Liquiritigenin Inhibits Colorectal Cancer Proliferation, Invasion, and Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition by Decreasing Expression of Runt-Related Transcription Factor 2

The changes of intestinal microbiota and metabolomics during the inhibition of bladder cancer by liquiritigenin

Liquiritigenin is a natural medicine. However, its inhibitory effect and its potential mechanism on bladder cancer (BCa) remain to be explored. It was found that it could be visualized that the transplanted tumours in the low-dose liquiritigenin -treated group and the high-dose liquiritigenin -treated group were smaller than those in the model group. Liquiritigenin treatment led to alterations in Lachnoclostridium, Escherichia-Shigella, Alistipes and Akkermansia. Non-targeted metabolomics analysis showed that a total of multiple differential metabolites were identified between the model group and the high-dose liquiritigenin-treated group. This provides a new direction and rationale for the antitumour effects of liquiritigenin.

Liquiritigenin inhibits the migration, invasion, and EMT of prostate cancer through activating ER stress

Liquiritigenin (LQ) is a monomeric compound found in licorice, a leguminous plant, and has been reported to exhibit antitumor effects in various lines of cancer cells. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms by which LQ exerts its antitumor effects remain largely unknown. In this study, the effects of LQ on the migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of prostate cancer (PCa) cells were investigated. We found that LQ effectively inhibited the migration and invasion of PCa cells in vitro, and this effect was further confirmed in xenograft lung metastasis models. In addition, LQ was found to activate endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER stress) in PCa cells. Further studies found that LQ upregulated the expression of inositol-requiring enzyme type 1α (IRE1). When IRE1 was knocked down, we observed a weakened inhibitory effect of LQ treatment on the migration and invasion of PCa cells. This observation suggests that LQ may inhibit the migration, invasion and EMT of PCa cells through activating the IRE1 branch of ER stress. In conclusion, our research may provide a novel therapeutic strategy for PCa.

Comparative pharmacokinetics of six components in normal and rheumatoid arthritis rats after intragastrical administration of Qianghuo Shengshi Decoction granules by LC-MS/MS

Objective

To investigate the plasma pharmacokinetics of six representative components (nodakenin, osthole, 5-O-methylvisammioside, ferulic acid, liquiritigenin, and liquiritin), which were the ingredients of Qianghuo Shengshi Decoction (QSD) granules, in normal and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) rats administrated QSD granules intragastrically.

Methods

A rapid and accurate ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed for the simultaneous determination of six components in plasma, and it showed a good specificity, linearity, intra-day and inter-day precision, intra-day and inter-day accuracy, extraction recovery, stability, and the less matrix effect.

Results

The validated LC-MS/MS method was successfully used to compare the plasma pharmacokinetics of six ingredients between normal and RA rats after intragastrical administration of QSD granules and differences in the pharmacokinetics were found in two types of rats. The absorption rate in the RA rats was lower for nodakenin, osthole, 5-O-methylvisammioside, liquiritigenin and liquiritin than in the normal group, while the absorption rate of ferulic acid remained constant in two groups. In comparison with the normal rats, the exposure concentration of nodakenin was higher and that of other five components except for nodakenin was lower under pathological conditions. Additionally, the absorptive amount of nodakenin, osthole, 5-O-methylvisammioside and liquiritin was increased and that of ferulic acid and liquiritigenin was reduced in the RA rats than in the normal rats. Compared with the normal rats, the retention time of nodakenin, ferulic acid and liquiritin was reduced in vivo, whereas the retention time of osthole, 5-O-methylvisammioside and liquiritigenin was raised in the body for the RA rats. In contrast to the normal rats, the data demonstrated an increase in the elimination velocity of nodakenin and a decrease in the elimination velocity of the other five components except for nodakenin in the pathological state.

Conclusion

This study showed that the pharmacokinetic behavior of the six components, nodakenin, osthole, 5-O-methylvisammioside, ferulic acid, liquiritigenin, and liquiritin, is different in vivo between normal and pathological states of rats, and this research provided the necessary experimental data to explain the pharmacokinetics of QSD granules in both normal and pathological states and provide some references for its clinical application at some level.

Polygonatum sibiricum component liquiritigenin restrains breast cancer cell invasion and migration by inhibiting HSP90 and chaperone-mediated autophagy

Breast cancer (BC) is most commonly diagnosed worldwide. Liquiritigenin is a flavonoid found in various species of the Glycyrrhiza genus, showing anti-tumor activity. This article was to explore the influences of liquiritigenin on the biological behaviors of BC cells and its underlying mechanism. BC cells were treated with liquiritigenin alone or transfected with oe-HSP90 before liquiritigenin treatment. RT-qPCR and Western blotting were employed to examine the levels of HSP90, Snail, E-cadherin, HSC70, and LAMP-2A. Cell viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion were evaluated by performing MTT, colony formation, scratch, and Transwell assays, respectively. Liquiritigenin treatment reduced HSP90 and Snail levels and enhanced E-cadherin expression as well as inhibiting the proliferation, migration, and invasion of BC cells. Moreover, liquiritigenin treatment decreased the expression of HSC70 and LAMP-2A, proteins related to chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA). HSP90 overexpression promoted the CMA, invasion, and migration of BC cells under liquiritigenin treatment. Liquiritigenin inhibits HSP90-mediated CMA, thereby suppressing BC cell growth.

