Butein suppresses cervical cancer growth through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway

In-Vitro Cytotoxic, Antiproliferative and Apoptotic Activity of Siddha Formulation Nandhi Mezhugu (NM) Against Hela Cell Line

Cervical cancer is the most common cancer among women of childbearing age. Nandhi Mezhugu is a Siddha herbo-mineral drug widely used to treat cancer. Due to a lack of scientific evidence, the present study was intended to evaluate the anti cancer activity of Nandhi Mezhugu in the HeLa cell line. The cells were cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium, then treated with different concentrations of the test drug (10 to 200 µg/ml). The anti proliferative activity of the drug was evaluated using an MTT assay. Cell apoptosis and cell cycle were measured by flow cytometry and typical nuclear changes of apoptotic processes were observed under the microscope using the dual acridine orange/ethidium bromide fluorescent staining method. The study result showed that the percentage of cell viability decreased with an increase in the concentration of the test drug. The MTT assay data showed that the test drug Nandhi Mezhugu had the antiproliferative effect on cervical cancer cells with IC50 of 139.7 ± 13.87 µg/ml. Further studies such as flow cytometry and dual staining method also revealed the apoptotic effect of the test drug. Nandhi Mezhugu can be effectively used as an anti cancer formulation to treat cervical cancer. Thus, the current study brings forth scientific evidence for the efficacy of Nandhi Mezhugu against the HeLa cell line. Further studies will be needed to prove the promising efficacy of Nandhi Mezhugu.

Butein Inhibits Cell Growth by Blocking the IL-6/IL-6Rα Interaction in Human Ovarian Cancer and by Regulation of the IL-6/STAT3/FoxO3a Pathway

Butea monosperma (Fabaceae) has been used in traditional Indian medicine to treat a variety of ailments, including abdominal tumors. We aimed to investigate the anti-IL-6 activity of butein in ovarian cancer and elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Butein was isolated and identified from B. monosperma flowers, and the inhibition of IL-6 signaling was investigated using the HEK-Blue™ IL-6 cell line. The surface plasmon resonance assay was used to estimate the binding of butein to IL-6, IL-6Rα, and gp130. After treatment with butein, ovarian cancer cell migration, apoptosis, and tumor growth inhibition were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we used STAT3 siRNA to identify the mechanistic effects of butein on the IL-6/STAT3/FoxO3a pathway. Butein suppressed downstream signal transduction through higher binding affinity to IL-6. In ovarian cancer, butein inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. In addition, it decreased the growth of ovarian cancer cells in xenograft tumor models. Butein inhibited STAT3 phosphorylation and induced FoxO3a accumulation in the nucleus by inhibiting IL-6 signaling. The anticancer activity of butein was mediated by blocking the IL-6/IL-6Rα interaction and suppressing IL-6 bioactivity via interfering with the IL-6/STAT3/FoxO3a pathway.

Suppressive Effects of Siegesbeckia orientalis Ethanolic Extract on Proliferation and Migration of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells through Promoting Oxidative Stress, Apoptosis and Inflammatory Responses

Previous studies have demonstrated that Siegesbeckia orientalis (SO) has a suppressive effect on the growth and migration of endometrial and cervical cancer cells. The present study examined the effect of SO ethanolic extract (SOE) on the proliferation and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and examined the effects of SOE on non-cancerous cells using HaCaT keratinocytes as a model. The SOE effectively inhibited the proliferation of Hepa1-6 (IC₅₀ = 282.4 μg/mL) and HepG2 (IC₅₀ = 344.3 μg/mL) hepatoma cells, whereas it has less cytotoxic effect on HaCaT cells (IC₅₀ = 892.4 μg/mL). The SOE treatment increased the generation of ROS in HCC, but decreased the expression of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase. In contrast, it reduced intracellular ROS formation and upregulated the expression of the related antioxidant enzymes in the H₂O₂-stimulated HaCaT cells. The SOE intervention also down-regulated the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and the migration-related proteins including matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and β-catenin in the HCC, suggesting that SOE could promote HCC apoptosis and inhibit HCC migration. On the contrary, it reduced apoptosis and promoted the migration of the keratinocytes. Additionally, the SOE treatment significantly up-regulated the pro-inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β, in Hepa1-6 and HepG2 cells. Conversely, it significantly decreased the expression of these cytokines in the H₂O₂-induced HaCaT cells. These findings indicated that SOE treatment can delay the progression of HCC by increasing oxidative stress, promoting inflammatory response, inducing cancer cell apoptosis and inhibiting their migration. It also has protective effects from pro-oxidant H₂O₂ in non-cancerous cells. Therefore, SOE may provide a potential treatment for liver cancer.

Natural Bioactives: Back to the Future in the Fight against Human Papillomavirus? A Narrative Review

Human papillomavirus (HPV) still represents an important threat to health worldwide. Better therapy in terms of further improvement of outcomes and attenuation of related side-effects is desirable. The pharmaceutical industry has always targeted natural substances-phytochemicals in particular-to identify lead compounds to be clinically validated and industrially produced as antiviral and anticancer drugs. In the field of HPV, numerous naturally occurring bioactives and dietary phytochemicals have been investigated as potentially valuable in vitro and in vivo. Interference with several pathways and improvement of the efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents have been demonstrated. Notably, some clinical trials have been conducted. Despite being endowed with general safety, these natural substances are in urgent need of further assessment to foresee their clinical exploitation. This review summarizes the basic research efforts conducted so far in the study of anti-HPV properties of bio-actives with insights into their mechanisms of action and highlights the variety of their natural origin in order to provide comprehensive mapping throughout the different sources. The clinical studies available are reported, as well, to highlight the need of uniformity and consistency of studies in the future to select those natural compounds that may be suited to clinical application.

