Licochalcone A Inhibits Cellular Motility by Suppressing E-cadherin and MAPK Signaling in Breast Cancer

The therapeutic effect of traditional Chinese medicine on breast cancer through modulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Breast cancer, the most prevalent malignant tumor among women globally, is significantly influenced by the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, which plays a crucial role in its initiation and progression. While conventional chemotherapy, the standard clinical treatment, suffers from significant drawbacks like severe side effects, high toxicity, and limited prognostic efficacy, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) provides a promising alternative. TCM employs a multi-targeted therapeutic approach, which results in fewer side effects and offers a high potential for effective treatment. This paper presents a detailed analysis of the therapeutic impacts of TCM on various subtypes of breast cancer, focusing on its interaction with the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Additionally, it explores the effectiveness of both monomeric and compound forms of TCM in the management of breast cancer. We also discuss the potential of establishing biomarkers for breast cancer treatment based on key proteins within the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Our aim is to offer new insights into the prevention and treatment of breast cancer and to contribute to the standardization of TCM.

A network pharmacology- and transcriptomics-based investigation reveals an inhibitory role of β-sitosterol in glioma via the EGFR/MAPK signaling pathway

Glioma is characterized by rapid cell proliferation, aggressive invasion, altered apoptosis and a poor prognosis. β-Sitosterol, a kind of phytosterol, has been shown to possess anticancer activities. Our current study aims to investigate the effects of β-sitosterol on gliomas and reveal the underlying mechanisms. Our results show that β-sitosterol effectively inhibits the growth of U87 cells by inhibiting proliferation and inducing G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis. In addition, β-sitosterol inhibits migration by downregulating markers of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Mechanistically, network pharmacology and transcriptomics approaches illustrate that the EGFR/MAPK signaling pathway may be responsible for the inhibitory effect of β-sitosterol on glioma. Afterward, the results show that β-sitosterol effectively suppresses the EGFR/MAPK signaling pathway. Moreover, β-sitosterol significantly inhibits tumor growth in a U87 xenograft nude mouse model. β-Sitosterol inhibits U87 cell proliferation and migration and induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in U87 cells by blocking the EGFR/MAPK signaling pathway. These results suggest that β-sitosterol may be a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of glioma.

Licochalcone A alleviates abnormal glucolipid metabolism and restores energy homeostasis in diet-induced diabetic mice

Licochalcone A (LCA) is a bioactive chalcone compound identified in licorice. This study aimed to investigate the effects of LCA on glucolipid metabolism and energy homeostasis, as well as the underlying mechanisms. Blood glucose levels, oral glucose tolerance, serum parameters, and histopathology were examined in high-fat-high-glucose diet (HFD)-induced diabetic mice, with metformin as a positive control. Additionally, changes in key markers related to glucolipid metabolism and mitochondrial function were analyzed to comprehensively assess LCA's effects on metabolism. The results showed that LCA alleviated metabolic abnormalities in HFD-induced diabetic mice, which were manifested by suppression of lipogenesis, promotion of lipolysis, reduction of hepatic steatosis, increase in hepatic glycogenesis, and decrease in gluconeogenesis. In addition, LCA restored energy homeostasis by promoting mitochondrial biogenesis, enhancing mitophagy, and reducing adenosine triphosphate production. Mechanistically, the metabolic benefits of LCA were associated with the downregulation of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 and activation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase, the two central regulators of metabolism. This study demonstrates that LCA can alleviate abnormal glucolipid metabolism and restore energy balance in diet-induced diabetic mice, highlighting its therapeutical potential for the treatment of diabetes.

Licochalcone A induces G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis via regulating p53 pathways in esophageal cancer: In-vitro and in-vivo study

Licochalcone A (LCA) is a flavonoid isolated from Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch that has shown promising therapeutic effects in various cancers. This study attempted to analyze its therapeutic potential for esophageal cancer (EC). Combining multiple databases and network pharmacology, we found that the mechanism of LCA inhibiting EC may be closely related to p53 signaling pathway, cell cycle regulation and apoptosis. Molecular docking was then used to predict the affinity between LCA and key targets. Subsequently, we selected three common EC cell lines for in vitro validation. LCA treatment significantly inhibited EC cell proliferation and colony formation. Wound healing and transwell assay showed that LCA can reduce the migration and invasion of EC cells, and down-regulated the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP). LCA promoted excessive ROS production, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, and upregulated the expression of Bax, Caspase3 and Caspase-9, all of which are involved in apoptosis. LCA treatment blocked the cell cycle in G2/M phase and decreased the expression of cyclin D1, cyclin B1, and CDK1. LCA significantly up-regulated p53 protein and gene expression, thereby inducing apoptosis and cycle arrest. Finally, the xenograft tumor model was established by subcutaneous injection of Eca-109 cells. LCA administration inhibited tumor growth by activating p53 signaling pathways and apoptosis. Meanwhile, there was no significant weight loss and few major organotoxicity and hematotoxicity. In conclusion, LCA is an excellent candidate for EC treatment by regulating p53 pathway to induce G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis.

A Novel Tri-Hydroxy-Methylated Chalcone Isolated from Chromolaena tacotana with Anti-Cancer Potential Targeting Pro-Survival Proteins

Chromolaena tacotana (Klatt) R. M. King and H. Rob (Ch. tacotana) contains bioactive flavonoids that may have antioxidant and/or anti-cancer properties. This study investigated the potential anti-cancer properties of a newly identified chalcone isolated from the inflorescences of the plant Chromolaena tacotana (Klatt) R. M. King and H. Rob (Ch. tacotana). The chalcone structure was determined using HPLC/MS (QTOF), UV, and NMR spectroscopy. The compound cytotoxicity and selectivity were evaluated on prostate, cervical, and breast cancer cell lines using the MTT assay. Apoptosis and autophagy induction were assessed through flow cytometry by detecting annexin V/7-AAD, active Casp3/7, and LC3B proteins. These results were supported by Western blot analysis. Mitochondrial effects on membrane potential, as well as levels of pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins were analyzed using flow cytometry, fluorescent microscopy, and Western blot analysis specifically on a triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell line. Furthermore, molecular docking (MD) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to evaluate the interaction between the compounds and pro-survival proteins. The compound identified as 2',3,4-trihydroxy-4',6'-dimethoxy chalcone inhibited the cancer cell line proliferation and induced apoptosis and autophagy. MDA-MB-231, a TNBC cell line, exhibited the highest sensitivity to the compound with good selectivity. This activity was associated with the regulation of mitochondrial membrane potential, activation of the pro-apoptotic proteins, and reduction of anti-apoptotic proteins, thereby triggering the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. The chalcone consistently interacted with anti-apoptotic proteins, particularly the Bcl-2 protein, throughout the simulation period. However, there was a noticeable conformational shift observed with the negative autophagy regulator mTOR protein. Future studies should focus on the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-cancer potential of the new chalcone and other flavonoids from Ch. tacotana, particularly against predominant cancer cell types.

Licochalcone A Inhibits Proliferation and Metastasis of Colon Cancer by Regulating miR-1270/ADAM9/Akt/NF-κB axis

Background

We aimed to explor the therapeutic effect and molecular mechanism of licochalcone A (LCA) on colon cancer.

