Curcumin inhibits vasculogenic mimicry through the downregulation of erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular carcinoma-A2, phosphoinositide 3-kinase and matrix metalloproteinase-2

Potential of Natural Products in the Treatment of Glioma: Focus on Molecular Mechanisms

Despite the waning of traditional treatments for glioma due to possible long-term issues, the healing possibilities of substances derived from nature have been reignited in the scientific community. These natural substances, commonly found in fruits and vegetables, are considered potential alternatives to pharmaceuticals, as they have been shown in prior research to impact pathways surrounding cancer progression, metastases, invasion, and resistance. This review will explore the supposed molecular mechanisms of different natural components, such as berberine, curcumin, coffee, resveratrol, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, quercetin, tanshinone, silymarin, coumarin, and lycopene, concerning glioma treatment. While the benefits of a balanced diet containing these compounds are widely recognized, there is considerable scope for investigating the efficacy of these natural products in treating glioma.

Curcumin Inhibits Vasculogenic Mimicry via Regulating ETS-1 in Renal Cell Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) poses a huge challenge once it has become resistant to targeted therapy. Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) is a novel blood supply system formed by tumor cells that can circumvent molecular targeted therapies. As one of the herbal remedies, curcumin has been demonstrated to play antineoplastic effects in many different types of human cancers; however, its function and mechanism of targeting VM in RCC remains unknown.

OBJECTIVE

Here, in the work, we explored the role of curcumin and its molecular mechanism in the regulation of VM formation in RCC.

METHODS

RNA-sequencing analysis, immunoblotting, and immunohistochemistry were used to detect E Twenty Six-1(ETS-1), vascular endothelial Cadherin (VE-Cadherin), and matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9) expressions in RCC cells and tissues. RNA sequencing was used to screen the differential expressed genes. Plasmid transfections were used to transiently knock down or overexpress ETS-1. VM formation was determined by tube formation assay and animal experiments. CD31-PAS double staining was used to label the VM channels in patients and xenograft samples.

RESULTS

Our results demonstrated that VM was positively correlated with RCC grades and stages using clinical patient samples. Curcumin inhibited VM formation in dose and time-dependent manner in vitro. Using RNA-sequencing analysis, we discovered ETS-1 as a potential transcriptional factor regulating VM formation. Knocking down or overexpression of ETS-1 decreased or increased the VM formation, respectively and regulated the expression of VE-Cadherin and MMP9. Curcumin could inhibit VM formation by suppressing ETS-1, VE-Cadherin, and MMP9 expression both in vitro and in vivo.

CONCLUSION

Our finding might indicate that curcumin could inhibit VM by regulating ETS-1, VE-Cadherin, and MMP9 expression in RCC cell lines. Curcumin could be considered as a potential anti-cancer compound by inhibiting VM in RCC progression.

Robust radiosensitization of hemoglobin-curcumin nanoparticles suppresses hypoxic hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

Radioresistance inducing by hypoxic microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma is a major obstacle to clinical radiotherapy. Advanced nanomedicine provides an alternative to alleviate the hypoxia extent of solid tumor, even to achieve effective synergistic treatment when combined with chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

Results

Herein, we developed a self-assembled nanoparticle based on hemoglobin and curcumin for photoacoustic imaging and radiotherapy of hypoxic hepatocellular carcinoma. The fabricated nanoparticles inhibited hepatoma migration and vascular mimics, and enhanced the radiosensitivity of hypoxic hepatoma cells in vitro via repressing cell proliferation and DNA damage repair, as well as inducing apoptosis. Benefit from oxygen-carrying hemoglobin combined with polyphenolic curcumin, the nanoparticles also effectively enhanced the photoacoustic contrast and the efficacy of radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma in vivo.

Conclusions

Together, the current study offered a radiosensitization platform for optimizing the efficacy of nanomedicines on hypoxic radioresistant tumor.

Graphical Abstract

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12951-022-01316-w.

New Peptide-Drug Conjugates for Precise Targeting of SORT1-Mediated Vasculogenic Mimicry in the Tumor Microenvironment of TNBC-Derived MDA-MB-231 Breast and Ovarian ES-2 Clear Cell Carcinoma Cells

Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) is defined as the formation of microvascular channels by genetically deregulated cancer cells and is often associated with high tumor grade and cancer therapy resistance. This microcirculation system, independent of endothelial cells, provides oxygen and nutrients to tumors, and contributes also in part to metastasis. VM has been observed in ovarian cancer and in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) and shown to correlate with decreased overall cancer patient survival. Thus, strategies designed to inhibit VM may improve cancer patient treatments. In this study, sortilin (SORT1) receptor was detected in in vitro 3D capillary-like structures formed by ES-2 ovarian cancer and MDA-MB-231 TNBC-derived cells when grown on Matrigel. SORT1 gene silencing or antibodies directed against its extracellular domain inhibited capillary-like structure formation. In vitro, VM also correlated with increased gene expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and of the cancer stem cell marker CD133. In vivo ES-2 xenograft model showed PAS⁺/CD31^- VM structures (staining positive for both SORT1 and CD133). TH1904, a Doxorubicin-peptide conjugate that is internalized by SORT1, significantly decreased in vitro VM at low nM concentrations. In contrast, VM was unaffected by unconjugated Doxorubicin or Doxil (liposomal Doxorubicin) up to μM concentrations. TH1902, a Docetaxel-peptide conjugate, altered even more efficiently in vitro VM at pM concentrations. Overall, current data evidence for the first time that 1) SORT1 itself exerts a crucial role in both ES-2 and MDA-MB-231 VM, and that 2) VM in these cancer cell models can be efficiently inhibited by the peptide-drug conjugates TH1902/TH1904. These new findings also indicate that both peptide-drug conjugates, in addition to their reported cytotoxicity, could possibly inhibit VM in SORT1-positive TNBC and ovarian cancer patients.

Advances and Prospects of Vasculogenic Mimicry in Glioma: A Potential New Therapeutic Target?

Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) is the formation of a “vessel-like” structure without endothelial cells. VM exists in vascular-dependent solid tumors and is a special blood supply source involved in the highly invasive tumor progression. VM is observed in a variety of human malignant tumors and is closely related to tumor proliferation, invasion, and recurrence. Here, we review the mechanism, related signaling pathways, and molecular regulation of VM in glioma and discuss current research problems and the potential future applications of VM in glioma treatment. This review may provide a new viewpoint for glioma therapy.

Curcumin prevents lipopolysaccharide-induced matrix metalloproteinase‑2 activity via the Ras/MEK1/2 signaling pathway in rat vascular smooth muscle cells

The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of curcumin treatment on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced matrix metalloproteinase‑2 (MMP‑2) activity, and assess whether the effects are mediated by the Ras/mitogen‑activated protein kinase kinase 1/2 (MEK1/2) signaling pathway in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). VSMCs were isolated from male Sprague‑Dawley rats. Protein expression levels were analyzed by western blotting. The activity of MMP‑2 was measured with gelatin zymography, and an electrophoretic mobility shift assay was used to detect the DNA binding activity of nuclear factor‑κB (NF‑κB). Curcumin treatment was demonstrated to inhibit LPS‑induced MMP‑2 activity in rat VSMCs. This inhibitory effect was partially blocked by ammonium pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate, an inhibitor of NF‑κB activation, and farnesylthiosalicylic acid, an inhibitor of Ras. In addition, the results of the present study indicated that LPS‑induced phosphorylation of Ras homolog family member A and MEK1/2 was significantly decreased by curcumin. Furthermore, NF‑κB p65 expression in the nucleus and the DNA binding activity of NF‑κB in rat LPS‑exposed VSMCs was decreased by curcumin. Taken together, these findings suggest that curcumin prevents of LPS‑induced MMP‑2 activity through Ras/MEK1/2 and NF‑κB signaling.