Triptolide represses oral cancer cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and angiogenesis in co-inoculation with U937 cells

EHMT2 Suppresses ARRB1 Transcription and Activates the Hedgehog Signaling to Promote Malignant Phenotype and Stem Cell Property in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) represents the primary subtype of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), characterized by a high morbidity and mortality rate. Although previous studies have established specific correlations between euchromatic histone lysine methyltransferase 2 (EHMT2), a histone lysine methyltransferase, and the malignant phenotype of OSCC cells, its biological functions in OSCC remain largely unknown. This study, grounded in bioinformatics predictions, aims to clarify the influence of EHMT2 on the malignant behavior of OSCC cells and delve into the underlying mechanisms. EHMT2 exhibited high expression in OSCC tissues and demonstrated an association with poor patient outcomes. Artificial EHMT2 silencing in OSCC cells, achieved through lentiviral vector infection, significantly inhibited colony formation, migration, invasion, and cell survival. Regarding the mechanism, EHMT2 was found to bind the promoter of arrestin beta 1 (ARRB1), thereby suppressing its transcription through H3K9me2 modification. ARRB1, in turn, was identified as a negative regulator of the Hedgehog pathway, leading to a reduction in the proteins GLI1 and PTCH1. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) were enriched through repeated sphere formation assays in two OSCC cell lines. EHMT2 was found to activate the Hedgehog pathway, thus promoting sphere formation, migration and invasion, survival, and tumorigenic activity of the OSCC-CSCs. Notably, these effects were counteracted by the additional overexpression of ARRB1. In conclusion, this study provides novel evidence suggesting that EHMT2 plays specific roles in enhancing stem cell properties in OSCC by modulating the ARRB1-Hedgehog signaling cascade.

Pharmacological, computational, and mechanistic insights into triptolide's role in targeting drug-resistant cancers

As a promising candidate for tackling drug-resistant cancers, triptolide, a diterpenoid derived from the Chinese medicinal plant Tripterygium wilfordii, has been developed. This review summarizes potential antitumor activities, including the suppression of RNA polymerase II, the suppression of heat shock proteins (HSP70 and HSP90), and the blockade of NF-kB signalling. Triptolide is the first known compound to target cancer cells specifically but spare normal cells, and it has success in treating cancers that are difficult to treat, including pancreatic, breast, and lung cancers. It acts against the tolerance mechanisms, including efflux pump upregulation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and cancer stem cells. Triptolide modulates important cascades, including PI3K/AKT/mTOR, enhancing the efficacy of conventional therapies. Nonetheless, its clinical application is constrained by toxicity and bioavailability challenges. Emerging drug delivery systems, such as nanoparticles and micellar formulations, are being developed to address these limitations. It has strong interactions with key anticancer targets, like PARP, as determined in preclinical and computational studies consistent with its mechanism of action. Early-phase clinical trials of Minnelide, a water-soluble derivative of triptolide, are promising, but additional work is necessary to optimize dosing, delivery, and safety. This comprehensive analysis demonstrates that triptolide may constitute a repurposed precision medicine tool to overcome tolerance in cancer therapy.

Schwann cell C5aR1 co-opts inflammasome NLRP1 to sustain pain in a mouse model of endometriosis

Over 60% of women with endometriosis experience abdominopelvic pain and broader pain manifestations, including chronic back pain, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, vulvodynia, and migraine. Although the imbalance of proinflammatory mediators, including the complement component C5a, is associated with endometriosis-related pain, the mechanisms causing widespread pain and the C5a role remain unclear. Female mice and women with endometriosis exhibit increased plasma C5a levels and pain. We hypothesize the Schwann cells involvement in endometriotic pain. Here, we show that silencing the C5a receptor (C5aR1) in Schwann cells blocks the C5a-induced activation of the NLRP1 inflammasome and subsequent release of interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Macrophages, recruited to sciatic/trigeminal nerves by IL-1β from Schwann cells, increase oxidative stress, which activates the proalgesic TRPA1 pathway, resulting in widespread pain. These findings reveal a pathway involving Schwann cell C5aR1, NLRP1/IL-1β activation, macrophage recruitment, oxidative stress, and TRPA1 engagement, contributing to pain in a mouse model of endometriosis.

