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Luo Y, Xiang J, Tang S, Huang S, Zhou Y, Shen H. Ursolic acid induces apoptosis and pyroptosis in Reh cells by upregulating of the JNK signalling pathway based on network pharmacology and experimental validation. Heliyon 2023; 9:e23079. [PMID: 38144346 PMCID: PMC10746475 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective To explore the mechanism of ursolic acid (UA) against acute B lymphoblastic leukaemia (B-ALL) based on network pharmacological analysis, molecular docking and experimental verification. Methods The core targets, functional processes, and biological pathways of UA in B-ALL were predicted by network pharmacology and molecular docking. The efficacy and mechanism of UA against B-ALL were verified through in vitro experiments such as cell viability assays, CCK-8 assays, LDH assays, AO/EB staining, flow cytometry, and Western blot assays. Results Network pharmacology analysis of the core targets indicated that the effects of UA on B-ALL were related to programmed cell death (apoptosis and pyroptosis). Molecular docking results showed that FOS, CASP8, MAPK8, IL-1β and JUN were the key targets of UA against B-ALL. The MTS assay showed that UA decreased the viability of Reh cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Cellular and Western blot experiments found that UA induced Reh cell apoptosis and pyroptosis by upregulating the JNK signalling pathway. Conclusions Our findings demonstrated that UA could induce Reh cell apoptosis and pyroptosis by activating the JNK signalling pathway to exert anti-B-ALL effects. This indicates that UA may become a potential drug for the effective treatment of B-ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Luo
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Key Laboratory of Environment and Critical Human Diseases Prevention of the Education Department of Hunan Province, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China
| | - Jing Xiang
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Key Laboratory of Environment and Critical Human Diseases Prevention of the Education Department of Hunan Province, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China
| | - Shuangyang Tang
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Key Laboratory of Environment and Critical Human Diseases Prevention of the Education Department of Hunan Province, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China
| | - Shiting Huang
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Key Laboratory of Environment and Critical Human Diseases Prevention of the Education Department of Hunan Province, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China
| | - Yishan Zhou
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Key Laboratory of Environment and Critical Human Diseases Prevention of the Education Department of Hunan Province, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China
| | - Haiyan Shen
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Key Laboratory of Environment and Critical Human Diseases Prevention of the Education Department of Hunan Province, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China
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Kornel A, Nadile M, Retsidou MI, Sakellakis M, Gioti K, Beloukas A, Sze NSK, Klentrou P, Tsiani E. Ursolic Acid against Prostate and Urogenital Cancers: A Review of In Vitro and In Vivo Studies. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087414. [PMID: 37108576 PMCID: PMC10138876 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer is the second most diagnosed form of cancer in men worldwide and accounted for roughly 1.3 million cases and 359,000 deaths globally in 2018, despite all the available treatment strategies including surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Finding novel approaches to prevent and treat prostate and other urogenital cancers effectively is of major importance. Chemicals derived from plants, such as docetaxel and paclitaxel, have been used in cancer treatment, and in recent years, research interest has focused on finding other plant-derived chemicals that can be used in the fight against cancer. Ursolic acid, found in high concentrations in cranberries, is a pentacyclic triterpenoid compound demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. In the present review, we summarize the research studies examining the effects of ursolic acid and its derivatives against prostate and other urogenital cancers. Collectively, the existing data indicate that ursolic acid inhibits human prostate, renal, bladder, and testicular cancer cell proliferation and induces apoptosis. A limited number of studies have shown significant reduction in tumor volume in animals xenografted with human prostate cancer cells and treated with ursolic acid. More animal studies and human clinical studies are required to examine the potential of ursolic acid to inhibit prostate and other urogenital cancers in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Kornel
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada
| | - Matteo Nadile
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada
| | - Maria Ilektra Retsidou
- Department of Kinesiology, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada
| | - Minas Sakellakis
- Department of Medical Oncology, Metropolitan Hospital, 18547 Athens, Greece
| | - Katerina Gioti
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece
| | - Apostolos Beloukas
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece
- National AIDS Reference Centre of Southern Greece, School of Public Health, University of West Attica, 11521 Athens, Greece
| | - Newman Siu Kwan Sze
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada
| | - Panagiota Klentrou
- Department of Kinesiology, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada
- Centre for Bone and Muscle Health, Applied Health Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada
| | - Evangelia Tsiani
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada
- Centre for Bone and Muscle Health, Applied Health Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada
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Nie Z, Chen M, Gao Y, Huang D, Cao H, Peng Y, Guo N, Zhang S. Regulated Cell Death in Urinary Malignancies. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:789004. [PMID: 34869390 PMCID: PMC8633115 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.789004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Urinary malignancies refer to a series of malignant tumors that occur in the urinary system and mainly include kidney, bladder, and prostate cancers. Although local or systemic radiotherapy and chemotherapy, immunotherapy, castration therapy and other methods have been applied to treat these diseases, their high recurrence and metastasis rate remain problems for patients. With in-depth research on the pathogenesis of urinary malignant tumors, this work suggests that regulatory cell death (RCD) plays an important role in their occurrence and development. These RCD pathways are stimulated by various internal and external environmental factors and can induce cell death or permit cell survival under the control of various signal molecules, thereby affecting tumor progression or therapeutic efficacy. Among the previously reported RCD methods, necroptosis, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) have attracted research attention. These modes transmit death signals through signal molecules, such as cysteine-aspartic proteases (caspase) family and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) that have a wide and profound influence on tumor proliferation or death and even change the sensitivity of tumor cells to therapy. This review discussed the effects of necroptosis, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, and NETs on kidney, bladder and prostate cancer and summarized the latest research and achievements in these fields. Future directions and possibility of improving the denouement of urinary system tumors treatment by targeting RCD therapy were also explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenyu Nie
- Central Laboratory, Affiliated Haikou Hospital of Xiangya Medical College, Central South University, Haikou, China
| | - Mei Chen
- Central Laboratory, Affiliated Haikou Hospital of Xiangya Medical College, Central South University, Haikou, China
| | - Yuanhui Gao
- Central Laboratory, Affiliated Haikou Hospital of Xiangya Medical College, Central South University, Haikou, China
| | - Denggao Huang
- Central Laboratory, Affiliated Haikou Hospital of Xiangya Medical College, Central South University, Haikou, China
| | - Hui Cao
- Central Laboratory, Affiliated Haikou Hospital of Xiangya Medical College, Central South University, Haikou, China
| | - Yanling Peng
- Central Laboratory, Affiliated Haikou Hospital of Xiangya Medical College, Central South University, Haikou, China
| | - Na Guo
- Central Laboratory, Affiliated Haikou Hospital of Xiangya Medical College, Central South University, Haikou, China
| | - Shufang Zhang
- Central Laboratory, Affiliated Haikou Hospital of Xiangya Medical College, Central South University, Haikou, China
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Wang L, Yin Q, Liu C, Tang Y, Sun C, Zhuang J. Nanoformulations of Ursolic Acid: A Modern Natural Anticancer Molecule. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:706121. [PMID: 34295253 PMCID: PMC8289884 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.706121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Ursolic acid (UA) is a natural pentacyclic triterpene derived from fruit, herb, and other plants. UA can act on molecular targets of various signaling pathways, inhibit the growth of cancer cells, promote cycle stagnation, and induce apoptosis, thereby exerting anticancer activity. However, its poor water-solubility, low intestinal mucosal absorption, and low bioavailability restrict its clinical application. In order to overcome these deficiencies, nanotechnology, has been applied to the pharmacological study of UA. Objective: In this review, we focused on the absorption, distribution, and