Arctiin Inhibits Cervical Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion through Suppression of S100A4 Expression via PI3K/Akt Pathway

Arctiin, a lignan glycoside, is isolated from Arctium lappa L. The anticancer effects of arctiin have been demonstrated in several studies. However, no research has been conducted on the anti-migration effect of arctiin in cervical cancer cells. The present study examined the effects of arctiin on cervical cancer cells and investigated the possible molecular mechanism. We demonstrated that arctiin exhibited low cytotoxicity and significantly inhibited cell migration and invasion in human cervical cancer cells. The S100A4 protein expression and mRNA levels were significantly reduced in HeLa and SiHa cells with arctiin treatment. Furthermore, silencing S100A4 by using small interfering RNA reduced cell migration, while overexpression of S100A4 mitigated the migration inhibition imposed by arctiin in cervical cancer cells. Western blotting revealed that arctiin significantly reduced phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and phosphorylation of Akt in cervical cancer cells. Moreover, selective Akt induction by an Akt activator, SC-79, reverted cervical cancer cell migration and S100A4 protein expression, which were reduced in response to arctiin. Taken together, these results suggest that arctiin inhibits cervical cancer cell migration and invasion through suppression of S100A4 and the PI3K/Akt pathway.

Butein and Frondoside-A Combination Exhibits Additive Anti-Cancer Effects on Tumor Cell Viability, Colony Growth, and Invasion and Synergism on Endothelial Cell Migration

Despite the significant advances in targeted- and immuno-therapies, lung and breast cancer are at the top list of cancer incidence and mortality worldwide as of 2020. Combination therapy consisting of a mixture of different drugs taken at once is currently the main approach in cancer management. Natural compounds are extensively investigated for their promising anti-cancer potential. This study explored the anti-cancer potential of butein, a biologically active flavonoid, on two major solid tumors, namely, A549 lung and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells alone and in combination with another natural anti-cancer compound, frondoside-A. We demonstrated that butein decreases A549 and MDA-MB-231 cancer cell viability and colony growth in vitro in addition to tumor growth on chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) in vivo without inducing any noticeable toxicity. Additionally, non-toxic concentrations of butein significantly reduced the migration and invasion of both cell lines, suggesting its potential anti-metastatic effect. We showed that butein anti-cancer effects are due, at least in part, to a potent inhibition of STAT3 phosphorylation, leading to PARP cleavage and consequently cell death. Moreover, we demonstrated that combining butein with frondoside-A leads to additive effects on inhibiting A549 and MDA-MB-231 cellular viability, induction of caspase 3/7 activity, inhibition of colony growth, and inhibition of cellular migration and invasion. This combination reached a synergistic effect on the inhibition of HUVECs migration in vitro. Collectively, this study provides sufficient rationale to further carry out animal studies to confirm the relevance of these compounds’ combination in cancer therapy.

Molecular mechanisms underlying chemopreventive potential of butein: Current trends and future perspectives

Despite extensive efforts, cancer is still often considered as an incurable disease and initiation of novel drug development programs is crucial to improve the prognosis and clinical outcome of patients. One of the major approaches in designing the novel cancer drugs has historically comprised studies of natural agents with diverse anticancer properties. As only a marginal part of natural compounds has been investigated, this approach still represents an attractive source of new potential antitumor molecules. In this review article, different anticancer effects of plant-derived chalcone, butein, are discussed, including its growth inhibitory action, proapoptotic, antiangiogenic and antimetastatic activities in a variety of cancer cells. The molecular mechanisms underlying these effects are presented in detail, revealing interactions of butein with multiple cellular targets (Bcl-2/Bax, caspases, STAT3, cyclins, NF-κB, COX-2, MMP-9, VEGF/R etc.) and regulation of a wide range of intracellular signal transduction pathways. These data altogether allow a good basis for initiating further in vivo studies as well as clinical trials. Along with the efforts to overcome low bioavailability issues generally characteristic to plant metabolites, butein can be considered as a potential lead compound for safe and more efficient cancer drugs in the future.

Function of selected natural antidiabetic compounds with potential against cancer via modulation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR cascade

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder with growing global incidence, as 387 million people were diagnosed in 2014 with an expected projection of 642 million in 2040. Several complications are associated with DM including heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, and cancer. The latter is the second leading cause of death worldwide accounting for one in every six deaths, with liver, pancreas, and endometrium cancers are the most abundant among patients with diabetes. Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway plays a vital role in developing a wide array of pathological disorders, among them diabetes and cancer. Natural secondary metabolites that counteract the deleterious effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and modulate PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway could be a promising approach in cancer therapy. Here, 717 medicinal plants with antidiabetic activities were highlighted along with 357 bioactive compounds responsible for the antidiabetic activity. Also, 43 individual plant compounds with potential antidiabetic activities against cancer via the modulation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR cascade were identified. Taken together, the available data give an insight of the potential of repurposing medicinal plants and/or the individual secondary metabolites with antidiabetic activities for cancer therapy.

The Involvement of Natural Polyphenols in the Chemoprevention of Cervical Cancer

From all types of cancer, cervical cancer manages to be in top four most frequent types, with a 6.5% rate of occurrence. The infectious vector that induces the disease, the high-risk Human papillomavirus (HPV), which is a sexually transmitted virus, is capable of transforming the host cell by modulating some of the principal signaling pathways responsible for cell cycle arrest, proliferation, and survival. Fortunately, like other cancer types, cervical cancer can be treated by chirurgical interventions or chemoradiotherapy, but these methods are not exactly the lucky clover of modern medicine because of the adverse effects they have. That is the reason why in the last years the emphasis has been on alternative medicine, more specifically on phytochemicals, as a substantial number of studies showed that diet contributes to cancer prevention and treatment. All these studies are trying to find new chemopreventive agents with less toxicity but high effectiveness both in vitro and in vivo. The aim of this review is to evaluate the literature in order to underline the advantages and disadvantages of polyphenols, a class of dietary compounds, as chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agents. This review also aims to present polyphenols from different perspectives, starting with mechanisms of action and ending with their toxicity. The bigger picture illustrates that polyphenols have great potential in cervical cancer prevention, with strong effects on gene modulation.

