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Li T, Luo N, Fu J, Du J, Liu Z, Tan Q, Zheng M, He J, Cheng J, Li D, Fu J. Natural Product Cordycepin (CD) Inhibition for NRP1/CD304 Expression and Possibly SARS-CoV-2 Susceptibility Prevention on Cancers. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2953. [PMID: 38138098 PMCID: PMC10745444 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11122953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
NRP1/CD304 is a typical membrane-bound co-receptor for the vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF), semaphorin family members, and viral SARS-CoV-2. Cordycepin (CD) is a natural product or active gradient from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) from Cordyceps militaris Link and Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Berk.). However, NRP1 expression regulation via CD in cancers and the potential roles and mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 infection are not clear. In this study, online databases were analyzed, Western blotting and quantitative RT-PCR were used for NRP1 expression change via CD, molecular docking was used for NRP/CD interaction, and a syncytial formation assay was used for CD inhibition using a pseudovirus SARS-CoV-2 entry. As a result, we revealed that CD inhibits NRP1 expressed in cancer cells and prevents viral syncytial formation in 293T-hACE2 cells, implying the therapeutic potential for both anti-cancer and anti-viruses, including anti-SARS-CoV-2. We further found significant associations between NRP1 expressions and the tumor-immune response in immune lymphocytes, chemokines, receptors, immunostimulators, immune inhibitors, and major histocompatibility complexes in most cancer types, implying NRP1's roles in both anti-cancer and anti-SARS-CoV-2 entry likely via immunotherapy. Importantly, CD also downregulated the expression of NRP1 from lymphocytes in mice and downregulated the expression of A2AR from the lung cancer cell line H1975 when treated with CD, implying the NRP1 mechanism probably through immuno-response pathways. Thus, CD may be a therapeutic component for anti-cancer and anti-viral diseases, including COVID-19, by targeting NRP1 at least.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Li
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China; (T.L.); (N.L.); (J.F.); (J.D.); (Z.L.); (Q.T.); (M.Z.); (J.H.); (J.C.)
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Na Luo
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China; (T.L.); (N.L.); (J.F.); (J.D.); (Z.L.); (Q.T.); (M.Z.); (J.H.); (J.C.)
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Jiewen Fu
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China; (T.L.); (N.L.); (J.F.); (J.D.); (Z.L.); (Q.T.); (M.Z.); (J.H.); (J.C.)
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Jiaman Du
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China; (T.L.); (N.L.); (J.F.); (J.D.); (Z.L.); (Q.T.); (M.Z.); (J.H.); (J.C.)
| | - Zhiying Liu
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China; (T.L.); (N.L.); (J.F.); (J.D.); (Z.L.); (Q.T.); (M.Z.); (J.H.); (J.C.)
| | - Qi Tan
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China; (T.L.); (N.L.); (J.F.); (J.D.); (Z.L.); (Q.T.); (M.Z.); (J.H.); (J.C.)
| | - Meiling Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China; (T.L.); (N.L.); (J.F.); (J.D.); (Z.L.); (Q.T.); (M.Z.); (J.H.); (J.C.)
| | - Jiayue He
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China; (T.L.); (N.L.); (J.F.); (J.D.); (Z.L.); (Q.T.); (M.Z.); (J.H.); (J.C.)
| | - Jingliang Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China; (T.L.); (N.L.); (J.F.); (J.D.); (Z.L.); (Q.T.); (M.Z.); (J.H.); (J.C.)
| | - Dabing Li
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China; (T.L.); (N.L.); (J.F.); (J.D.); (Z.L.); (Q.T.); (M.Z.); (J.H.); (J.C.)
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Junjiang Fu
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China; (T.L.); (N.L.); (J.F.); (J.D.); (Z.L.); (Q.T.); (M.Z.); (J.H.); (J.C.)
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Arshad M, Noor N, Iqbal Z, Jaleel H. In silico analysis of missense SNPs in TNFR1a and their possible therapeutic or pathogenic role in immune diseases. Hum Immunol 2023; 84:609-617. [PMID: 37748952 DOI: 10.1016/j.humimm.2023.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFa) is an inflammatory cytokine that is involved in the pathogenesis of various inflammatory disorders including rheumatoid arthritis. TNF-alpha receptor I (TNFR1a) is one of the receptors TNFa binds with for its activation. Any variation in this receptor might affect the role of TNFa in successive events. Amino acid residue substitutions might happen in TNFR1a through non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs) which may alter the functioning of TNFa, hence, identifying any such substitutions is of paramount significance. In this study, six nsSNPs at five different evolutionary conserved regions are predicted to be detrimental to the structure and/or function of TNFR1a by using numerous computational tools. Their 3D models are also proposed in this study. Besides, they were found to reduce the stability and affect the molecular mechanisms of this protein. Two contrasting possibilities might happen because of these substitutions. One, they might reduce the production of TNFa which is overexpressed in inflammatory diseases, hence can play therapeutic role in such diseases. Second, they might possibly hinder the apoptosis to occur which can effectuate the uncontrolled division of cells, hence can be pathogenic in diseases like cancer. Further investigations on these nsSNPs using animal models and at cellular level will open doors to understand the underlying mechanisms behind various diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Arshad
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland.
| | - Nabeel Noor
- Shalamar Medical & Dental College, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Zunair Iqbal
- Shalamar Medical & Dental College, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Hadiqa Jaleel
- Department of Research & Innovation, Shalamar Institute of Health Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
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