Oxymatrine Synergistically Potentiates the Antitumor Effects of Cisplatin in Human Gastric Cancer Cells

Integration of phytotherapy and chemotherapy: Recent advances in anticancer molecular pathways

Cancer is a disease characterized by abnormal and uncontrolled growth of cells, leading to invasion and metastasis to other tissues. Chemotherapy drugs are some of the primary treatments for cancer, which could detrimentally affect the cancer cells by various molecular mechanisms like apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. These treatment lines have always aligned with side effects and drug resistance. Due to their anticancer effects, medicinal herbs and their active derivative compounds are being profoundly used as complementary treatments for cancer. Many studies have shown that herbal ingredients exert antitumor activities and immune-modulation effects and have fewer side effects. On the other hand, combining phytotherapy and chemotherapy, with their synergistic effects, has gained much attention across the medical community. This review article discussed the therapeutic effects of essential herbal active ingredients combined with chemotherapeutic drugs in cancer therapy. To write this article, PubMed and Scopus database were searched with the keywords "Cancer," "Combination," "Herbal," "Traditional," and "Natural." After applying inclusion/exclusion criteria, 110 articles were considered. The study shows the anticancer effects of the active herbal ingredients by inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in cancer cells, especially with a chemotherapeutic agent. This study also indicates that herbal compounds can reduce side effects and dosage, potentiate anticancer responses, and sensitize cancer cells to chemotherapy drugs.

The zinc transporter ZIP12 regulates monocrotaline-induced proliferation and migration of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells via the AKT/ERK signaling pathways

Background

The zinc transporter ZIP12 is a membrane-spanning protein that transports zinc ions into the cytoplasm from the extracellular space. Recent studies demonstrated that upregulation of ZIP12 is involved in elevation of cytosolic free zinc and excessive proliferation of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) induced by hypoxia. However, the expression of ZIP12 and its role in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) induced by monocrotaline (MCT) in rats have not been evaluated previously. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ZIP12 on the proliferation and migration of PASMCs and its underlying mechanisms in MCT-induced PAH.

Methods

A PAH rat model was generated by intraperitoneal injection of 20 mg/kg MCT twice at one-week intervals. PASMCs were isolated from the pulmonary arteries of rats with MCT-induced PAH or control rats. The expression of ZIP12 and related molecules was detected in the lung tissues and cells. A ZIP12 knockdown lentivirus and an overexpressing lentivirus were constructed and transfected into PASMCs derived from PAH and control rats, respectively. EdU assays, wound healing assays and Western blotting were carried out to explore the function of ZIP12 in PASMCs.

Results

Increased ZIP12 expression was observed in PASMCs derived from MCT-induced PAH rats. The proliferation and migration of PASMCs from PAH rats were significantly increased compared with those from control rats. These results were corroborated by Western blot analysis of PCNA and cyclin D1. All these effects were significantly reversed by silencing ZIP12. Comparatively, ZIP12 overexpression resulted in the opposite effects as shown in PASMCs from control rats. Furthermore, selective inhibition of AKT phosphorylation by LY294002 abolished the effect of ZIP12 overexpression on enhancing cell proliferation and migration and partially suppressed the increase in ERK1/2 phosphorylation induced by ZIP12 overexpression. However, inhibition of ERK activity by U0126 resulted in partial reversal of this effect and did not influence an increase in AKT phosphorylation induced by ZIP12 overexpression.

Conclusions

ZIP12 is involved in MCT-induced pulmonary vascular remodeling and enhances the proliferation and migration of PASMCs. The mechanism of these effects was partially mediated by enhancing the AKT/ERK signaling pathways.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12890-022-01905-3.

Elucidating Role of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in Cisplatin Chemotherapy: A Focus on Molecular Pathways and Possible Therapeutic Strategies

The failure of chemotherapy is a major challenge nowadays, and in order to ensure effective treatment of cancer patients, it is of great importance to reveal the molecular pathways and mechanisms involved in chemoresistance. Cisplatin (CP) is a platinum-containing drug with anti-tumor activity against different cancers in both pre-clinical and clinical studies. However, drug resistance has restricted its potential in the treatment of cancer patients. CP can promote levels of free radicals, particularly reactive oxygen species (ROS) to induce cell death. Due to the double-edged sword role of ROS in cancer as a pro-survival or pro-death mechanism, ROS can result in CP resistance. In the present review, association of ROS with CP sensitivity/resistance is discussed, and in particular, how molecular pathways, both upstream and downstream targets, can affect the response of cancer cells to CP chemotherapy. Furthermore, anti-tumor compounds, such as curcumin, emodin, chloroquine that regulate ROS and related molecular pathways in increasing CP sensitivity are described. Nanoparticles can provide co-delivery of CP with anti-tumor agents and by mediating photodynamic therapy, and induce ROS overgeneration to trigger CP sensitivity. Genetic tools, such as small interfering RNA (siRNA) can down-regulate molecular pathways such as HIF-1α and Nrf2 to promote ROS levels, leading to CP sensitivity. Considering the relationship between ROS and CP chemotherapy, and translating these findings to clinic can pave the way for effective treatment of cancer patients.

Oxymatrine Inhibits Colorectal Cancer Metastasis via Attenuating PKM2-Mediated Aerobic Glycolysis

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC), a type of highly occurred intestinal cancer at present, is prone to metastasis at the later stage of chemotherapy. Looking for the anti-metastatic agents from natural compounds attracted much concern. Here, it aims to demonstrate whether oxymatrine, an anti-cancer natural compound, has anti-metastatic activity and its potential significance in clinic.