Butein induces cellular senescence through reactive oxygen species-mediated p53 activation in osteosarcoma U-2 OS cells

Butein is a flavonoid isolated from various medicinal plants. It is known to have different biological activities including anti-inflammation, anti-adipogenesis, and anti-angiogenesis. In the study, we demonstrated the anti-proliferative effect of butein in human osteosarcoma U-2 OS cells. Our data showed that butein significantly suppressed the viability and colony formation ability of U-2 OS cells. Further experiments revealed butein exposure resulted in a cell cycle arrest at S and G2/M phase in U-2 OS cells. Importantly, we found that butein activated the tumor suppressor p53, and trigged a p53-dependent senescence in U-2 OS cells. Knockdown of p53 suppressed the senescence and rescued the viability in butein-treated U-2 OS cells. Furthermore, we observed that butein exposure significantly enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in U-2 OS cells. Co-administration of the ROS inhibitor NAC largely abolished the up-regulated p53 protein level, and rescued the suppressed viability and colony formation ability in butein-exposed U-2 OS cells. Taken together, our data proposed the increased ROS by butein exposure activated p53, and the activated p53 was involved in the anti-proliferative effect of butein via inducing senescence in U-2 OS cells. This report suggests that butein is a promising candidate for cancer therapy against osteosarcoma.

Effects of Induced Exosomes from Endometrial Cancer Cells on Tumor Activity in the Presence of Aurea helianthus Extract

Endometrial cancer (EC) cells metastasize to various regions, including the ovaries, fallopian tubes, cervix, blood, liver, bone, and brain. Various carcinogens are known to cause EC. Exosomes are released from several types of cells and contain various cellular components. In this study, flow cytometry and quantitative PCR were used to evaluate marker levels, cell migration, cell invasion, and mitochondrial membrane potential, and cellular senescence tests were used to estimate cancer activity. The microRNAs were profiled using next-generation sequencing. Although tocopherol-α and rutin content in Aurea helianthus is high, A. helianthus extract was more useful in modulating tumor activity compared to the two aforementioned substances. Notably, we established that the extract induced bioactive exosomes in EC cells, and profiling of miRNAs in the extract-inducing exosomes (EIE) indicated their potency to be developed as a biological drug. The extract and EIE contributed to the following five biological process categories for EC cells: (1) cell migration and invasion suppression, (2) cellular senescence activation by attenuating mitochondrial membrane potential and enhancing autophagy, (3) reproductive cancer activity attenuation, (4) drug susceptibility activation, and (5) EIE containing miRNAs associated with decreasing inflammation.

F-box protein FBXO31 modulates apoptosis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of cervical cancer via inactivation of the PI3K/AKT-mediated MDM2/p53 axis

AIMS

Cervical cancer (CC) is one of the most common malignant tumours in the world and a serious threat to women's health. The dysregulation of protein degradation mediated by F-box proteins is involved in tumorigenesis, and F-box protein FBXO31 has been reported to play an important role in various human cancers. However, the role of FBXO31 in CC remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the function and underlying regulatory mechanism of FBXO31 in CC.

MAIN METHODS

In this study, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot were used to measure target gene expression; the Cell Counting Kit-8, cell death ELISA, Transwell invasion assay, wound-healing assay and western blot were applied to assess cell viability, apoptosis, invasion, migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), respectively.

KEY FINDINGS

FBXO31 was expressed at a low level in 37 pairs of CC tissues and three types of CC cell lines. Overexpression of FBXO31 inhibited cell viability, invasion, migration, EMT and induced apoptosis in SiHa cells. FBXO31 promoted p53 activity through suppression of murine double minute 2 (MDM2) expression. Overexpression of MDM2 ameliorated the inhibitory effect of FBXO31 on SiHa cells, while the MDM2/p53 axis-specific inhibitor Nutlin-3a facilitated this inhibitory effect. Further, we confirmed that FBXO31 inactivated MDM2/p53 axis dependence on the phospholipid inositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) signalling pathway.

SIGNIFICANCE

Collectively, our results reveal that FBXO31 down-regulates CC progression by blocking the PI3K/AKT-mediated MDM2/p53 axis, suggesting that FBXO31 may serve as a promising therapeutic target for CC treatment.

Targeting PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway by polyphenols: Implication for cancer therapy

Cancer is one of the biggest challenges facing medicine and its cure is regarded to be the Holy Grail of medicine. Therapy in cancer is consisted as various artificial cytotoxic agents and radiotherapy, and recently immunotherapy. Recently much attention has been directed to the use of natural occurring agents in cancer therapy. One of the main group of agents utilized in this regard is polyphenols which are found abundantly in berries, fruits and vegetables. Polyphenols show to exert direct and indirect effects in progression of cancer, angiogenesis, proliferation and enhancing resistance to treatment. One of the cellular pathways commonly affected by polyphenols is PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, which has far ranging effects on multiple key aspects of cellular growth, metabolism and death. In this review article, evidence regarding the biology of polyphenols in cancer via PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway is discussed and their application on cancer pathophysiology in various types of human malignancies is shown.

Sophora alopecuroides L.: An ethnopharmacological, phytochemical, and pharmacological review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Sophora alopecuroides L., which is called Kudouzi in China, is a medicinal plant distributed in Western and Central Asia, especially in China, and has been used for decades to treat fever, bacterial infection, heart disease, rheumatism, and gastrointestinal diseases.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

This review aims to provide up-to-date information on S. alopecuroides, including its botanical characterization, medicinal resources, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological research, and toxicology, in exploring future therapeutic and scientific potentials.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The information related to this article was systematically collected from the scientific literature databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Science Direct, Springer, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, published books, PhD and MS dissertations, and other web sources, such as the official website of Flora of China and Yao Zhi website (https://db.yaozh.com/).

