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Lee CY, Chen PN, Kao SH, Wu HH, Hsiao YH, Huang TY, Wang PH, Yang SF. Deoxyshikonin triggers apoptosis in cervical cancer cells through p38 MAPK-mediated caspase activation. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY 2024; 39:4308-4317. [PMID: 38717057 DOI: 10.1002/tox.24323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 08/09/2024]
Abstract
Deoxyshikonin (DSK) is a biological component derived from Lithospermum erythrorhizon. Although DSK possesses potential anticancer activities, whether DSK exerts anticancer effects on cervical cancer cells is incompletely explored. This study was aimed to investigate the anticancer activity of DSK against cervical cancer cells and its molecular mechanisms. Cell viability was evaluated by MTT assay. Level of phosphorylation and protein was determined using Western blot. Involvement of signaling kinases was assessed by specific inhibitors. Our results revealed that DSK reduced viability of human cervical cell in a dose-dependent fashion. Meanwhile, DSK significantly elicited apoptosis of HeLa and SiHa cells. Apoptosis microarray was used to elucidate the involved pathways, and the results showed that DSK dose-dependently diminished cellular inhibitor of apoptosis protein 1 (cIAP1), cIAP2, and XIAP, and induced cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and caspase-8/9/3. Furthermore, we observed that DSK significantly triggered activation of ERK, JNK, and p38 MAPK (p38), and only inhibition of p38 diminished the DSK-mediated pro-caspases cleavage. Taken together, our results demonstrate that DSK has anti-cervical cancer effects via the apoptotic cascade elicited by downregulation of IAPs and p38-mediated caspase activation. This suggests that DSK could act as an adjuvant to facilitate cervical cancer management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chung-Yuan Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chiayi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan
- Department of Nursing, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Chiayi, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Ni Chen
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Shao-Hsuan Kao
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Heng-Hsiung Wu
- Program for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Hsuan Hsiao
- School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan
- Women's Health Research Laboratory, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Yu Huang
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Po-Hui Wang
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Shun-Fa Yang
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
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Qi K, Li J, Hu Y, Qiao Y, Mu Y. Research progress in mechanism of anticancer action of shikonin targeting reactive oxygen species. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1416781. [PMID: 39076592 PMCID: PMC11284502 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1416781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Excessive buildup of highly reactive molecules can occur due to the generation and dysregulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and their associated signaling pathways. ROS have a dual function in cancer development, either leading to DNA mutations that promote the growth and dissemination of cancer cells, or triggering the death of cancer cells. Cancer cells strategically balance their fate by modulating ROS levels, activating pro-cancer signaling pathways, and suppressing antioxidant defenses. Consequently, targeting ROS has emerged as a promising strategy in cancer therapy. Shikonin and its derivatives, along with related drug carriers, can impact several signaling pathways by targeting components involved with oxidative stress to induce processes such as apoptosis, necroptosis, cell cycle arrest, autophagy, as well as modulation of ferroptosis. Moreover, they can increase the responsiveness of drug-resistant cells to chemotherapy drugs, based on the specific characteristics of ROS, as well as the kind and stage of cancer. This research explores the pro-cancer and anti-cancer impacts of ROS, summarize the mechanisms and research achievements of shikonin-targeted ROS in anti-cancer effects and provide suggestions for designing further anti-tumor experiments and undertaking further experimental and practical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Qi
- Department of Diagnostic Clinical Laboratory Science, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Jiayi Li
- Department of Clinical Test Center, Medical Laboratory, Peking University Cancer Hospital (Inner Mongolia Campus), Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Yang Hu
- Department of Diagnostic Clinical Laboratory Science, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Yiyun Qiao
- Department of Clinical Test Center, Peking University Cancer Hospital (Inner Mongolia Campus), Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Yongping Mu
- Department of Clinical Test Center, Peking University Cancer Hospital (Inner Mongolia Campus), Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
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Wang XH, Shen CP, Wang TT, Huang Y, Jin Y, Zhou MY, Zhang MY, Gu SL, Wang MQ, Liu ZC, Li R, Cai L. Shikonin suppresses rheumatoid arthritis by inducing apoptosis and autophagy via modulation of the AMPK/mTOR/ULK-1 signaling pathway. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 128:155512. [PMID: 38460357 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2024.155512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The overproliferation of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) contributes to synovial hyperplasia, a pivotal pathological feature of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Shikonin (SKN), the active compound from Lithospermum erythrorhizon, exerts anti-RA effects by diverse means. However, further research is needed to confirm SKN's in vitro and in vivo anti-proliferative functions and reveal the underlying specific molecular mechanisms. PURPOSE This study revealed SKN's anti-proliferative effects by inducing both apoptosis and autophagic cell death in RA FLS and adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) rat synovium, with involvement of regulating the AMPK/mTOR/ULK-1 pathway. METHODS SKN's influences on RA FLS were assessed for proliferation, apoptosis, and autophagy with immunofluorescence staining (Ki67, LC3B, P62), EdU incorporation assay, staining assays of Hoechst, Annexin V-FITC/PI, and JC-1, transmission electron microscopy, mCherry-GFP-LC3B puncta assay, and western blot. In AIA rats, SKN's anti-arthritic effects were assessed, and its impacts on synovial proliferation, apoptosis, and autophagy were studied using Ki67 immunohistochemistry, TUNEL, and western blot. The involvement of AMPK/mTOR/ULK-1 pathway was examined via western blot. RESULTS SKN suppressed RA FLS proliferation with reduced cell viability and decreased Ki67-positive and EdU-positive cells. SKN promoted RA FLS apoptosis, as evidenced by apoptotic nuclear fragmentation, increased Annexin V-FITC/PI-stained cells, reduced mitochondrial potential, elevated Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and increased cleaved-caspase 3 and cleaved-PARP protein levels. SKN also enhanced RA FLS autophagy, featuring increased LC3B, reduced P62, autophagosome formation, and activated autophagic flux. Autophagy inhibition by 3-MA attenuated SKN's anti-proliferative roles, implying that SKN-induced autophagy contributes to cell death. In vivo, SKN mitigated the severity of rat AIA while also reducing Ki67 expression, inducing apoptosis, and enhancing autophagy within AIA rat synovium. Mechanistically, SKN modulated the AMPK/mTOR/ULK-1 pathway in RA FLS and AIA rat synovium, as shown by elevated P-AMPK and P-ULK-1 expression and decreased P-mTOR expression. This regulation was supported by the reversal of SKN's in vitro and in vivo effects upon co-administration with the AMPK inhibitor compound C. CONCLUSION SKN exerted in vitro and in vivo anti-proliferative properties by inducing apoptosis and autophagic cell death via modulating the AMPK/mTOR/ULK-1 pathway. Our study revealed novel molecular mechanisms underlying SKN's anti-RA effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Hua Wang
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province 230032, PR China
| | - Chuan-Pu Shen
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province 230032, PR China
| | - Tian-Tian Wang
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province 230032, PR China
| | - Yan Huang
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province 230032, PR China
| | - Yuan Jin
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province 230032, PR China
| | - Meng-Yuan Zhou
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province 230032, PR China
| | - Man-Yu Zhang
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province 230032, PR China
| | - Sheng-Long Gu
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province 230032, PR China
| | - Meng-Qing Wang
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province 230032, PR China
| | - Zhi-Cheng Liu
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province 230032, PR China.