Materials and Methods

Wound healing assay and transwell assay were for evaluating the effect of oxymatrine on cell migration and invasion in vitro. Anti-metastatic action in vivo was determined by hepatic metastasis of colorectal cancer cells in mice.

Results

Oxymatrine can significantly inhibit cancer cell migration and invasion in vitro. The production of ATP, pyruvate, and lactate was suppressed in CRC cells under the treatment of oxymatrine, as well as the glucose consumption. Meantime, extracellular acidification rates (ECR) were evidently attenuated although the oxygen consumption rates (OCR) were not affected. Both clued that oxymatrine inhibition of metastasis is possibly related to blocking aerobic glycolysis. Subsequent results indicated that pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) not hexokinase (HK) and phosphofructokinase (PFK) were involved in oxymatrine blocking glycolysis as the PKM2 kinase activity and expression were inhibited by oxymatrine and the PKM2 activator, TEPP-46, can reverse in part the effect of oxymatrine induced in CRC cells. Furthermore, this process was also mediated by inhibition of glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1). Finally, the in vivo metastatic model in mice showed both 20 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg oxymatrine significantly inhibit liver metastasis of CRC cells in mice, and PKM2 and GLUT1 expression in liver of the oxymatrine-treated group is declined.

Conclusion

Oxymatrine exerted anti-metastatic activity dependent on inhibition of PKM2-mediated aerobic glycolysis. It is not only an anti-cancer agent but also a potential anti-metastatic compound with clinical application significance.

Kangai Injection Combined with Platinum-based Chemotherapy for the Treatment of Stage III/IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Meta-analysis and Systematic Review of 35 Randomized Controlled Trials

Objective: In an effort to inform evidence-based guidelines for clinical practice, we performed a meta-analysis to systematically evaluate the safety and efficacy of Kangai injection (KAI) plus platinum-based chemotherapy for stage III/IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing KAI plus platinum-based chemotherapy (experimental group) to chemotherapy alone (control group) were electronically retrieved from the Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Biological Medicine (CBM) Database, Wanfang Database, and the VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals. RCTs published from the date of inception to July 5, 2018, were included. All trials were assessed for methodological quality in accordance with the Cochrane Reviewer's Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Intervention. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan5.3 Software and Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) 2.0.

Results: The final analysis included 35 RCTs involving 2,618 patients. Our meta-analysis revealed that KAI combined with platinum-based chemotherapy was associated with significantly greater objective response rate (ORR) (RR=1.36, 95% CI: 1.25-1.49, P<0.00001) and disease control rate (DCR) (RR=1.14, 95% CI: 1.09-1.18, P<0.00001), improvements in quality of life (QOL) (RR=1.75, 95% CI: 1.59-1.93, P<0.00001), and decreases in the incidence of gastrointestinal reactions (RR=0.64, 95% CI: 0.54-0.77, P<0.00001), leukocytopenia (RR=0.54, 95% CI: 0.46-0.63, P<0.00001) and thrombocytopenia (RR=0.52, 95% CI: 0.36-0.76, P=0.0007) when compared with chemotherapy alone. In addition, combined treatment was associated with greater regulation of tumor immune function, as indicated by increases in the proportion of NK, CD₃⁺ , and CD₄⁺ cells (MD=2.27, 95% CI: 1.18-3.36, P<0.0001; MD=12.86, 95% CI: 11.64-14.08, P<0.00001; and MD=5.48, 95% CI: 2.68-8.28, P=0.0001) and decreases in the percentage of CD₈⁺ cells (MD= -2.37, 95% CI from -4.51 to -0.23, P=0.03).

Conclusions: From the available evidence, our results indicate that KAI plus platinum-based chemotherapy could be more effective in improving clinical efficacy, decreasing the incidence of adverse reactions and regulating the tumor immune function than chemotherapy alone in the treatment of stage III/IV NSCLC. Nevertheless, considering the limitations of the included studies, rigorous designed, high-quality, multicenter clinical trials are still need to further confirm the results.

Bufothionine exerts anti-cancer activities in gastric cancer through Pim3

AIM

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fourth most common cancer globally. Bufothionine is a major active constituent of Cinobufacini (Huachansu), which is extracted from the skin and parotid venom gland of the toad Bufo bufo gargarizans Cantor. It exhibits anti-cancer activities in vitro. However, whether bufothionine exerts anti-cancer activities against GC is unknown. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of bufothionine in vitro and in vivo.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

MKN28 and AGS cells were chosen as cell models to study the anti-cancer effect of bufothionine. Cell viability was determined by CCK-8 assay, while the effect of bufothionine on cell membrane integrity was examined by LDH assay. Cell apoptosis was detected by Hoechst/PI staining and Annexin V-FITC/PI staining followed by flow cytometry analysis. The expression levels of proteins involved were examined using western blotting. I-Traq analysis was conducted to identify the differentially expressed genes in AGS cells following bufothionine treatment. The anti-growth effect of bufothionine was validated in vivo using a GC xenograft model.

KEY FINDINGS

The results revealed that bufothionine prevented the growth, destroyed cell membrane and promoted apoptotic cell death of GC cells. iTRAQ analysis revealed thatPIM3 might be a molecular target responsible for the anti-cancer effects of bufothionine. It was also found that PIM3 knockdown significantly augmented the anti-growth and pro-apoptotic effects of bufothionine in GC cells. In contrast, ectopic PIM3 expression markedly dampened the anti-neoplastic activities of bufothionine. The expression of PIM3 was also suppressed by bufothionine treatment in xenograft tumor tissue.

SIGNIFICANCE

Bufothionine exhibited anti-cancer activities in vitro and in vivo in GC via downregulating PIM3.