Curcumin modulates the angiogenic potential of human endothelial cells via FAK/P-38 MAPK signaling pathway

Multifunctional nanocoatings with synergistic controlled release of zinc ions and cytokines for precise modulation of vascular intimal reconstruction

Vascular stent implantation remains the major therapeutic method for cardiovascular diseases currently. We here introduced crucial biological functional biological function factors (SDF-1α, VEGF) and vital metal ions (Zn2+) into the stent surface to explore their synergistic effect in the microenvironment. The combination of the different factors is known to effectively regulate cellular inflammatory response and selectively regulate cell biological behavior. Meanwhile, in the implemented method, VEGF and Zn2+ were loaded into heparin and poly-l-lysine (Hep-PLL) nanoparticles, ensuring a controlled release of functional molecules with a multi-factor synergistic effect and excellent biological functions in vitro and in vivo. Notably, after 150 days of implantation of the modified stent in rabbits, a thin and smooth new intima was obtained. This study offers a new idea for constructing a modified surface microenvironment and promoting tissue repair.

Review of the Protective Mechanism of Curcumin on Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the most common cause of death worldwide and has been the focus of research in the medical community. Curcumin is a polyphenolic compound extracted from the root of turmeric. Curcumin has been shown to have a variety of pharmacological properties over the past decades. Curcumin can significantly protect cardiomyocyte injury after ischemia and hypoxia, inhibit myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis, improve ventricular remodeling, reduce drug-induced myocardial injury, improve diabetic cardiomyopathy(DCM), alleviate vascular endothelial dysfunction, inhibit foam cell formation, and reduce vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs) proliferation. Clinical studies have shown that curcumin has a protective effect on blood vessels. Toxicological studies have shown that curcumin is safe. But high doses of curcumin also have some side effects, such as liver damage and defects in embryonic heart development. This article reviews the mechanism of curcumin intervention on CVDs in recent years, in order to provide reference for the development of new drugs in the future.

Demystifying phytoconstituent-derived nanomedicines in their immunoregulatory and therapeutic roles in inflammatory diseases

In the past decades, phytoconstituents have appeared as critical mediators for immune regulations among various diseases, both in eukaryotes and prokaryotes. These bioactive molecules, showing a broad range of biological functions, would hold tremendous promise for developing new therapeutics. The discovery of phytoconstituents' capability of functionally regulating immune cells and associating cytokines, suppressing systemic inflammation, and remodeling immunity have rapidly promoted the idea of their employment as anti-inflammatory agents. In this review, we discuss various roles of phyto-derived medicines in the field of inflammatory diseases, including chronic inflammation, autoimmune diseases, and acute inflammatory disease such as COVID-19. Nevertheless, traditional phyto-derived medicines often concurred with their clinical administration limitations, such as their lack of cell specificity, inefficient cytoplasmic delivery, and rapid clearance by the immune system. As alternatives, phyto-derived nano-approaches may provide significant benefits. Both unmodified and engineered nanocarriers present the potential to serve as phytoconstituent delivery systems to improve therapeutic physio-chemical properties and pharmacokinetic profiles. Thus, the development of phytoconstituents' nano-delivery designs, their new and perspective approaches for therapeutical applications are elaborated herein.

Physiologically relevant curcuminoids inhibit angiogenesis via VEGFR2 in human aortic endothelial cells

Angiogenesis is a complex process encompassing endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation. While numerous studies describe that curcumin exerts antitumor properties (e.g., targeting angiogenesis), information regarding other dietary curcuminoids such as demethoxycurcumin (DMC) and bisdemethoxycurcumin (BisDMC) is scant. In this study, we evaluated the antiangiogenic activities of these three curcuminoids at physiological concentrations (0.1-5 μM) on endothelial cell migration and tubulogenesis and the underlying associated mechanisms on human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs). Results showed that the individual compounds and a representative mixture inhibited the tubulogenic and migration capacity of endothelial cells dose-dependently, while sparing cell viability. Notably, DMC and BisDMC at 0.1 and 1 μM showed higher capacity than curcumin inhibiting tubulogenesis. These compounds also reduced phosphorylation of the VEGFR2 and the downstream ERK and Akt pathways in VEGF₁₆₅-stimulated cells. In silico analysis showed that curcuminoids could bind the VEGFR2 antagonizing the VEGF-mediated angiogenesis. These findings suggest that physiologically concentrations of curcuminoids might counteract pro-angiogenic stimuli relevant to tumorigenic processes.

