Quercetin-induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells and identification of quercetin derivatives as potent inhibitors for Caspase-3 through computational methods

Hepatoprotective activity of Lactéol® forte and quercetin dihydrate against thioacetamide-induced hepatic cirrhosis in male albino rats

Liver cirrhosis is a silent disease in humans and is experimentally induced by many drugs and toxins as thioacetamide (TAA) in particular, which is the typical model for experimental induction of hepatic fibrosis. Thus, the objective of the present study was to elucidate the possible protective effects of lactéol® forte (LF) and quercetin dihydrate (QD) against TAA-induced hepatic damage in male albino rats. Induction of hepatotoxicity was performed by TAA injection (200 mg/kg I/P, twice/ week) in rats. LF (1 × 109 CFU/rat 5 times/week) and QD (50 mg/kg 5 times/week) treated groups were administered concurrently with TAA injection (200 mg/kg I/P, twice/ week). The experimental treatments were conducted for 12 weeks. Hepatotoxicity was evaluated biochemically by measuring alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) in the serum and histopathologically with the scoring of histopathological changes besides histochemical assessment of collagen by Masson's trichrome and immunohistochemical analysis for α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), Ki67 and caspase-3 expression in liver sections. Our results indicated that LF and QD attenuated some biochemical changes and histochemical markers in TAA-mediated hepatotoxicity in rats by amelioration of biochemical markers and collagen, α-SMA, Ki67 and caspase3 Immunoexpression. Additionally, LF and QD supplementation downregulated the proliferative, necrotic, fibroblastic changes, eosinophilic intranuclear inclusions, hyaline globules and Mallory-like bodies that were detected histopathologically in the TAA group. In conclusion, LF showed better hepatic protection than QD against TAA-induced hepatotoxicity in rats by inhibiting inflammatory reactions with the improvement of some serum hepatic transaminases, histopathological picture and immunohistochemical markers.

Coleus vettiveroides ethanolic root extract induces cytotoxicity by intrinsic apoptosis in HepG2 cells

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) contributes to more than 80% of all primary cancers globally and ranks fourth in cancer-related deaths, due to the lack of an effective, definite therapeutic drug. Coleus vettiveroides (CV) has been used in Indian traditional medicine to treat diabetes, liver ailments, skin diseases, leukoderma, and leprosy. This study investigates the anticancer effect of CV ethanolic root extract in HepG2 cells. HepG2 cells were treated with CV extract, and its cytotoxicity was analyzed by MTT assay. AO/EB staining, propidium iodide staining, DCFH-DA assay, phalloidine staining, flow cytometry, and qPCR studies were performed for ROS expression, apoptosis and cell cycle analysis. The phytochemical analysis confirmed the presence of quercetin and galangin in CV root extract. The results showed that CV inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 cells, with altered cellular and nuclear morphology. CV was also found to increase intracellular ROS levels and oxidative stress markers in HepG2 cells. CV significantly altered the actin microfilament distribution in HepG2 cells and caused cell cycle arrest at the sub G0 -G1 phase. CV also induced mitochondria-mediated apoptosis, as evidenced by increased expression of p53, Bax, cytochrome C, Apaf-1, PARP, caspase-3 and caspase-9, and downregulated Bcl-2 expression. Therefore, CV exerts its anticancer effect by inducing mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, cytoskeletal disorganization, cell cycle arrest, and mitochondria-mediated apoptosis, and it could be a potent therapeutic option for HCC.