Methods

This study was carried out in 2020-2021 in Nanjing Tongren Hospital, China. Colon cancer HCT116 cells were treated with different concentrations of LCA. Cell counting kit-8, colony formation and flow cytometry assays were used to analyze cell viability, proliferation and apoptosis. Wound healing and transwell experiments were used to measure cell migration and invasion ability. The expression of ADAM9 and apoptosis-related proteins in different LCA treatment groups was detected by western blot. HCT116 cells were transfected with ADAM9 small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) or overexpression vectors. The database screened the upstream miRNA targeting ADAM9 and predicted the targeted binding site between miR-1270 and ADAM9, which was verified by a dual-luciferase reporter assay. Rescue experiments were performed to confirm the effects of the miR-1270/ADAM9 axis on cell proliferation and metastasis.

Results

LCA decreased cell growth (P<0.05), migration (P<0.05), and invasion (P<0.05) of colon cancer cells and inhibited ADAM9 expression in a dose-dependent manner. LCA affected the functions of colon cancer cells by negatively regulating the expression of ADAM9. MiR-1270, increased by LCA, targeted and suppressed ADAM9 expression significantly (P<0.001). ADAM9 overexpression restrained miR-1270 mimic and LCA-induced changes in cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and promoted apoptosis in HCT116 cells significantly (P<0.01). LCA and miR-1270 mimic inactivated the Akt/NF-κB pathway, while ADAM9 over-expression rescued it.

Conclusion

LCA exhibited antitumor efficacy in HCT116 cells by inhibiting the Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway by regulating the miR-1270/ADAM9 axis.

Anticancer Potential of Natural Chalcones: In Vitro and In Vivo Evidence

There is no doubt that significant progress has been made in tumor therapy in the past decades. However, the discovery of new molecules with potential antitumor properties still remains one of the most significant challenges in the field of anticancer therapy. Nature, especially plants, is a rich source of phytochemicals with pleiotropic biological activities. Among a plethora of phytochemicals, chalcones, the bioprecursors of flavonoid and isoflavonoids synthesis in higher plants, have attracted attention due to the broad spectrum of biological activities with potential clinical applications. Regarding the antiproliferative and anticancer effects of chalcones, multiple mechanisms of action including cell cycle arrest, induction of different forms of cell death and modulation of various signaling pathways have been documented. This review summarizes current knowledge related to mechanisms of antiproliferative and anticancer effects of natural chalcones in different types of malignancies including breast cancers, cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, lung cancers, renal and bladder cancers, and melanoma.

Research Progress on the Pharmacodynamic Mechanisms of Sini Powder against Depression from the Perspective of the Central Nervous System

Depression is a highly prevalent emotional disorder characterized by persistent low mood, diminished interest, and loss of pleasure. The pathological causes of depression are associated with neuronal atrophy, synaptic loss, and neurotransmitter activity decline in the central nervous system (CNS) resulting from injuries, such as inflammatory responses. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory, patients with depression often exhibit the liver qi stagnation syndrome type. Sini Powder (SNP) is a classic prescription for treating such depression-related syndrome types in China. This study systematically summarized clinical applications and experimental studies of SNP for treatments of depression. We scrutinized the active components of SNP with blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability and speculated about the corresponding pharmacodynamic pathways relevant to depression treatment through intervening in the CNS. Therefore, this article can enhance our understanding of SNP's pharmacological mechanisms and formula construction for depression treatment. Moreover, a re-demonstration of this classic TCM prescription in the modern-science language is of great significance for future drug development and research.

Integrated miRNA and mRNA omics reveal dioscin suppresses migration and invasion via MEK/ERK and JNK signaling pathways in human endometrial carcinoma in vivo and in vitro

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Polygonatum sibiricum Redouté (PS, also called Huangjing in traditional Chinese medicine), is a perennial herb as homology of medicine and food. According to the traditional Chinese medicine theory "Special Records of Famous Doctors", its functions include invigorating qi and nourishing yin, tonifying spleen and kidney. Traditionally, qi and blood therapy has been believed as most applicable to the treatment of uterine disease. The current research has focused on the effect and mechanism of dioscin, the main active component of PS, on Endometrial carcinoma (EC).

AIM OF THE STUDY

To study the efficacy of dioscin on proliferation and migration of Endometrial carcinoma cell line, we conducted experiments by using xenograft model and Ishikawa cells, and explored the potential molecular mechanism.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

mRNA and miRNA omics techniques were employed to investigate the regulatory mechanism of dioscin on EC Ishikawa cells. Based on in vivo and in vitro experiments, cell clone formation, cell scratching, Transwell, H&E staining, immunohistochemistry, q-PCR, and Western blot techniques were used to determine the molecular effects and mechanisms of dioscin on cell migration.

RESULTS

Integrated miRNA and mRNA omics data showed that 513 significantly different genes marked enrichment in MAPK signaling pathway. The in vivo data showed that dioscin (24 mg/kg) significantly inhibited tumor growth. The in vitro proliferation and invasiveness of dioscin on Ishikawa cells showed that dioscin could significantly decrease the colony numbers, and suppress the Ishikawa cell wound healing, migration and invasion. Molecular data revealed that dioscin decreased the MMP2 and MMP9 expression in vitro and in vivo. The p-MEK, p-ERK, and p-JNK expression levels were also confirmed to be significantly reduced. Key regulators in the MAPK signaling pathway were further validated in xenograft tumors.

CONCLUSION

Our data indicated that dioscin inhibited Ishikawa cell migration and invasion mediated through MEK/ERK and JNK signaling. More importantly, screened hub miRNAs and genes can be regarded as potential molecular targets for future EC treatment.

Anticancer effects of licochalcones: A review of the mechanisms

Cancer is a disease with a high fatality rate representing a serious threat to human health. Researchers have tried to identify effective anticancer drugs. Licorice is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine with various pharmacological properties, and licorice-derived flavonoids include licochalcones like licochalcone A, licochalcone B, licochalcone C, licochalcone D, licochalcone E, and licochalcone H. By regulating the expression in multiple signaling pathways such as the EGFR/ERK, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, p38/JNK, JAK2/STAT3, MEK/ERK, Wnt/β-catenin, and MKK4/JNK pathways, and their downstream proteins, licochalcones can activate the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway and death receptor pathway, promote autophagy-related protein expression, inhibit the expression of cell cycle proteins and angiogenesis factors, regulate autophagy and apoptosis, and inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion of cancer cells. Among the licochalcones, the largest number of studies examined licochalcone A, far more than other licochalcones. Licochalcone A not only has prominent anticancer effects but also can be used to inhibit the efflux of antineoplastic drugs from cancer cells. Moreover, derivatives of licochalcone A exhibit strong antitumor effects. Currently, most results of the anticancer effects of licochalcones are derived from cell experiments. Thus, more clinical studies are needed to confirm the antineoplastic effects of licochalcones.

[Licochalcone A induces cell cycle arrest in human lung squamous carcinoma cells via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of licochalcone A (LCA) on the proliferation and cell cycle of human lung squamous carcinoma cells and explore its possible molecular mechanism.

