A Bioactive Compound from Sanguisorba officinalis L. Inhibits Cell Proliferation and Induces Cell Death in 5-Fluorouracil-Sensitive/Resistant Colorectal Cancer Cells

Prognosis and Novel Drug Targets for Key lncRNAs of Epigenetic Modification in Colorectal Cancer

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) has been the 3rd most commonly malignant tumor of the gastrointestinal tract in the world. 5-Methylcytosine (m⁵C) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have an essential role in predicting the prognosis and immune response for CRC patients. Therefore, we built a m⁵C-related lncRNA (m⁵CRlncRNA) model to investigate the prognosis and treatment methods for CRC patients.

Methods

Firstly, we secured the transcriptome and clinical data for CRC from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Then, m⁵CRlncRNAs were recognized by coexpression analysis. Then, univariate Cox, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and multivariate Cox regression analyses were utilized to build m⁵C-related prognostic characteristics. Besides, Kaplan-Meier analysis, ROC, PCA, C-index, enrichment analysis, and nomogram were performed to investigate the model. Additionally, immunotherapy responses and antitumor medicines were explored for CRC patients.

Results

A total of 8 m⁵C-related lncRNAs (AC093157.1, LINC00513, AC025171.4, AC090948.2, ZEB1-AS1, AC109449.1, AC009041.3, and LINC02516) were adopted to construct a risk model to investigate survival and prognosis for CRC patients. CRC samples were separated into low- and high-risk groups, with the latter having a worse prognosis. The m⁵C-related lncRNA model helps us to better distinguish immunotherapy responses and IC50 of antitumor medicines in different groups of CRC patients.

Conclusion

The research may give new perspectives on tailored therapy approaches as well as novel theories for forecasting the prognosis of CRC patients.

Focusing on the Role of Natural Products in Overcoming Cancer Drug Resistance: An Autophagy-Based Perspective

Autophagy is a critical cellular adaptive response in tumor formation. Nutritional deficiency and hypoxia exacerbate autophagic flux in established malignancies, promoting tumor cell proliferation, migration, metastasis, and resistance to therapeutic interventions. Pro-survival autophagy inhibition may be a promising treatment option for advanced cancer. Furthermore, excessive or persistent autophagy is cytotoxic, resulting in tumor cell death. Targeted autophagy activation has also shown significant promise in the fight against tumor drug resistance. Several research groups have examined the ability of natural products (NPs) such as alkaloids, terpenoids, polyphenols, and anthraquinones to serve as autophagy inhibitors or activators. The data support the capacity of NPs that promote lethal autophagy or inhibit pro-survival autophagy from being employed against tumor drug resistance. This paper discusses the potential applications of NPs that regulate autophagy in the fight against tumor drug resistance, some limitations of the current studies, and future research needs and priorities.

Simultaneous Determination and Pharmacokinetics Study of Three Triterpenes from Sanguisorba officinalis L. in Rats by UHPLC–MS/MS

A selective and rapid ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC–MS/MS) method was established and validated for the determination of ziyuglycoside I, 3β,19α-dihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic-acid 28-β-d-glucopyranosyl ester, and pomolic acid in rats after the oral administration of ziyuglycoside I, 3β,19α-dihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic-acid 28-β-d-glucopyranosyl ester, pomolic acid, and Sanguisorba officinalis L. extract. The separation was carried out on an ACQUITY UPLC^®HSS T₃ column (2.1 mm × 100 mm, 1.8 μm), using methanol and 5 mmol/L ammonium acetate water as the mobile phase. The three compounds were quantified using the multiple reaction monitoring mode with the electrospray ion source in both the positive and negative mode. Liquid-liquid extraction was applied to the plasma sample preparation. Bifendate was selected as the internal standard. The intra-day and inter-day precision and the accuracy of the method were all within receivable ranges. The lower limit of quantification of ziyuglycoside I, 3β,19α-dihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic-acid 28-β-d-glucopyranosyl ester, and pomolic acid were 6.50, 5.75, and 2.63 ng/mL, respectively. The extraction recoveries of analytes in rat plasma ranged from 83 to 94%. The three components could be rapidly absorbed into the blood (T_max, 1.4–1.6 h) both in the single-administration group or S. officinalis extract group, but the first peak of PA occurred at 0.5 h and the second peak at 4–5 h in the S. officinalis extract. Three compounds were eliminated relatively slowly (t_1/2, 7.3–11 h). The research was to establish a rapid, sensible, and sensitive UHPLC–MS/MS method using the multi-ion mode for multi-channel simultaneous mensuration pharmacokinetics parameters of three compounds in rats after oral administration of S. officinalis extract. This study found, for the first time, differences in the pharmacokinetic parameters of the three compounds in the monomer compounds and S. officinalis extract administration, which preliminarily revealed the transformation and metabolism of the three compounds in vivo.

