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Haewphet T, Parhira S, Chaisupasakul P, Wangteeraprasert A, Phoungpetchara I, Pekthong D, Kaewkong W, Jiang ZH, Bai LP, Somran J, Srisawang P. The dichloromethane fraction from Calotropis gigantea (L.) dryand. Stem bark extract prevents liver cancer in SDT rats with insulin-independent diabetes mellitus. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 334:118516. [PMID: 38971341 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.118516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Calotropis gigantea (L.) Dryand. (C. gigantea) is a traditional medicinal plant, recognized for its effectiveness in managing diabetes, along with its notable antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. Type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is characterized by chronic metabolic disorders associated with an elevated risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) due to hyperglycemia and impaired insulin response. The scientific validation of C. gigantea's ethnopharmacological efficacy offers advantages in alleviating cancer progression in T2DM complications, enriching existing knowledge and potentially aiding future clinical cancer treatments. AIM This study aimed to investigate the preventive potential of the dichloromethane fraction of C. gigantea stem bark extract (CGDCM) against diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced HCC in T2DM rats, aiming to reduce cancer incidence associated with diabetes while validating C. gigantea's ethnopharmacological efficacy. MATERIALS AND METHODS Spontaneously Diabetic Torii (SDT) rats were administered DEN to induce HCC (SDT-DEN-VEH), followed by treatment with CGDCM. Metformin was used as a positive control (SDT-DEN-MET). All the treatments were administered for 10 weeks after the initial DEN injection. Diabetes-related parameters, including serum levels of glucose, insulin, and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), as well as liver function enzymes (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and gamma-glutamyl transferase), were quantified. Serum inflammation biomarkers interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were evaluated. Liver tissue samples were analyzed for inflammation protein expression (IL-6, TNF-α, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA)). Histopathological evaluation was performed to assess hepatic necrosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. Liver cell proliferation was determined using immunohistochemistry for Ki-67 expression. RESULTS Rats with SDT-DEN-induced HCC treated with CGDCM exhibited reduced serum glucose levels, elevated insulin levels, and decreased HbA1c levels. CGDCM treatment also reduced elevated hepatic IL-6, TNF-α, TGF-β1, and α-SMA levels in SDT-DEN-VEH rats. Additionally, CGDCM treatment prevented hepatocyte damage, fibrosis, and cell proliferation. No adverse effects on normal organs were observed with CGDCM treatment, suggesting its safety for the treatment of HCC complications associated with diabetes. Additionally, the absence of adverse effects in SD rats treated with CGDCM at 2.5 mg/kg further supports the notion of its safe usage. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that C. gigantea stem bark extract exerts preventive effects against the development of HCC complications in patients with T2DM, expanding the potential benefits of its ethnopharmacological advantages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thaiyawat Haewphet
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand; Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand.
| | - Supawadee Parhira
- Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand; Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand; Center of Excellence for Environmental Health and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand.
| | - Pattaraporn Chaisupasakul
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand; Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand.
| | | | - Ittipon Phoungpetchara
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand; Center of Excellence in Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand.
| | - Dumrongsak Pekthong
- Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand; Center of Excellence for Environmental Health and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand; Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand.
| | - Worasak Kaewkong
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand; Center of Excellence in Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand.
| | - Zhi-Hong Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory of Respiratory Infectious Disease, Macau Institute for Applied Research in Medicine and Health, Macau University of Science and Technology, China.
| | - Li-Ping Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory of Respiratory Infectious Disease, Macau Institute for Applied Research in Medicine and Health, Macau University of Science and Technology, China.
| | - Julintorn Somran
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand.
| | - Piyarat Srisawang
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand; Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand; Center of Excellence in Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand.