Co-Targeting Tumor Angiogenesis and Immunosuppressive Tumor Microenvironment: A Perspective in Ethnopharmacology

Tumor angiogenesis is one of the most important processes of cancer deterioration via nurturing an immunosuppressive tumor environment (TME). Targeting tumor angiogenesis has been widely accepted as a cancer intervention approach, which is also synergistically associated with immune therapy. However, drug resistance is the biggest challenge of anti-angiogenesis therapy, which affects the outcomes of anti-angiogeneic agents, and even combined with immunotherapy. Here, emerging targets and representative candidate molecules from ethnopharmacology (including traditional Chinese medicine, TCM) have been focused, and they have been proved to regulate tumor angiogenesis. Further investigations on derivatives and delivery systems of these molecules will provide a comprehensive landscape in preclinical studies. More importantly, the molecule library of ethnopharmacology meets the viability for targeting angiogenesis and TME simultaneously, which is attributed to the pleiotropy of pro-angiogenic factors (such as VEGF) toward cancer cells, endothelial cells, and immune cells. We primarily shed light on the potentiality of ethnopharmacology against tumor angiogenesis, particularly TCM. More research studies concerning the crosstalk between angiogenesis and TME remodeling from the perspective of botanical medicine are awaited.

Honokiol combined with curcumin sensitizes multidrug-resistant human lung adenocarcinoma A549/DDP cells to cisplatin

The aim of the present study was to discuss the effects and underlying mechanisms of honokiol (HNK) and/or curcumin (CUR) in sensitization of multidrug-resistant human lung adenocarcinoma A549/DDP cells to cisplatin (DDP). An MTS assay was performed to detect the cytotoxicity of HNK, CUR and DDP in A549 and A549/DDP cells and compare their sensitivity. The A549/DDP cells were then divided into 8 groups: Control, HNK, CUR, DDP, HNK + CUR, HNK + DDP, CUR + DDP and HNK + CUR + DDP. Cell proliferation was measured by MTS assay and colony formation assay, cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry, cell invasion was evaluated by Transwell assay and cell migration was determined by a wound healing assay. In order to investigate the possible mechanisms, P-glycoprotein (P-gp) protein expression was measured by western blotting and immunofluorescence assays. The mRNA expression levels of AKT, Erk1/2, cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1 (P21), caspase 3, cleaved caspase 3, caspase 9, cleaved caspase 9, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), cleaved PARP, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 were examined by reverse transcription-quantitative (RT-q) PCR assay, and the protein expression levels of phosphorylated (p)-AKT, p-Erk1/2, P21, caspase 3, cleaved caspase 3, caspase 9, cleaved caspase 9, PARP, cleaved PARP, MMP-2 and MMP-9 proteins expression by western blot assay. The MTS assay demonstrated that HNK (5 µg/ml), CUR (10 µg/ml) and DDP (5 µg/ml) had no obvious toxicity to A549/DDP cells, and HNK, CUR and DDP were more sensitive in A549 cells compared with A549/DDP cells. The optimal concentrations of HNK (5 µg/ml), CUR (10 µg/ml) and DDP (5 µg/ml) were chosen to carry out the further experiments. Compared with the control group, no significant change was observed in cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion and related mRNA and protein expression in HNK, CUR, DDP and HNK + CUR groups. The cell proliferation rate in the HNK + DDP and CUR + DDP groups was significantly suppressed with cell apoptosis significantly increased, respectively. The invasion cell number and wound healing rate of HNK + DDP and CUR + DDP groups were significantly depressed compared with the control group, respectively. Immunofluorescence demonstrated that the nuclear volume of P-gp in HNK + DDP and CUR + DDP groups were significantly downregulated compared with the control group, respectively. The RT-qPCR assay demonstrated that the AKT, Erk1/2 and P21 mRNA expression levels were significantly decreased and cleaved caspase 3, cleaved caspase 9 and cleaved PARP were increased in HNK + DDP and CUR + DDP groups compared with the control group. The western blotting results were consistent with the RT-qPCR results. NK + CUR + DDP had improved effects on A549/DDP compared with HNK + DDP or CUR + DDP group, respectively. HNK and/or CUR could improve the sensitivity of DDP to A549/DDP cell by the regulation of P-gp, inducing apoptosis, and inhibiting migration and invasion via AKT/ERK signal pathway in an in vitro study.