Wnt signaling in colorectal cancer: pathogenic role and therapeutic target

Background

The Wnt signaling pathway is a complex network of protein interactions that functions most commonly in embryonic development and cancer, but is also involved in normal physiological processes in adults. The canonical Wnt signaling pathway regulates cell pluripotency and determines the differentiation fate of cells during development. The canonical Wnt signaling pathway (also known as the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway) is a recognized driver of colon cancer and one of the most representative signaling pathways. As a functional effector molecule of Wnt signaling, the modification and degradation of β-catenin are key events in the Wnt signaling pathway and the development and progression of colon cancer. Therefore, the Wnt signaling pathway plays an important role in the pathogenesis of diseases, especially the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC).

Objective

Inhibit the Wnt signaling pathway to explore the therapeutic targets of colorectal cancer.

Methods

Based on studying the Wnt pathway, master the biochemical processes related to the Wnt pathway, and analyze the relevant targets when drugs or inhibitors act on the Wnt pathway, to clarify the medication ideas of drugs or inhibitors for the treatment of diseases, especially colorectal cancer.

Results

Wnt signaling pathways include: Wnt/β-catenin or canonical Wnt signaling pathway, planar cell polarity (Wnt-PCP) pathway and Wnt-Ca²⁺ signaling pathway. The Wnt signaling pathway is closely related to cancer cell proliferation, stemness, apoptosis, autophagy, metabolism, inflammation and immunization, microenvironment, resistance, ion channel, heterogeneity, EMT/migration/invasion/metastasis. Drugs/phytochemicals and molecular preparations for the Wnt pathway of CRC treatment have now been developed. Wnt inhibitors are also commonly used clinically for the treatment of CRC.

Conclusion

The development of drugs/phytochemicals and molecular inhibitors targeting the Wnt pathway can effectively treat colorectal cancer clinically.

Network Pharmacology and Transcriptomic Sequencing Analyses Reveal the Molecular Mechanism of Sanguisorba officinalis Against Colorectal Cancer

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most common malignant cancer worldwide. Sanguisorba officinalis has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, antioxidant, and anti-tumor effects, while its molecular mechanism against CRC remains unclear. The aim of this study is to explore the underlying mechanism of S. officinalis against CRC cell lines using network pharmacology and transcriptomic sequencing methods.

Method

Firstly, the active ingredients and potential targets of S. officinalis against CRC were screened from databases. Secondly, the networks of ingredient–target, ingredient–target–CRC and protein–protein interaction were constructed. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses of network pharmacology and transcriptomic sequencing were performed. Finally, the effect of S. officinalis against CRC was verified by in vitro experiments.

Results

In total, 14 active ingredients and 273 potential targets against CRC were identified in S. officinalis by network pharmacology. PI3K–Akt, HIF-1, and MAPK signaling pathways related to cell proliferation were regulated by S. officinalis in enrichment analyses and transcriptomic sequencing. In vitro, S. officinalis inhibited the proliferation and migration of CRC cells and arrested the cell cycle at the G0–G1 phase. The western blot showed that S. officinalis downregulated the expression of p-PI3K, p-Akt, HIF-1A, VEGFA, cyclin D1, c-Myc, and p-MAPK proteins in CRC cells.

Conclusion

In conclusion, network pharmacology and transcriptomic sequencing analyses, in combination with in vitro studies, have been successfully applied to study the underlying mechanism of S. officinalis against CRC cells. Our results demonstrate that S. officinalis suppresses the proliferation, survival, and migration of CRC cells through regulating the PI3K–Akt, HIF-1, and MAPK signaling pathways.

Wound-Healing Potential of Rhoifolin-Rich Fraction Isolated from Sanguisorba officinalis Roots Supported by Enhancing Re-Epithelization, Angiogenesis, Anti-Inflammatory, and Antimicrobial Effects

A wound is a complicated bioprocess resulting in significant tissue damage, which is worsened by a secondary bacterial infection, commonly Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. The goal of our study was to investigate the metabolic profile and possible wound-healing effect of Sanguisorba officinalis roots rhoifolin rich fraction (RRF). The LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis of S. officinalis roots crude ethanol extract resulted in a tentative identification of 56 bioactive metabolites, while a major flavonoid fraction was isolated by column chromatography and identified by thin-layer chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry (TLC-ESI/MS), where rhoifolin was the major component representing 94.5% of its content. The antibiofilm activity of RRF on the mono-species and dual-species biofilm of P. aeruginosa and S. aureus was investigated. RRF exhibited inhibitory activity on P. aeruginosa and S. aureus mono-species biofilm at 2× minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and 4× MIC values. It also significantly inhibited the dual-species biofilm at 4× MIC values. Moreover, the wound-healing characteristics of RRF gel formulation were investigated. Rats were randomly allocated into four groups (eight rats in each): Untreated control; Blank gel; Betadine cream, and RRF gel groups. Animals were anesthetized, and full-thickness excisional skin wounds were created on the shaved area in the dorsal skin. The gels were topically applied to the wound’s surface daily for 10 days. The results demonstrated that RRF had a promising wound-healing effect by up-regulating the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), and fibronectin, while metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1β, and nitric oxide (NO) levels were suppressed. It also enhanced the immune staining of transforming growth factor (TGF-β) and improved histopathological findings. Furthermore, it displayed an immunomodulatory action on lipopolysaccharide-induced peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Hence, the wound-healing effect of rhoifolin was confirmed by supporting re-epithelization, angiogenesis, antibacterial, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory activities.