RESULTS

A total of 128 compounds, such as alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, and polysaccharides, were isolated from S. alopecuroides. Among these compounds, the effects of alkaloids, such as matrine and oxymatrine, were extensively studied and developed into new drugs. S. alopecuroides and its active components had a wide range of pharmacological activities, such as anticancer, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, analgesic, and neuroprotective functions, as well as protective properties against pulmonary fibrosis and cardiac fibroblast proliferation.

CONCLUSIONS

As an important traditional Chinese medicine, modern pharmacological studies have demonstrated that S. alopecuroides has prominent bioactivities, especially on gynecological inflammation and hepatitis B, and anticancer activities. These activities provide prospects for novel drug development for cancer and some chronic diseases. Nevertheless, the comprehensive evaluation, quality control, understanding of the multitarget network pharmacology, long-term in vivo toxicity, and clinical efficacy of S. alopecuroides require further detailed research.

High Concentrations of Boric Acid Trigger Concentration-Dependent Oxidative Stress, Apoptotic Pathways and Morphological Alterations in DU-145 Human Prostate Cancer Cell Line

Boric acid is known to regulate the proliferation of cancer cells. Prostate cancer is among the types of cancer with high mortality in men. There are a few numbers of studies investigating the effects of boric acid on prostate cancer cells. The objective of the present study was to assess the effects of boric acid at concentrations higher than that can be achieved in blood by dietary intake on DU-145 human prostate cancer cells for 24 h. Firstly, we determined the cytotoxic activity of boric acid (0 to 12.5 mM) on DU-145 human prostate cancer cells by using 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol, 2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and defined the IC50 concentration of boric acid. Then, by employing the doses found in MTT, the levels of antioxidant-oxidant molecules and apoptotic proteins were measured and morphological changes were evaluated. We have concluded that boric acid caused oxidative stress, inhibition of cell growth, apoptosis, and morphological alterations in a concentration-dependent manner in DU-145 cells. Furthermore, treatments with increasing boric acid concentrations decreased the antioxidant levels in cells. We actually revealed that boric acid, known as an antioxidant, may prevent cell proliferation by acting as an oxidant in certain doses. Although the high IC50 concentration of boric acid is perceived to be negative, we think it provides important background for subsequent studies.

The Potential of Chinese Herbal Medicines in the Treatment of Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is a global health issue and places a considerable economic and medical burden on society. Thus, a concerted effort to improve the treatment of cervical cancer is warranted. Although several treatment options are currently available for treating patients with cervical cancer, such as chemoradiation and neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy, more aggressive systemic therapies and newer therapeutic agents are under investigation. Medicinal herbs have long been used to treat diseases. In this review, we summarize studies analyzing the antitumor effects and underlying mechanisms of Chinese herbal medicines, including the effects of crude extracts and compounds in vitro or in animal models for inducing apoptosis and inhibiting invasion or metastasis. Chinese herbal medicines with therapeutic targeting, such as those that interfere with tumor growth and progression in cervical cancer, have been widely investigated. To apply Chinese herbal medicine in the treatment of cervical cancer, adequate clinical studies are required to confirm its clinical safety and efficiency. Further investigations focused on the purification, pharmacokinetics, and identification of compounds from Chinese herbal medicines in cervical cancer treatment are necessary to achieve the aforementioned treatment goals.

Silencing of Long Non-coding RNA RP1-93H18.6 Acts as a Tumor Suppressor in Cervical Cancer through the Blockade of the PI3K/Akt Axis

Cervical cancer (CC) remains a distinct public health stumbling block worldwide. Increasing evidence has highlighted long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as tumor-associated biological molecules. In this study, by means of altering the expression of lncRNA RP1-93H18.6 in CC cells, its ability to influence the biological activities of CC cells was evaluated. Differentially expressed lncRNAs were initially screened from the GEO database. A series of RP1-93H18.6 vectors, small interfering RNA (siRNA) against RP1-93H18.6, and LY294002 (an inhibitor for the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase [PI3K]/Akt [serine/threonine kinase] axis) were introduced in a respective manner to treat the HeLa cells in order to analyze their effects on cellular activities in vitro. Nude mice with xenograft tumors were utilized in order to assess CC tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. lncRNA RP1-93H18.6 was highly expressed in CC, which could activate the P13K/Akt axis. RP1-93H18.6 vectors exposure increased cell viability, adhesion, migration, and invasion, which resulted in more cells arrested at the S stage and reduced apoptosis, while acting to promote tumor growth and metastasis. The siRNA against RP1-93H18.6 or LY294002 exposure was observed to attenuate the effects induced by RP1-93H18.6 vectors. This study suggests that suppression of lncRNA RP1-93H18.6 exerts potent inhibitory effects on the development and progression of CC via blockade of the PI3K/Akt axis.

The sirtuin family in cancer

Sirtuins are a family of protein deacylases and ADP-ribosyl-transferases, homologs to the yeast SIR2 protein. Seven sirtuin paralogs have been described in mammals, with different subcellular locations, targets, enzymatic activities, and regulatory mechanisms. All sirtuins share NAD+ as substrate, placing them as central metabolic hubs with strong relevance in lifespan, metabolism, and cancer development. Much effort has been devoted to studying the roles of sirtuins in cancer, providing a wealth of data on sirtuins roles in mouse models and humans. Also, extensive data are available on the effects of pharmacological modulation of sirtuins in cancer development. Here, we present a comprehensive and organized resume of all the existing evidence linking every sirtuin with cancer development. From our analysis, we conclude that sirtuin modulation after tumor initiation results in unpredictable outcomes in most tumor types. On the contrary, all genetic and pharmacological models indicate that sirtuins activation prior to tumor initiation can constitute a powerful preventive strategy.

