Mediates Necroptosis by Inducing Reactive Oxygen Species Production in Bladder Cancer In Vitro

Treatment of Parkinson's disease model with human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes loaded with BDNF

AIMS

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease that has received widespread attention; however, current clinical treatments can only relieve its symptoms, and do not effectively protect dopaminergic neurons. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes loaded with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF-EXO) on PD models and to explore the underlying mechanisms of these effects.

MAIN METHODS

6-Hydroxydopamine was used to establish in vivo and in vitro PD models. Western blotting, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence were used to detect the effects of BDNF-EXO on apoptosis and ferroptosis in SH-SY5Y cells. The in vivo biological distribution of BDNF-EXO was detected using a small animal imaging system, and dopaminergic neuron improvements in brain tissue were detected using western blotting, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, and Nissl and Prussian blue staining.

KEY FINDINGS

BDNF-EXO effectively suppressed 6-hydroxydopamine-induced apoptosis and ferroptosis in SH-SY5Y cells. Following intravenous administration, BDNF-EXO crossed the blood-brain barrier to reach afflicted brain regions in mice, leading to a notable enhancement in neuronal survival. Furthermore, BDNF-EXO modulated microtubule-associated protein 2 and phosphorylated tau expression, thereby promoting neuronal cytoskeletal stability. Additionally, BDNF-EXO bolstered cellular antioxidant defense mechanisms through the activation of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 signaling pathway, thereby conferring neuroprotection against damage.

SIGNIFICANCE

The novel drug delivery system, BDNF-EXO, had substantial therapeutic effects in both in vivo and in vitro PD models, and may represent a new treatment strategy for PD.

Anti-liver tumor ingredient exploration and validation of Elephantopus tomentosus Linn. by combining in silico and in vitro experiments

Elephantopus tomentosus (ET) Linn. was reported to be an anti-tumor plant. However, the chemical composition of ET and its anti-tumor compounds and potential mechanisms still unclear. In this paper, UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS was firstly used to identified the ingredients in ET and UPLC was used to determine the main compounds of ET. Network pharmacology was applied to predict the potential mechanisms of anti-liver cancer. Anti-tumor nuclear activate compounds and targets of ET were obtained and the anti-liver cancer effect was validated on HepG2. Finally, Molecule docking, RT-qPCR, and western blotting were used for verification of the relationship between nuclear activate compounds and nuclear targets and the potential anti-cancer mechanisms. The result showed that 42 compounds were identified in ET, which consisted of sesquiterpene lactones, flavonoids, and phenylpropanoid compounds. Scabertopin (ST), chlorogenic acid, Isochlorogenic acid B, Isochlorogenic acid A and Isochlorogenic acid C were identified as main compounds and were determined as 0.426%, 0.457%, 0.159%, 0.701%, and 0.103% respectively. 24 compounds showed high pharmacokinetics and good drug-likeness. 520 overlapping targets of the ET compounds and liver cancer were collected. The targets were used for KEGG and GO analysis. GO enrichment analysis suggested that the targets of 24 active compound closed related to promote apoptosis, inhibit proliferation, and regulate oxidative levels. KEGG enrichment analysis suggested that pathway in cancer was enriched most and p38 MAPK/p53 signaling pathway, which closely related to promoting apoptosis and inhibiting proliferation. Compounds-targets analysis based on the parameter of Betweenness, Closeness, Information, Eigenvector, Degree, and component content indicated that ST was the nucleus anti-tumor active compound of ET. HepG2 was first used to validated the anti-tumor effect of ST and the result showed that ST significantly inhibited HepG2 proliferation with a low IC50 less than 5 μM. Nucleus active compound targets, including TP53, CASP3, BCL2, EGFR, TNF-a, IL-1β, and IL-6 were enriched based on degree value of PPI analysis. Molecule docking suggested that ST showed a good combination to TGFBR1 with the combination energy less than - 5 kcal/mol. RT-qPCR result also suggested that ST significantly medicated the mRNA expression level of TP53, CASP3, BCL2, EGFR, TNF-a, IL-1β, and IL-6. Protein expression of p-p38/p38 and p-p53/p53 notable increased by ST treatment. In conclude, combining with UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS qualitative analysis, UPLC quantitative analysis, network pharmacology analysis, molecule docking, and in vitro experiments on HepG2, we suggest that ST is an anti-tumor ingredient of ET, which may target to TGFBR1 and promote apoptosis and inhibited proliferation of HepG2 by activating p38 MAPK/p53 signaling pathway. ST can be regarded as a quality marker of ET.