Curcumin in Combination With Omacetaxine Suppress Lymphoma Cell Growth, Migration, Invasion, and Angiogenesis via Inhibition of VEGF/Akt Signaling Pathway

Background

Both omacetaxine (HHT) and curcumin were shown to exhibit anti-proliferative effect on lymphoma cells. However, the role of combination of HHT with curcumin (HHT/curcumin combination) on lymphoma cells remains unclear. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effect of HHT/curcumin combination on the proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of lymphoma cells.

Methods

Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), Ki67 immunofluorescence and transwell assays were used to assess the viability, proliferation and migration of U937 and Raji cells respectively. In addition, tube formation assay was used to determine the effects of HHT/curcumin combination on angiogenesis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).

Results

In this study, we found that HHT/curcumin combination significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion in U937 and Raji cells (all P < 0.01). In addition, combination treatment markedly inhibited the secreted levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-(A-D) (all P < 0.01) in Raji cells. Moreover, combination treatment exhibited anti-tumor effects in Raji cells, as shown by the decreased signals of phosphorylated VEGF receptor 2 (p-VEGFR2) and phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-Akt) (all P < 0.01). Meanwhile, combination treatment inhibited VEGFA levels (P < 0.01) in exosomes derived from Raji cells. Application of exosomes with downregulated VEGF to HUVECs notably inhibited proliferation, migration and tube formation of HUVECs, evidenced by the decreased signals of p-Akt, angiogenin-1, matrix metallopeptidase 2 (MMP2) and matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9) (all P < 0.01).

Conclusion

Our findings indicated that combination of HHT and curcumin could inhibit lymphoma cell growth and angiogenesis via inhibition of VEGF/Akt signaling pathway. These results suggested that HHT combined with curcumin might be regarded as a promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of lymphoma.

Current Trends in Drug Delivery System of Curcumin and its Therapeutic Applications

Curcumin is a poly phenolic compound extracted from turmeric. Over the past years, it has acquired significant interest among researchers due to its numerous pharmacological activities like anti- cancer, anti-alzheimer, anti-diabetic, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and so on. However, the clinical use of curcumin is still obstructed due to tremendously poor bioavailability, rapid metabolism, lower gastrointestinal absorption, and low permeability through cell that makes its pharmacology thrilling. These issues have led to enormous surge of investigation to develop curcumin nano formulations which can overcome these restrictive causes. The scientists all across the universe are working on designing several drug delivery systems viz. liposomes, micelles, magnetic nano carriers, etc. for curcumin and its composites which not only improve its physiochemical properties but also enhanced its therapeutic applications. The review aims to systematically examine the treasure of information about the medicinal use of curcumin. This article delivers a general idea of the current study piloted to overwhelm the complications with the bioavailability of curcumin which have exhibited an enhanced biological activity than curcumin. This article explains the latest and detailed study of curcumin and its conjugates, its phytochemistry and biological perspectives and also proved curcumin as an efficient drug candidate for the treatment of numerous diseases. Recent advancements and futuristic viewpoints are also deliberated, which shall help researchers and foster commercial translations of improved nanosized curcumin combination for the treatment of various diseases.

Curcumin promotes cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of acute myeloid leukemia cells by inactivating AKT

Curcumin, a phytochemical from rhizomes of the plant Curcuma longa, has been reported to exert potential anticancer properties in various cancer types, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, the underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. The present study demonstrated that curcumin had a stronger cytotoxic activity against AML cells compared with three other types of phytochemicals (epigallocatechin gallate, genistein and resveratrol). Protein phosphorylation profiling using an antibody array identified that curcumin treatment increased the phosphorylation levels of 14 proteins and decreased those of four proteins. A protein‑protein interaction network was constructed using the STRING database, in which AKT was identified as a hub protein with the highest connectivity (PRAS40, 4E‑BP1, P70S6K, RAF‑1 and p27). Western blotting results indicated that curcumin dose‑dependently suppressed the phosphorylation of AKT, PRAS40, 4E‑BP1, P70S6K, RAF‑1 and p27 in AML cell lines (ML‑2 and OCI‑AML5). It was also demonstrated that curcumin regulated the cell cycle‑ and apoptosis‑related proteins (cyclin D1, p21, Bcl2, cleaved‑caspase‑3 and cleaved‑PARP), leading to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in both ML‑2 and OCI‑AML5 cells. These effects of curcumin were enhanced by the AKT inhibitor afuresertib but were suppressed by the AKT activator SC‑79, indicating that curcumin functions via AKT. In the AML xenograft mouse model, curcumin and afuresertib synergistically suppressed the engraftment, proliferation and survival of AML cells. Collectively, the present study demonstrated that curcumin exerted anti‑AML roles by inactivating AKT and these findings may aid in the treatment of AML.

