomics analyses pointed to a mRNA signature that predicted sensitivity and resistance to oridonin. In conclusion, oridonin bypasses major drug resistance mechanisms and targets Akt pathway and might be effective toward drug refractory tumors. The identification of oridonin-specific gene expressions may be useful for the development of personalized treatment approaches.

Synthesis of Some Polysubstituted Nicotinonitriles and Derived Pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidines asIn VitroCytotoxic and Antimicrobial Candidates

The synthesis of polysubstituted pyridines, in addition to some derived pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine ring systems supported with chemotherapeutically active functionalities, is described. They were evaluated for theirin vitrocytotoxic effects against three different human tumor cell lines (human colon carcinoma HT29, hepatocellular carcinoma Hep-G2, and Caucasian breast adenocarcinoma MCF7). Nine compounds displayed variable cytotoxic potential, among which alkylthio analogs33,34, and37emerged as the most active members, being almost twice as active as doxorubicin against the colon carcinoma HT29 cell line. In addition, the same three analogs showed a clear differential cytotoxic profile as they exhibited a marginal inhibitory effect on the growth of the normal nontransformed human foreskin fibroblast Hs27 cell line. Meanwhile, nineteen compounds were able to exhibit significant antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, together with moderate antifungal activities. The pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine-2(1H)-thione30together with its alkylthio derivatives33and34stemmed as the most active antimicrobial members being equipotent to ampicillin againstS. aureus,E. coli,andP. aeruginosa,together with a noticeable antifungal activity againstC. albicans.Compounds33and34could be considered as a promising template for possible dual antimicrobial-anticancer candidates.

Total flavonoids of litchi suppress proliferation of LX2 human hepatic stellate cells by upregulating p27 expression

AIM: To investigate the effect of total flavonoids of litchi (TFL) on the proliferation of LX2 human hepatic stellate cells and to explore the underlying mechanism.

METHODS: LX2 cells treated with different concentrations (7.8125, 15.6250, 31.2500, 62.5000, and 125.0000 µg/mL) of TFL were examined for cell growth inhibition using CCK-8. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the changes in cell cycle distribution of LX2 cells. The expression of p27 mRNA and protein in LX2 cells was determined by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot, respectively.

RESULTS: Exposure to TFL caused significant dose- and time-dependent inhibition of LX2 cell proliferation. TFL induced S-phase cell cycle arrest as shown by flow cytometric analysis. In addition, expression of p27 mRNA and protein in LX2 cells was upregulated in the treatment groups.

CONCLUSION: TFL treatment inhibits LX2 cell proliferation and arrests cells at S phase, and the mechanism may be associated with the upregulation of p27 expression.

Exploring the Relationship between the Inhibition Selectivity and the Apoptosis of Roscovitine-Treated Cancer Cells

THE ANTITUMOR ACTIVITY OF ROSCOVITINE WAS TESTED IN FOUR CERVICAL CARCINOMA CELLS: C33A, HCE-1, HeLa, and SiHa. The effects of roscovitine on ATP Lite assay, cell cycle, and apoptosis were assessed. The Sub-G1 DNA content occurred great increasing, and this indicates that apoptosis was induced quickly in HeLa cells, but slowly in the other cells. The morphological observation results showed that roscovitine induced apoptosis and cell death in the cervical carcinoma cells. Results revealed that roscovitine exhibited selective cytotoxicity towards 4 cervical carcinoma cells, and the cells showed different morphologic and apoptotic changes at the same concentration. It was estimated that cervical carcinoma cells responded differently to roscovitine because of differences in apoptotic and genetic background in different cervical carcinoma cells. This study suggested that roscovitine had the potential to be a chemotherapeutic agent against cervical carcinoma.