Alpinetin suppresses CYP3A4, 2C9, and 2E1 activity in vitro

CONTEXT

Alpinetin, the major active constitutes of Alpinia katsumata Hayata (Zingiberaceae), has been demonstrated to possess the activity of anti-breast cancer. Cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYP450s) plays vital roles in the biotransformation of various drugs.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effect of alpinetin on the activity of CYP450s and estimate the inhibition characteristics.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The activity of CYP450s was evaluated in pooled human liver microsomes with corresponding substrates and marker reactions. The effect of alpinetin was compared with blank control (negative control) and corresponding inhibitors (positive control). The dose-dependent and time-dependent experiments were conducted in the presence of 0, 2.5, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 μM alpinetin and incubated for 0, 5, 10, 15, and 30 min.

RESULTS

Alpinetin suppressed CYP3A4, 2C9, and 2E1 activity. All the inhibitions were significantly influenced by alpinetin contration with the IC₅₀ values of 8.23 μM (CYP3A4), 12.64 μM (CYP2C9), and 10.97 μM (CYP2E1), respectively. The inhibition of CYP3A4 was fitted with the non-competitive model with a Ki value of 4.09 μM and was time-dependent with KI and Kinact values of 4.67 min and 0.041 μM^-1, respectively. While CYP2C9 and 2E1 were inhibited by alpinetin competitively with Ki values of 6.42 (CYP2C9) and 5.40 μM (CYP2E1), respectively, in a time-independent manner.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

The in vitro inhibitory effect of alpineticn on CYP3A, 2C9, and 2E1 implied the potential interaction of alpinetin or its origin herbs with the drugs metabolised by those CYP450s, which needs further in vivo validation.

Effects of Breast-Conserving Surgery Combined with Immediate Autologous Fat Grafting on Oncologic Safety, Satisfaction and Psychology in Patients with Breast Cancer: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Purpose

Autologous fat grafting (AFG) is a technique that can improve the appearance of breasts in surgical patients. There are currently few studies on breast-conserving surgery (BCS) combined with immediate AFG, although we believe that it could achieve satisfactory effects. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to observe the effects of BCS combined with immediate AFG on oncologic safety, satisfaction and psychology of breast cancer patients.

Patients and Methods

We retrospectively collected the data of 85 breast cancer patients from February 2018 to October 2018. After screening, 40 patients in AFG group (AG, BCS combined with immediate AFG) and 40 patients in control group (CG, BCS alone) were finally included in the study. The primary outcomes were the survival, tumor recurrence and metastasis, and BREAST-Q score of patients. The secondary outcomes were short and long-term complications, degree of depression and anxiety of patients.

Results

A total of 80 patients were included in the analysis. There was no significant difference in the clinicopathological data between the two groups (P>0.05). The average follow-up time of the two groups was 40.58±2.630 and 40.28±2.679 months. In the analysis of oncologic safety, no patients died in AG and 1 patient died in CG. In addition, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the overall recurrence rate and the distribution of recurrence types (P>0.05). As for satisfaction, the BREAST-Q score of AG was significantly higher than that of CG (57.85±4.833 vs 51.93±5.045, P<0.001). In the secondary outcomes, there was no short-term complication specified in the study; in the long-term complications, the incidence of calcification in AG was not significantly higher than that in CG (P=0.065). In the analysis of depression and anxiety, there was no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05).

Conclusion

BCS combined with immediate AFG can significantly improve patients’ satisfaction without increasing the risk of death and tumor recurrence. However, it does not seem to play a role in improving the conditions of depression and anxiety.

Small interfering RNA targeted to secretory clusterin blocks tumor growth, motility, and invasion in breast cancer

Clusterin/apolipoprotein J (Clu) is a ubiquitously expressed secreted heterodimeric glycoprotein that is implicated in several physiological processes. It has been reported that the elevated level of secreted clusterin (sClu) protein is associated with poor survival in breast cancer patients and can induce metastasis in rodent models. In this study, we investigated the effects of sClu inhibition with small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) on cell motility, invasion, and growth in vitro and in vivo. MDA-MB-231 cells were transfected with pSuper-siRNA/sClu. Cell survival and proliferation were examined by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium and clonogenic survival assay. The results showed that sClu silencing significantly inhibited the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells. The invasion and migration ability were also dramatically decreased, which was detected by matrigel assays. TUNEL staining and caspase-3 activity assay demonstrated that sClu silencing also could increase the apoptosis rate of cells, resulting in the inhibition of cell growth. We also determined the effects of sClu silencing on tumor growth and metastatic progression in an orthotopic breast cancer model. The results showed that orthotopic primary tumors derived from MDA-MB-231/pSuper sClu siRNA cells grew significantly slower than tumors derived from parental MDA-MB-231 or MDA-MB-231/pSuper scramble siRNA cells, and metastasize less to the lungs. These data suggest that secretory clusterin plays a significant role in tumor growth and metastatic progression. Knocking-down sClu gene expression may provide a valuable method for breast cancer therapy.

[Anti-inflammatory action of lipid-bound apoA-I cysteine mutants]

OBJECTIVE

To determine the anti-inflammatory functions of different cysteine mutants of apolipoprotein A-I recombinant HDLs.

METHODS

The recombinant HDLs (named rHDL52, rHDL107, rHDL173, rHDLwt) were reconstituted by mixing wild types or their mutants with dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine. And the in vivo effects on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endotoxemia were examined in mice. The plasma levels of plasma tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1beta and IL-6 in by ELISA were tested. And we also set up two control groups: LPS and saline.

RESULTS

The rHDL52 mice had a significant decrease of plasma TNF-alpha and IL-1beta and the protection of lung against acute injury. 24 h post-injection as compared with rHDLwt group [TNF-alpha: (135.28 +/- 12.84) pg/ml, IL-1beta: (82.00 +/- 8.19) pg/ml], the rHDL52 mice exhibited a higher capability of lowering the plasma levels of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta [(39.66 +/- 2.44) pg/ml, (66.83 +/- 6.24) pg/ml, both P < 0.05]. And, as indicated by histological sections of lung tissue, the rHDL52 mice could also lower the infiltration of inflammatory cells in lung.

CONCLUSION

rHDL52 has a higher anti-inflammation capability than wild type rHDLwt.

[Breast reconstruction with a combined skin flap of DIEP and TRAM]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate breast reconstruction with a combined skin flap of the deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) and the transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (TRAM).

METHODS

The DIEP and TRAM united flap was elevated with the vessel pedicle of the deep inferior epigastric perforator on the affected side and the rectus abdominis muscle pedicle on the intact side. The reconstructive breast was shaped after the deep inferior epigastric vessels were anastomosed to the internal mammary vessels or the thoracodorsal vessels ipsilaterally.

RESULTS

We have used the DIEP and TRAM united flaps for breast reconstruction in 17 cases. All of the flaps survived, and the reconstructed breasts were well-shaped with the follow-up of 6-18 months.

CONCLUSIONS

The DIEP and TRAM united flap possesses of advantages such as rich blood supply, abundant tissue volume and easy shaping. It is especially applicable to the cases who have large chest defect and need large volume tissue.