PERK/eIF-2α/CHOP Pathway Dependent ROS Generation Mediates Butein-induced Non-small-cell Lung Cancer Apoptosis and G2/M Phase Arrest

Butein, a member of the chalcone family, is a potent anticarcinogen against multiple cancers, but its specific anti-NSCLC mechanism remains unknown. The present study examined the effects of butein treatment on NSCLC cell lines and NSCLC xenografts. Butein markedly decreased NSCLC cell viability; inhibited cell adhesion, migration, invasion, and colony forming ability; and induced cell apoptosis and G2/M phase arrest in NSCLC cells. Moreover, butein significantly inhibited PC-9 xenograft growth. Both in vivo and in vitro studies verified that butein exerted anti-NSCLC effect through activating endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-dependent reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. These pro-apoptotic effects were reversed by the use of 4- phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA), CHOP siRNA, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) and Z-VAD-FMK (z-VAD) in vitro. Moreover, inhibition of ER stress markedly reduced ROS generation. In addition, in vivo studies further confirmed that inhibition of ER stress or oxidative stress partially abolished the butein-induced inhibition of tumor growth. Therefore, butein is a potential therapeutic agent for NSCLC, and its anticarcinogenic action might be mediated by ER stress-dependent ROS generation and the apoptosis pathway.

Immunomodulatory Effects of Flavonoids: Possible Induction of T CD4+ Regulatory Cells Through Suppression of mTOR Pathway Signaling Activity

The increasing rate of autoimmune disorders and cancer in recent years has been a controversial issue in all aspects of prevention, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. Among dietary factors, flavonoids have specific immunomodulatory effects that might be of importance to several cancers. Over different types of immune cells, T lymphocytes play a critical role in protecting the immune system as well as in the pathogenesis of specific autoimmune diseases. One of the important mediators of metabolism and immune system is mTOR, especially in T lymphocytes. In the current review, we assessed the effects of flavonoids on the immune system and then their impact on the mTOR pathway. Flavonoids can suppress mTOR activity and are consequently able to induce the T regulatory subset.

Leukemia therapy by flavonoids: Future and involved mechanisms

Flavonoids are a varied family of phytonutrients (plant chemicals) usually are detected in fruits and vegetables. In this big family, there exist more than 10,000 members that is separated into six chief subtypes: isoflavonols, flavonoenes, flavones, flavonols, anthocyanins, and chalcones. The natural compounds, such as fruits, have visible positive effects in regulating of survival involved signaling pathways that performance as the regulator of cell survival, growth, and proliferation. Researchers have established that commonly consumption up flavonoids decreases incidence and development risk of certain cancers, especially leukemia. Flavonoids have been able to induce apoptosis and stimulate cell cycle arrest in cancer cells via different pathways. Similarly, they have antiangiogenesis and antimetastasis capability, which were shown in wide ranges of cancer cells, particularly, leukemia. It seems that flavonoid because of their widespread approval, evident safety and low rate of side effects, have hopeful anticarcinogenic potential for leukemia therapy. Based on the last decade reports, the most important acting mechanisms of these natural compounds in leukemia cells are stimulating of apoptosis pathways by upregulation of caspase 3, 8, 9 and poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) and proapoptotic proteins, particularly Bax activation. As well, they can induce cell cycle arrest in target cells not only via increasing of activated levels of p21 and p53 but also by inhibition of cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases. Furthermore, attenuation of neclear factor-κB and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 activation, suppression of signaling pathway and downregulation of intracellular antiapoptotic proteins are other significant antileukemic function mechanism of flavonoids. Overall, it appears that flavonoids are promising and effective compounds in the field of leukemia therapy. In this review, we tried to accumulate and revise most promising flavonoids and finally declared their major working mechanisms in leukemia cells.

Butein suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma growth via modulating Aurora B kinase activity

Aurora B is aberrantly expressed in various tumors and shown to be a promising target for cancer therapy. Butein, a chalcone isolated from Rhus cerniciflua, has demonstrated antitumor activities in different cancers. In this study, we aimed to validate whether Aurora B kinase was the direct target of butein to exhibit its potency in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Comparing with the normal cell line and tissue, Aurora B was overexpressed in all tested HCC cells and the majority of tumor tissue. Knocking down of Aurora B with shRNA substantially inhibited HCC cell proliferation, colony formation and delayed tumor growth in nude mice. Except computer docking, a series of kinase assays revealed butein directly interacted with Aurora B and inhibited its kinase activity. Along with the decrease of Aurora B and histone H3 phosphorylation, HCC cells were induced G2/M cell cycle arrest and subjected to cell apoptosis. Butein-mediated antitumor activities were substantially impaired in Aurora B knockdown cells, suggesting Aurora B was an important target of butein in HCC. Oral administration of butein substantially restrained HCC xenograft growth and the expressions of Ki67 and phosphor-histone H3 were significantly decreased in butein-treated tissue. To the best of our knowledge, our studies revealed that Aurora B was the direct target of butein in HCC.

Butein induces apoptotic cell death of human cervical cancer cells

Butein is a chalcone, a flavonoid that is widely biosynthesized in plants. Butein has been identified to possess varied pharmacological activity and is extractable from traditional Chinese medicinal herbs, therefore applicable for disease treatment. Recently, in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that butein may induce apoptotic cell death in various human cancer cells. In this study we investigated the apoptotic effect of butein and the underlying mechanisms in human cervical cancer cells. Two cell lines, C-33A and SiHa cells, were treated with butein at different dosages for different durations. The effect of butein on cell viability was assessed by MTT assay, which revealed that butein exerted cytotoxicity in both cervical cancer cells in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. Apoptotic pathway-related factors in the butein-treated cervical cancer cells were then examined. JC-1 flow cytometry, cytochrome c assay, and caspase activity assays demonstrated that butein disturbed mitochondrial transmembrane potential, and increased cytosolic cytochrome c levels and caspase activities in both cervical cancer cells. Western blot analysis revealed that butein downregulated anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-xL and led to proteolytic cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. In addition, butein decreased expressions of the inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) proteins, including X-linked IAP, survivin, and cellular IAP-1. The findings of this study suggest that butein can decrease cervical cancer cell viability via a pro-apoptotic effect, which involves inhibition of the IAP proteins and activation of both extrinsic and intrinsic pro-apoptotic pathways. Therefore, butein may be applicable for cervical cancer treatment.

