Analyses of the possible anti-tumor effect of yokukansan

Chronic ingestion of soy peptide supplementation reduces aggressive behavior and abnormal fear memory caused by juvenile social isolation

Juvenile loneliness is a risk factor for psychopathology in later life. Deprivation of early social experience due to peer rejection has a detrimental impact on emotional and cognitive brain function in adulthood. Accumulating evidence indicates that soy peptides have many positive effects on higher brain function in rodents and humans. However, the effects of soy peptide use on juvenile social isolation are unknown. Here, we demonstrated that soy peptides reduced the deterioration of behavioral and cellular functions resulting from juvenile socially-isolated rearing. We found that prolonged social isolation post-weaning in male C57BL/6J mice resulted in higher aggression and impulsivity and fear memory deficits at 7 weeks of age, and that these behavioral abnormalities, except impulsivity, were mitigated by ingestion of soy peptides. Furthermore, we found that daily intake of soy peptides caused upregulation of postsynaptic density 95 in the medial prefrontal cortex and phosphorylation of the cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding protein in the hippocampus of socially isolated mice, increased phosphorylation of the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase in the hippocampus, and altered the microbiota composition. These results suggest that soy peptides have protective effects against juvenile social isolation-induced behavioral deficits via synaptic maturation and cellular functionalization.

Anticancer Potential of Natural Chalcones: In Vitro and In Vivo Evidence

There is no doubt that significant progress has been made in tumor therapy in the past decades. However, the discovery of new molecules with potential antitumor properties still remains one of the most significant challenges in the field of anticancer therapy. Nature, especially plants, is a rich source of phytochemicals with pleiotropic biological activities. Among a plethora of phytochemicals, chalcones, the bioprecursors of flavonoid and isoflavonoids synthesis in higher plants, have attracted attention due to the broad spectrum of biological activities with potential clinical applications. Regarding the antiproliferative and anticancer effects of chalcones, multiple mechanisms of action including cell cycle arrest, induction of different forms of cell death and modulation of various signaling pathways have been documented. This review summarizes current knowledge related to mechanisms of antiproliferative and anticancer effects of natural chalcones in different types of malignancies including breast cancers, cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, lung cancers, renal and bladder cancers, and melanoma.

Luteolin inhibits viability, migration, angiogenesis and invasion of non-small cell lung cancer vascular endothelial cells via miR-133a-3p/purine rich element binding protein B-mediated MAPK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways

Luteolin inhibits tumorigenesis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but its mechanism still needs to be clarified. We hereby explored the effects of luteolin in vascular endothelial cells of NSCLC (NSCLC-VECs). After extraction and identification of NSCLC-VECs, cells were treated with luteolin and transfected. The viability, migration, angiogenesis and invasion of the cells were measured. The levels of miR-133a-3p, purine rich element binding protein B (PURB), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), Akt, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2/-9 were determined. The interaction relationship of miR-133a-3p and PURB was identified. Luteolin inhibited the viability, migration, angiogenesis and invasion of NSCLC-VECs yet up-regulated miR-133a-3p level, while miR-133a-3p inhibitor counteracted the repressive effect of luteolin on the viability, migration, angiogenesis, and invasion in NSCLC-VECs. Luteolin inhibited the expressions of migration- and invasion-associated proteins (VEGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9), PI3K/Akt and MAPK signaling pathways-related factors, while miR-133a-3p inhibitor reversed the inhibitory effect of Luteolin on NSCLC-VECs. Luteolin decreased the level of PURB, which was targeted by miR-133a-3p. ShPURB promoted miR-133a-3p level in NSCLC-VECs, while reversing the promoting effects of miR-133a-3p inhibitor on the migration, invasion, and levels of migration- and invasion-associated proteins, PI3K/Akt and MAPK pathways-associated factors in NSCLC-VECs. Collectively speaking, luteolin inhibits the migration and invasion of NSCLC-VECs via miR-133a-3p/PURB- mediated MAPK and PI3K/Akt pathways.

Herbal extracts that induce type I interferons through Toll-like receptor 4 signaling

Background

A mixture of five herbal extracts called internatural (INT), which is prepared from pumpkin seeds, purple turmeric, pearl barley, corn pistil, and cinnamon, is widely used by people in Japan and elsewhere for its immunity-enhancing effects and general health. Although anecdotal evidence indicates its efficacy, the mechanisms by which INT boosts immunity have remained unknown.

