Potential Anticancer Activity of the Furanocoumarin Derivative Xanthotoxin Isolated from Ammi majus L. Fruits: In Vitro and In Silico Studies

Sitagliptin synergizes 5-fluorouracil efficacy in colon cancer cells through MDR1-mediated flux impairment and down regulation of NFκB2 and p-AKT survival proteins

5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is an inexpensive treatment for colon cancer; however, its efficacy is limited by chemoresistance. This study investigates the combination therapy approach of 5-FU with Sitagliptin (Sita), a diabetic drug with potential cancer-modulating effects. The combination was evaluated in vitro and in silico, focusing on the effects of Sita and 5-FU on colon cancer cells. The results showed that the addition of Sita significantly decreased the IC50 of 5-FU compared to 5-Fu monotherapy. The study also found that Sita and 5-FU interact synergistically, with a combination index below 1. Sita successfully lowered the 5-FU dosage reduction index, decreasing the expression of MDR1 mRNA and p-AKT and NFκB2 subunits p100/p52 protein. Molecular docking analyses confirmed Sita's antagonistic action on MDR1 and thymidylate synthase proteins. The study concludes that sitagliptin can target MDR1, increase apoptosis, and significantly reduce the expression of p-AKT and NFκB2 cell-survival proteins. These effects sensitize colon cancer cells to 5-FU. Repurposing sitagliptin may enhance the anticancer effects of 5-FU at lower dosages.

Liver cancer wars: plant-derived polyphenols strike back

Liver cancer currently represents the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. The majority of liver cancer arises in the context of chronic inflammation and cirrhosis. Surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy have been the guideline-recommended treatment options for decades. Despite enormous advances in the field of liver cancer therapy, an effective cure is yet to be found. Plant-derived polyphenols constitute a large family of phytochemicals, with pleiotropic effects and little toxicity. They can drive cellular events and modify multiple signaling pathways which involves initiation, progression and metastasis of liver cancer and play an important role in contributing to anti-liver cancer drug development. The potential of plant-derived polyphenols for treating liver cancer has gained attention from research clinicians and pharmaceutical scientists worldwide in the last decades. This review overviews hepatic carcinogenesis and briefly discusses anti-liver cancer mechanisms associated with plant-derived polyphenols, specifically involving cell proliferation, apoptosis, autophagy, angiogenesis, oxidative stress, inflammation, and metastasis. We focus on plant-derived polyphenols with experiment-based chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic properties against liver cancer and generalize their basic molecular mechanisms of action. We also discuss potential opportunities and challenges in translating plant-derived polyphenols from preclinical success into clinical applications.

Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Mass Metabolic Profiling of Ammi majus Roots as Waste Product with Isolation and Assessment of Oral Mucosal Toxicity of Its Psoralen Component Xanthotoxin

Ammi majus, a well-established member of the Umbelliferae (Apiaceae) family, is endogenous to Egypt. The main parts of this plant that are used are the fruits, which contain coumarins and flavonoids as major active constituents. The roots are usually considered by-products that are discarded and not fed to cattle because of coumarins' potential toxicity. The goal of this study was to ensure the sustainability of the plant, investigate the active metabolites present in the roots using UPLC/MS-MS, isolate and elucidate the major coumarin Xanthotoxin, and predict its oral bioavailability and its potential biological impact on tongue papillae. The results revealed coumarins as the dominant chemical class in a positive acquisition mode, with bergaptol-O-hexoside 5%, Xanthotoxin 5.5%, and isoarnoittinin 6% being the major compounds. However, phenolics ruled in the negative mode, with p-coumaroyl tartaric acid 7%, 3,7-dimethyl quercetin 6%, and hesperidin 5% being the most prominent metabolites. Fractionation and purification of the chloroform fraction yielded Xanthotoxin as one of the main compounds, which appeared as white needle crystals (20 mg). ADME studies for oral bioavailability were performed to predict the potential properties of the compound if used orally. It was noted that it followed Lipinski's rule of five, had just one parameter outside of the pink area in the radar plot, and was detected inside the threshold area using the boiled egg approach. In vivo, histopathological studies performed on rats showed a notable decrease in the tongue's keratin thickness from an average of 51.1 µm to 9.1 µm and an average of 51.8 µm to 9.8 µm in fungiform and filiform cells, respectively. The results indicated that although Xanthotoxin is a well-known medical agent with several potential therapeutic activities in oral therapy, it may cause a destructive effect on the structure of the specialized mucosa of the tongue.

The combined effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles and milrinone on acute renal ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats: Potential underlying mechanisms

AIM

To investigate the efficacy of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) and/or milrinone (MIL) on renal ischemia/reperfusion injury (I/RI) in rats and their possible underlying mechanisms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty-eight adult male Sprague-Dawley albino rats were randomly assigned into six equal-sized groups (n = 8): normal control, sham-operated, I/R group (45 min/24 h), ZnO-NPs group (10 mg/Kg i.p.), MIL group (0.5 mg/Kg i.p.), and ZnO-NPs + MIL group in the same previous doses.