Natural products chemistry: The emerging trends and prospective goals

The role and contributions of natural products chemistry in advancements of the physical and biological sciences, its interdisciplinary domains, and emerging of new avenues by providing novel applications, constructive inputs, thrust, comprehensive understanding, broad perspective, and a new vision for future is outlined. The developmental prospects in bio-medical, health, nutrition, and other interrelated sciences along with some of the emerging trends in the subject area are also discussed as part of the current review of the basic and core developments, innovation in techniques, advances in methodology, and possible applications with their effects on the sciences in general and natural products chemistry in particular. The overview of the progress and ongoing developments in broader areas of the natural products chemistry discipline, its role and concurrent economic and scientific implications, contemporary objectives, future prospects as well as impending goals are also outlined. A look at the natural products chemistry in providing scientific progress in various disciplines is deliberated upon.

Butein Inhibited In Vitro Hexokinase-2-Mediated Tumor Glycolysis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Blocking Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR)

BACKGROUND Anaerobic glycolysis is an important physiological process of all cancer cells. Butein has been reported to demonstrate substantial antitumor activities in various cancers. However, the effect of butein on tumor glycolysis remains unclear. In this study, the effect of butein on tumor glycolysis and the underlying mechanism were investigated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIAL AND METHODS Cell proliferation assay and anchorage-independent growth assay were carried out to evaluate the antitumor activities of butein in vitro. The effect of butein on tumor glycolysis was determined by examining the changes in glucose uptake and lactate production. Hexokinase-2 (HK-2) expression in HCC cells upon butein treatment was analyzed by Western blotting. The activity of butein on EGFR signaling pathway was studied and its potency in EGFR exogenous overexpression cells was investigated. RESULTS After butein treatment, HCC cell proliferation was significantly inhibited (91.4% in Hep3B and 88.2% in Huh-7 at 80 μM, p<0.001). Moreover, the number of colonies formed in the agar was substantially decreased (93.8% in Hep3B and 72.3% in Huh-7 at 80 μM, p<0.001). With the suppression of HK-2 expression, glucose consumption in Hep3B and Huh-7 cells decreased by 48.4% and 56.3%, respectively (p<0.01), and the lactate production also was reduced accordingly (39.5% in Hep3B and 48.6% in Huh-7, p<0.01). Mechanism investigations demonstrated that butein dose-dependently blocked the activation of the EGFR signaling pathway in HCC cells. In EGFR exogenous overexpression cells, the glycolysis suppression exerted by butein was substantially attenuated. CONCLUSIONS Butein has a substantial inhibitory effect on tumor glycolysis in HCC cells, and the glycolysis suppression exerted by butein is closely related to its effect on the EGFR signaling pathway.

microRNA-383 suppresses the PI3K-AKT-MTOR signaling pathway to inhibit development of cervical cancer via down-regulating PARP2

This study aims to evaluate the effect of the regulatory relationship between microRNA-383 (miR-383) and PARP2 in the cell migration and invasion in human with cervical cancer (CC) via the PI3K-AKT-MTOR signaling pathway. Cancerous tissues and corresponding paracancerous tissues were collected from 115 patients with CC. The positive expression rate of PARP2 was detected by immunohistochemistry. HeLa cells with highest miR-383 expression were selected and assigned into the blank, negative control (NC), miR-383 mimic, miR-383 inhibitor, si-PARP2, and miR-383 inhibitor + si-PARP2 groups. qRT-PCR and Western blot were performed to evaluate the expression of miR-383, PI3K, AKT, mTOR, PARP2, and p70S6K. MTT assay were utilized to measure cell viability. Transwell assay were applied to evaluate cell invasion and metastasis. Dual luciferase reporter assay identified that PARP2 is a target gene of miR-383. Cancerous tissues manifested higher expression of PI3K, AKT, mTOR, PARP2, and p70S6K but lower miR-383 expression than paracancerous tissues. Compared with the blank and NC groups, the miR-383 mimic and si-PARP2 groups had decreased expression of PI3K, AKT, mTOR, PARP2, and p70S6K mRNA and protein. In the miR-383 mimic and si-PARP2 groups, the cell viability, migration, and invasion were descended, in comparison to the blank and NC groups. All above parameters showed an opposite trend in the miR-383 inhibitor group when compared with the blank and NC groups. This study demonstrates that miR-383 could down-regulate PARP2 to protect against CC by inhibiting PI3K-AKT-MTOR signaling pathway.

Butein inhibits NF-κB, AP-1 and Akt activation in adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the causative agent of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) but there is no effective treatment for HTLV-1-associated diseases. Herein, we determined the effect of butein, a bioactive plant polyphenol, on cell growth, apoptosis and signaling pathways in HTLV-1-infected T-cell lines and on tumor growth in SCID mice. Treatment with butein caused a decrease in viability of HTLV-1-infected T-cell lines. T cells cultured with butein showed obvious apoptosis morphology, and cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase with activation of caspase-3, -8 and -9. Pretreatment of cells with caspase inhibitor partially blocked butein-induced inhibition of cell viability. Butein also resulted in cell cycle arrest at G1 phase. Butein markedly downregulated the protein expression levels of CDK4, CDK6, cyclin D1, cyclin D2, cyclin E, survivin, XIAP, c-IAP2 and phospho-pRb. Butein also inhibited i) total and phospho-protein levels of IκB kinase (IKK)α and IKKβ, ii) degradation and phosphorylation of IκBα, iii) JunB and JunD, iv) total and phospho-protein levels of Akt, v) phosphorylation of RelA, vi) heat shock protein 90, and vii) DNA-binding activity of NF-κB and AP-1. In mice harboring ATLL xenograft tumors, butein caused a significant inhibition of tumor growth and reduced serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor α chain and soluble cluster of differentiation 30. Considered together, the results indicated that butein has antiproliferative and proapoptotic properties through the suppression of NF-κB, AP-1 and Akt signaling in HTLV-1-infected T cells, both in vitro and in vivo, suggesting its therapeutic potential against HTLV-1-associated diseases including ATLL.