Liquiritigenin Induces Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis in Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Liquiritigenin (LQ), as a dihydroflavone monomer compound extracted from Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch, has been demonstrated to show anti-tumor effects in multiple human cancers, including lung adenocarcinoma. Our study aimed to explore its role in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) development and the related mechanism. The effects of LQ on SK-MES-1 and NCI-H520 cell proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis were investigated. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and colony formation assays revealed that LQ inhibited LSCC cell viability and proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that LQ promoted G2/M cell cycle arrest, cell apoptosis, and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. In vivo assays showed that LQ administration suppressed tumor growth in nude mice. Additionally, LQ treatment reduced the levels of phosphorylated PI3K, AKT, and mTOR levels in LSCC cells. Pretreatment with the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 antagonized the LQ-mediated effects on cell proliferation, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis in LSCC cells. Collectively, LQ induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in LSCC by inactivating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.

Treatment of colorectal cancer by traditional Chinese medicine: prevention and treatment mechanisms

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a significant global health burden, with high morbidity and mortality rates. It is often diagnosed at middle to advanced stage, affecting approximately 35% of patients at the time of diagnosis. Currently, chemotherapy has been used to improve patient prognosis and increase overall survival. However, chemotherapy can also have cytotoxic effects and lead to adverse reactions, such as inhibiting bone marrow hematopoiesis, causing digestive dysfunction, hand-foot syndrome, and even life-threatening conditions. In response to these adverse effects, researchers have proposed using Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as an option to treat cancer. TCM research focuses on prescriptions, herbs, and components, which form essential components of the current research in Chinese medicine. The study and implementation of TCM prescriptions and herbs demonstrate its distinctive holistic approach to therapy, characterized by applying multi-component and multi-target treatment. TMC components have advantages in developing new drugs as they consist of single ingredients, require smaller medication dosages, have a precise measure of pharmacodynamic effects, and have a clear mechanism of action compared to TCM prescriptions and herbs. However, further research is still needed to determine whether TMC components can fully substitute the therapeutic efficacy of TCM prescriptions. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the research advancements made in TCM prescriptions, herbs, and components. The findings of this study can serve as a theoretical basis for researchers who are interested in exploring the potential of TCM for the treatment of colorectal cancer.

Modulation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 signaling pathways in cancer angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis by natural compounds: a comprehensive and critical review

Tumor cells employ multiple signaling mediators to escape the hypoxic condition and trigger angiogenesis and metastasis. As a critical orchestrate of tumorigenic conditions, hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) is responsible for stimulating several target genes and dysregulated pathways in tumor invasion and migration. Therefore, targeting HIF-1 pathway and cross-talked mediators seems to be a novel strategy in cancer prevention and treatment. In recent decades, tremendous efforts have been made to develop multi-targeted therapies to modulate several dysregulated pathways in cancer angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis. In this line, natural compounds have shown a bright future in combating angiogenic and metastatic conditions. Among the natural secondary metabolites, we have evaluated the critical potential of phenolic compounds, terpenes/terpenoids, alkaloids, sulfur compounds, marine- and microbe-derived agents in the attenuation of HIF-1, and interconnected pathways in fighting tumor-associated angiogenesis and invasion. This is the first comprehensive review on natural constituents as potential regulators of HIF-1 and interconnected pathways against cancer angiogenesis and metastasis. This review aims to reshape the previous strategies in cancer prevention and treatment.

Targeting the key players of phenotypic plasticity in cancer cells by phytochemicals

Plasticity of phenotypic traits refers to an organism's ability to change in response to environmental stimuli. As a result, the response may alter an organism's physiological state, morphology, behavior, and phenotype. Phenotypic plasticity in cancer cells describes the considerable ability of cancer cells to transform phenotypes through non-genetic molecular signaling activities that promote therapy evasion and tumor metastasis via amplifying cancer heterogeneity. As a result of metastable phenotypic state transitions, cancer cells can tolerate chemotherapy or develop transient adaptive resistance. Therefore, new findings have paved the road in identifying factors and agents that inhibit or suppress phenotypic plasticity. It has also investigated novel multitargeted agents that may promise new effective strategies in cancer treatment. Despite the efficiency of conventional chemotherapeutic agents, drug toxicity, development of resistance, and high-cost limit their use in cancer therapy. Recent research has shown that small molecules derived from natural sources are capable of suppressing cancer by focusing on the plasticity of phenotypic responses. This systematic, comprehensive, and critical review analyzes the current state of knowledge regarding the ability of phytocompounds to target phenotypic plasticity at both preclinical and clinical levels. Current challenges/pitfalls, limitations, and future perspectives are also discussed.

Small extracellular vesicles: Non-negligible vesicles in tumor progression, diagnosis, and therapy

Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) such as exosomes are nanoscale membranous particles (<200 nm) that have emerged as crucial targets for liquid biopsy and as promising drug delivery vehicles. They play a significant role in tumor progression as intercellular messengers. They can serve as biomarkers for tumor diagnosis and as drug carriers for cancer treatment. This article reviews recent studies on sEVs in oncology and explores their potential as biomarkers and drug delivery vehicles. Following tumorigenesis, sEVs in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and circulatory system undergo modifications to regulate various events in the TME, including angiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and tumor immunity, with either pro- or anti-tumor effects. sEVs have been investigated for use as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for a variety of tumors, including lung cancer, melanoma, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and hepatocellular carcinoma. sEVs can be used for cancer therapy by packaging drugs or proteins into them through pre- and post-isolation modification techniques. The clinical trials of sEVs as biomarkers and drug carriers are also summarized. Finally, the challenges in the use of sEVs are described and the possible approaches to tackling them are suggested. Overall, sEVs will advance the precision cancer medicine and has shown great potential in clinical applications.