METHODS

MTT assay was used to detect the changes in proliferation of H226 cells after treatment with different concentrations of LCA for 48 h, and the IC₅₀ of LCA was calculated. Flow cytometry was used to analyze cell cycle changes in H226 cells treated with 10, 20, and 40 μmol/L LCA, and the expressions of cyclin D1, cyclin-dependent kinase CDK2 and CDK4, and p-PI3K, PI3K, p-Akt, and Akt in the treated cells were detected using Western blotting. The effect of intraperitoneal injection of LCA for 24 days on tumor volume and weight was assessed in a BALB/c-nu mouse model bearing lung squamous carcinoma xenografts.

RESULTS

MTT assay showed that LCA significantly decreased the viability of H226 cells with an IC₅₀ of 28.3 μmol/L at 48 h. Flow cytometry suggested that LCA treatment induced obvious cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase. LCA treatment also significantly decreased the expressions of cyclin D1, CDK2, and CDK4, and inhibited the phosphorylation of PI3K and Akt in H226 cells. In the tumor-bearing mice, LCA treatment for 24 days significantly reduced the tumor volume and weight.

CONCLUSION

LCA is capable of inhibiting the proliferation and inducing cell cycle arrest in lung squamous carcinoma cells possibility by regulating the PI3K/Akt singling pathway.

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.)-Derived Phytochemicals Target Multiple Signaling Pathways to Confer Oncopreventive and Oncotherapeutic Effects

Cancer is a highly lethal disease, and its incidence has rapidly increased worldwide over the past few decades. Although chemotherapeutics and surgery are widely used in clinical settings, they are often insufficient to provide the cure for cancer patients. Hence, more effective treatment options are highly needed. Although licorice has been used as a medicinal herb since ancient times, the knowledge about molecular mechanisms behind its diverse bioactivities is still rather new. In this review article, different anticancer properties (antiproliferative, antiangiogenic, antimetastatic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects) of various bioactive constituents of licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.) are thoroughly described. Multiple licorice constituents have been shown to bind to and inhibit the activities of various cellular targets, including B-cell lymphoma 2, cyclin-dependent kinase 2, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinases, mammalian target of rapamycin, nuclear factor-κB, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, vascular endothelial growth factor, and matrix metalloproteinase-3, resulting in reduced carcinogenesis in several in vitro and in vivo models with no evident toxicity. Emerging evidence is bringing forth licorice as an anticancer agent as well as bottlenecks in its potential clinical application. It is expected that overcoming toxicity-related obstacles by using novel nanotechnological methods might importantly facilitate the use of anticancer properties of licorice-derived phytochemicals in the future. Therefore, anticancer studies with licorice components must be continued. Overall, licorice could be a natural alternative to the present medication for eradicating new emergent illnesses while having just minor side effects.

Role of Licochalcone A in Potential Pharmacological Therapy: A Review

Licochalcone A (LA), a useful and valuable flavonoid, is isolated from Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. ex DC. and widely used clinically in traditional Chinese medicine. We systematically updated the latest information on the pharmacology of LA over the past decade from several authoritative internet databases, including Web of Science, Elsevier, Europe PMC, Wiley Online Library, and PubMed. A combination of keywords containing “Licochalcone A,” “Flavonoid,” and “Pharmacological Therapy” was used to help ensure a comprehensive review. Collected information demonstrates a wide range of pharmacological properties for LA, including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-parasitic, bone protection, blood glucose and lipid regulation, neuroprotection, and skin protection. LA activity is mediated through several signaling pathways, such as PI3K/Akt/mTOR, P53, NF-κB, and P38. Caspase-3 apoptosis, MAPK inflammatory, and Nrf2 oxidative stress signaling pathways are also involved with multiple therapeutic targets, such as TNF-α, VEGF, Fas, FasL, PI3K, AKT, and caspases. Recent studies mainly focus on the anticancer properties of LA, which suggests that the pharmacology of other aspects of LA will need additional study. At the end of this review, current challenges and future research directions on LA are discussed. This review is divided into three parts based on the pharmacological effects of LA for the convenience of readers. We anticipate that this review will inspire further research.

Astragaloside IV suppresses inflammatory response via suppression of NF-κB, and MAPK signalling in human bronchial epithelial cells

CONTEXT

Astragaloside IV isolated from Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.), which was reported to have anti-tumor, anti-asthma, and suppressed cigarette smoke-induced lung inflammation in mice.

OBJECTIVES

This study investigated whether astragaloside IV reduced the expression of inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress in BEAS-2B cells.

METHODS

BEAS-2B cells treated with astragaloside IV, and then stimulated with TNF-α or TNF-α/IL-4. The levels of cytokine and chemokine were analysed with ELISA and real-time PCR.

RESULTS

Astragaloside IV significantly inhibited the levels of CCL5, MCP-1, IL-6 and IL-8. Astragaloside IV also reduced ICAM-1 expression for blocked THP-1 monocyte adhesion to BEAS-2B cells. Furthermore, astragaloside IV attenuated the phosphorylation of MAPK, and reduced the translocation of p65 into the nucleus. Astragaloside IV could increase the expression of HO-1 and Nrf2 for promoting the oxidant protective effect.

CONCLUSION

Aastragaloside IV has an anti-inflammatory and oxidative effect via regulated NF-κB, MAPK and HO-1/Nrf2 signalling pathways in human bronchial epithelial cells.

Programmed Cell Death Alterations Mediated by Synthetic Indole Chalcone Resulted in Cell Cycle Arrest, DNA Damage, Apoptosis and Signaling Pathway Modulations in Breast Cancer Model

Although new chemotherapy significantly increased the survival of breast cancer (BC) patients, the use of these drugs is often associated with serious toxicity. The discovery of novel anticancer agents for BC therapy is expected. This study was conducted to explore the antiproliferative effect of newly synthesized indole chalcone derivative ZK-CH-11d on human BC cell lines. MTT screening, flow cytometry, Western blot, and fluorescence microscopy were used to evaluate the mode of cell death. ZK-CH-11d significantly suppressed the proliferation of BC cells with minimal effect against non-cancer cells. This effect was associated with cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and apoptosis induction. Apoptosis was associated with cytochrome c release, increased activity of caspase 3 and caspase 7, PARP cleavage, reduced mitochondrial membrane potential, and activation of the DNA damage response system. Furthermore, our study demonstrated that ZK-CH-11d increased the AMPK phosphorylation with simultaneous inhibition of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway indicating autophagy initiation. However, chloroquine, an autophagy inhibitor, significantly potentiated the cytotoxic effect of ZK-CH-11d in MDA-MB-231 cells indicating that autophagy is not principally involved in the antiproliferative effect of ZK-CH-11d. Taking together the results from our experiments, we assume that autophagy was activated as a defense mechanism in treated cells trying to escape from chalcone-induced harmful effects.

Pharmacological Effects and Underlying Mechanisms of Licorice-Derived Flavonoids

Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma is the most frequently prescribed natural medicine in China and has been used for more than 2,000 years. The flavonoids of licorice have garnered considerable attention in recent decades due to their structural diversity and myriad pharmacological effects, especially as novel therapeutic agents against inflammation and cancer. Although many articles have been published to summarize different pharmacological activities of licorice in recent years, the systematic summary for flavonoid components is not comprehensive. Therefore, in this review, we summarized the pharmacological and mechanistic data from recent researches on licorice flavonoids and their bioactive components.