Schwann cell TRPA1 elicits reserpine-induced fibromyalgia pain in mice

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Fibromyalgia is a complex clinical disorder with an unknown aetiology, characterized by generalized pain and co-morbid symptoms such as anxiety and depression. An imbalance of oxidants and antioxidants is proposed to play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of fibromyalgia symptoms. However, the precise mechanisms by which oxidative stress contributes to fibromyalgia-induced pain remain unclear. The transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) channel, known as both a pain sensor and an oxidative stress sensor, has been implicated in various painful conditions.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

The feed-forward mechanism that implicates reactive oxygen species (ROS) driven by TRPA1 was investigated in a reserpine-induced fibromyalgia model in C57BL/6J mice employing pharmacological interventions and genetic approaches.

KEY RESULTS

Reserpine-treated mice developed pain-like behaviours (mechanical/cold hypersensitivity) and early anxiety-depressive-like disorders, accompanied by increased levels of oxidative stress markers in the sciatic nerve tissues. These effects were not observed upon pharmacological blockade or global genetic deletion of the TRPA1 channel and macrophage depletion. Furthermore, we demonstrated that selective silencing of TRPA1 in Schwann cells reduced reserpine-induced neuroinflammation (NADPH oxidase 1-dependent ROS generation and macrophage increase in the sciatic nerve) and attenuated fibromyalgia-like behaviours.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS

Activated Schwann cells expressing TRPA1 promote an intracellular pathway culminating in the release of ROS and recruitment of macrophages in the mouse sciatic nerve. These cellular and molecular events sustain mechanical and cold hypersensitivity in the reserpine-evoked fibromyalgia model. Targeting TRPA1 channels on Schwann cells could offer a novel therapeutic approach for managing fibromyalgia-related behaviours.

Natural product/diet-based regulation of macrophage polarization: Implications in treatment of inflammatory-related diseases and cancer

Macrophages are phagocytic cells with important physiological functions, including the digestion of cellular debris, foreign substances, and microbes, as well as tissue development and homeostasis. The tumor microenvironment (TME) shapes the aggressiveness of cancer, and the biological and cellular interactions in this complicated space can determine carcinogenesis. TME can determine the progression, biological behavior, and therapy resistance of human cancers. The macrophages are among the most abundant cells in the TME, and their functions and secretions can determine tumor progression. The education of macrophages to M2 polarization can accelerate cancer progression, and therefore, the re-education and reprogramming of these cells is promising. Moreover, macrophages can cause inflammation in aggravating pathological events, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and neurological disorders. The natural products are pleiotropic and broad-spectrum functional compounds that have been deployed as ideal alternatives to conventional drugs in the treatment of cancer. The biological and cellular interactions in the TME can be regulated by natural products, and for this purpose, they enhance the M1 polarization of macrophages, and in addition to inhibiting proliferation and invasion, they impair the chemoresistance. Moreover, since macrophages and changes in the molecular pathways in these cells can cause inflammation, the natural products impair the pro-inflammatory function of macrophages to prevent the pathogenesis and progression of diseases. Even a reduction in macrophage-mediated inflammation can prevent organ fibrosis. Therefore, natural product-mediated macrophage targeting can alleviate both cancerous and non-cancerous diseases.