The Potential of Glycyrrhiza from "Medicine Food Homology" in the Fight against Digestive System Tumors

Glycyrrhiza has a long history of applications and a wide range of pharmacological effects. It is known as the "king of all herbs". Glycyrrhiza is effective in clearing heat, detoxifying, relieving cough, and tonifying qi and has good bioactivity in multiple inflammatory, immune, and tumor diseases. This review aims to summarize the origin, distribution, and anti-digestive system tumor mechanism of glycyrrhiza and its homologous applications in medicine and food. The active compounds include triterpenoids, flavonoids, and coumarins, which are widely used in clinical treatments, disease prevention, and daily foods because of their "enhancement of efficacy" and "reduction of toxicity" against digestive system tumors. This paper reviews the use of glycyrrhiza in digestive system tumors and provides an outlook on future research and clinical applications.

Liquiritigenin regulates insulin sensitivity and ameliorates inflammatory responses in the nonalcoholic fatty liver by activation PI3K/AKT pathway

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a prevalent long-term disease in the world. Liquiritigenin (LQ) is protective against a variety of hepatotoxins. Herein, we report the potential mechanism of LQ on a high-fat diet (HFD) induced NAFLD. NAFLD mice model was established by HFD for 12 weeks, and LQ treatment for 1 week. Commercially available assay kits measure liver triglycerides (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) levels. Plasm TC, TG, high-density-lipoprotein (HDL-C), and low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels were also monitored by biochemistry. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits were performed to analyze the pro-inflammatory factors, and intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT), insulin tolerance test (IPITT), and serum insulin were also determined. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis was employed to analyze the overlapping genes of LQ targets and NAFLD development-related targets. Western blot was performed on key proteins of the enriched signaling pathway. HFD mice showed significant increases in hepatic TG and TC, and plasm TC, TG, and LDL-C in blood lipids, while HDL-C significantly decreased, and LQ treatment reversed their levels (p < 0.05). LQ also alleviated HFD-induced elevated levels of IPGTT, IPITT, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). And serum levels of the pro-inflammatory factor were also suppressed by LQ. PI3K/AKT pathway was enriched by KEGG pathway enrichment, and its key proteins p-PI3K and p-AKT were elevated after LQ treatment (p < 0.05). We found for the first time that LQ improves lipid accumulation, alleviates insulin resistance, and suppresses inflammatory responses in NAFLD mice, which might be associated with the activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway.

Investigation of the therapeutic role of native plant compounds against colorectal cancer based on system biology and virtual screening

This study investigated the anticancer effects of compounds extracted from native plants on colon cancer following drug-target-network analysis and molecular docking. Based on the ChEBI database, compounds were identified in medicinal plants and weeds in the Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari provinces of Iran. A drug-target network was constructed based on candidate colon cancer protein targets and selective compounds. Network pharmacology analysis was conducted against the identified compounds and subjected to molecular docking studies. Based on molecular dynamics simulations, the most efficient compounds were evaluated for their anticancer effects. Our study suggests that TREM1, MAPK1, MAPK8, CTSB, MIF, and DPP4 proteins may be targeted by compounds in medicinal plants for their anti-cancer effects. Multiorthoquinone, Liquiritin, Isoliquiritin, Hispaglabridin A, Gibberellin A98, Cyclomulberrin, Cyclomorusin A, and Cudraflavone B are effective anticancer compounds found in targeted medicinal plants and play an important role in the regulation of important pathways in colon cancer. Compounds that inhibit MIF, CTSB, and MAPK8-16 appear to be more effective. Additional in vitro and in vivo experiments will be helpful in validating and optimizing the findings of this study.

Flavonoid Intake in Relation to Colorectal Cancer Risk and Blood Bacterial DNA

Flavonoids have been inversely associated to colorectal cancer (CRC) and are plausible intermediaries for the relation among gut microbiome, intestinal permeability and CRC. We analyzed the relation of flavonoid intake with CRC and blood bacterial DNA. We conducted a case-control study in Italy involving 100 incident CRC cases and 200 controls. A valid and reproducible food-frequency questionnaire was used to assess dietary habits and to estimate six flavonoid subclass intakes. We applied qPCR and 16S rRNA gene profiling to assess blood bacterial DNA. We used multiple logistic regression to derive odds ratios (ORs) of CRC and Mann-Whitney and chi--square tests to evaluate abundance and prevalence of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) according to flavonoid intakes. Inverse associations with CRC were found for anthocyanidins (OR for the highest versus the lowest tertile = 0.24, 95% confidence interval, CI = 0.11-0.52) and flavanones (OR = 0.18, 95% CI = 0.08-0.42). We found different abundance and prevalence according to anthocyanidin and flavanone intake for OTUs referring to Oligoflexales order, Diplorickettsiaceae family, Staphylococcus, Brevundimonas, Pelomonas and Escherischia-Shigella genera, and Flavobacterium and Legionella species. The study provides evidence to a protective effect of dietary anthocyanidins and flavanones on CRC and suggests an influence of flavonoids on blood bacterial DNA, possibly through intestinal permeability changes.

Bioactive components of Banxia Xiexin Decoction for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases based on flavor-oriented analysis

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Banxia Xiexin Decoction (BXD) was first recorded in a Chinese medical classic, Treatise on Febrile Diseases and Miscellaneous Diseases, which was written in the Eastern Han dynasty of China. This ancient prescription consists of seven kinds of Chinese herbal medicine, namely, Pinellia ternata, Rhizoma Coptidis, Radix scutellariae, Rhizoma Zingiberis, Ginseng, Jujube, and Radix Glycyrrhizaepreparata. In clinic practice, its original application in China mainly has focused on the treatment of chronic gastritis for several hundred years. BXD is also effective in treating other gastrointestinal diseases (GIDs) in modern medical application. Despite available literature support and clinical experience, the treatment mechanisms or their relationships with the bioactive compounds in BXD responsible for its pharmacological actions, still need further explorations in more diversified channels. According to the analysis based on the five-flavor theory of TCM, BXD is traditionally viewed as the most representative prescription for pungent-dispersion, bitter-purgation and sweet-tonification. Consequently, based on the flavor-oriented analysis, the compositive herbs in BXD can be divided into three flavor groups, namely, the pungent, bitter, and sweet groups, each of which has specific active ingredients that are possibly relevant to GID treatment.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

This paper summarized recent literatures on BXD and its bioactive components used in GID treatment, and provided the pharmacological or chemical basis for the further exploration of the ancient prescription and the relative components.