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Wang ZJ, Ma P, Xu CY, Xu TS, Zhang L, He P, Hou BY, Yang XY, Du GH, Ji TF, Qiang GF. Identification of a novel hypoglycemic small molecule, trans-2, 4-dimethoxystilbene by rectifying gut microbiota and activating hepatic AMPKα-PPARγ pathway through gut-liver axis. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 176:116760. [PMID: 38788595 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
With the increasing prevalence of metabolic disorders, hyperglycemia has become a common risk factor that endangers people's lives and the need for new drug solutions is burgeoning. Trans-2, 4-dimethoxystilbene (TDMS), a synthetic stilbene, has been found as a novel hypoglycemic small molecule from glucose consumption test. Normal C57BL/6 J mice, mouse models of type 1 diabetes mellitus and diet-induced obesity subjected to TDMS gavage were found with lower glycemic levels and better glycemic control. TDMS significantly improved the symptoms of polydipsia and wasting in type 1 diabetic mice, and could rise their body temperature at the same time. It was found that TDMS could promote the expression of key genes of glucose metabolism in HepG2, as do in TDMS-treated liver, while it could improve the intestinal flora and relieve intestinal metabolic dysbiosis in hyperglycemic models, which in turn affected its function in the liver, forming the gut-liver axis. We further fished PPARγ by virtual screening that could be promoted by TDMS both in-vitro and in-vivo, which was regulated by upstream signaling of AMPKα phosphorylation. As a novel hypoglycemic small molecule, TDMS was proven to be promising with its glycemic improvements and amelioration of diabetes symptoms. It promoted glucose absorption and utilization by the liver and improved the intestinal flora of diabetic mice. Therefore, TDMS is expected to become a new hypoglycemic drug that acts through gut-liver axis via AMPKα-PPARγ signaling pathway in improving glycemic metabolism, bringing new hope to patients with diabetes and glucose metabolism disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Jing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Target and Screening Research, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Peng Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Target and Screening Research, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Chun-Yang Xu
- Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100026, China
| | - Tian-Shu Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Target and Screening Research, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Li Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Target and Screening Research, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Ping He
- College of Public Health, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Bi-Yu Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Target and Screening Research, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Xiu-Ying Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Target and Screening Research, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Guan-Hua Du
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Target and Screening Research, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Teng-Fei Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Target and Screening Research, Beijing 100050, China.
| | - Gui-Fen Qiang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Target and Screening Research, Beijing 100050, China.
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Zhang S, Wang Q, Tan DEL, Sikka V, Ng CH, Xian Y, Li D, Muthiah M, Chew NWS, Storm G, Tong L, Wang J. Gut-liver axis: Potential mechanisms of action of food-derived extracellular vesicles. J Extracell Vesicles 2024; 13:e12466. [PMID: 38887165 PMCID: PMC11183959 DOI: 10.1002/jev2.12466] [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: 01/13/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Food-derived extracellular vesicles (FEVs) are nanoscale membrane vesicles obtained from dietary materials such as breast milk, plants and probiotics. Distinct from other EVs, FEVs can survive the harsh degrading conditions in the gastrointestinal tract and reach the intestines. This unique feature allows FEVs to be promising prebiotics in health and oral nanomedicine for gut disorders, such as inflammatory bowel disease. Interestingly, therapeutic effects of FEVs have recently also been observed in non-gastrointestinal diseases. However, the mechanisms remain unclear or even mysterious. It is speculated that orally administered FEVs could enter the bloodstream, reach remote organs, and thus exert therapeutic effects therein. However, emerging evidence suggests that the amount of FEVs reaching organs beyond the gastrointestinal tract is marginal and may be insufficient to account for the significant therapeutic effects achieved regarding diseases involving remote organs such as the liver. Thus, we herein propose that FEVs primarily act locally in the intestine by modulating intestinal microenvironments such as barrier integrity and microbiota, thereby eliciting therapeutic impact remotely on the liver in non-gastrointestinal diseases via the gut-liver axis. Likewise, drugs delivered to the gastrointestinal system through FEVs may act via the gut-liver axis. As the liver is the main metabolic hub, the intestinal microenvironment may be implicated in other metabolic diseases. In fact, many patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease suffer from a leaky gut and dysbiosis. In this review, we provide an overview of the recent progress in FEVs and discuss their biomedical applications as therapeutic agents and drug delivery systems, highlighting the pivotal role of the gut-liver axis in the mechanisms of action of FEVs for the treatment of gut disorders and metabolic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sitong Zhang