Cytotoxic and Antimigration Activity of Etlingera alba (A.D.) Poulsen Rhizome

Etlingera alba is one of the Etlingera plants that might have anticancer activity. This study aims to investigate the cytotoxic and antimetastatic activity of E. alba rhizome fractions and migration cell assay against MDA-MB-231 cell lines, which are used for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) treatment assay. The cytotoxic activity was assayed using CCK-8 assay, while the antimetastatic was assayed using migration cell assay for the fractions A–F. They were followed by LCMS/MS profiling to determine the chemical contents in the most active fraction. According to results obtained, fraction B was the most active fraction for cytotoxic activity with an IC₅₀ value of 65.43 μg/mL, while fraction E was the most active fraction for antimetastasis activity against migration rate doses of 50, 100, and 200 ppm which were 6.80, 3.66, and 3.00%, respectively. Several compounds in fraction B, such as rengyolone, licochalcone A, sugiol, and spinasterol, might have been known to have activity against cancer cells, as well as aschantin and lirioresinol B dimethyl ether from fraction E. In conclusion, the chemical components from E. alba rhizome fractions provided potency for discovering new agents for cancer treatment, specifically for TNBC.

Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Anti-cancerous Mechanism of Licochalcone A on Human Hepatoma Cell HepG2

Hepatocellular carcinoma is a malignancy with a low survival rate globally, and there is imperative to unearth novel natural phytochemicals as effective therapeutic strategies. Licochalcone A is a chalcone from Glycyrrhiza that displayed various pharmacological efficacy. A globally transcriptome analysis was carried out to reveal the gene expression profiling to explore Licochalcone A's function as an anti-cancer phytochemical on HepG2 cells and investigate its potential mechanisms. Altogether, 6,061 dysregulated genes were detected (3,414 up-regulated and 2,647 down-regulated). SP1 was expected as the transcription factor that regulates the functions of most screened genes. GO and KEGG analysis was conducted, and the MAPK signaling pathway and the FoxO signaling pathway were two critical signal pathways. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis based on STRING platform to discover the hub genes (MAPK1, ATF4, BDNF, CASP3, etc.) in the MAPK signaling pathway and (AKT3, GADD45A, IL6, CDK2, CDKN1A, etc.) the FoxO signaling pathway. The protein level of essential genes that participated in significant pathways was consistent with the transcriptome data. This study will provide an inclusive understanding of the potential anti-cancer mechanism of Licochalcone A on hepatocellular, signifying Licochalcone A as a promising candidate for cancer therapy.

Immune Effect of Active Components of Traditional Chinese Medicine on Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Triple-negative breast cancers are heterogeneous, poorly prognostic, and metastatic malignancies that result in a high risk of death for patients. Targeted therapy for triple-negative breast cancer has been extremely challenging due to the lack of expression of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. Clinical treatment regimens for triple-negative breast cancer are often based on paclitaxel and platinum drugs, but drug resistance and side effects from the drugs frequently lead to treatment failure, thus requiring the development of new therapeutic platforms. In recent years, research on traditional Chinese medicine in modulating the immune function of the body has shown that it has the potential to be an effective treatment option against triple-negative breast cancer. Active components of herbal medicines such as alkaloids, flavonoids, polyphenols, saponins, and polysaccharides have been shown to inhibit cancer cell proliferation and metastasis by activating inflammatory immune responses and can modulate tumor-related signaling pathways to further inhibit the invasion of triple-negative breast cancer. This paper reviews the immunomodulatory mechanisms of different herbal active ingredients against triple-negative breast cancer and provides an outlook on the challenges and directions of development for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer with herbal active ingredients.

Licochalcone A activation of glycolysis pathway has an anti-aging effect on human adipose stem cells

Licochalcone A (LA) is a chalcone flavonoid of Glycyrrhiza inflata, which has anti-cancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects. However, no anti-aging benefits of LA have been demonstrated in vitro or in vivo. In this study, we explored whether LA has an anti-aging effect in adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs). We performed β-galactosidase staining and measured reactive oxygen species, relative telomere lengths, and P16^ink4a mRNA expression. Osteogenesis was assessed by Alizarin Red staining and adipogenesis by was assessed Oil Red O staining. Protein levels of related markers runt-related transcription factor 2 and lipoprotein lipase were also examined. RNA sequencing and measurement of glycolysis activities showed that LA significantly activated glycolysis in ADSCs. Together, our data strongly suggest that the LA have an anti-aging effect through activate the glycolysis pathway.

Chalcones against the hallmarks of cancer: a mini-review

Chalcones (1,3-diphenylpropen-1-ones) are a class of flavonoids that have been shown a broad spectrum of biological activities with therapeutic potential. Naturally occurring chalcones or synthetic chalcone derivatives have been extensively investigated as anticancer compounds. Cancer is still among the leading causes of death globally, although cancer treatments have improved over the past decades. Most of chemotherapeutic drugs target proliferating tumor cells; however, the cancer cells capabilities are also associated to tumor surround microenvironment. Thereby, the search of new compounds with a broad antitumor activity is still a great challenge. The cytotoxicity mechanisms of chalcones are beyond apoptosis induction in tumor cells, which make them promising compound for cancer therapy. In this mini-review we summarized recent studies that describe the anticancer potential of chalcones related to some of hallmarks of cancer. We shed a light on sustaining proliferative signaling, tumor-promoting inflammation, activating invasion and metastasis, inducing angiogenesis and resisting cell death.

Repurposing drugs as novel triple negative breast cancer therapeutics

BACKGROUND

Among all the types of breast cancer (BC), triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive form having high metastasis and recurrence rate with limited treatment options. Conventional treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy have lots of toxic side effects and also no FDA approved therapies are available till now. Repurposing of old clinically approved drugs towards various targets of TNBC is the new approach with lesser side effects and also leads to successful inexpensive drug development with less time consuming. Medicinal plants containg various phytoconstituents (flavonoids, alkaloids, phenols, essential oils, tanins, glycosides, lactones) plays very crucial role in combating various types of diseases and used in drug development process because of having lesser side effects.

OBJECTIVE

The present review focuses in summarization of various categories of repurposed drugs against multitarget of TNBC and also summarizes the phytochemical categories that targets TNBC singly or in combination with synthetic old drugs.

METHODS

Literature information was collected from various databases such as Pubmed, Web of Science, Scopus and Medline to understand and clarify the role and mechanism of repurposed synthetic drugs and phytoconstituents aginst TNBC by using keywords like "breast cancer", "repurposed drugs", "TNBC" and "phytoconstituents".

RESULTS

Various repurposed drugs and phytochemicals targeting different signaling pathways that exerts their cytotoxic activities on TNBC cells ultimately leads to apoptosis of cells and also lowers the recurrence rate and stops the metastasis process.

CONCLUSION

Inhibitory effects seen in different levels, which provides information and evidences to researchers towards drug developments process and thus further more investigations and researches need to be taken to get the better therapeutic treatment options against TNBC.