METHOD

ology: Relevant literature was collected from various electronic databases such as Pubmed, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). Citations were based on peer-reviewed articles published in English or Chinese during the last decade.

RESULTS

Multiple components were found in the pungent, bitter, and sweet groups in BXD. The corresponding bioactive components include gingerol, shogaol, stigmasterol, and β-sitosterol in the pungent group; berberine, palmatine, coptisine, baicalein, and baicalin in the bitter group; and ginsenosides, polysaccharides, liquiritin, and glycyrrhetinic acid in the sweet group. These components have been found directly or indirectly responsible for the remarkable effects of BXD on GID.

CONCLUSION

This review provided some valuable reference to further clarify BXD treatment for GID and their possible material basis, based on the perspective of the flavor-oriented analysis.

Biotransformation of Liquiritigenin into Characteristic Metabolites by the Gut Microbiota

The bioavailability of flavonoids is generally low after oral administration. The metabolic transformation of flavonoids by the gut microbiota may be one of the main reasons for this, although these metabolites have potential pharmacological activities. Liquiritigenin is an important dihydroflavonoid compound found in Glycyrrhiza uralensis that has a wide range of pharmacological properties, such as antitumor, antiulcer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-AIDS effects, but its mechanism of action remains unclear. This study explored the metabolites of liquiritigenin by examining gut microbiota metabolism and hepatic metabolism in vitro. Using LC-MS/MS and LC/MSⁿ-IT-TOF techniques, three possible metabolites of liquiritigenin metabolized by the gut microbiota were identified: phloretic acid (M3), resorcinol (M4), and M5. M5 is speculated to be davidigenin, which has antitumor activity. By comparing these two metabolic pathways of liquiritigenin (the gut microbiota and liver microsomes), this study revealed that there are three main metabolites of liquiritigenin generated by intestinal bacteria, which provides a theoretical basis for the study of pharmacologically active substances in vivo.

Modified Sijunzi Decoction Inhibits Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer by Attenuating AKT/GSK3β Pathway in vitro and in vivo

Modified Sijunzi Decoction (MSJZD) is an empirical prescription of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and has been corroborated to be effective in multiple human diseases, but its role in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is enigmatic. Here we mainly analyze the function and mechanism of MSJZD in NSCLC. In this study, we used a method that coupled ultra-performance liquid chromatography to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) to investigate the major constituents in MSJZD with positive and negative ion modes. Additionally, in in vitro experiments, the effects of serum-containing MSJZD on the biological behavior of NSCLC cells induced by TGF-β1 were assessed by cell function experiments. Then, the influences of serum-containing MSJZD on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related markers were examined by immunofluorescence and western blot assays. Also, the AKT/GSK3β pathway and apoptosis-related markers were estimated by western blotting. Tumor xenografts were generated by subcutaneously injecting A549 cells into BALB/c nude mice to determine the effects of MSJZD in vivo. We first analyzed the composition of MSJZD. In positive ion mode, 47 kinds of components were identified. In negative ion mode, 45 kinds of components were identified. We also found that TGF-β1 contributed to inducing cell morphological changes and EMT progression. In vitro, surprisingly, cell proliferation, migration as well as invasion in NSCLC cells induced by TGF-β1, could be weakened by serum-containing MSJZD, and apoptosis was intensified. Moreover, serum-containing MSJZD weakened EMT passage and AKT/GSK3β pathway activation and induced apoptosis-related markers in NSCLC cells triggered by TGF-β1. In vivo, we discovered that MSJZD attenuated the tumor growth, promoted histopathological damage, and induced apoptosis in A549 tumor-bearing mice. Importantly, MSJZD has also restrained the development of EMT, AKT/GSK3β pathway, and TGF-β1 expression levels in nude mice. These findings demonstrated that MSJZD significantly weakened NSCLC progression by modulating EMT and AKT/GSK3β pathway.

Jin-Wu-Jian-Gu Formulation Attenuates Rheumatoid Arthritis by Inhibiting the IL33-ST2 Signaling Pathway

The present research attempted to investigate the molecular mechanism of Jin-Wu-Jian-Gu Formulation (JWJGF) in inhibiting rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a pharmacological approach for analysis and experimental validation. First, the potential targets and pathways of JWJGF for RA were predicted by network pharmacology. Second, the effect of JWJGF on RA was observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Further, we observed the effects of JWJGF on the IL33-ST2 signaling pathway by Western blot and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) experiments, and finally, we studied the effects of Liquiritigenin on rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblast (RASF) cells and the IL33-ST2 signaling pathway. Network pharmacology results showed that the key component of JWJGF was Liquiritigenin and the core target of JWJGF was IL-33. The results of HE and ELISA showed that JWJGF could alleviate RA. Western blot and qPCR findings indicated that JWJGF could inhibit the IL33-ST2 signaling pathway. Furthermore, JWJGF could inhibit the proliferation of RASF cells and the IL33-ST2 signaling pathway. In conclusion, this study revealed that JWJGF attenuated RA by inhibiting the IL33-ST2 signaling pathway.