KEY FINDINGS

In comparison to the I/R-operated group, administration of either ZnO-NPs or MIL significantly decreased serum creatinine and urea concentrations, and renal vascular permeability (p < 0.05). The oxidative stress was significantly declined, as evidenced by increased GPx, CAT, and SOD activities and decreased MDA and NO concentrations. Renal expressions of TNF-α, NF-κB, KIM-1, NGAL, and caspase-3 decreased significantly, while Nrf2 increased significantly. Histopathology investigation revealed improvement with minimal renal lesions and fibrosis after ZnO-NPs or MIL treatments. The combined treatments synergistically improved the studied parameters more than either treatment alone. These findings were validated by molecular modeling, which revealed that MIL inhibited TNF-α, NF-kB, caspase-3, KIM-1 and NGAL.

SIGNIFICANCE

Both ZnO-NPs and MIL exerted cytoprotective effects against acute renal I/RI, and a combination of both was found to be even more effective. This renoprotective effect is suggested to be mediated through activation of Nrf2 and the prevention of the NF-κB activation-induced oxidative stress and inflammation, which may strengthen the potential role of ZnO-NPs or MIL in renal I/RI protection during surgical procedures.

Coumarins of Lovage Roots (Levisticum officinale W.D.J.Koch): LC-MS Profile, Quantification, and Stability during Postharvest Storage

Lovage (Levisticum officinale W.D.J. Koch) is a known aromatic apiaceous species that is widely used as a culinary and medicinal plant. Traditionally, more scientific attention has been paid to lovage volatiles, while other groups of compounds have been underutilized. In this study, metabolites of fresh lovage roots were investigated by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and 25 compounds were identified, including coumarins as basic components and minor hydroxycinnamates; most were detected for the first time in the plant. Four major coumarins (including apterin, xanthotoxin, isopimpinellin, and pimpinellin) were successfully separated by a validated HPLC-PDA method, and the fresh roots of seven lovage cultivars as well as the dry roots of commercial lovage were quantified. The coumarin content deviation was 1.7-2.9 mg/g in the fresh roots and 15-24 mg/g in the dry roots. A variation in the coumarin level was found during storage of the fresh lovage roots at chill and room temperatures, while storage of the dried roots at room temperature showed the lowest loss of target compounds. This new information about the metabolites of lovage indicates the prospects of the plant roots as a source of dietary coumarins.

Challenges in the Heterologous Production of Furanocoumarins in Escherichia coli

Coumarins and furanocoumarins are plant secondary metabolites with known biological activities. As they are present in low amounts in plants, their heterologous production emerged as a more sustainable and efficient approach to plant extraction. Although coumarins biosynthesis has been positively established, furanocoumarin biosynthesis has been far more challenging. This study aims to evaluate if Escherichia coli could be a suitable host for furanocoumarin biosynthesis. The biosynthetic pathway for coumarins biosynthesis in E. coli was effectively constructed, leading to the production of umbelliferone, esculetin and scopoletin (128.7, 17.6, and 15.7 µM, respectively, from tyrosine). However, it was not possible to complete the pathway with the enzymes that ultimately lead to furanocoumarins production. Prenyltransferase, psoralen synthase, and marmesin synthase did not show any activity when expressed in E. coli. Several strategies were tested to improve the enzymes solubility and activity with no success, including removing potential N-terminal transit peptides and expression of cytochrome P450 reductases, chaperones and/or enzymes to increase dimethylallylpyrophosphate availability. Considering the results herein obtained, E. coli does not seem to be an appropriate host to express these enzymes. However, new alternative microbial enzymes may be a suitable option for reconstituting the furanocoumarins pathway in E. coli. Nevertheless, until further microbial enzymes are identified, Saccharomyces cerevisiae may be considered a preferred host as it has already been proven to successfully express some of these plant enzymes.

Xanthotoxin (8-methoxypsoralen): A review of its chemistry, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, and toxicity

Xanthotoxin (XAT) is a natural furanocoumarins, a bioactive psoralen isolated from the fruit of the Rutaceae plant Pepper, which has received increasing attention in recent years due to its wide source and low cost. By collecting and compiling literature on XAT, the results show that XAT exhibits significant activity in the treatment of various diseases, including neuroprotection, skin repair, osteoprotection, organ protection, anticancer, antiinflammatory, antioxidative stress and antibacterial. In this paper, we review the pharmacological activity and potential molecular mechanisms of XAT for the treatment of related diseases. The data suggest that XAT can mechanistically induce ROS production and promote apoptosis through mitochondrial or endoplasmic reticulum pathways, regulate NF-κB, MAPK, JAK/STAT, Nrf2/HO-1, MAPK, AKT/mTOR, and ERK1/2 signaling pathways to exert pharmacological effects. In addition, the pharmacokinetics properties and toxicity of XAT are discussed in this paper, further elucidating the relationship between structure and efficacy. It is worth noting that data from clinical studies of XAT are still scarce, limiting the use of XAT in the clinic, and in the future, more in-depth studies are needed to determine the clinical efficacy of XAT.