Effects of tatariside G isolated from Fagopyrum tataricum roots on apoptosis in human cervical cancer HeLa cells

Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn interacts with Gsk-3β/Nrf-2 signalling to protect neurotoxicity in a zebrafish model

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn is used as a folk medicine in many Asian countries due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and several other health-promoting properties. It is also prescribed to improve neurocognitive functions and alleviate inflammatory conditions.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Oxidative stress and neuroinflammation plays a crucial role in neurodegenerative conditions. Hence, based on the ethnomedical claims and available literature, the present study investigated neuroprotective efficacy of a seed extract (ft-ext) of Fagopyrum tataricum against acrylamide (ACR)-induced neurotoxicity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The phytochemical characterization of ft-ext was performed by a high-performance liquid chromatography method. Molecular interactions of the identified compounds of ft-ext were studied using an in-silico docking tool. An in-vitro protein denaturation assay was done to check anti-inflammatory activity. The 5 days' post-fertilized zebrafish larvae were exposed to 1 mM and 2.5 mM ACR with or without ft-ext for 72 h to study its neuroprotective efficacy. Real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting studies were performed to analyse the oxidative stress-related gene and protein expressions respectively.

RESULTS

The extract showed the presence of chlorogenic acid, rutin, caffeic acid, vitexin, syringic acid, quercetin, p-coumaric acid, kaempferol, and ferulic acid. In-vitro protein denaturation assay of ft-ext showed a potent anti-inflammatory effect. The ft-ext improved ACR-mediated locomotor deficit and reduced overall mortality in the larvae. The brain lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation results revealed an elevated level of oxidative stress in the ACR-treated group, which was reduced in ft-ext-treated larvae. The extract treatment increased the expression of nrf2, gpx, and hmox1a, while simultaneously downregulated trxr2 levels in the brain of larvae exposed to ACR. The treatment also showed inactivation of Gsk-3β, thus maintaining a normal pool of Nrf2 and β-catenin. Molecular docking of identified compounds of ft-ext showed possible hydrogen and hydrophobic interactions with Gsk-3β.

CONCLUSION

The ft-ext prevents ACR-mediated neurotoxicity by suppressing Gsk-3β mediated oxidative stress.

The Cyr61 Is a Potential Target for Rotundifuran, a Natural Labdane-Type Diterpene from Vitex trifolia L., to Trigger Apoptosis of Cervical Cancer Cells

Cervical cancer is a common female malignant tumor that seriously threatens human health. This study explored the anticervical cancer effects and potential mechanisms of Rotundifuran (RTF), a natural product isolated from Vitex trifolia L. In this study, we found that RTF can suppress the proliferation of cervical cancer cell lines, including HeLa and SiHa cells (with the IC₅₀ less than 10 μM), via induction of apoptosis in vitro, and the antitumor effect of RTF is further confirmed on the HeLa cell-inoculated xenograft model. In addition, our results proved that the antitumor effects of RTF might be related with the reactive oxygen species- (ROS-) induced mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis through MAPK and PI3K/Akt signal pathways. Using proteomics analysis and the drug affinity responsive target stability- (DARTS-) combined mass spectrometry (DARTS-MS), Cyr61 was indicated as a potential target for RTF in cervical cancer cells. Our present study would be beneficial for the development of RTF as a candidate for treatment of cervical cancer in the future.

Anticancer and cytotoxic effects of troxerutin on HeLa cell line: an in-vitro model of cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is one of the grave uterine tumors which leads to death in women worldwide. Troxerutin (TRX) as a bioflavonoid compound has many pharmacological effects such as anti-neoplastic, radioprotective, and anti-cancer. The present study was designed to examine the cytotoxic effect of TRX on human HeLa tumor cells. Human HeLa cells were cultured and treated with different doses of TRX (20-640 mg/ml) to evaluate the effective half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) after 24 h. MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) test was used for cell proliferation assay. Also, the Bax, Bcl-2, cleaved caspase-3, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) protein expression levels were detected with immunoblotting analysis. The malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity levels were measured via their commercial kits. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA. The result showed that TRX at 320 mg/ml concentration (IC₅₀) has a growth inhibitory effect against HeLa cells at 24 h treatment (P ˂ 0.01). Moreover, it increased the MDA concentration and also decreased the GPx and SOD activity levels at 320 mg/ml concentration versus control (P < 0.001). Also, TRX significantly up-regulated the Bax, cleaved caspase-3 and TNF-α proteins expression levels (P  <  0.01) and down-regulated the Bcl-2 protein expression in HeLa tumor cells at 320 mg/ml concentration compared to control (P < 0.05). Our study showed that 24 h of treatment with TRX (320 mg/ml) has apoptotic and growth inhibitory effects against HeLa cells. It can induce inflammation (at least via up-regulating the TNF-α protein expression) and oxidative stress in human HeLa cells.