Liquiritigenin Blocks Breast Cancer Progression by Inhibiting Connective Tissue Growth Factor Expression via Up-Regulating miR-383-5p

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of liquiritigenin (LQ) on breast cancer (BC) and its mechanism. After BC cell lines and normal mammary epithelial cells were cultured with LQ, CCK-8, and Scratch, Transwell assays and flow cytometry were applied to test the effect of LQ on cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis. The effect of LQ on the expression of microRNA-383-5p (miR-383-5p) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) was measured by qRT-PCR and Western blotting. Bioinformatics prediction was used to evaluate the binding relationship between miR-383-5p and CTGF, which was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay. After miR-383-5p and/or CTGF expression was upregulated through cell transfection, the relationship between miR-383-5p and CTGF, as well as their effects on BC, was further assessed. The results showed that LQ can significantly inhibit CTGF expression and the proliferative, migratory, and invasive abilities of BC cells, while facilitating apoptosis of BC cells and miR-383-5p expression. The inhibiting effect of LQ was dose-dependently enhanced in BC cells. Dual-luciferase reporter assay verified that miR-383-5p targeted CTGF. CTGF expression was inversely regulated by miR-383-5p. CTGF upregulation repressed the suppressive effect of miR-385-5p on BC cell development. In conclusion, LQ can inhibit CTGF expression by upregulating miR-383-5p, thereby inhibiting proliferative, migratory, and invasive abilities and promoting apoptosis of BC cells.

Pharmacological Effects and Underlying Mechanisms of Licorice-Derived Flavonoids

Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma is the most frequently prescribed natural medicine in China and has been used for more than 2,000 years. The flavonoids of licorice have garnered considerable attention in recent decades due to their structural diversity and myriad pharmacological effects, especially as novel therapeutic agents against inflammation and cancer. Although many articles have been published to summarize different pharmacological activities of licorice in recent years, the systematic summary for flavonoid components is not comprehensive. Therefore, in this review, we summarized the pharmacological and mechanistic data from recent researches on licorice flavonoids and their bioactive components.

Immunometabolism modulation, a new trick of edible and medicinal plants in cancer treatment

The edible and medicinal plants (EMPs) are becoming an abundant source for cancer prevention and treatment since the natural and healthy trend for modern human beings. Currently, there are more than one hundred species of EMPs widely used and listed by the national health commission of China, and most of them indicate immune or metabolic regulation potential in cancer treatment with numerous studies over the past two decades. In the present review, we focused on the metabolic influence in immunocytes and tumor microenvironment, including immune response, immunosuppressive factors and cancer cells, discussing the immunometabolic potential of EMPs in cancer treatment. There are more than five hundred references collected and analyzed through retrieving pharmacological studies deposited in PubMed by medical subject headings and the corresponding names derived from pharmacopoeia of China as a sole criterion. Finally, the immunometabolism modulation of EMPs was sketch out implying an immunometabolic control in cancer treatment.

Molecular cloning and functional characterization of UGTs from Glycyrrhiza uralensis flavonoid pathway

Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., a well-known medicinal plant, contains flavonoids including liquiritigenin and isoliquiritigenin, and their corresponding glycoside liquiritin and isoliquiritin. Although some genes encoding UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGTs) have been functionally characterized in G. uralensis, other UGTs mechanisms of glycosylation remain to be elucidated. Against this background the aim of the present study included cloning and characterization of two full-length cDNA clones of GuUGT isoforms from the UGT multigene family. These included GuUGT2 (NCBI acc. MK341791) and GuUGT3 (NCBI acc. MK341793) with an ORF of 1473 and 1332 bp, respectively. Multiple alignments and phylogenetic analysis revealed GuUGTs protein of Glycine max had a high homology to that of other plants. Meanwhile, quantitative real-time PCR was performed to detect the transcript levels of GuUGTs in different tissues. The results indicated that GuUGTs was more expressed in roots as compared to the leaves, and significantly up-regulated upon NaCl stress. The recombinant protein was heterologous expressed in Escherichia coli and exhibited a high level of UGT activity, catalyzing formation of isoliquiritin and liquiritin from isoliquiritigenin and liquiritigenin. The key residues of GuUGT2 for liquiritigenin glycosylation (Asn223), isoliquiritigenin (Asp272) were predicted by molecular docking and residue scanning based on simulated mutations. These results could serve as an important reference to understand the function of the UGT family. In addition, the identification of GuUGT2 and GuUGT3 provides a foundation for future studies of flavonoid biosynthesis in G. uralensis.

Liquiritigenin exerts the anti-cancer role in oral cancer via inducing autophagy-related apoptosis through PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway inhibition in vitro and in vivo

Operative treatment on oral cancer greatly damages the chewing and language function of the patient, we aim to find better solution with fewer side effects. The anti-tumor effects of Liquiritigenin (LQ) have been explored in kinds of cancers, but not in oral cancer. In this study, our purpose is to reveal the effects of LQ on oral cancer and the associated mechanism.Cell proliferation was examined through 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and 5-Ethynyl-2'- deoxyuridine (EDU) staining. Cell apoptosis in cells and tissues were assessed by flow cytometry and terminal dexynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining, respectively. Expressions of AKT and light chain 3 (LC3) were detected through Immunofluorescence. In addition, xenograft model was established by injecting the CAL-27 cells (2 × 10⁶) subcutaneously into the right flanks of mice. Expression of Ki67 and Beclin1 in tissues was valued by Immunohistochemistry (IHC).We found that cell viability of CAL-27 and SCC-9 was effectively inhibited by LQ. Besides, obvious cell apoptosis and cell autophagy were induced by LQ. In addition, PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway was sharply inactivated by LQ in oral cancer cells. Corresponding in vivo experiments demonstrated that tumor growth was largely restricted, cell apoptosis was augmented and autophagy was enhanced by LQ. What is more, phosphorylation of AKT in tumor tissues could also be inhibited by LQ. LQ inhibited the progression of oral cancer through inducing autophagy-associated apoptosis via PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway inhibition, revealing a new possible scheme for the treatment of oral cancer.