| | - Rong Li
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province 230032, PR China; Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei, Anhui Province 230026, PR China.
| | - Li Cai
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province 230032, PR China; Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province 230032, PR China.
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Song H, Qiu J, Hua K. USP14 promotes the proliferation of cervical cancer via upregulating β-catenin. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY 2024; 39:1031-1043. [PMID: 38069565 DOI: 10.1002/tox.23990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
In recent years, the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) has become a hot spot in medical research in cervical cancer (CC) and has received extensive attention. Among them, ubiquitin-specific protease 14 (USP14) is involved in a wide variety of typical cell signaling pathways and is recognized to be involved in the progression of most known tumors. However, the expression and significance of USP14 in CC have not been directly studied. Through database analysis, we found that USP14 was overexpressed in CC, which influenced the FIGO stage and prognosis of CC patients, and it was positively correlated with the expression level of β-catenin. In this study, USP14 promoted the G1-S phase transition of Hela and Siha cells and inhibited cell apoptosis, thereby promoting the proliferation, migration, and invasion of CC cells. In addition, USP14 also significantly promoted the growth of subcutaneous tumor in nude mice. We also found that overexpression of USP14 significantly upregulated β-catenin expression and increased the activity of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. While knockdown of USP14 resulted in the opposite. These results suggest that USP14 may promote the proliferation of CC by up-regulating the expression of β-catenin, contributing to a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of CC and providing a potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Song
- Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Junjun Qiu
- Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Keqin Hua
- Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Qian X, Zhu L, Xu M, Liu H, Yu X, Shao Q, Qin J. Shikonin suppresses small cell lung cancer growth via inducing ATF3-mediated ferroptosis to promote ROS accumulation. Chem Biol Interact 2023; 382:110588. [PMID: 37268198 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2023.110588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a subtype of lung cancer with a very poor overall survival rate due to its extremely high proliferation and metastasis predilection. Shikonin is an active ingredient extracted from the roots of Lithospermum erythrorhizon, and exerts multiple anti-tumor functions in many cancers. In the present study, the role and underlying mechanism of shikonin in SCLC were investigated for the first time. We found that shikonin effectively suppressed cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and colony formation and slightly induced apoptosis in SCLC cells. Further experiment indicated the shikonin could also induced ferroptosis in SCLC cells. Shikonin treatment effectively suppressed the activation of ERK, the expression of ferroptosis inhibitor GPX4, and elevated the level of 4-HNE, a biomarker of ferroptosis. Both total ROS and lipid ROS were increased, while the GSH levels were decreased in SCLC cells after shikonin treatment. More importantly, our data identified that the function of shikonin was dependent on the up-regulation of ATF3 by performing rescue experiments using shRNA to silence the expression of ATF3, especially in the total and lipid ROS accumulaiton. Xenograft model was established using SBC-2 cells, and the results revealed that shikonin also significantly inhibited tumor growth by inducing ferroptosis. Finally, our data further confirmed that shikonin activated ATF3 transcription by impairing the recruitment of HDAC1 mediated by c-myc on the ATF3 promoter, and subsequently elevating of histone acetylation. Our data documented that shikonin suppressed SCLC by inducing ferroptosis in a ATF3-dependent manner. Shikonin upregulated the expression of ATF3 expression via promoting the histone acetylation by inhibiting c-myc-mediated HDAC1 binding on ATF3 promoter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Qian
- Department of Oncology, Key Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research of Zhejiang Province, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine (Hangzhou Cancer Hospital), Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310006, China
| | - Lin Zhu
- Department of Thoracic Medical Oncology, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310022, China
| | - Mengzhen Xu
- Department of Thoracic Medical Oncology, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310022, China
| | - Haoli Liu
- Department of Thoracic Medical Oncology, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310022, China
| | - Xinyan Yu
- Department of Thoracic Medical Oncology, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310022, China
| | - Qiuyue Shao
- Department of Thoracic Medical Oncology, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310022, China
| | - Jing Qin
- Department of Thoracic Medical Oncology, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310022, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Diagnosis & Treatment Technology on Thoracic oncology (lung and Esophagus), Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, 310022, PR China.
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