Potential role of curcumin and taurine combination therapy on human myeloid leukemic cells propagatedin vitro

Therapeutic strategies for Covid-19 based on molecular docking and dynamic studies to the ACE-2 receptors, Furin, and viral spike proteins

SARS-CoV-2 is a pandemic virus that caused infections and deaths in many world countries, including the Middle East. The virus-infected human cells by binding via ACE-2 receptor through the Spike protein of the virus with Furin's help causing cell membrane fusion leading to Covid-19-cell entry. No registered drugs or vaccines are triggering this pandemic viral disease yet. Our present work is based on molecular docking and dynamics simulation that performed to spike protein-ACE-2 interface complex, ACE-2 receptor, Spike protein (RBD), and Furin as targets for new small molecules. These drugs target new potential therapies to show their probabilities toward the active sites of mentioned proteins, strongly causing inhibition and/or potential therapy for covid-19. All target proteins were estimated against new target compounds under clinical trials and repurposing drugs currently present. Possibilities of those molecules and potential therapeutics acting on a certain target were predicted. MD simulations over 200 ns with molecular mechanics-generalized Born surface area (MMGBSA) binding energy calculations were performed. The structural and energetic analyses demonstrated the stability of the ligands-M^Pros complex. Our present work will introduce new visions of some biologically active molecules for further studies in-vitro and in-vivo for Covid-19, repurposing of these molecules should be taking place under clinical works and offering different strategies for drugs repurposing against Covid-19 diseases.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Taurine Attenuates Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition-Related Genes in Human Prostate Cancer Cells

Prostate cancer is the most common non-cutaneous cancers among men and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men. Aberrant activation of the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been exhibited to be one of the most common causes of treatment failure and death in cancer patients. In cancer cells with metastatic competence, the E-cadherin switch is a well-established hallmark. Suppression of E-cadherin through its transcriptional repressor SNAIL is thus a determining factor for EMT. TWIST1 is an important transcription factor in EMT, which is present under both physiologic (embryogenesis) and pathologic (metastasis) conditions, and enhances the invasiveness and migration ability of cells. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of taurine on EMT-related genes, such as E-cadherin, N-cadherin, TWIST1, ZEB1, SNAIL, and vimentin. EMT markers were detected by RT-PCR and western blotting. The results showed that taurine down-regulated the expression of N-cadherin, TWIST1, ZEB1, SNAIL, and vimentin. In contrast, taurine increased E-cadherin expression. Our findings indicate that taurine has EMT inhibitory effects on human prostate cancer cells.

Novel protective role of curcumin and taurine combination against experimental hepatocarcinogenesis

Hepatocarcinogenesis is a prerequisite to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is one of the most common cancers among humans. Therefore, it is important to search for agents that protect against hepatocarcinogenesis. The present study aimed to investigate the protective effects of a combination of taurine and curcumin against experimental hepatocarcinogenesis induced by diethyl nitrosamine (DENA) in a rat model. A total of 100 rats were divided into eight groups. Eight weeks following DENA injection and treatment with curcumin and taurine, the rats were sacrificed to obtain blood and hepatic tissue samples for the evaluation of various markers and histopathological observations. Serum levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), α-fetoprotein (AFP) and α-L-fucosidase (AFU) were determined. Rats injected with DENA for eight weeks showed a high percentage of malignant changes in hepatic tissues, as well as a significant increases in the serum levels of AFP and AFU and significant reductions in the serum levels of IL-2 and IFN-γ. Treatment with curcumin and taurine markedly reduced the extent of malignant changes in the rat liver tissues, with their liver tissues showing patterns similar to that of the normal control rats. In addition, this combination resulted in normal serum levels of IL-2, IFN-γ, AFP and AFU. The results of the present study suggested that a combination of curcumin and taurine may be a novel prophylactic agent against hepatocarcinogenesis in high-risk groups exposed to chemical hepatocarcinogens.

Modulatory Effect of Taurine on 7,12-Dimethylbenz(a)Anthracene-Induced Alterations in Detoxification Enzyme System, Membrane Bound Enzymes, Glycoprotein Profile and Proliferative Cell Nuclear Antigen in Rat Breast Tissue

The modulatory effect of taurine on 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced breast cancer in rats was studied. DMBA (25 mg/kg body weight) was administered to induce breast cancer in rats. Protein carbonyl levels, activities of membrane bound enzymes (Na(+) /K(+) ATPase, Ca(2+) ATPase, and Mg(2+) ATPase), phase I drug metabolizing enzymes (cytochrome P450, cytochrome b5, NADPH cytochrome c reductase), phase II drug metabolizing enzymes (glutathione-S-transferase and UDP-glucuronyl transferase), glycoprotein levels, and proliferative cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were studied. DMBA-induced breast tumor bearing rats showed abnormal alterations in the levels of protein carbonyls, activities of membrane bound enzymes, drug metabolizing enzymes, glycoprotein levels, and PCNA protein expression levels. Taurine treatment (100 mg/kg body weight) appreciably counteracted all the above changes induced by DMBA. Histological examination of breast tissue further supported our biochemical findings. The results of the present study clearly demonstrated the chemotherapeutic effect of taurine in DMBA-induced breast cancer.

Taurine induces the apoptosis of breast cancer cells by regulating apoptosis-related proteins of mitochondria

Taurine (Tau), the most abundant free amino acid in humans has numerous potential health benefits through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, limited studies have assessed its effect on tumors and the antitumor mechanism remains unknown. The present study investigated the cellular and molecular changes induced by Tau, leading to the induction of apoptosis in human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. MCF-7 is p53 proficient (p53+/+) and MDA-MB-231 is a p53 null mutant (p53-/-). Cell proliferation and viability were assessed by MTT. Flow cytometry and hoechst33342 fluorescent staining were employed to detect apoptosis. Spectrophotometry was used to detect caspase-3 activity. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis were used to detect the levels of mRNA and proteins of p53-upregulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA), Bax and Bcl-2. Finally, the affect of Tau on the growth of MDA-MB-231-cell-nude mice xenografts was examined. In the study, Tau inhibited growth and induced apoptosis of the two cell lines in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Notably, the inhibitory effect of Tau on p53-/- cancer cells was clearly significant compared to the p53+/+ cancer cells. Further studies showed that Tau promoted apoptosis in human breast cancer cells and inhibited the growth of tumor in nude mice by inducing the expression of PUMA, which further up- and downregulated the expression of Bax and Bcl-2 protein, giving rise to increased activation of caspase-3. Collectively, these results indicate that Tau is a potent candidate for the chemotherapy of breast cancer through increasing the PUMA expression independent of p53 status.