Triptolide regulates neutrophil function through the Hippo signaling pathway to alleviate rheumatoid arthritis disease progression

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by inflammatory changes in the joints, the etiology of which is unclear. It is now well established that regulated cell death (RCD) and migration of neutrophils play an important role in the pathogenesis of RA. Tripterygium wilfordii Hook.f (TwHF) is a total saponin extracted from the root of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook.f, a plant of the family Wesleyanaceae, which has strong anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects and has been used as a basic drug in the clinical treatment of RA. Despite the good efficacy of TwHF treatment, the mechanism of action of TwHF remains unclear. Several studies have demonstrated that the drug tripterygium glycosides, in which TwHF is the main ingredient, has achieved excellent efficacy in the clinical treatment of RA. Investigations have also found that TwHF can affect cellular RCD, cell migration, cell proliferation, and the apoptosis-related Hippo signaling pathway. In this study, we first analyzed the RCD and migration differences of neutrophils in patients with RA through network pharmacology and transcriptome analysis. Subsequently, we used electron microscopy, immunofluorescence, and other methods to identify the RCD phenotype of neutrophils. In collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model, we demonstrated that Triptolide (the main active ingredient in TwHF) could alleviate the progression of arthritis by reducing the bone destruction and the infiltration of neutrophils. Furthermore, in vitro experiments showed that Triptolide induced neutrophil apoptosis, inhibited the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), and impeded the neutrophil migration process in a Hippo pathway-dependent manner. Taken together, these findings indicate that Triptolide has potential for treating RA and provide theoretical support for the clinical application of TwHF, as a traditional Chinese medicine, in RA.

Network pharmacology and experiment validation investigate the potential mechanism of triptolide in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanism of triptolide in the treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) via network pharmacology and experimental validation. Methods: The network pharmacological method was used to predict the key targets, detect the signal pathways for the treatment of OSCC, and screen the critical components and targets for molecular docking. Predicted targets were validated in cellular and xenograft mouse model. Results: In this study, we predicted action on 17 relevant targets of OSCC by network pharmacology. PPI network demonstrated that Jun, MAPK8, TP53, STAT3, VEGFA, IL2, CXCR4, PTGS2, IL4 might be the critical targets of triptolide in the treatment of OSCC. These potential targets are mainly closely related to JAK-STAT and MAPK signaling pathways. The analysis of molecular docking showed that triptolide has high affinity with Jun, MAPK8 and TP53. Triptolide can suppress the growth of OSCC cells and xenograft mice tumor, and downregulate the expression of Jun, MAPK8, TP53, STAT3, VEGFA, IL2, CXCR4, PTGS2 to achieve the therapeutic effect of OSCC. Conclusion: Through network pharmacological methods and experimental studies, we predicted and validated the potential targets and related pathways of triptolide for OSCC treatment. The results suggest that triptolide can inhibit the growth of OSCC via several key targets.

Tumor microenvironment remodeling in oral cancer: Application of plant derived-natural products and nanomaterials

Oral cancers consist of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and other malignancies in the mouth with varying degrees of invasion and differentiation. For many years, different modalities such as surgery, radiation therapy, and classical chemotherapy drugs have been used to control the growth of oral tumors. Nowadays, studies have confirmed the remarkable effects of the tumor microenvironment (TME) on the development, invasion, and therapeutic resistance of tumors like oral cancers. Therefore, several studies have been conducted to modulate the TME in various types of tumors in favor of cancer suppression. Natural products are intriguing agents for targeting cancers and TME. Flavonoids, non-flavonoid herbal-derived molecules, and other natural products have shown promising effects on cancers and TME. These agents, such as curcumin, resveratrol, melatonin, quercetin and naringinin have demonstrated potency in suppressing oral cancers. In this paper, we will review and discuss about the potential efficacy of natural adjuvants on oral cancer cells. Furthermore, we will review the possible therapeutic effects of these agents on the TME and oral cancer cells. Moreover, the potential of nanoparticles-loaded natural products for targeting oral cancers and TME will be reviewed. The potentials, gaps, and future perspectives for targeting TME by nanoparticles-loaded natural products will also be discussed.