Anticancer Activity of Natural and Synthetic Chalcones

Cancer is a condition caused by many mechanisms (genetic, immune, oxidation, and inflammatory). Anticancer therapy aims to destroy or stop the growth of cancer cells. Resistance to treatment is theleading cause of the inefficiency of current standard therapies. Targeted therapies are the most effective due to the low number of side effects and low resistance. Among the small molecule natural compounds, flavonoids are of particular interest for theidentification of new anticancer agents. Chalcones are precursors to all flavonoids and have many biological activities. The anticancer activity of chalcones is due to the ability of these compounds to act on many targets. Natural chalcones, such as licochalcones, xanthohumol (XN), panduretin (PA), and loncocarpine, have been extensively studied and modulated. Modification of the basic structure of chalcones in order to obtain compounds with superior cytotoxic properties has been performed by modulating the aromatic residues, replacing aromatic residues with heterocycles, and obtaining hybrid molecules. A huge number of chalcone derivatives with residues such as diaryl ether, sulfonamide, and amine have been obtained, their presence being favorable for anticancer activity. Modification of the amino group in the structure of aminochalconesis always favorable for antitumor activity. This is why hybrid molecules of chalcones with different nitrogen hetercycles in the molecule have been obtained. From these, azoles (imidazole, oxazoles, tetrazoles, thiazoles, 1,2,3-triazoles, and 1,2,4-triazoles) are of particular importance for the identification of new anticancer agents.

Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Licochalcone A via Regulation of ORAI1 and K+ Channels in T-Lymphocytes

Calcium signaling plays a vital role in the regulation of various cellular processes, including activation, proliferation, and differentiation of T-lymphocytes, which is mediated by ORAI1 and potassium (K⁺) channels. These channels have also been identified as highly attractive therapeutic targets for immune-related diseases. Licochalcone A is a licorice-derived chalconoid known for its multifaceted beneficial effects in pharmacological treatments, including its anti-inflammatory, anti-asthmatic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antitumorigenic properties. However, its anti-inflammatory effects involving ion channels in lymphocytes remain unclear. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate whether licochalcone A inhibits ORAI1 and K⁺ channels in T-lymphocytes. Our results indicated that licochalcone A suppressed all three channels (ORAI1, Kv1.3, and KCa3.1) in a concentration-dependent matter, with IC₅₀ values of 2.97 ± 1.217 µM, 0.83 ± 1.222 µM, and 11.21 ± 1.07 µM, respectively. Of note, licochalcone A exerted its suppressive effects on the IL-2 secretion and proliferation in CD3 and CD28 antibody-induced T-cells. These results indicate that the use of licochalcone A may provide an effective treatment strategy for inflammation-related immune diseases.

Fucoxanthin Ameliorates Oxidative Stress and Airway Inflammation in Tracheal Epithelial Cells and Asthmatic Mice

Fucoxanthin is isolated from brown algae and was previously reported to have multiple pharmacological effects, including anti-tumor and anti-obesity effects in mice. Fucoxanthin also decreases the levels of inflammatory cytokines in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of asthmatic mice. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of fucoxanthin on the oxidative and inflammatory responses in inflammatory human tracheal epithelial BEAS-2B cells and attenuated airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), airway inflammation, and oxidative stress in asthmatic mice. Fucoxanthin significantly decreased monocyte cell adherence to BEAS-2B cells. In addition, fucoxanthin inhibited the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, eotaxin, and reactive oxygen species in BEAS-2B cells. Ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized mice were treated by intraperitoneal injections of fucoxanthin (10 mg/kg or 30 mg/kg), which significantly alleviated AHR, goblet cell hyperplasia and eosinophil infiltration in the lungs, and decreased Th2 cytokine production in the BALF. Furthermore, fucoxanthin significantly increased glutathione and superoxide dismutase levels and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the lungs of asthmatic mice. These data demonstrate that fucoxanthin attenuates inflammation and oxidative stress in inflammatory tracheal epithelial cells and improves the pathological changes related to asthma in mice. Thus, fucoxanthin has therapeutic potential for improving asthma.

Anti-inflammatory effect of herbal traditional medicine extract on molecular regulation in allergic asthma

Asthma is an important global health problem, and the main cause of asthma is allergic reaction and immune system dysregulation. Airway inflammation causes bronchial narrowing, and goblet cell hyperplasia leads to mucus hypersecretion that leads to airflow obstruction and difficulty breathing. The Th2 cytokines can induce allergic asthma. Camellia, Adhatoda, and Glycyrrhiza are the traditional medicines that are used in some countries. In the current study, we evaluated three herbal extracts on airway inflammatory responses in asthmatic mice. The asthma model was induced in mice that were divided into 6 groups: Phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) group, ovalbumin (OVA) group, OVA-budesonide group, OVA-Glycyrrhiza group, OVA-Camellia group, and OVA-Adhatoda group. Measurements of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), IgE, histamine, percentages of eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALf), gene expression of COX-2, CCL24, CCL11, eotaxin, and histopathological study of lung were done. Adhatoda significantly attenuated the IL-4, IgE, and histamine levels. Glycyrrhiza attenuated the levels of IL-5, IL-13, GTP, GOT (on day 51), mRNA expression of eotaxin, CCL24, CCL11, and COX-2, eosinophil infiltration, mucus secretion, and goblet cell hyperplasia. Camellia decreased IL-13, GTP, COX-2 mRNA expression, mucus secretion, and goblet cell hyperplasia on day 31 and 51. We evaluated effect of three plants on allergic bio-factors. Glycyrrhiza as main anti-inflammatory treatment, Adhatoda as anti-allergic, and Camellia as anti-mucus releasing treatment can be used in attacks of allergic asthma.

Anti-obesity Medications in Cancer Therapy: A Comprehensive Insight

The interplay between cancer and obesity is multifactorial and complex with the increased risk of cancer development in obese individuals posing a significant threat. Obesity leads to the upregulation or hyperactivation of several oncogenic pathways in cancer cells, which drives them towards a deleterious phenotype. The cross-talk between cancer and obesity is considered a large contributing factor in the development of chemotherapeutic drug resistance and the resistance to radiotherapy. The link between obesity and the development of cancer is so strong that a medication that demonstrates effectiveness against both conditions would serve as an essential step. In this context, anti-obesity medications provide a worthy list of candidates based on their chemo-preventive potential and chemotherapeutic properties. The current study focuses on exploring the potential of anti-obesity medicines as dual anticancer drugs. These medications target several key signaling pathways (e.g., AMPK, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, MAPK, NF-κB, JNK/ERK), which prove to be crucial for both cancer growth and metastases. Some of these drugs also play an important role in attenuating the signaling and cellular events which incite cancer-obesity cross-talk and demonstrate efficient counteraction of neoplastic transformation. Thus, this review highlights a comprehensive view of the potential use of anti-obesity medicines to treat both cancer and obesity for patients exhibiting both comorbities.

Molecular mechanisms underlying the anticancer activities of licorice flavonoids

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Licorice has been commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of gastric, liver, and respiratory disease conditions for more than two thousand years. It is a major component of several Chinese patent medicines certificated by National Medical Products Administration that possess great anticancer activities.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To comprehensively summarize the anticancer activities of licorice flavonoids, explain the underlying molecular mechanisms, and assess their therapeutic potentials and side-effects.

METHODS

PubMed, Research Gate, Web of Science, Google Scholar, academic journals, and Science Direct were used as information sources, with the key words of "anticancer", "licorice", "flavonoids", and their combinations, mainly from 2000 to 2019.

RESULTS

Sixteen licorice flavonoids are found to possess anticancer activities. These flavonoids inhibit cancer cells through blocking cell cycle and regulating multiple signaling pathways. The major pathways targeted by licorice flavonoids include: the MAPK pathway, PI3K/AKT pathway, NF-κB pathway, death receptor - dependent extrinsic signaling pathway, and mitochondrial apoptotic pathway.