- Department of Surgery, Yong Loo Lin School of MedicineNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
- Nanomedicine Translational Research Programme, Centre for NanoMedicine, Yong Loo Lin School of MedicineNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Qiyue Wang
- Jinan Central HospitalShandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical SciencesJinanChina
- Medical Science and Technology Innovation CenterShandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical SciencesJinanChina
| | - Daniel En Liang Tan
- Department of Surgery, Yong Loo Lin School of MedicineNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
- Nanomedicine Translational Research Programme, Centre for NanoMedicine, Yong Loo Lin School of MedicineNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Vritika Sikka
- Department of Surgery, Yong Loo Lin School of MedicineNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
- Nanomedicine Translational Research Programme, Centre for NanoMedicine, Yong Loo Lin School of MedicineNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Cheng Han Ng
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of MedicineNational University HospitalSingaporeSingapore
| | - Yan Xian
- Department of Surgery, Yong Loo Lin School of MedicineNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
- Nanomedicine Translational Research Programme, Centre for NanoMedicine, Yong Loo Lin School of MedicineNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Dan Li
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of ScienceNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Mark Muthiah
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of MedicineNational University HospitalSingaporeSingapore
- National University Centre for Organ TransplantationNational University Health SystemSingaporeSingapore
| | - Nicholas W. S. Chew
- Department of CardiologyNational University Heart CentreNational University Health SystemSingaporeSingapore
| | - Gert Storm
- Department of Surgery, Yong Loo Lin School of MedicineNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Lingjun Tong
- Jinan Central HospitalShandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical SciencesJinanChina
- Medical Science and Technology Innovation CenterShandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical SciencesJinanChina
| | - Jiong‐Wei Wang
- Department of Surgery, Yong Loo Lin School of MedicineNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
- Nanomedicine Translational Research Programme, Centre for NanoMedicine, Yong Loo Lin School of MedicineNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
- Cardiovascular Research Institute (CVRI)National University Heart Centre Singapore (NUHCS)SingaporeSingapore
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of MedicineNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
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Huang C, Qian J, Liu Y, Zhang L, Yang Y. Empagliflozin attenuates liver fibrosis in high-fat diet/streptozotocin-induced mice by modulating gut microbiota. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol 2024; 51:e13842. [PMID: 38302074 DOI: 10.1111/1440-1681.13842] [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: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
The effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on hepatic fibrosis in diabetes remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of empagliflozin on liver fibrosis in high-fat diet/streptozotocin-induced mice and the correlation with gut microbiota. After the application of empagliflozin for 6 weeks, we performed oral glucose tolerance and intraperitoneal insulin tolerance tests to assess glucose tolerance and insulin resistance, and stained liver sections to evaluate histochemical and hepatic pathological markers of liver fibrosis. Moreover, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was performed on stool samples to explore changes in the composition of intestinal bacteria. We finally analysed the correlation between gut microbiome and liver fibrosis scores or indicators of glucose metabolism. The results showed that empagliflozin intervention improved glucose metabolism and liver function with reduced liver fibrosis, which might be related to changes in intestinal microbiota. In addition, the abundance of intestinal probiotic Lactobacillus increased, while Ruminococcus and Adlercreutzia decreased after empagliflozin treatment, and correlation analysis showed that the changes in microbiota were positively correlated with liver fibrosis and glucose metabolism. Overall, considering the contribution of the gut microbiota in metabolism, empagliflozin might have improved the beneficial balance of intestinal bacteria composition. The present study provides evidence and indicates the involvement of the gut-liver axis by SGLT2 inhibitors in T2DM with liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuxin Huang
- Department of Endocrinology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiali Qian
- Department of Endocrinology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Department of Endocrinology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Endocrinology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yehong Yang
- Department of Endocrinology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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