Study on the pro-inflammatory mechanism of the HuD antibody in promoting M1 polarization and paraneoplastic neurological syndrome occurrence

Paraneoplastic neurological syndrome (PNS) is a nonmetastatic complication of malignant tumors that may lead to immune-mediated neuronal dysfunction or death. The occurrence of PNS results from the binding of anti-neuronal antibodies to neuronal cell surface antigens or intracellular antigens, which hinders the function of target proteins and promotes cell death. The aim of this study is to research the effect and immune mechanism of the neuronal ELAV-like protein (HuD antibody) on PNS-related syndrome. Neuronal cells were co-cultured with monocyte macrophages with or without HuD antibody. Next, we detected the apoptosis of neuronal cells by flow cytometry. Meantime, macrophage M1/M2 polarization factors and the secretion of inflammatory factors in the co-culture system were also detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), Western blots and ELISA technologies. The results showed that after adding the HuD antibody in the co-culture system, the apoptosis level of the neuroma cells were significantly increased, and the apoptosis level were not significant changed when co-culture with monocytes without HuD antibody. In addition, the level of factors of M1 macrophages TNF-α, IL-12, TGF-β and IFN-γ increased, while the level of factors of M2 macrophages IL-10, IL-4, and Arg-1 decreased. The outcomes demonstrated that absorption of the HuD antibody by cerebellar neuronal cells could promote the proliferation of M1 macrophages and stimulates macrophages to secrete inflammatory factors, further damage the neuronal cells, eventually resulting in the occurrence of PNS. This finding provided a theoretical basis for the subsequent treatment and prevention of PNS.

Triptolide: pharmacological spectrum, biosynthesis, chemical synthesis and derivatives

Triptolide, an abietane-type diterpenoid isolated from Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. F., has significant pharmacological activity. Research results show that triptolide has obvious inhibitory effects on many solid tumors. Therefore, triptolide has become one of the lead compounds candidates for being the next "blockbuster" drug, and multiple triptolide derivatives have entered clinical research. An increasing number of researchers have developed triptolide synthesis methods to meet the clinical need. To provide new ideas for researchers in different disciplines and connect different disciplines with researchers aiming to solve scientific problems more efficiently, this article reviews the research progress made with analyzes of triptolide pharmacological activity, biosynthetic pathways, and chemical synthesis pathways and reported in toxicological and clinical studies of derivatives over the past 20 years, which have laid the foundation for subsequent researchers to study triptolide in many ways.

Etidronate down-regulates Toll-like receptor 2 ligand-induced chemokine production by inhibiting MyD88 expression and NF-κB activation

OBJECTIVE

Pretreatment of J774.1 cells with etidronate, a non-nitrogen-containing bisphosphonate (non-NBP) used as an antibone resorptive drug, was previously reported to inhibit Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 agonist-induced proinflammatory cytokine production. The present study aimed to examine the effects of etidronate on chemokine production by human monocytic U937 cells incubated with Pam₃Cys-Ser-(Lys)₄ (Pam₃CSK₄, a TLR2 ligand) and lipid A (a TLR4 ligand).

METHODS

U937 cells were pretreated with or without etidronate, and then incubated with or without Pam₃CSK₄ or lipid A. Levels of secreted human interleukin (IL)-8 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in culture supernatants and activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Cytotoxicity was determined by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in supernatants. Expression of intracellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 and MyD88 was analyzed by flow cytometry and Western blot analysis, respectively.

RESULTS

Etidronate down-regulated IL-8 and MCP-1 production and NF-κB p65 activation induced by Pam₃CSK_4, but not lipid A, in U937 cells. Etidronate also inhibited MyD88 expression in U937 cells incubated with Pam₃CSK₄.

CONCLUSION

Etidronate down-regulates IL-8 and MCP-1 production in U937 cells by inhibiting both the expression of MyD88 and activation of NF-κB p65 in the TLR2, but not TLR4, pathway.