Osteopontin as a Regulator of Colorectal Cancer Progression and Its Clinical Applications

Simple Summary

The mortality of colorectal cancer is principally related to metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis or to the growth of initially undetectable micro-metastasis. Current therapeutic strategies are efficient in patients with locally advanced cancer, but are rarely able to cure patients with metastatic disease. Therapeutic failure is mainly associated with drug resistance and an aggressive phenotype. The identification of new biomarkers for micro-metastasis and tumor progression remains an unmet clinical need that should allow for improved patient stratification for optimal treatment and may lead to the identification of novel therapeutic targets. Osteopontin (OPN), a multifunctional protein, has emerged as a potentially valuable biomarker in several cancer types. This review principally describes the molecular mechanisms of OPN that are associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) progression and metastasis, as well as the use of OPN as a clinical biomarker. This review identifies a role for OPN as a biomarker ready for extended clinical application and discusses its use as a therapeutic target.

Abstract

A high expression of the phosphoprotein osteopontin (OPN) has been associated with cancer progression in several tumor types, including breast cancer, hepatocarcinoma, ovarian cancer, and colorectal cancer (CRC). Interestingly, OPN is overexpressed in CRC and is associated with a poor prognosis linked to invasion and metastasis. Here, we review the regulation and functions of OPN with an emphasis on CRC. We examine how epigenetic and genetic regulators interact with the key signaling pathways involved in this disease. Then, we describe the role of OPN in cancer progression, including proliferation, survival, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis. Furthermore, we outline the interest of using OPN as a clinical biomarker, and discuss if and how osteopontin can be implemented as a routine assay in clinical laboratories for monitoring CRC patients. Finally, we discuss the use of OPN an attractive, but challenging, therapeutic target.

Autophagy Blockade by Ai Du Qing Formula Promotes Chemosensitivity of Breast Cancer Stem Cells Via GRP78/β-Catenin/ABCG2 Axis

Accumulating evidence suggests that the root of drug chemoresistance in breast cancer is tightly associated with subpopulations of cancer stem cells (CSCs), whose activation is largely dependent on taxol-promoting autophagy. Our pilot study identified GRP78 as a specific marker for chemoresistance potential of breast CSCs by regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Ai Du Qing (ADQ) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula that has been utilized in the treatment cancer, particularly during the consolidation phase. In the present study, we investigated the regulatory effects and molecular mechanisms of ADQ in promoting autophagy-related breast cancer chemosensitivity. ADQ with taxol decreasing the cell proliferation and colony formation of breast cancer cells, which was accompanied by suppressed breast CSC ratio, limited self-renewal capability, as well as attenuated multi-differentiation. Furthermore, autophagy in ADQ-treated breast CSCs was blocked by taxol via regulation of β-catenin/ABCG2 signaling. We also validated that autophagy suppression and chemosensitizing activity of this formula was GRP78-dependent. In addition, GRP78 overexpression promoted autophagy-inducing chemoresistance in breast cancer cells by stabilizing β-catenin, while ADQ treatment downregulated GRP78, activated the Akt/GSK3β-mediated proteasome degradation of β-catenin via ubiquitination activation, and consequently attenuated the chemoresistance-promoted effect of GRP78. In addition, both mouse breast cancer xenograft and zebrafish xenotransplantation models demonstrated that ADQ inhibited mammary tumor growth, and the breast CSC subpopulation showed obscure adverse effects. Collectively, this study not only reveals the chemosensitizating mechanism of ADQ in breast CSCs, but also highlights the importance of GRP78 in mediating autophagy-promoting drug resistance via β-catenin/ABCG2 signaling.

A comprehensive review of natural products against atopic dermatitis: Flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenes, glycosides and other compounds

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is considered a great challenge for human communities and imposes both physiological and mental burdens on patients. Natural products have widely been used to treat a wide range of diseases, including cancer, gastrointestinal diseases, asthma, neurological disorders, and infections. To seek potential natural products against AD, in the current review, we searched the terms "atopic dermatitis" and "natural product" in Pubmed, Medline, Web of Science，Science Direct, Embase, EBSCO, CINAHL, ACS. The results show that many natural products, especially puerarin, ferulic acid and ginsenosides, cound protect against AD. Meanwhile, we discussed the therapeutic mechanisms and showed that the natural products exert their anti-inflammatory effects by suppressing the quantity and activity of many inflammatory cell types and cytokines, including neutrophils, monocytes, lymphocytes, Langerhans cells, interleukins (ILs, including IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-4), TNF-α, and TSLP, IgE. via inhibition of JAK/STAT, MAPKs and NF-κB signaling pathways, thereby, halting the inflammatory cascade. Future investigations should focus on studies with more reflective of the clinical characteristics and demographics, so as to develop natural products that will be hopefully available for the treatment of human AD disease.

Exploring the inhibitory effects of liquiritigenin against tau fibrillation and related neurotoxicity as a model of preventive care in Alzheimer's disease

Aggregation of tau protein into the form of insoluble amyloid fibrils is linked with Alzheimer's disease. The identification of potential small molecules that can inhibit tau protein from undergoing aggregation has received a great deal of interest, recently. In the present study, the possible inhibitory effects of liquiritigenin as a member of chiral flavanone family on tau amyloid fibrils formation and their resulting neurotoxicity were assessed by different biophysical and cellular assays. The inhibitory effect of the liquiritigenin against tau amyloid formation was investigated using thioflavin T (ThT) and 1-Anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonate (ANS) fluorescence spectroscopy, Congo red (CR) binding assays, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis, and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Neurotoxicity assays were also performed against neuron-like cells (SH-SY5Y) using 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) reduction, reactive oxygen species (ROS), catalase (CAT) and caspase-3 activity measurements. We found that liquiritigenin served as an efficient inhibitor of tau amyloid fibrils formation through prevention of structural transition in tau structure, exposure of hydrophobic patches and their associated neurotoxicity mediated by decrease in the production of ROS and caspase-3 activity and elevation of CAT activity. These data may finally find applications in the development of promising inhibitors against amyloid fibril formation and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Network Pharmacology-Based Strategy for Elucidating the Molecular Basis Forthe Pharmacologic Effects of Licorice (Glycyrrhiza spp.)