Inhibition of paclitaxel resistance and apoptosis induction by cucurbitacin B in ovarian carcinoma cells

Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of mortality among all gynecological malignancies. Drug resistance is a cause of ovarian cancer recurrence and low rate of overall survival. There is a requirement for more effective treatment approaches. Cucurbitacin B (CuB) is an antineoplastic agent derived from traditional Chinese medicinal herbs. Its activity against paclitaxel-resistant human ovarian cancer cells has, however, not yet been established. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect and mechanism of CuB on human paclitaxel-resistant ovarian cancer A2780/Taxol cells. Cell viability was evaluated by a cell counting assay, while cell cycle arrest and apoptosis were assessed by microscopy and flow cytometry, and proteins associated with apoptotic pathways and drug resistance were evaluated by western blotting. The present results demonstrated that CuB exerts dose- and time-dependent cytotoxicity against the ovarian cancer A2780 cell line, with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) values 0.48, 0.25 and 0.21 µM following 24, 48 and 72 h of incubation, respectively. Compared with its sensitive counterpart, A2780, paclitaxel-resistant A2780/Taxol cells had almost identical IC₅₀ values. Cell cycle analysis demonstrated that treatment with CuB may induce cell cycle arrest at the G₂/M phase of the cell cycle in the two cell lines. As revealed by Annexin V/propidium iodide-labeled flow cytometry and Hoechst 33258 staining, CuB-induced apoptosis was accompanied by activation of caspase-3 and downregulation of B-cell lymphoma-2. Western blotting demonstrated that CuB may enhance the expression of p53 and p21 in the two cell lines. CuB may also downregulate the expression of P-glycoprotein. These results indicate that CuB may exert a therapeutic effect on paclitaxel-resistant human ovarian cancer.

Butein inhibits cell proliferation and induces cell cycle arrest in acute lymphoblastic leukemia via FOXO3a/p27kip1 pathway

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a common hematological malignancy characterized by the uncontrolled proliferation of leukemia cells in children. Discovering and developing effective chemotherapeutic drugs are needed for ALL. In this study, we investigated the anti-leukemic activity of butein and its action mechanisms in ALL. Butein was found to significantly suppress the cellular proliferation of ALL cell lines and primary ALL blasts in a dose-dependent manner. It also induced cell cycle arrest by decreasing the expression of cyclin E and CDK2. We also found that butein promoted nuclear Forkhead Class box O3a (FOXO3a) localization, enhanced the binding of FOXO3a on the p27kip1 gene promoter and then increased the expression of p27kip1. Moreover, we showed that FOXO3a knockdown significantly decreased the proliferation inhibition by butein, whereas overexpression of FOXO3a enhanced the butein-mediated proliferation inhibition. However, overexpression of FOXO3a mutation (C-terminally truncated FOXO3a DNA-binding domain) decreased the proliferation inhibition by butein through decreasing the expression of p27kip1. Our results therefore demonstrate the therapeutic potential of butein for ALL via FOXO3a/p27kip1 pathway.

Reactive oxygen species and cancer paradox: To promote or to suppress?

Reactive oxygen species (ROS), a group of highly reactive ions and molecules, are increasingly being appreciated as powerful signaling molecules involved in the regulation of a variety of biological processes. Indeed, their role is continuously being delineated in a variety of pathophysiological conditions. For instance, cancer cells are shown to have increased ROS levels in comparison to their normal counterparts. This is partly due to an enhanced metabolism and mitochondrial dysfunction in cancer cells. The escalated ROS generation in cancer cells contributes to the biochemical and molecular changes necessary for the tumor initiation, promotion and progression, as well as, tumor resistance to chemotherapy. Therefore, increased ROS in cancer cells may provide a unique opportunity to eliminate cancer cells via elevating ROS to highly toxic levels intracellularly, thereby, activating various ROS-induced cell death pathways, or inhibiting cancer cell resistance to chemotherapy. Such results can be achieved by using agents that either increase ROS generation, or inhibit antioxidant defense, or even a combination of both. In fact, a large variety of anticancer drugs, and some of those currently under clinical trials, effectively kill cancer cells and overcome drug resistance via enhancing ROS generation and/or impeding the antioxidant defense mechanism. This review focuses on our current understanding of the tumor promoting (tumorigenesis, angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis, and chemoresistance) and the tumor suppressive (apoptosis, autophagy, and necroptosis) functions of ROS, and highlights the potential mechanism(s) involved. It also sheds light on a very novel and an actively growing field of ROS-dependent cell death mechanism referred to as ferroptosis.

Butein in health and disease: A comprehensive review

BACKGROUND

The risk of suffering from many chronic diseases seems to have made no improvement despite the advancement in medications available in the modern world. Moreover, the use of synthetic chemicals as medications has proved to worsen the scenario due to the various adverse side effects associated with them.

PURPOSE

Extensive research on natural medicines provides ample evidence on the safety and efficacy of phytochemicals and nutraceuticals against diverse chronic ailments. Therefore, it is advisable to use natural products in the management of such diseases. This article aims to present a comprehensive and critical review of known pharmacological and biological effects of butein, an important chalcone polyphenol first isolated from Rhus verniciflua Stokes, implicated in the prevention and treatment of various chronic disease conditions.

METHODS

An extensive literature search was conducted using PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus and Web of Science^TM core collections using key words followed by evaluation of the bibliographies of relevant articles.