Role of melatonin in the angiogenesis potential; highlights on the cardiovascular disease

Melatonin possesses multi-organ and pleiotropic effects with potency to control angiogenesis at both molecular and cellular levels. To date, many efforts have been made to control and regulate the dynamic of angiogenesis modulators in a different milieu. The term angiogenesis or neovascularization refers to the development of de novo vascular buds from the pre-existing blood vessels. This phenomenon is tightly dependent on the balance between the pro- and anti-angiogenesis factors which alters the functional behavior of vascular cells. The promotion of angiogenesis is thought to be an effective strategy to accelerate the healing process of ischemic changes such as infarcted myocardium. Of note, most of the previous studies have focused on the anti-angiogenesis capacity of melatonin in the tumor niche. To the best of our knowledge, few experiments highlighted the melatonin angiogenesis potential and specific regulatory mechanisms in the cardiovascular system. Here, we aimed to summarize some previous experiments related to the application of melatonin in cardiovascular diseases such as ischemic injury and hypertension by focusing on the regulatory mechanisms.

Hydrogel Network Dynamics Regulate Vascular Morphogenesis

Matrix dynamics influence how individual cells develop into complex multicellular tissues. Here, we develop hydrogels with identical polymer components but different crosslinking capacities to enable the investigation of mechanisms underlying vascular morphogenesis. We show that dynamic (D) hydrogels increase the contractility of human endothelial colony-forming cells (hECFCs), promote the clustering of integrin β1, and promote the recruitment of vinculin, leading to the activation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and metalloproteinase expression. This leads to the robust assembly of vasculature and the deposition of new basement membrane. We also show that non-dynamic (N) hydrogels do not promote FAK signaling and that stiff D- and N-hydrogels are constrained for vascular morphogenesis. Furthermore, D-hydrogels promote hECFC microvessel formation and angiogenesis in vivo. Our results indicate that cell contractility mediates integrin signaling via inside-out signaling and emphasizes the importance of matrix dynamics in vascular tissue formation, thus informing future studies of vascularization and tissue engineering applications.

Electrospun Nanofibers for Improved Angiogenesis: Promises for Tissue Engineering Applications

Angiogenesis (or the development of new blood vessels) is a key event in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine; thus, a number of biomaterials have been developed and combined with stem cells and/or bioactive molecules to produce three-dimensional (3D) pro-angiogenic constructs. Among the various biomaterials, electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds offer great opportunities for pro-angiogenic approaches in tissue repair and regeneration. Nanofibers made of natural and synthetic polymers are often used to incorporate bioactive components (e.g., bioactive glasses (BGs)) and load biomolecules (e.g., vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)) that exert pro-angiogenic activity. Furthermore, seeding of specific types of stem cells (e.g., endothelial progenitor cells) onto nanofibrous scaffolds is considered as a valuable alternative for inducing angiogenesis. The effectiveness of these strategies has been extensively examined both in vitro and in vivo and the outcomes have shown promise in the reconstruction of hard and soft tissues (mainly bone and skin, respectively). However, the translational of electrospun scaffolds with pro-angiogenic molecules or cells is only at its beginning, requiring more research to prove their usefulness in the repair and regeneration of other highly-vascularized vital tissues and organs. This review will cover the latest progress in designing and developing pro-angiogenic electrospun nanofibers and evaluate their usefulness in a tissue engineering and regenerative medicine setting.