CONCLUSION

Licorice flavonoids are a group of versatile molecules that have pleiotropic effects on cell growth, survival and cell signaling. Many of the flavonoids possess inhibitory activities toward cancer cell growth and hence have a great therapeutic potential in cancer treatment. However, additional preclinical studies are still needed to assess their in vivo efficacy and possible toxicities. It is also imperative to evaluate the effects of licorice flavonoids on the metabolism of other drugs and explore the potential synergistic mechanism.

Ethnobotanical Survey of Natural Galactagogues Prescribed in Traditional Chinese Medicine Pharmacies in Taiwan

Natural medicinal materials have been used to promote breast milk secretion. Here, we investigated the natural medicinal materials prescribed in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) pharmacies across Taiwan to induce lactation. We collected medicinal materials from 87 TCM pharmacies, identified them in the prescriptions, and analyzed their drug contents. We examined their botanical origins, biological classifications, traditional usage, and modern pharmacological properties. We used the TCM Inheritance Support System to identify core medicinal materials in galactogenous prescriptions. We collected 81 medicinal materials from 90 galactogenous prescriptions. Leguminosae accounted for 12%, whereas Apiaceae accounted for 7% of all materials examined. The primary medicinal plant parts used were roots and seeds. Nineteen frequently used medicinal materials had a relative frequency of citation of greater than or equal to 0.2. According to their efficacy, 58% were warm, 54% were sweet, and 63% were tonifying; 74% of the frequently used medicinal materials have been showed efficacy against breast cancer. The primary core medicinal material was Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels, whereas the secondary core medicinal materials were Tetrapanax papyrifer (Hook.) K. Koch and Hedysarum polybotrys Hand.-Mazz. Most galactogenous prescriptions consisted of multiple materials from Leguminosae and Apiaceae. The mechanisms underlying galactogenous efficacy warrant further investigations.

Tomatidine ameliorates obesity-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in mice

Tomatidine is isolated from the leaves and green fruits of some plants in the Solanaceae family, and has been reported to have anti-inflammatory and antitumor effects. Previous studies have found that tomatidine decreases hepatic lipid accumulation via regulation of vitamin D receptor and activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation. However, whether tomatidine reduces weight gain and improves nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains unclear. In this study, we investigated how tomatidine ameliorates NAFLD in obese mice and evaluated the regulatory mechanism of lipogenesis in hepatocytes. Male C57BL/6 mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) to induce obesity and NAFLD, and treated with tomatidine via intraperitoneal injection. In vitro, FL83B hepatocytes were incubated with oleic acid and treated with tomatidine to evaluate lipid metabolism. Our results demonstrate that tomatidine significantly decreases body weight and fat weight compared to HFD-fed mice. In addition, tomatidine decreased hepatic lipid accumulation and improved hepatocyte steatosis in HFD-induced obese mice. We also found that tomatidine significantly regulated serum total cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, low-density lipoprotein, and triglyceride levels, but the serum high-density lipoprotein and adiponectin concentrations were higher than in the HFD-fed obese mice. In vivo and in vitro, tomatidine significantly suppressed the expression of fatty acid synthase and transcription factors involved in lipogenesis, and increased the expression of adipose triglyceride lipase. Tomatidine promoted the sirtuin 1 (sirt1)/AMPK signaling pathway to increase lipolysis and β-oxidation in fatty liver cells. These findings suggest that tomatidine potentially ameliorates obesity and acts against hepatic steatosis by regulating lipogenesis and the sirt1/AMPK pathway.

The signaling pathways and targets of traditional Chinese medicine and natural medicine in triple-negative breast cancer

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has a poorer prognosis than other subtypes due to its strong invasion and higher risk of distant metastasis. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and natural medicine have the unique advantages of multitargets and small side-effects and may be used as long-term complementary and alternative therapies.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

The present article summarizes the classical signaling pathways and potential targets by the action of TCM and natural medicine (including extracts, active constituents and formulas) on TNBC and provides evidence for its clinical efficacy.

METHODS

The literature information was acquired from the scientific databases PubMed, Web of Science and CNKI from January 2010 to June 2020, and it was designed to elucidate the internal mechanism and role of TCM and natural medicine in the treatment of TNBC. The search key words included "Triple negative breast cancer" or "triple negative breast carcinoma", "TNBC" and "traditional Chinese medicine" or "Chinese herbal medicine", "medicinal plant", "natural plant", and "herb".

RESULTS

We described the antitumor activity of TCM and natural medicine in TNBC based on different signaling pathways. Plant medicine and herbal formulas regulated the related gene and protein expression via pathways such as PI3K/AKT/mTOR, MAPK and Wnt/β-catenin, which inhibit the growth, proliferation, migration, invasion and metastasis of TNBC cells.

CONCLUSION

The inhibitory effect of TCM and natural medicine on tumors was reflected in multiple levels and multiple pathways, providing reasonable evidence for new drug development. To make TCM and natural medicine widely and flexibly used in clinical practice, the efficacy, safety and mechanism of action need more in-depth experimental research.

ERK Activation-Mediated Autophagy Induction Resists Licochalcone A-Induced Anticancer Activities in Lung Cancer Cells in vitro

Introduction

The incidence and mortality rates of lung cancer rank top in the different types of cancers in China. Licochalcone A (LA) is a flavonoid extracted from the roots of licorice with antitumor effects in various cancers in vitro and in vivo. However, the role of LA in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains largely unclear.

Methods

The cell viability was measured by MTT assay, Edu staining and colony formation assay. Apoptosis was investigated using Annexin V/PI double-stained assays with flow cytometry. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR was carried out to investigate the expression of mRNA of related proteins. Western blotting was used to investigate the expression of related proteins.

Results

The results show that LA inhibits the proliferation of NSCLC cells in a dose-dependent manner and induces apoptotic cell death. Moreover, LA significantly suppresses the expression of c-IAP1, c-IAP2, XIAP, Survivin, c-FLIP_L and RIP1 without influencing the level of mRNA. Cycloheximide chase assay demonstrates that LA greatly decreases the stability of Survivin, XIAP and RIP1. Mechanistic studies indicate that LA induces cytoprotective autophagy since block of autophagy with CQ greatly enhances LA-induced anticancer activities. Furthermore, LA rapidly induces ERK and p38 activation in a time-dependent manner in both A549 and H460 cells, but suppresses the activities of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK); suppression of ERK not p38 with inhibitor attenuates LA-induced autophagy, while it remarkably enhances LA-induced cytotoxicity in lung cancer cells and further promotes the degradation of apoptosis-related proteins.

Discussion

The results of this study provide novel insights on the role of apoptosis-related proteins and the MAPKs pathway in the anticancer activities of LA.