HIF-1α Induced by Hypoxia Promotes Peripheral Nerve Injury Recovery Through Regulating Ferroptosis in DRG Neuron

Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) usually has a poor effect on functional recovery and severely declines the patient's quality of life. Our prior findings indicated that hypoxia remarkably promoted nerve regeneration of rats with sciatic nerve transection. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of hypoxia in functional recovery of PNI still remain elusive. In this research, we tried to explain the functional roles and mechanisms of hypoxia and the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) in PNI. Our results indicated that hypoxia promoted proliferation and migration of dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and increased the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF). Mechanistically, hypoxia suppressed ferroptosis through activating HIF-1α in DRG neurons. Gain and loss of function studies were performed to evaluate the regulatory roles of HIF-1α in ferroptosis and neuron recovery. The results revealed that up-regulation of HIF-1α enhanced the expression of solute carrier family membrane 11 (SLC7A11) and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and increased the contents of cysteine and glutathione, while inhibiting the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Our findings provided novel light on the mechanism of ferroptosis involved in PNI and manifest hypoxia as a potential therapeutic strategy for PNI recovery.

Target deubiquitinase OTUB1 as a therapeatic strategy for BLCA via β-catenin/necroptosis signal pathway

Ubiquitination, a prevalent and highly dynamic reversible post-translational modification, is tightly regulated by the deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) superfamily. Among them, OTU Domain-Containing Ubiquitin Aldehyde-Binding Protein 1 (OTUB1) stands out as a critical member of the OTU deubiquitinating family, playing a pivotal role as a tumor regulator across various cancers. However, its specific involvement in BLCA (BLCA) and its clinical significance have remained ambiguous. This study aimed to elucidate the biofunctions of OTUB1 in BLCA and its implications for clinical prognosis. Our investigation revealed heightened OTUB1 expression in BLCA, correlating with unfavorable clinical outcomes. Through in vivo and in vitro experiments, we demonstrated that increased OTUB1 levels promote BLCA tumorigenesis and progression, along with conferring resistance to cisplatin treatment. Notably, we established a comprehensive network involving OTUB1, β-catenin, necroptosis, and BLCA, delineating their regulatory interplay. Mechanistically, we uncovered that OTUB1 exerts its influence by deubiquitinating and stabilizing β-catenin, leading to its nuclear translocation. Subsequently, nuclear β-catenin enhances the transcriptional activity of c-myc and cyclin D1 while suppressing the expression of RIPK3 and MLKL, thereby fostering BLCA progression and cisplatin resistance. Importantly, our clinical data suggest that the OTUB1/β-catenin/RIPK3/MLKL axis holds promise as a potential biomarker for BLCA.

The specialized sesquiterpenoids produced by the genus Elephantopus L.: Chemistry, biological activities and structure-activity relationship exploration

The genus Elephantopus L. is a valuable resource rich in sesquiterpenoids with structural diversity and various bioactivities, showing great potential for applications in medicinal field and biological industry. Up to now, over 129 sesquiterpenoids have been isolated and identified from this plant genus, including 114 germacrane-type, 7 guaianolide-type, 5 eudesmane-type, 1 elemanolide-type, and 2 bis-sesquiterpenoids. These sesquiterpenoids were reported to show a diverse range of pharmacological properties, including cytotoxic, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antiprotozoal. Consequently, some of them were identified as active scaffolds in the design and development of drugs. Considering that there is currently no overview available that covers the sesquiterpenoids and their biological activities in the Elephantopus genus, this article aims to comprehensively review the chemical structures, biosynthetic pathways, pharmacological properties, and structure-activity relationship of sesquiterpenoids found in the Elephantopus genus, which will establish a theoretical framework that can guide further research and exploration of sesquiterpenoids from Elephantopus plants as promising therapeutic agents.