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza spp.) is used widely in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) due to its numerous pharmacologic effects. However, the mechanisms of action of the chemical constituents of licorice and their structure–function relationships are not fully understood. To address these points, we analyzed the chemical compounds in licorice listed in the TCM Systems Pharmacology database and TCM Integrated database. Target proteins of the compounds were predicted using Integrative Pharmacology-based Research Platform of TCM v2.0. Information on the pharmacologic effects of licorice was obtained from the 2020 Chinese Pharmacopoeia, and disease-related genes that have been linked to these effects were identified from the Encyclopedia of TCM database. Pathway analyses using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database were carried out for target proteins, and pharmacologic networks were constructed based on drug target–disease-related gene and protein–protein interactions. A total of 451 compounds were analyzed, of which 211 were from the medicinal parts of the licorice plant. The 241 putative targets of 106 bioactive compounds in licorice comprised 52 flavonoids, 47 triterpenoids, and seven coumarins. Four distinct pharmacologic effects of licorice were defined: 61 major hubs were the putative targets of 23 compounds in heat-clearing and detoxifying effects; 68 were targets of six compounds in spleen-invigorating and qi-replenishing effects; 28 were targets of six compounds in phlegm-expulsion and cough-suppressant effects; 25 compounds were targets of six compounds in spasm-relieving and analgesic effects. The major bioactive compounds of licorice were identified by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight–tandem mass spectrometry. The anti-inflammatory properties of liquiritin apioside, liquiritigenin, glycyrrhizic acid and isoliquiritin apioside were demonstrated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot analysis. Liquiritin apioside, liquiritigenin, isoliquiritin, isoliquiritin apioside, kaempferol, and kumatakenin were the main active flavonoids, and 18α- and 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid were the main active triterpenoids of licorice. The former were associated with heat-clearing and detoxifying effects, whereas the latter were implicated in the other three pharmacologic effects. Thus, the compounds in licorice have distinct pharmacologic effects according to their chemical structure. These results provide a reference for investigating the potential of licorice in treatment of various diseases.

Molecular mechanisms underlying the anticancer activities of licorice flavonoids

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Licorice has been commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of gastric, liver, and respiratory disease conditions for more than two thousand years. It is a major component of several Chinese patent medicines certificated by National Medical Products Administration that possess great anticancer activities.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To comprehensively summarize the anticancer activities of licorice flavonoids, explain the underlying molecular mechanisms, and assess their therapeutic potentials and side-effects.

METHODS

PubMed, Research Gate, Web of Science, Google Scholar, academic journals, and Science Direct were used as information sources, with the key words of "anticancer", "licorice", "flavonoids", and their combinations, mainly from 2000 to 2019.

RESULTS

Sixteen licorice flavonoids are found to possess anticancer activities. These flavonoids inhibit cancer cells through blocking cell cycle and regulating multiple signaling pathways. The major pathways targeted by licorice flavonoids include: the MAPK pathway, PI3K/AKT pathway, NF-κB pathway, death receptor - dependent extrinsic signaling pathway, and mitochondrial apoptotic pathway.

CONCLUSION

Licorice flavonoids are a group of versatile molecules that have pleiotropic effects on cell growth, survival and cell signaling. Many of the flavonoids possess inhibitory activities toward cancer cell growth and hence have a great therapeutic potential in cancer treatment. However, additional preclinical studies are still needed to assess their in vivo efficacy and possible toxicities. It is also imperative to evaluate the effects of licorice flavonoids on the metabolism of other drugs and explore the potential synergistic mechanism.

Liquiritigenin decreases tumorigenesis by inhibiting DNMT activity and increasing BRCA1 transcriptional activity in triple-negative breast cancer

As a selective estrogen receptor β agonist, the natural flavonoid liquiritigenin reportedly inhibits invasiveness of breast cancer cells, but its specific role and mechanism remain largely unclear. In this study, cells from the triple negative breast cancer lines MDA-MB-231 and BT549 were incubated with different concentrations of liquiritigenin. The results indicated that low concentrations had no significant cytotoxic effect, whereas high concentrations decreased viability of both MDA-MB-231 and BT549 cells. Liquiritigenin treatment also resulted in increased apoptosis and enhanced Caspase3 activity. After liquiritigenin treatment, we observed decreased invasive and migratory capacities of cells, as well as upregulated E-cadherin and downregulated N-cadherin, vimentin, and MMP9. Interestingly, liquiritigenin increased the mRNA and protein expression of breast cancer 1 (BRCA1). It also increased p21 and growth arrest and DNA-damage-inducible 45 alpha (GADD45A) levels, accompanied by decreased cellular DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) activity and downregulation of DNMT1, DNMT3a, and DNMT3b. These findings suggest that liquiritigenin can inhibit malignant behavior of triple negative breast cancer cells by inhibiting DNMT activity and increasing BRCA1 expression and its transcriptional activity. Liquiritigenin thus may be a promising candidate for the treatment of breast cancer.