Therapeutic applications of herbal/synthetic/bio-drug in oral cancer: An update

Oral cancer, as one of the most prevalent and invasive cancers that invade local tissue, can cause metastasis, and have high mortality. In 2018, around 355,000 worldwide oral cancers occurred and resulted in 177,000 deaths. Estimates for the year 2020 include about 53,260 new cases added to previous year's cases, and the estimated death toll from this cancer in 2020 is about 10,750 deaths more than previous years. Despite recent advances in cancer diagnosis and treatment, unfortunately, 50% of people with cancer cannot be cured. Of course, it should be remembered that the type of treatment used greatly influences patient recovery. There are not many choices when it comes to treating oral cancer. Research efforts focusing on the discovery and evolution of innovative therapeutic approaches for oral cancer are essential. Such traditional methods of treating this type of cancer like surgery and chemotherapy, have evolved dramatically during the past thirty to forty years, but they continue to cause panic among patients due to their side effects. Therefore, it is necessary to study and use drugs that are less risky for the patient as well as to provide solutions to reduce chemotherapy-induced adverse events that prevent many therapeutic risks. As mentioned above, this study examines low-risk therapies such as herbal remedies, biological drugs, and synthetic drugs in the hope that they will be useful to physicians, researchers, and scientists around the world.

M2 polarization of tumor-associated macrophages is dependent on integrin β3 via peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ up-regulation in breast cancer

Macrophages are particularly abundant and play an important role throughout the tumor progression process, namely, tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) in the tumor microenvironment. TAM can be polarized to disparate functional phenotypes, the M1 and M2 macrophages. M1-like type macrophages are defined as pro-inflammatory cells involved in killing cancer cells, while M2-like type cells can specially promote tumor growth and metastasis, tissue remodeling and immunosuppression. In this study, we first found that integrin β3 was highly expressed on the surface of TAM, both in vivo and in vitro, that displayed the M2-like characteristics. Under intervention of CYC or triptolide, the integrin β3 inhibitors, the M2 polarization of TAM could be inhibited. Moreover, in the cell model of M2 polarization, either blockade or knockout/knockdown of integrin β3 could also suppress macrophage M2 polarization, which suggested that the M2 polarization was dependent on integrin β3. Using knockdown of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), an M2 regulator, we found that expression and activation of PPARγ participated in M2 polarization that was mediated by integrin β3. Finally, to verify the activity of integrin β3 inhibitors on TAM in vivo, 4T1 tumor-bearing mice were treated with CYC or triptolide; in response, the M1/M2 ratio of TAM was up-regulated, while the infiltration of total lymphocytes into tumor tissue was not altered. In general, our study found a connection between integrin β3 and macrophage polarization, which provides a strategy for facilitating M2 to M1 repolarization and reconstructing the tumor immune microenvironment.

The prognostic impact of traditional Chinese medicine monomers on tumor-associated macrophages in non-small cell lung cancer

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for 80%-85% of all lung malignancies and good diagnosis and prognosis of NSCLC are critical to the increase of its survival rate. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) abundantly present in numerous cancer types, and the role of TAMs in tumor biology and their prognostic value in cancer become major topics of interest. After various stimulations in the tumor microenvironment, TAMs develop into a M1 (tumor-inhibitory) phenotype or M2 (tumor-promoting) phenotype. Recent studies show that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) monomers have markedly inhibitory actions for NSCLC through M1/M2 modulation. Due to the TCM monomers mainly covered five categories, i.e. terpenoids, flavonoids, polysaccharides, natural polyphenols, and alkaloids. Thus, we will discuss the regulation of TCM monomers on TAM involve in these five parts in this review. In addition, the potential role of TAMs as therapeutic targets will be discussed.