Licochalcone A is a Natural Selective Inhibitor of Arginine Methyltransferase 6

Arginine methylation is a post-translational modification that is implicated in multiple biological functions including transcriptional regulation. The expression of protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMT) has been shown to be upregulated in various cancers. PRMTs have emerged as attractive targets for the development of new cancer therapies. Here, we describe the identification of a natural compound, licochalcone A, as a novel, reversible and selective inhibitor of PRMT6. Since expression of PRMT6 is upregulated in human breast cancers and is associated with oncogenesis, we used the human breast cancer cell line system to study the effect of licochalcone A treatment on PRMT6 activity, cell viability, cell cycle, and apoptosis. We demonstrated that licochalcone A is a non-S-adenosyl L-methionine (SAM) binding site competitive inhibitor of PRMT6. In MCF-7 cells, it inhibited PRMT6-dependent methylation of histone H3 at arginine 2 (H3R2), which resulted in a significant repression of estrogen receptor activity. Licochalcone A exhibited cytotoxicity towards human MCF-7 breast cancer cells, but not MCF-10A human breast epithelial cells, by upregulating p53 expression and blocking cell cycle progression at G2/M, followed by apoptosis. Thus, licochalcone A has potential for further development as a therapeutic agent against breast cancer.

Luteolin Attenuates IL-1β-Induced THP-1 Adhesion to ARPE-19 Cells via Suppression of NF-κB and MAPK Pathways

Cytokine-induced endothelial dysfunction leads to inflammation and vascular adhesion molecule production in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells. Inflammation is a critical mediator in retinal degeneration (RD) diseases, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and RD progression may be prevented through anti-inflammatory activity in RPE cells. The flavonoid polyphenol luteolin (LU) has anti-inflammatory and antidiabetes activities, but its effects regarding retinal protection remain unknown. Here, we examined the ability of luteolin to alleviate markers of inflammation related to RD in cytokine-primed APPE-19 cells. We found that luteolin decreased the levels of interleukin- (IL-) 6, IL-8, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and attenuated adherence of the human monocytic leukemia cell line THP-1 to IL-1β-stimulated ARPE-19 cells. Luteolin also increased anti-inflammatory protein heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) levels. Interestingly, luteolin induced protein kinase B (AKT) phosphorylation, thus inhibiting nuclear factor- (NF-) κB transfer from cytoplasm into the nucleus and suppressing mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inflammatory pathways. Furthermore, cotreatment with MAPK inhibitors and luteolin decreased inflammatory cytokine and chemokine levels, and further suppressed THP-1 adhesion. Overall, these results provide evidence that luteolin protects ARPE-19 cells from IL-1β-stimulated increases of IL-6, IL-8, sICAM-1, and MCP-1 production by blocking the activation of MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways, thus ameliorating the inflammatory response.

Participation of MicroRNAs in the Treatment of Cancer with Phytochemicals

Cancer is a global health concern and one of the main causes of disease-related death. Even with considerable progress in investigations on cancer therapy, effective anti-cancer agents and regimens have thus far been insufficient. There has been compelling evidence that natural phytochemicals and their derivatives have potent anti-cancer activities. Plant-based anti-cancer agents, such as etoposide, irinotecan, paclitaxel, and vincristine, are currently being applied in medical treatments for patients with cancer. Further, the efficacy of plenty of phytochemicals has been evaluated to discover a promising candidate for cancer therapy. For developing more effective cancer therapy, it is required to apprehend the molecular mechanism deployed by natural compounds. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been realized to play a pivotal role in regulating cellular signaling pathways, affecting the efficacy of therapeutic agents in cancer. This review presents a feature of phytochemicals with anti-cancer activity, focusing mainly on the relationship between phytochemicals and miRNAs, with insights into the role of miRNAs as the mediators and the regulators of anti-cancer effects of phytochemicals.

Echinatin suppresses esophageal cancer tumor growth and invasion through inducing AKT/mTOR-dependent autophagy and apoptosis

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors with poor survival. It is urgent to search for new efficient drugs with good stability and safety for clinical therapy. This study aims to identify potential anticancer drugs from a compound library consisting of 429 natural products. Echinatin, a compound isolated from the Chinese herb Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch, was found to markedly induce apoptosis and inhibit proliferation and colony-formation ability in ESCC. Confocal fluorescence microscopy data showed that echinatin significantly induced autophagy in ESCC cells, and autophagy inhibitor bafilomycinA1 attenuated the suppressive effects of echinatin on cell viability and apoptosis. Mechanistically, RNA sequencing coupled with bioinformatics analysis and a series of functional assays revealed that echinatin induced apoptosis and autophagy through inactivation of AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, whereas constitutive activation of AKT significantly abrogated these effects. Furthermore, we demonstrated that echinatin had a significant antitumor effect in the tumor xenograft model and markedly suppressed cell migration and invasion abilities of ESCC cells in a dose-dependent manner. Our findings provide the first evidence that echinatin could be a novel therapeutic strategy for treating ESCC.

Pivarubicin Is More Effective Than Doxorubicin Against Triple-Negative Breast Cancer In Vivo

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is unresponsive to antiestrogen and anti-HER2 therapies, requiring the use of cytotoxic drug combinations of anthracyclines, taxanes, cyclophosphamide, and platinum compounds. Multidrug therapies achieve pathological cure rates of only 20–40%, a consequence of drug resistance and cumulative dose limitations necessitated by the reversible cardiotoxic effects of drug therapy. Safer and more effective treatments for TNBC are required to achieve durable therapeutic responses. This study describes the mechanistic analyses of the novel anthracycline, pivarubicin, and its in vivo efficacy against human primary TNBC. Pivarubicin directly activates PKCd, triggers rapid mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis, and circumvents resistance conferred by overexpression of P-glycoprotein, Bcl-2, Bcl-X_L, and Bcr-Abl. As a consequence, pivarubicin is more cytotoxic than doxorubicin against MDA-MB-231, and SUM159 TNBC cell lines grown in both monolayer culture and tumorspheres. Comparative in vivo efficacy of pivarubicin and doxorubicin was performed in an orthotopic NSG mouse model implanted with MDA-MB-231 human TNBC cells and treated with the maximum tolerated doses (MTDs) of pivarubicin and doxorubicin. Tumor growth was monitored by digital caliper measurements and determination of endpoint tumor weight and volume. Endpoint cardiotoxicity was assessed histologically by identifying microvacuolization in ventricular cardiomyocytes. Primary tumors treated with multiple rounds of doxorubicin at MTD failed to inhibit tumor growth compared with vehicle-treated tumors. However, administration of a single MTD of pivarubicin produced significant inhibition of tumor growth and tumor regression relative to tumor volume prior to initiation of treatment. Histological analysis of hearts excised from drug- and vehicle-treated mice revealed that pivarubicin produced no evidence of myocardial damage at a therapeutic dose. These results support the development of pivarubicin as a safer and more effective replacement for doxorubicin against TNBC as well as other malignancies for which doxorubicin therapy is indicated.

Licochalcone A-Induced Apoptosis Through the Activation of p38MAPK Pathway Mediated Mitochondrial Pathways of Apoptosis in Human Osteosarcoma Cells In Vitro and In Vivo

BACKGROUND

Licochalcone A (LicA) is isolated from the roots of Glycyrrhiza glabra and possesses antitumor and anti-invasive activities against several tumor cells. However, the antitumor effects of LicA on human osteosarcoma cells have yet to be demonstrated either in vitro or in vivo.

METHODS

Cell viability was measured by MTT assay. Apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction were detected with Annexin V/PI staining and JC-1 staining by flow cytometry. The expressions of caspase- or mitochondrial-related proteins were demonstrated by western blotting. Antitumor effect of LicA on 143B xenograft mice in vivo.