Flavonoids in Cancer Metastasis

Metastasis represents a serious complication in the treatment of cancer. Flavonoids are plant secondary metabolites exerting various health beneficiary effects. The effects of flavonoids against cancer are associated not only with early stages of the cancer process, but also with cancer progression and spread into distant sites. Flavonoids showed potent anti-cancer effects against various cancer models in vitro and in vivo, mediated via regulation of key signaling pathways involved in the migration and invasion of cancer cells and metastatic progression, including key regulators of epithelial-mesenchymal transition or regulatory molecules such as MMPs, uPA/uPAR, TGF-β and other contributors of the complex process of metastatic spread. Moreover, flavonoids modulated also the expression of genes associated with the progression of cancer and improved inflammatory status, a part of the complex process involved in the development of metastasis. Flavonoids also documented clear potential to improve the anti-cancer effectiveness of conventional chemotherapeutic agents. Most importantly, flavonoids represent environmentally-friendly and cost-effective substances; moreover, a wide spectrum of different flavonoids demonstrated safety and minimal side effects during long-termed administration. In addition, the bioavailability of flavonoids can be improved by their conjugation with metal ions or structural modifications by radiation. In conclusion, anti-cancer effects of flavonoids, targeting all phases of carcinogenesis including metastatic progression, should be implemented into clinical cancer research in order to strengthen their potential use in the future targeted prevention and therapy of cancer in high-risk individuals or patients with aggressive cancer disease with metastatic potential.

Oral Administration of Liquiritigenin Confers Protection from Atopic Dermatitis through the Inhibition of T Cell Activation

While liquiritigenin, isolated from Spatholobus suberectus Dunn, is known to possess anti-inflammatory activities, it still remains to be known whether liquiritigenin has a suppressive effect on T cell activation and T cell-mediated disease. Here, we used Jurkat T cells to explore an underlying mechanism of pre-treatment with liquiritigenin in activated T cell in vitro and used atopic dermatitis (AD) in vivo to confirm it. We found liquiritigenin blocks IL-2 and CD69 expression from activated T cells by PMA/A23187 or anti-CD3/CD28 antibodies. The expressions of surface molecules, including CD40L and CD25, were also reduced in activated T cells pre-treated with liquiritigenin. Western blot analysis indicated repressive effects by liquiritigenin are involved in NFκB and MAPK pathways. To assess the effects of liquiritigenin in vivo, an AD model was applied as T cell-mediated disease. Oral administration of liquiritigenin attenuates AD manifestations, including ear thickness, IgE level, and thicknesses of dermis and epidermis. Systemic protections by liquiritigenin were observed to be declined in size and weight of draining lymph nodes (dLNs) and expressions of effector cytokines from CD4⁺ T cells in dLNs. These results suggest liquiritigenin has an anti-atopic effect via control of T cell activation and exhibits therapeutic potential for T cell-mediated disorders.

Liquiritigenin inhibits IL-1β-induced inflammation and cartilage matrix degradation in rat chondrocytes

Osteoarthritis (OA) is an age-related arthropathy which has been considered to be associated with inflammatory damage and cartilage degradation. Liquiritigenin (LG), the main bioactive component of the rhizomes of Glycyrrhiza uralensis, has exhibited promising anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative potential in numerous inflammatory diseases. However, the effects of LG on OA remain unclear. In this study, the therapeutic effects as well as the underlying mechanisms of LG on interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-treated rat chondrocytes had been investigated. Our results showed that LG could inhibit the IL-1β-induced expression of nitic oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂). In consist with these findings, the IL-1β-induced production of inducible nitic oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) could also be decreased by LG. Meanwhile, LG could suppress the IL-1β-induced upregulation of cartilage matrix catabolic enzymes including aggrecanase-2 (ADAMTS5) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Besides, the IL-1β-induced degradation of collagen II and aggrecan could be alleviated by LG. Moreover, LG prevented cartilage damage in IL-1β-treated rat cartilage explants. Mechanistically, LG functioned by inhibiting mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathways activation. In general, this study reveals the anti-inflammatory properties of LG on IL-1β-treated rat chondrocytes and the possible mechanisms behind it, which may provide new ideas for OA therapy.

Isoliquiritin Apioside Suppresses in vitro Invasiveness and Angiogenesis of Cancer Cells and Endothelial Cells

Several components isolated from Glycyrrhizae radix rhizome (GR), including glycyrrhizin, liquiritin, and liquiritigenin, have been shown to induce cancer cell death and inhibit cancer metastasis. Isoliquiritin apioside (ISLA), a component isolated from GR, has been effective for treating tetanic contraction and genotoxicity. However, the effects of ISLA on the metastasis and angiogenesis of malignant cancer cells and endothelial cells (ECs) have not been reported. In this study, we found that up to 100 μM ISLA did not affect cell proliferation but efficiently suppressed the metastatic ability of HT1080 cells, as assessed by scratch-wound migration, Transwell^® migration, scratch-wound invasion, Transwell^® invasion, and three-dimensional spheroid invasion. ISLA significantly decreased phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced increases in matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activities and suppressed PMA-induced activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase as well as NF-κB, which are involved in cancer metastasis. In addition, ILSA treatment reduced the production of pro-angiogenic factors in HT1080 cells, including MMP-9, placental growth factor, and vascular endothelial growth factor under normoxia as well as hypoxia conditions, by impairing the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α pathway. We also found that the abilities of human umbilical vein ECs to migrate across the Transwell^® and to form tube-like structures were significantly reduced by ISLA treatment. Moreover, using the chorioallantoic membrane assay, vessel formation with or without vascular endothelial growth factor was significantly suppressed by ISLA. These results suggested that ISLA possesses anti-metastatic and anti-angiogenic abilities in malignant cancer cells and ECs, with no cytotoxicity. ISLA may therefore be a safe and effective lead compound to develop anti-cancer drug for limiting the spread of primary tumors to distant organs to form secondary tumors.