RESULTS

Butein has been preclinically proven to be effective against several chronic diseases because it possesses a wide range of biological properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antidiabetic, hypotensive and neuroprotective effects. Furthermore, it has been shown to affect multiple molecular targets, including the master transcription factor nuclear factor-κB and its downstream molecules. Moreover, since it acts on multiple pathways, the chances of non-responsiveness and resistance development is reduced, supporting the use of butein as a preferred treatment option.

CONCLUSION

Based on numerous preclinical studies, butein shows significant therapeutic potential against various diseases. Nevertheless, well-designed clinical studies are urgently needed to validate the preclinical findings.

Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS) and butein induce apoptosis of paclitaxel-resistant SKOV-3/PAX ovarian cancer cells through inhibition of AKT phosphorylation

BACKGROUND

Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS) belongs to the Anacardiaceae family and traditionally used for cancer treatment. RVS and butein, a major compound of RVS, were known to induce apoptosis via AKT inhibition in cancer cells. Thus, in this study, we investigated the effect of RVS and its derivative compounds (fisetin, quercetin, butein) on cell death in SKOV-3/PAX cells.

METHODS

The 80 % ethanol extract of RVS and its derivative compounds (fisetin, quercetin, butein) were prepared. The cytotoxicity was measured by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) colorimetric assay. Apoptotic cells were detected by staining with propidium iodide (PI) and Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/7-aminoactinomycin D (Annexin V-FITC/7-AAD). The expression level of intracellular signaling related-proteins in apoptosis and growth were measured by western blot assay.

RESULTS

We found that RVS and butein suppressed the growth of SKOV-3/PAX cells in a dose-dependent manner. We also found that RVS and butein produced the cleavage of caspase-9, -8, -3, and PARP. Similarly, sub-G1 phase and Annexin V-FITC positive cells were increased by RVS and butein. Moreover, RVS and butein significantly reduced AKT phosphorylation in SKOV-3/PAX cells. PI3K inhibitor LY294002 caused PARP cleavage supporting our finding.

CONCLUSION

Our data clearly indicate that RVS and butein induce apoptosis of SKOV-3/PAX cells through inhibition of AKT activation. RVS and butein could be useful compounds for the treatment for paclitaxel resistant-ovarian cancer.

Butein and Its Role in Chronic Diseases

Natural compounds isolated from various plant sources have been used for therapeutic purpose for centuries. These compounds have been routinely used for the management of various chronic ailments and have gained considerable attention because of their significant efficacy and comparatively low side effects. Butein, a chacolnoid compound that has been isolated from various medicinal plants has exhibited a wide range of beneficial pharmacological effects, such as anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, and anti-angiogenic in diverse disease models. This article briefly summarizes the past published literature related to the therapeutic and protective effects of butein, as demonstrated in various models of human chronic diseases. Further analysis of its important cellular targets, toxicity, and pharmacokinetic profile may further significantly expand its therapeutic application.

Physcion inhibits the metastatic potential of human colorectal cancer SW620 cells in vitro by suppressing the transcription factor SOX2

AIM

Physcion, an anthraquinone derivative, exhibits hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-cancer activities. In this study we examined whether and how physcion inhibited metastatic potential of human colorectal cancer cells in vitro.

METHODS

Human colorectal cancer cell line SW620 was tested. Cell migration and invasion were assessed using a wound healing and Transwell assay, respectively. The expression levels of transcription factor SOX2 in the cells were modulated with shRNA targeting SOX2 and SOX2 overexpressing plasmid. The expression of target molecules involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process and the signaling pathways was determined with Western blots or qRT-PCR. ROS levels were measured using DCF-DA.

RESULTS

Physcion (2.5, 5 mol/L) did not affect the cell viability, but dose-dependently inhibited the cell adhesion, migration and invasion. Physcion also inhibited the EMT process in the cells, as evidenced by the increased epithelial marker E-cadherin expression, and by decreased expression of mesenchymal markers N-cadherin, vimentin, fibronectin and α-SMA, as well as transcriptional repressors Snail, Slug and Twist. Physcion suppressed the expression of SOX2, whereas overexpression of SOX2 abrogated the inhibition of physcion on metastatic behaviors. Physcion markedly increased ROS production and phosphorylation of AMPK and GSK3β in the cells, whereas the AMPK inhibitor compound C or the ROS inhibitor NAC abolished the inhibition of physcion on metastatic behaviors.

CONCLUSION

Physcion inhibits the metastatic potential of human colorectal cancer cells in vitro via activating ROS/AMPK/GSK3β signaling pathways and suppressing SOX2.

Potential of butein, a tetrahydroxychalcone to obliterate cancer

BACKGROUND

Despite the major advances made in the field of cancer biology, it still remains one of the most fatal diseases in the world. It is now well established that natural products are safe and efficacious and have high potential in the prevention and treatment of different diseases including cancer. Butein is one such compound which is now found to have anti-cancer properties against various malignancies.

PURPOSE

To thoroughly review the literature available on the anti-cancer properties of butein against different cancers and its molecular targets.

METHODS

A thorough literature search has been done in PubMed for butein, its biological activities especially cancer and its molecular targets.

RESULTS

Our search retrieved several reports on the various biological activities of butein in which around 43 articles reported that butein shows potential anti-proliferative effect against a wide range of neoplasms and the molecular target varies with cancer types. Most often it targets NF-κB and its downstream pathways. In addition, butein induces the expression of genes which mediate the cell death and apoptosis in cancer cells. It also inhibits tumor angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis in prostate, liver and bladder cancers through the inhibition of MMPs, VEGF etc. Moreover, it inhibits the overexpression of several proteins and enzymes such as STAT3, ERK, CXCR4, COX-2, Akt, EGFR, Ras etc. involved in tumorigenesis.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, all these findings suggest the enormous potential and efficacy of butein as a multitargeted chemotherapeutic, chemopreventive and chemosensitizing agent against a wide range of cancers with minimal or no adverse side effects.