Molecular mechanisms of ampelopsin from Ampelopsis megalophylla induces apoptosis in HeLa cells

Ampelopsin (AMP) is an active ingredient of flavonoid compounds that is extracted from Ampelopsis megalophylla Diels et Gilg. The present study aimed at investigating the antitumor activities of AMP and the possible underlying molecular mechanisms in HeLa cells. A total of three types of tumor cell were selected to screen antitumor activities for AMP using the MTT assay. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the cell apoptotic proportion and the cell cycle. Rhodamine 123 staining was used to determine changes in mitochondrial transmembrane potential. Western blot analysis was used to determine the expression of apoptosis-associated proteins. The results of the present study demonstrated that AMP may inhibit the viability of HeLa cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Changes in morphology were observed using fluorescence microscopy. In addition, Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide (PI) double staining revealed that AMP induced apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner and PI staining indicated that HeLa cells were arrested in S phase. Furthermore, western blot analysis demonstrated that AMP treatment induced apoptosis through activation of caspases 9 and 3, which was validated by the increasing ratio of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2)-associated X protein to Bcl-2. Additionally, the loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential and the release of cytochrome c suggested that AMP-induced apoptosis was associated with the mitochondrial pathway. Taken together, these results indicate that AMP may induce apoptosis via the mitochondrial signaling pathway in HeLa cells.

Development of Certain Protein Kinase Inhibitors with the Components from Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) have been used in China for more than two thousand years, and some of them have been confirmed to be effective in cancer treatment. Protein kinases play critical roles in control of cell growth, proliferation, migration, survival, and angiogenesis and mediate their biological effects through their catalytic activity. In recent years, numerous protein kinase inhibitors have been developed and are being used clinically. Anticancer TCMs represent a large class of bioactive substances, and some of them display anticancer activity via inhibiting protein kinases to affect the phosphoinositide 3-kinase, serine/threonine-specific protein kinases, pechanistic target of rapamycin (PI3K/AKT/mTOR), P38, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) pathways. In the present article, we comprehensively reviewed several components isolated from anticancer TCMs that exhibited significantly inhibitory activity toward a range of protein kinases. These components, which belong to diverse structural classes, are reviewed herein, based upon the kinases that they inhibit. The prospects and problems in development of the anticancer TCMs are also discussed.

Coevolution between Cancer Activities and Food Structure of Human Being from Southwest China

Yunnan and Tibet are the lowest cancer mortality and the largest producer for anticancer crops (brown rice, barley, buckwheat, tea, walnut, mushrooms, and so forth). Shanghai and Jiangsu province in China have the highest mortality of cancers, which are associated with the sharp decline of barley.

Buckwheat as a Functional Food and Its Effects on Health

Buckwheat (BW) is a gluten-free pseudocereal that belongs to the Polygonaceae family. BW grain is a highly nutritional food component that has been shown to provide a wide range of beneficial effects. Health benefits attributed to BW include plasma cholesterol level reduction, neuroprotection, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic effects, and improvement of hypertension conditions. In addition, BW has been reported to possess prebiotic and antioxidant activities. In vitro and animal studies suggest that BW's bioactive compounds, such as D-chiro-inositol (DCI), BW proteins (BWP), and BW flavonoids (mainly rutin and quercetin) may be partially responsible for the observed effects. The purpose of this paper is to review the recent research regarding the health benefits of BW, in vitro and in vivo, focusing on the specific role of its bioactive compounds and on the mechanisms by which these effects are exerted.

Antitumor activity of tatariside F isolated from roots of Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn against H22 hepatocellular carcinoma via up-regulation of p53

BACKGROUND

Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn is a famous drinking food and herbal medicine in China, and have been commonly used for treating various diseases.

PURPOSE

This study was designed to investigate the antitumor effect of tatariside F (TF) isolated from the roots of F. tataricum against H22 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in vitro and in vivo and explore the possible mechanisms.

METHODS

In our present study, the anti-proliferative effect of TF against H22 cells was evaluated by MTT method. Furthermore, a mice xenograft model was established to investigate the antitumor effect of TF on HCC in vivo, and the possible mechanisms were determined by western blot and fluorescence polarization binding assay. In addition, the protective effect of TF on liver was also investigated by examining the histopathological changes and determining the liver biochemical parameters.

RESULTS

Our results demonstrated that TF possessed notable antitumor effect against HCC both in vivo and in vitro, and the possible mechanism might be related to up-regulation of the protein expressions of Bax and p53, and down-regulation of Bcl-2. What's more, TF also exhibited protective effects against CTX (cyclophosphamide)-induced liver damages when co-administrated with CTX.

CONCLUSION

Our study suggested that TF possess notable antitumor effects against HCC and might play a favorable role in drug combination therapy against tumors with protective effect on liver.