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Lin G, Li W, Hong W, Zhu D, Hu H, Fu J, Gao Y, Chen S, Chai D, Zeng JZ. Spinosin inhibits activated hepatic stellate cell to attenuate liver fibrosis by targeting Nur77/ASK1/p38 MAPK signaling pathway. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 966:176270. [PMID: 38096970 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.176270] [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: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
AIM Liver fibrosis remains a great challenge in the world. Spinosin (SPI), a natural flavonoid-C-glycoside, possesses various pharmacological activities including anti-inflammatory and anti-myocardial fibrosis effects. In this study, we investigate whether SPI can be a potential lead for the treatment of liver fibrosis and explore whether the orphan nuclear receptor Nur77, a negative regulator of liver fibrosis development, plays a critical role in SPI's action. METHODS A dual luciferase reporter system of α-SMA was established to evaluate the effect of SPI on hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation in LX2 and HSC-T6 cells. A mouse model of CCl4-induced liver fibrosis was used to test the efficacy of SPI against liver fibrosis. The expression levels of Nur77, inflammatory cytokines and collagen were determined by Western blotting and qPCR. Potential kinase pathways involved were also analyzed. The affinity of Nur77 with SPI was documented by fluorescence titration. RESULTS SPI can strongly suppress TGF-β1-mediated activation of both LX2 and HSC-T6 cells in a dose-dependent manner. SPI increases the expression of Nur77 and reduces TGF-β1-mediated phosphorylation levels of ASK1 and p38 MAPK, which can be reversed by knocking out of Nur77. SPI strongly inhibits collagen deposition (COLA1) and reduces inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and IL-1β), which is followed by improved liver function in the CCl4-induced mouse model. SPI can directly bind to R515 and R563 in the Nur77-LBD pocket with a Kd of 2.14 μM. CONCLUSION Spinosin is the major pharmacological active component of Ziziphus jujuba Mill. var. spinosa which has been frequently prescribed in traditional Chinese medicine. We demonstrate here for the first time that spinosin is a new therapeutic lead for treatment of liver fibrosis by targeting Nur77 and blocking the ASK1/p38 MAPK signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Weibin Li
- Xiang'an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China; Department of Ultrasonic Medicine Affiliated Hospital, Xizang Minzu University, Xianyang, China
| | - Wenbin Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Desheng Zhu
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Jinhua Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, 321000, China
| | - Hongyu Hu
- Xingzhi College, Zhejiang Normal University, Lanxi, 321004, China
| | - Jiqiang Fu
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
| | - Yanfang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Shuaijie Chen
- Cardiovascular Department, The First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350005, China
| | - Dajun Chai
- Cardiovascular Department, The First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350005, China
| | - Jin-Zhang Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China.
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Zhang JX, Yuan WC, Li CG, Zhang HY, Han SY, Li XH. A review on the mechanisms underlying the antitumor effects of natural products by targeting the endoplasmic reticulum stress apoptosis pathway. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1293130. [PMID: 38044941 PMCID: PMC10691277 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1293130] [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: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer poses a substantial risk to human life and wellbeing as a result of its elevated incidence and fatality rates. Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) is an important pathway that regulates cellular homeostasis. When ERS is under- or overexpressed, it activates the protein kinase R (PKR)-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK)-, inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1)- and activating transcription Factor 6 (ATF6)-related apoptotic pathways to induce apoptosis. Tumor cells and microenvironment are susceptible to ERS, making the modulation of ERS a potential therapeutic approach for treating tumors. The use of natural products to treat tumors has substantially progressed, with various extracts demonstrating antitumor effects. Nevertheless, there are few reports on the effectiveness of natural products in inducing apoptosis by specifically targeting and regulating the ERS pathway. Further investigation and elaboration of its mechanism of action are still needed. This paper examines the antitumor mechanism of action by which natural products exert antitumor effects from the perspective of ERS regulation to provide a theoretical basis and new research directions for tumor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie-Xiang Zhang
- The First Clinical College of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Wei-Chen Yuan
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Prevention and Treatment of Tumor, The First Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- The College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Cheng-Gang Li
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Hai-Yan Zhang
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Shu-Yan Han
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Department of Integration of Chinese and Western Medicine, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Hong Li
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
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