Naturally occurring anti-cancer compounds: shining from Chinese herbal medicine

Numerous natural products originated from Chinese herbal medicine exhibit anti-cancer activities, including anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic, anti-metastatic, anti-angiogenic effects, as well as regulate autophagy, reverse multidrug resistance, balance immunity, and enhance chemotherapy in vitro and in vivo. To provide new insights into the critical path ahead, we systemically reviewed the most recent advances (reported since 2011) on the key compounds with anti-cancer effects derived from Chinese herbal medicine (curcumin, epigallocatechin gallate, berberine, artemisinin, ginsenoside Rg3, ursolic acid, silibinin, emodin, triptolide, cucurbitacin B, tanshinone I, oridonin, shikonin, gambogic acid, artesunate, wogonin, β-elemene, and cepharanthine) in scientific databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, Scopus, and Clinical Trials). With a broader perspective, we focused on their recently discovered and/or investigated pharmacological effects, novel mechanism of action, relevant clinical studies, and their innovative applications in combined therapy and immunomodulation. In addition, the present review has extended to describe other promising compounds including dihydroartemisinin, ginsenoside Rh2, compound K, cucurbitacins D, E, I, tanshinone IIA and cryptotanshinone in view of their potentials in cancer therapy. Up to now, the evidence about the immunomodulatory effects and clinical trials of natural anti-cancer compounds from Chinese herbal medicine is very limited, and further research is needed to monitor their immunoregulatory effects and explore their mechanisms of action as modulators of immune checkpoints.

Antitumor properties of triptolide: phenotype regulation of macrophage differentiation

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), which generally exhibit an M2-like phenotype, play a critical role in tumor development. Triptolide exerts a unique bioactive spectrum of anticancer activities. The aim of this study was to determine whether triptolide has any effect on the activation of TAMs and the production of tumor-promoting mediators. ICR-1 mice with azoxymethane/dextran sulfate sodium (AOM/DSS)-induced colon tumors and BALB/c mice co-inoculated with 4T1 cells and M2-polarized RAW264.7 cells were used to examine whether the inhibitory effect of triptolide on tumor progression was mediated by the targeting of TAMs. Real-time PCR, Western blot, immunofluorescence staining, and flow cytometry assays were performed to determine the expression of cell surface markers and cytokine production. The results showed that triptolide inhibited macrophage differentiation toward the M2 phenotype and abolished M2 macrophage-mediated tumor progression. Furthermore, triptolide inhibited the expression of M2 markers, such as CD206, Arginase 1, and CD204, and inhibited the secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Thus our study indicated that triptolide selectively inhibited the functions of M2-polarized macrophages and TAMs, and this inhibitory effect of triptolide on TAM viability, differentiation, and cytokine production might elucidate the major mechanisms underlying its antitumor activity. Our findings provide important information for the potential clinical application of triptolide in cancer therapy.

Heterogeneous macrophages: Supersensors of exogenous inducing factors

As heterogeneous immune cells, macrophages mount effective responses to various internal and external changes during disease progression. Macrophage polarization, rather than macrophage heterogenization, is often used to describe the functional differences between macrophages. While macrophage polarization partially contributes to heterogeneity, it does not completely explain the concept of macrophage heterogeneity. At the same time, there are abundant and sophisticated endogenous and exogenous substances that can affect macrophage heterogeneity. While the research on endogenous factors has been systematically reviewed, the findings on exogenous factors have not been well summarized. Hence, we reviewed the characteristics and inducing factors of heterogeneous macrophages to reveal their functional plasticity as well as their targeting manoeuvreability. In the process of constructing and analysing a network organized by disease-related cells and molecules, paying more attention to heterogeneous macrophages as mediators of this network may help to explore a novel entry point for early prevention of and intervention in disease.

Triptolide reduces proliferation and enhances apoptosis in drug-resistant human oral cancer cells

Triptolide (TPL) is a traditional Chinese medicine that possesses anti-multidrug resistance (MDR) properties against various cancers, including oral cancer. However, the functional roles of TPL in oral cancer cells and its potential ability to overcome MDR have not fully evaluated. Therefore, in this study we used oral cancer cell line SAS to establish Taxol-resistant cell line SAS/Taxol and investigated the effects of TPL on MDR, proliferation, and apoptosis of SAS/Taxol cells. We first demonstrated that TPL overcame MDR in SAS/Taxol cells. In addition, TPL induced prominent proliferation inhibition, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis of SAS/Taxol cells. Furthermore, the pro-apoptotic effect of TPL on SAS/Taxol cells was dependent on intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways involved in the activation of caspases. Consistently, TPL successfully hampered oral tumor growth by inducing cell apoptosis in a xenograft mouse model. Overall, these results indicated that TPL circumvented MDR of SAS/Taxol cells by inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis which was partly mediated by the intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways, suggesting the potential therapeutic value of TPL on Taxol-resistant human oral cancer.