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate whether INT induces type I interferons (IFNs) in murine bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) and by what mechanism.

Design

We measured induction of type I IFNs (IFNβ and IFNα) in BMDMs treated with INT or other Toll-like receptor ligands: bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS), dsRNA, poly(I:C), and CpG oligonucleotides. To investigate whether INT signals through Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), we tested TLR4-specific inhibitor. We also tested if INT utilizes TLR4 adaptors, toll/IL-1 receptor (TIR) domain-containing adaptor (TRIF), or myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), we examined INT induction of IFNβ in TRIF-KO and MyD88-KO BMDMs. We then investigated whether INT provides an antiviral effect upon fibroblasts either directly or indirectly using the encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) model.

Results

We first observed that INT, when added to BMDMs, potently induces type I IFNs (IFNβ and IFNα) within 2 h. INT induction of IFN expression was mediated by TLR4, which signaled through the TRIF/MyD88 adaptors, similar to LPS. A high-molecular-weight fraction (MW > 10,000) of INT extracts contained IFN-inducing activity. Supernatants from INT-treated BMDMs protected untreated fibroblast from EMCV infection as reduced viral titers.

Conclusions

INT induced type I IFN mRNA and proteins in BMDMs and other cell types. This induction was mediated by TLR4, which transduces signals using the TRIF/MyD88 pathway. The high-MW component of INT contained type I IFN inducing activity. The supernatants from INT-treated cells displayed antiviral activity and protected cells from EMCV infection. These findings indicate that INT is a novel natural IFN inducer that strengthens host’s innate immunity.

A Review of the Effects of Natural Compounds, Medicinal Plants, and Mushrooms on the Gut Microbiota in Colitis and Cancer

The human gastrointestinal tract harbors a diverse array of microorganisms that play fundamental roles in health and disease. Imbalance in the gut microbiota, namely dysbiosis, can lead to various diseases, including cancer and gastrointestinal tract disorders. Approaches to improve gut dysbiosis, such as dietary intervention, intake of probiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation are emerging strategies to treat these diseases. Various medicinal botanicals have reported anti-cancer and/or anti-inflammatory properties. Preclinical studies have illustrated that some of these natural products are also capable to modulate the gut microbiota, suggesting their use as possible alternative approach to improve gut dysbiosis and thereby assist diseases treatment. In this review article, we have summarized the current knowledge on the effects of natural compounds, medicinal plants, and mushrooms on the gut microbiota in various cancers and colitis in preclinical animal models. Challenges towards the clinical use of these medicinal botanicals as modulators of the gut microbiota in cancer and colitis treatment are also discussed.

Common and distinct features of potentially predictive biomarkers in small cell lung carcinoma and large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung by systematic and integrated analysis

BACKGROUND

Large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung (LCNEC) and small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) are neuroendocrine neoplasms. However, the underlying mechanisms of common and distinct genetic characteristics between LCNEC and SCLC are currently unclear. Herein, protein expression profiles and possible interactions with miRNAs were provided by integrated bioinformatics analysis, in order to explore core genes associated with tumorigenesis and prognosis in SCLC and LCNEC.

METHODS

GSE1037 gene expression profiles were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in LCNEC and SCLC, as compared with normal lung tissues, were selected using the GEO2R online analyzer and Venn diagram software. Gene ontology (GO) analysis was performed using Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery. The biological pathway analysis was performed using the FunRich database. Subsequently, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of DEGs was generated using Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes and displayed via Cytoscape software. The PPI network was analyzed by the Molecular Complex Detection app from Cytoscape, and 16 upregulated hub genes were selected. The Oncomine database was used to detect expression patterns of hub genes for validation. Furthermore, the biological pathways of these 16 hub genes were re-analyzed, and potential interactions between these genes and miRNAs were explored via FunRich.

RESULTS

A total of 384 DEGs were identified. A Venn diagram determined 88 common DEGs. The PPI network was constructed with 48 nodes and 221 protein pairs. Among them, 16 hub genes were extracted, 14 of which were upregulated in SCLC samples, as compared with normal lung specimens, and 10 were correlated with the cell cycle pathway. Furthermore, 57 target miRNAs for 8 hub genes were identified, among which 31 miRNAs were correlated with the progression of carcinoma, drug-resistance, radio-sensitivity, or autophagy in lung cancer.

CONCLUSION

This study provided effective biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets for diagnosis and prognosis of SCLC and LCNEC.