elimination pharmacokinetics of UA in vivo, as well as on the research progress in various UA nanoformulations, in the hope of providing reference information for the research on the anticancer activity of UA. Methods: Relevant research articles on Pubmed and Web of Science in recent years were searched selectively by using the keywords and subheadings, and were summarized systematically. Key finding: The improvement of the antitumor ability of the UA nanoformulations is mainly due to the improvement of the bioavailability and the enhancement of the targeting ability of the UA molecules. UA nanoformulations can even be combined with computational imaging technology for monitoring or diagnosis. Conclusion: Currently, a variety of UA nanoformulations, such as micelles, liposomes, and nanoparticles, which can increase the solubility and bioactivity of UA, while promoting the accumulation of UA in tumor tissues, have been prepared. Although the research of UA in the nanofield has made great progress, there is still a long way to go before the clinical application of UA nanoformulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longyun Wang
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Qianqian Yin
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Cun Liu
- College of First Clinical Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Ying Tang
- Department of Hematology, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Changgang Sun
- Department of Oncology, Weifang Traditional Chinese Hospital, Weifang, China.,Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, China
| | - Jing Zhuang
- Department of Oncology, Weifang Traditional Chinese Hospital, Weifang, China
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Qingjie Fuzheng Granule suppresses lymphangiogenesis in colorectal cancer via the VEGF-C/VEGFR-3 dependent PI3K/AKT pathway. Biomed Pharmacother 2021; 137:111331. [PMID: 33578235 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.111331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
SCOPE To investigate the effect of Qingjie Fuzheng Granule (QFG) on lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic metastasis in colorectal cancer. METHODS The effects of QFG on the expression and secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) in HCT-116 cells were investigated both in vitro and in vivo. HCT-116 cells were treated with different concentrations (0.2, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/mL) of QFG. The VEGF-C expression level was determined using RT-qPCR and western blotting, and the VEGF-C concentration in supernatant was measured by ELISA. Tumor xenograft models of HCT-116 cells were generated using BALB/c nude mice, and the mice were randomly divided into a control group (gavaged with normal saline) and QFG group (gavaged with 2 g/kg QFG). The effect of QFG on tumor growth was evaluated by comparing the volume and weight of tumors between two groups. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and RT-qPCR were performed to detect the expression levels of VEGF-C, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 (VEGFR-3), and LYVE-1 (lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor 1). ELISA was performed to measure the concentration of serum VEGF-C. TMT proteomics technology and Reactome pathway analysis were used to explore the mechanism of QFG inhibiting lymphangiogenesis in tumor. The VEGF-C (5 ng/mL)-stimulated human lymphatic endothelial cell (HLEC) model was conducted to evaluate the effect of QFG on lymphangiogenesis in vitro. The model cells were treated with different concentrations (0.2, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/mL) of QFG. Cell viability was then determined using an MTT assay. The cell migration, invasion, and tube-formation ability were analyzed using transwell migration, matrigel invasion and tube formation assays, respectively. The underlying mechanism was uncovered, the levels of VEGFR-3, matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2), matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), p-PI3K/PI3K, p-AKT/AKT and p-mTOR/ mTOR were detected using western blotting. RESULTS QFG significantly reduced VEGF-C expression and secretion in HCT-116 cells. QFG evidently suppressed in vivo tumor growth and the expression of VEGF-C, VEGFR-3, and LYVE-1. The serum VEGF-C level was also reduced by QFG. Moreover, TMT proteomics technology and Reactome pathway analysis identified 95 differentially expressed protein and multiple enriched pathway about matrix metalloproteinase and extracellular matrix, which is direct associate with lymphangiogenesis. In vitro experiment, QFG inhibited the viability, migration, invasion and tube formation of HLECs. Additionally, QFG reduced the VEGFR-3, MMP-2, MMP-9 expression levels, and the p-PI3K/PI3K, p-AKT/AKT, p-mTOR/ mTOR ratios. CONCLUSION QFG can exert its effect on both tumor cells and HLECs, exhibiting ani- lymphangiogenesis in colorectal cancer via the VEGF-C/VEGFR-3 dependent PI3K/AKT pathway pathway.
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