Natural products and derivatives in renal, urothelial and testicular cancers: Targeting signaling pathways and therapeutic potential

BACKGROUND

Natural products have demonstrated significant potential in cancer drug discovery, particularly in renal cancer (RCa), urothelial carcinoma (UC), and testicular cancer (TC).

PURPOSE

This review aims to examine the effects of natural products on RCa, UC and TC.

STUDY DESIGN

systematic review METHODS: PubMed and Web of Science databases were retrieved to search studies about the effects of natural products and derivatives on these cancers. Relevant publications in the reference list of enrolled studies were also checked.

RESULTS

This review highlighted their diverse impacts on key aspects such as cell growth, apoptosis, metastasis, therapy response, and the immune microenvironment. Natural products not only hold promise for novel drug development but also enhance the efficacy of existing chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Importantly, we exert their effects through modulation of critical pathways and target genes, including the PI3K/AKT pathway, NF-κB pathway, STAT pathway and MAPK pathway, among others in RCa, UC, and TC.

CONCLUSION

These mechanistic insights provide valuable guidance for researchers, facilitating the selection of promising natural products for cancer management and offering potential avenues for further gene regulation studies in the context of cancer treatment.

Sesquiterpene lactones as emerging biomolecules to cease cancer by targeting apoptosis

Apoptosis is a programmed cell death comprising two signaling cascades including the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. This process has been shown to be involved in the therapy response of different cancer types, making it an effective target for treating cancer. Cancer has been considered a challenging issue in global health. Cancer cells possess six biological characteristics during their developmental process known as cancer hallmarks. Hallmarks of cancer include continuous growth signals, unlimited proliferation, resistance to proliferation inhibitors, apoptosis escaping, active angiogenesis, and metastasis. Sesquiterpene lactones are one of the large and diverse groups of planet-derived phytochemicals that can be used as sources for a variety of drugs. Some sesquiterpene lactones possess many biological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-microbial, anti-malarial, anticancer, anti-diabetic, and analgesic. This review article briefly overviews the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways of apoptosis and the interactions between the modulators of both pathways. Also, the present review summarizes the potential effects of sesquiterpene lactones on different modulators of the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways of apoptosis in a variety of cancer cell lines and animal models. The main purpose of the present review is to give a clear picture of the current knowledge about the pro-apoptotic effects of sesquiterpene lactones on various cancers to provide future direction in cancer therapeutics.

Targeting Cell Signaling Pathways in Lung Cancer by Bioactive Phytocompounds

Lung cancer is a heterogeneous group of malignancies with high incidence worldwide. It is the most frequently occurring cancer in men and the second most common in women. Due to its frequent diagnosis and variable response to treatment, lung cancer was reported as the top cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide in 2020. Many aberrant signaling cascades are implicated in the pathogenesis of lung cancer, including those involved in apoptosis (B cell lymphoma protein, Bcl-2-associated X protein, first apoptosis signal ligand), growth inhibition (tumor suppressor protein or gene and serine/threonine kinase 11), and growth promotion (epidermal growth factor receptor/proto-oncogenes/phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase). Accordingly, these pathways and their signaling molecules have become promising targets for chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agents. Recent research provides compelling evidence for the use of plant-based compounds, known collectively as phytochemicals, as anticancer agents. This review discusses major contributing signaling pathways involved in the pathophysiology of lung cancer, as well as currently available treatments and prospective drug candidates. The anticancer potential of naturally occurring bioactive compounds in the context of lung cancer is also discussed, with critical analysis of their mechanistic actions presented by preclinical and clinical studies.