Critical-Illness: Combined Effects of Colistin and Vasoactive Drugs: A Pilot Study

Colistin is often used as a last resort for treating multidrug-resistant infections, particularly in critically ill patients in intensive care units. Nonetheless, its side effects, including myopathy, require careful monitoring. Vasoconstrictive drugs are also used in intensive care to increase blood pressure and improve blood flow to vital organs, which can be compromised in critically ill patients. The exact mechanism of colistin-induced muscle toxicity is of significant interest due to its potential intensive-care clinical implications. Colistin alone or in combination with vasoconstrictive agents was administrated in non-septic and LPS-induced septic animals for 10 days. Histopathological evaluation of the gastrocnemius muscle and dot-blot protein tissue analysis were performed. Increased intramuscular area, de-organization of the muscle fibers and signs of myopathy were observed in colistin-treated animals. This effect was ameliorated in the presence of vasoconstrictive drugs. Administration of colistin to septic animals resulted in a decrease of AMPK and cyclin-D1 levels, while it had no effect on caspase 3 levels. Vasoconstrictive drugs' administration reversed the effects of colistin on AMPK and cyclin D1 levels. Colistin's effects on muscle depend on septic state and vasoconstriction presence, highlighting the need to consider these factors when administering it in critically ill patients.

Euonymus sachalinensis Induces Apoptosis by Inhibiting the Expression of c-Myc in Colon Cancer Cells

We hypothesized that Euonymus sachalinensis (ES) induces apoptosis by inhibiting the expression of c-Myc in colon cancer cells, and this study proved that the methanol extract of ES has anticancer effects in colon cancer cells. ES belongs to the Celastraceae family and is well known for its medicinal properties. Extracts of species belonging to this family have been used to treat diverse diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, chronic nephritis, allergic conjunctivitis, rhinitis, and asthma. However, ES has been targeted because there are currently few studies on the efficacy of ES for various diseases, including cancer. ES lowers cell viability in colon cancer cells and reduces the expression of c-Myc protein. We confirm that the protein level of apoptotic factors such as PARP and Caspase 3 decrease when ES is treated with Western blot, and confirm that DNA fragments occur through TUNEL assay. In addition, it is confirmed that the protein level of oncogenes CNOT2 and MID1IP1 decrease when ES is treated. We have also found that ES enhances the chemo-sensitivity of 5-FU in 5-FU-resistant cells. Therefore, we confirm that ES has anticancer effects by inducing apoptotic cell death and regulating the oncogenes CNOT2 and MID1IP1, suggesting its potential for use in the treatment of colon cancer.

Computational exploration of molecular flexibility and interaction of meropenem analogs with the active site of oxacillinase-23 in Acinetobacter baumannii

Background: Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic pathogen responsible for nosocomial infections and is one of the biggest global threats according to the World Health Organization (WHO), particularly causing substantial morbidity and mortality. Objectives: This study aimed at using computational approaches to screen meropenem and its analogs against OXA-23-positive Acinetobacter baumannii, analyzing the correlations between kinetic and phenotypic characteristics. Methods: A total of 5,450 compounds were screened using virtual screening workflow (HTVS, Glide-SP, and Glide-XP) to identify the best compounds based on their binding energy and interactions against OXA-23 and OXA-27 as they had phenotypic data available. Molecular dynamics simulation and density functional theory (DFT) studies were performed from the outcome of molecular docking analysis. Results: During simulations, meropenem and its analogs exhibited high-level stable interactions with Ser79, Ser126, Thr217, Trp219, and Arg259 of OXA-23. Meropenem displayed a CovDock energy of about -3.5 and -1.9 kcal mol^-1 against OXA-23 and OXA-27, respectively. Among the 5,450 compounds, Pubchem_10645796, Pubchem_25224737, and ChEMBL_14 recorded CovDock energy between -6.0 and -9.0 kcal mol^-1. Moreover, the infra-red (IR) spectrophotometric analysis revealed C=O and C-N atoms showing bands at 1,800 and 1,125 cm^-1, respectively. These observed data are in congruence with the experimental observations. Conclusion: The identified compounds showed good agreement with the spectrophotometric analysis using DFT methods. In the earlier studies, meropenem's MIC value was 32 μg mL^-1 in OXA-23-positive isolate A2265 compared to the MIC of 1 μg mL^-1 in Δbla _OXA-23 A2265. Comparing the CovDock energy and hydrogen-bonding interactions, the predicted results are in good agreement with the experimental data reported earlier. Our results highlight the importance of OXA-23 molecular docking studies and their compliance with the phenotypic results. It will help further in developing newer antibiotics for treating severe infections associated with carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii.