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Li Y, Xu W, Wang X, Lai R, Qiu X, Zeng Z, Wang Z, Wang J. Molecular Dynamics and In Vitro Studies Elucidating the Tunable Features of Reconfigurable Nanodiscs for Guiding the Optimal Design of Curcumin Formulation. Bioengineering (Basel) 2024; 11:245. [PMID: 38534519 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering11030245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In this study, we advance our exploration of Apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) peptide analogs (APAs) for their application in nanodisc (ND) assembly, focusing on the dynamic conformational characteristics and the potential for drug delivery. We explore APA-ND interactions with an emphasis on curcumin encapsulation, utilizing molecular dynamic simulations and in vitro assessments to evaluate the efficacy of various APA-ND formulations as drug carriers. The methodological approach involved the generation of three unique apoA-I α-11/3 helical mimics, resulting in fifteen distinct APAs. Their structural integrity was rigorously assessed using ColabFold-AF2, with particular attention to pLDDT and pTM scores. Extensive molecular dynamics simulations, covering 1.7 μs across 17 ND systems, were conducted to investigate the influence of APA sequence variations on ND stability and interactions. This study reveals that the composition of APAs, notably the presence of Proline, Serine, and Tryptophan, significantly impacts ND stability and morphology. Oligomeric APAs, in particular, demonstrated superior stability and distinct interaction patterns compared to their monomeric counterparts. Additionally, hydrodynamic diameter measurements over eight weeks indicated sequence-dependent stability, highlighting the potential of specific APA configurations for sustained colloidal stability. In vitro study successfully encapsulated curcumin in [AA]3/DMPC ND formulations, revealing concentration-dependent stability and interaction dynamics. The findings underscore the remarkable capability of APA-NDs to maintain structural integrity and efficient drug encapsulation, positioning them as a promising platform for drug delivery. The study concludes by emphasizing the tunability and versatility of APA-NDs in drug formulation, potentially revolutionizing nanomedicine by enabling customized APA sequences and ND properties for targeted drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongxiao Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Wanting Xu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Xinpei Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Ruizhi Lai
- Department of Pathology, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518033, China
| | - Xiaohui Qiu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Zekai Zeng
- Department of Pathology, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518033, China
| | - Zhe Wang
- Department of Pathology, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518033, China
| | - Junqing Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
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Azmoonfar R, Mirzaei F, Najafi M, Varkeshi M, Ghazikhanlousani K, Momeni S, Saber K. Radiation-induced Testicular Damage in Mice: Protective Effects of Apigenin Revealed by Histopathological Evaluation. Curr Radiopharm 2024; 17:238-246. [PMID: 38314599 DOI: 10.2174/0118744710271290231226105727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Radiation exposure poses a significant threat to reproductive health, particularly the male reproductive system. The testes, being highly sensitive to radiation, are susceptible to damage that can impair fertility and overall reproductive function. The study aims to investigate the radioprotective effects of apigenin on the testis through histopathological evaluation. MATERIALS AND METHODS This research involved utilizing a total of 40 mice, which were randomly divided into eight groups of five mice each. The groups were categorized as follows: A) negative control group, B, C, and D) administration of apigenin at three different doses (0.3 mg/kg, 0.6 mg/kg, and 1.2 mg/kg) respectively, E) irradiation group, and F, H, and I) administration of apigenin at three different doses (0.3 mg/kg, 0.6 mg/kg, and 1.2 mg/kg) in combination with irradiation. The irradiation procedure involved exposing the mice to a 2Gy X-ray throughout their entire bodies. Subsequently, histopathological assessments were conducted seven days after the irradiation process. RESULTS The findings indicated that radiation exposure significantly impacted the spermatogenesis system. This research provides evidence that administering apigenin to mice before ionizing radiation effectively mitigated the harmful effects on the testes. Apigenin demonstrated radioprotective properties, positively influencing various parameters, including the spermatogenesis process and the presence of inflammatory cells within the tubular spaces. CONCLUSION Apigenin can provide effective protection for spermatogenesis, minimize the adverse effects of ionizing radiation, and safeguard normal tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rasool Azmoonfar
- Department of Radiology, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Mirzaei
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Masoud Najafi
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Maryam Varkeshi
- Department of Radiology, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Karim Ghazikhanlousani
- Department of Radiology, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Sara Momeni
- Department of Radiology, School of Paramedical Sciences, Torbat Heydarieh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran
| | - Korosh Saber
- Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
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Zhang Y, Huang Y, Li Z, Wu H, Zou B, Xu Y. Exploring Natural Products as Radioprotective Agents for Cancer Therapy: Mechanisms, Challenges, and Opportunities. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3585. [PMID: 37509245 PMCID: PMC10377328 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15143585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Radiotherapy is an important cancer treatment. However, in addition to killing tumor cells, radiotherapy causes damage to the surrounding cells and is toxic to normal tissues. Therefore, an effective radioprotective agent that prevents the deleterious effects of ionizing radiation is required. Numerous synthetic substances have been shown to have clear radioprotective effects. However, most of these have not been translated for use in clinical applications due to their high toxicity and side effects. Many medicinal plants have been shown to exhibit various biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities. In recent years, new agents obtained from natural products have been investigated by radioprotection researchers, due to their abundance of sources, high efficiency, and low toxicity. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms underlying the radioprotective effects of natural products, including ROS scavenging, promotion of DNA damage repair, anti-inflammatory effects, and the inhibition of cell death signaling pathways. In addition, we systematically review natural products with radioprotective properties, including polyphenols, polysaccharides, alkaloids, and saponins. Specifically, we discuss the polyphenols apigenin, genistein, epigallocatechin gallate, quercetin, resveratrol, and curcumin; the polysaccharides astragalus, schisandra, and Hohenbuehelia serotina; the saponins ginsenosides and acanthopanax senticosus; and the alkaloids matrine, ligustrazine, and β-carboline. However, further optimization through structural modification, improved extraction and purification methods, and clinical trials are needed before clinical translation. With a deeper understanding of the radioprotective mechanisms involved and the development of high-throughput screening methods, natural products could become promising novel radioprotective agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhang
- Division of Thoracic Oncology, Cancer Center, Department of Radiation Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Ying Huang
- College of Management, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Zheng Li
- Division of Thoracic Oncology, Cancer Center, Department of Radiation Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Hanyou Wu
- Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Bingwen Zou
- Division of Thoracic Oncology, Cancer Center, Department of Radiation Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yong Xu
- Division of Thoracic Oncology, Cancer Center, Department of Radiation Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
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Diaz J, Kuhlman BM, Edenhoffer NP, Evans AC, Martin KA, Guida P, Rusek A, Atala A, Coleman MA, Wilson PF, Almeida-Porada G, Porada CD. Immediate effects of acute Mars mission equivalent doses of SEP and GCR radiation on the murine gastrointestinal system-protective effects of curcumin-loaded nanolipoprotein particles (cNLPs). FRONTIERS IN ASTRONOMY AND SPACE SCIENCES 2023; 10:1117811. [PMID: 38741937 PMCID: PMC11089821 DOI: 10.3389/fspas.2023.1117811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Missions beyond low Earth orbit (LEO) will expose astronauts to ionizing radiation (IR) in the form of solar energetic particles (SEP) and galactic cosmic rays (GCR) including high atomic number and energy (HZE) nuclei. The gastrointestinal (GI) system is documented to be highly radiosensitive with even relatively low dose IR exposures capable of inducing mucosal lesions and disrupting epithelial barrier function. IR is also an established risk factor for colorectal cancer (CRC) with several studies examining long-term GI effects of SEP/GCR exposure using tumor-prone APC mouse models. Studies of acute short-term effects of modeled space radiation exposures in wildtype mouse models are more limited and necessary to better define charged particle-induced GI pathologies and test novel medical countermeasures (MCMs) to promote astronaut safety. Methods In this study, we performed ground-based studies where male and female C57BL/6J mice were exposed to γ-rays, 50 MeV protons, or 1 GeV/n Fe-56 ions at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) with histology and immunohistochemistry endpoints measured in the first 24 h post-irradiation to define immediate SEP/GCR-induced GI alterations. Results Our data show that unlike matched γ-ray controls, acute exposures to protons and iron ions disrupts intestinal function and induces mucosal lesions, vascular congestion, epithelial barrier breakdown, and marked enlargement of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue. We also measured kinetics of DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair using gamma-H2AX- specific antibodies and apoptosis via TUNEL labeling, noting the induction and disappearance of extranuclear cytoplasmic DNA marked by gamma-H2AX only in the charged particle-irradiated samples. We show that 18 h pre-treatment with curcumin-loaded nanolipoprotein particles (cNLPs) delivered via IV injection reduces DSB-associated foci levels and apoptosis and restore crypt villi lengths. Discussion These data improve our understanding of physiological alterations in the GI tract immediately following exposures to modeled space radiations and demonstrates effectiveness of a promising space radiation MCM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Diaz
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, United States
| | - Bradford M. Kuhlman
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, United States
| | | | - Angela C. Evans
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, United States
- Biosciences and Biotechnology Division, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Kelly A. Martin
- Biosciences and Biotechnology Division, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Peter Guida
- NASA Space Radiation Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, United States
| | - Adam Rusek
- NASA Space Radiation Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, United States
| | - Anthony Atala
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, United States
| | - Matthew A. Coleman
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, United States
- Biosciences and Biotechnology Division, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Paul F. Wilson
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, United States
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States
| | - Graça Almeida-Porada
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, United States
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Prades-Sagarra È, Yaromina A, Dubois LJ. Polyphenols as Potential Protectors against Radiation-Induced Adverse Effects in Patients with Thoracic Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15092412. [PMID: 37173877 PMCID: PMC10177176 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15092412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Radiotherapy is one of the standard treatment approaches used against thoracic cancers, occasionally combined with chemotherapy, immunotherapy and molecular targeted therapy. However, these cancers are often not highly sensitive to standard of care treatments, making the use of high dose radiotherapy necessary, which is linked with high rates of radiation-induced adverse effects in healthy tissues of the thorax. These tissues remain therefore dose-limiting factors in radiation oncology despite recent technological advances in treatment planning and delivery of irradiation. Polyphenols are metabolites found in plants that have been suggested to improve the therapeutic window by sensitizing the tumor to radiotherapy, while simultaneously protecting normal cells from therapy-induced damage by preventing DNA damage, as well as having anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory or immunomodulatory properties. This review focuses on the radioprotective effect of polyphenols and the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects in the normal tissue, especially in the lung, heart and esophagus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Èlia Prades-Sagarra
- The M-Lab, Department of Precision Medicine, GROW-School for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Ala Yaromina
- The M-Lab, Department of Precision Medicine, GROW-School for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Ludwig J Dubois
- The M-Lab, Department of Precision Medicine, GROW-School for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands
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