Triptolide inhibits benign prostatic epithelium viability and migration and induces apoptosis via upregulation of microRNA-218

Benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) has become a troublesome disease for elder men. Triptolide (TPL) has been reported to be a potential anticancer agent. However, the potential effects of TPL on BPH have not been shown out. BPH-1 cells were treated with different concentrations of TPL and/or transfected with microRNA-218 (miR-218) inhibitor, pc-survivin, sh-survivin, or their corresponding controls (NC). Thereafter, cell viability was determined by CCK-8 assay. Cell migration was accessed by modified two-chamber migration assay. Cell apoptosis was checked by propidium iodide (PI) and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated Annexin V staining. In addition, messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels were detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot analysis, respectively. BPH-1 cell viability and migration were significantly decreased, while cell apoptosis and expression of miR-218 were statistically enhanced by TPL (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). However, downregulation of miR-218 increased cell viability and migration, while decreased cell apoptosis compared with the negative control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Furthermore, the expression of cell cycle–related proteins and cell apoptosis–related proteins were also led to the opposite results with NC. In addition, we found that miR-218 negatively regulated the expression of survivin (P < 0.01) and suppression of survivin significantly enhanced cell apoptosis (P < 0.01). Moreover, the results demonstrated that TPL could inactivate mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, while inhibition of miR-218 alleviated the effects. TPL inhibits viability and migration of BPH-1 cells and induces cell apoptosis and also inactivates mTOR signal pathway via upregulation of miR-218. This study provides evidence for the further studies representing triptolide as a potential agent in the treatment of human BPH.

Anti-oral cancer effects of triptolide by downregulation of DcR3 in vitro, in vivo, and in preclinical patient-derived tumor xenograft model

Background

Aberrant expression of decoy receptor 3 (DcR3) is considered to be a diagnostic and therapeutic target for human cancers. The aim of this study was to assess DcR3 as a target of the anticancer effects of triptolide (TPL) in preclinical patient‐derived tumor xenograft (PDTX) models of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

Methods

The expression of DcR3 was evaluated through immunohistochemistry, and correlations were examined using clinical variables. The effects of TPL on the expression of DcR3 and cell proliferation were investigated in OSCC cell lines and in PDTX models.

Results

DcR3 overexpression was associated with overall survival and tumor size. TPL significantly decreased tumor growth. Moreover, TPL inhibited the expression of metastasis‐associated protein 1 (MTA1), a transcription factor for DcR3 in vivo, in vitro, and in PDTX models.

Conclusion

TPL appeared to exert anticancer effects by repressing DcR3 and MTA1 in vitro, in vivo, and in PDTX models.

Assessment of cellular and serum proteome from tongue squamous cell carcinoma patient lacking addictive proclivities for tobacco, betel nut, and alcohol: Case study

The intriguing molecular pathways involved in oral carcinogenesis are still ambiguous. The oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) ranks as the most common type constituting more than 90% of the globally diagnosed oral cancers cases. The elevation in the OSCC incidence rate during past 10 years has an alarming impression on human healthcare. The major challenges associated with OSCC include delayed diagnosis, high metastatic rates, and low 5-year survival rates. The present work foundations on reverse genetic strategy and involves the identification of genes showing expressional variability in an OSCC case lacking addictive proclivities for tobacco, betel nut, and/or alcohol, major etiologies. The expression modulations in the identified genes were analyzed in 16 patients comprising oral pre-cancer and cancer histo-pathologies. The genes SCCA1 and KRT1 were found to down regulate while DNAJC13, GIPC2, MRPL17, IG-Vreg, SSFA2, and UPF0415 upregulated in the oral pre-cancer and cancer pathologies, implicating the genes as crucial players in oral carcinogenesis.