RESULTS

LicA could inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in human osteosarcoma cells, as evidenced by a decrease in cell viability, loss of mitochondrial membrane potentials, and activation of caspases. LicA treatment substantially reduced the expression of Bcl-2 and Mcl-1 and increased the expression of cleaved-caspase-3, cleaved-caspase-9, cleaved-PARP, and Bax in HOS and U2OS cells. Moreover, mitochondrial membrane potential and apoptosis suppression mediated by Z-VAD or tauroursodeoxycholic acid significantly reduced LicA-induced mitochondria-dependent apoptosis. The study also determined that LicA treatment induced p38MAPK phosphorylation, but siRNA-p38 or BIRB796 substantially reversed cell viability through the inhibition of mitochondria-dependent apoptosis pathways. Finally, an in vivo study revealed that LicA significantly inhibited 143B xenograft tumor growth.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings demonstrate that LicA has antitumor activities against human osteosarcoma cells through p38MAPK regulation of mitochondria-mediated intrinsic apoptotic pathways in vitro and in vivo.

Anti-Proliferative and Pro-Apoptotic Effects of Licochalcone A through ROS-Mediated Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis in Human Bladder Cancer Cells

Licochalcone A (LCA) is a chalcone that is predominantly found in the root of Glycyrrhiza species, which is widely used as an herbal medicine. Although previous studies have reported that LCA has a wide range of pharmacological effects, evidence for the underlying molecular mechanism of its anti-cancer efficacy is still lacking. In this study, we investigated the anti-proliferative effect of LCA on human bladder cancer cells, and found that LCA induced cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase and apoptotic cell death. Our data showed that LCA inhibited the expression of cyclin A, cyclin B1, and Wee1, but increased the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) inhibitor p21WAF1/CIP1, and increased p21 was bound to Cdc2 and Cdk2. LCA activated caspase-8 and -9, which are involved in the initiation of extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis pathways, respectively, and also increased caspase-3 activity, a typical effect caspase, subsequently leading to poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage. Additionally, LCA increased the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and reduced the integrity of mitochondria, which contributed to the discharge of cytochrome c from the mitochondria to the cytoplasm. Moreover, LCA enhanced the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS); however, the interruption of ROS generation using ROS scavenger led to escape from LCA-mediated G2/M arrest and apoptosis. Collectively, the present data indicate that LCA can inhibit the proliferation of human bladder cancer cells by inducing ROS-dependent G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis.

Maslinic acid protects against obesity-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in mice through regulation of the Sirt1/AMPK signaling pathway

Maslinic acid is a pentacyclic triterpenoid that is distributed in the peel of olives. Previous studies found that maslinic acid inhibited inflammatory response and antioxidant effects. We investigated whether maslinic acid ameliorates nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in mice with high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced obesity and evaluated the regulation of lipogenesis in hepatocytes. Male C57BL/6 mice fed a normal diet or HFD (60% fat, w/w) were tested for 16 wk. After the fourth week, mice were injected intraperitoneally with maslinic acid for 12 wk. In another experiment, HepG2 cells were treated with oleic acid to induce lipid accumulation or maslinic acid to evaluate lipogenesis. Maslinic acid significantly reduced body weight compared with HFD-fed mice. Maslinic acid reduced liver weight and liver lipid accumulation and improved hepatocyte steatosis. Furthermore, serum glucose, leptin, and free fatty acid concentrations significantly reduced, but the serum adiponectin concentration was higher, in the maslinic acid group than in the HFD group. In liver tissue, maslinic acid suppressed transcription factors involved in lipogenesis and increased adipose triglyceride lipase. In vitro, maslinic acid decreased lipogenesis by activating AMPK. These findings suggest that maslinic acid acts against hepatic steatosis by regulating enzyme activity involved in lipogenesis, lipolysis, and fatty acid oxidation in the liver.-Liou, C.-J., Dai, Y.-W., Wang, C.-L., Fang, L.-W., Huang, W.-C. Maslinic acid protects against obesity-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in mice through regulation of the Sirt1/AMPK signaling pathway.

Protective Effects of Licochalcone A Improve Airway Hyper-Responsiveness and Oxidative Stress in a Mouse Model of Asthma

Licochalcone A was isolated from Glycyrrhiza uralensis and previously reported to have antitumor and anti-inflammatory effects. Licochalcone A has also been found to inhibit the levels of Th2-associated cytokines in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of asthmatic mice. However, the molecular mechanism underlying airway inflammation and how licochalcone A regulates oxidative stress in asthmatic mice are elusive. In this study, we investigated whether licochalcone A could attenuate inflammatory and oxidative responses in tracheal epithelial cells, and whether it could ameliorate oxidative stress and airway inflammation in asthmatic mice. Inflammatory human tracheal epithelial (BEAS-2B) cells were treated with licochalcone A to evaluate oxidative responses and inflammatory cytokine levels. In addition, BALB/c mice were sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) and injected intraperitoneally with licochalcone A (5 or 10 mg/kg). Licochalcone A significantly inhibited reactive oxygen species, eotaxin, and proinflammatory cytokines in BEAS-2B cells. Licochalcone A also decreased intercellular adhesion molecule 1 levels in inflammatory BEAS-2B cells, blocking monocyte cell adherence. We also found that licochalcone A significantly decreased oxidative responses, reduced malondialdehyde levels, and increased glutathione levels in the lungs of OVA-sensitized mice. Furthermore, licochalcone A decreased airway hyper-responsiveness, eosinophil infiltration, and Th2 cytokine production in the BALF. These findings suggest that licochalcone A alleviates oxidative stress, inflammation, and pathological changes by inhibiting Th2-associated cytokines in asthmatic mice and human tracheal epithelial cells. Thus, licochalcone A demonstrated therapeutic potential for improving asthma.

Protective Effects of Licochalcone A Ameliorates Obesity and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Via Promotion of the Sirt-1/AMPK Pathway in Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet

Licochalcone A is a chalcone isolated from Glycyrrhiza uralensis. It showed anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory properties in mice with acute lung injuries and regulated lipid metabolism through the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in hepatocytes. However, the effects of licochalcone A on reducing weight gain and improving nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are unclear. Thus, the present study investigated whether licochalcone A ameliorated weight loss and lipid metabolism in the liver of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice. Male C57BL/6 mice were fed an HFD to induce obesity and NAFLD, and then were injected intraperitoneally with licochalcone A. In another experiment, a fatty liver cell model was established by incubating HepG2 hepatocytes with oleic acid and treating the cells with licochalcone A to evaluate lipid metabolism. Our results demonstrated that HFD-induced obese mice treated with licochalcone A had decreased body weight as well as inguinal and epididymal adipose tissue weights compared with HFD-treated mice. Licochalcone A also ameliorated hepatocyte steatosis and decreased liver tissue weight and lipid droplet accumulation in liver tissue. We also found that licochalcone A significantly regulated serum triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, and free fatty acids, and decreased the fasting blood glucose value. Furthermore, in vivo and in vitro, licochalcone A significantly decreased expression of the transcription factor of lipogenesis and fatty acid synthase. Licochalcone A activated the sirt-1/AMPK pathway to reduce fatty acid chain synthesis and increased lipolysis and β-oxidation in hepatocytes. Licochalcone A can potentially ameliorate obesity and NAFLD in mice via activation of the sirt1/AMPK pathway.