Effects of FTMT Expression by Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells on Features of Angiogenesis

Aberrant angiogenesis is a pathological feature of a number of diseases and arises from the uncoordinated expression of angiogenic factors as response to different cellular stresses. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of vision loss, can result from pathological angiogenesis. As a mutation in the mitochondrial ferritin (FTMT) gene has been associated with AMD, its possible role in modulating angiogenic factors and angiogenesis was investigated. FTMT is an iron-sequestering protein primarily expressed in metabolically active cells and tissues with high oxygen demand, including retina. In this study, we utilized the human retinal pigment epithelial cell line ARPE-19, both as undifferentiated and differentiated cells. The effects of proinflammatory cytokines, FTMT knockdown, and transient and stable overexpression of FTMT were investigated on expression of pro-angiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and anti-angiogenic pigment epithelial-derived factor (PEDF). Proinflammatory cytokines induced FTMT and VEGF expression, while NF-κB inhibition significantly reduced FTMT expression. VEGF protein and mRNA expression were significantly increased in FTMT-silenced ARPE-19 cells. Using an in vitro angiogenesis assay with endothelial cells, we showed that conditioned media from FTMT-overexpressing cells had significant antiangiogenic effects. Collectively, our findings indicate that increased levels of FTMT inhibit angiogenesis, possibly by reducing levels of VEGF and increasing PEDF expression. The cellular models developed can be used to investigate if increased FTMT may be protective in angiogenic diseases, such as AMD.

Heparin/poly-l-lysine nanoplatform with growth factor delivery for surface modification of cardiovascular stents: The influence of vascular endothelial growth factor loading

The rapid re-endothelialization of the vascular stent surface is desirable for preventing thrombosis or reducing restenosis. Many biological factors that promote the biological behavior of endothelial cells have been used for the surface modification of stents. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which plays an important role in angiogenesis, induces strong vascular growth. In this study, we investigated different VEGF concentrations (50 to 500 ng/ml) to determine the optimum concentration for biocompatibility. First, VEGF-loaded heparin/poly-l-lysine (Hep-PLL) nanoparticles were created by electrostatic interactions. Then, the VEGF-loaded nanoparticles were immobilized on dopamine-coated 316 L stainless steel (SS) surfaces. The physical and chemical properties of the modified surface were characterized and the biocompatibility was evaluated in vitro. The results indicated that the VEGF-loaded nanoparticles were immobilized successfully on the 316LSS surface, as evidenced by the results of Alcian Blue staining and water contact angle (WCA) measurements. The low platelet adhesion and activation indicated that the modified surfaces had good blood compatibility. The modified surfaces showed a good inhibitory effect on smooth muscle cells, indicating that they inhibited tissue hyperplasia. In addition, the modified surfaces significantly promoted endothelial cell adhesion, proliferation, migration, and biological activity, especially VEGF concentration was 350 ng/ml (NPV350). The optical VEGF concentration of the surface modified Hep-PLL nanoparticles was 350 ng/ml. The proposed method shows promise for potential applications for cardiovascular devices.

Quinacrine and curcumin synergistically increased the breast cancer stem cells death by inhibiting ABCG2 and modulating DNA damage repair pathway

Cancer stem cell like cells (CSCs) present a challenge in the management of cancers due to their involvement in the development of resistance against various chemotherapeutic agents. Over expression of ABCG2 transporter gene is one of the factors responsible for drug resistance in CSCs, which causes efflux of therapeutic drugs from these cells. The development of inhibitors against CSCs has not achieved any significant success, till date. In this work, we have evaluated the anti-proliferative activity of curcumin (Cur) and quinacrine (QC) against CSCs using in vitro model system. Cur and QC synergistically inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of CSCs enriched side population (SP) cells of cigarette smoke condensate induced breast epithelial transformed (MCF-10A-Tr) generated metastatic cells. Cur + QC combination increased the DNA damage and inhibited the DNA repair pathways in SP cells. Uptake of QC increased in Cur pre-treated SP cells and this combination inhibited the ABCG2 activity by the reduction of ATP hydrolysis in cells. In vitro DNA binding reconstitution system suggests that QC specifically binds to DNA and caused DNA damage inside the cell. Decreased level of ABCG2, representative cell survival and DNA repair proteins were noted after Cur + QC treatment in SP cells. The molecular docking studies were performed to examine the binding behaviour of these drugs with ABCG2, which showed that QC (-53.99 kcal/mol) and Cur (-45.90 kcal/mol) occupy a highly overlapping interaction domain. This suggested that in Cur pre-treated cells, the Cur occupied the ligand-binding site in ABCG2, thus making the ligand binding site unavailable for the QC. This causes an increase in the intracellular concentration of QC. The results indicate that Cur + QC combination causes CSCs death by increasing the concentration of QC in the cells and thus causing the DNA damage and inhibiting the DNA repair pathways through modulating the ABCG2 activity.

Curcumin ameliorates atherosclerosis through upregulation of miR-126

The potential usage of curcumin in diverse human diseases has been widely studied, including arteriosclerosis (AS). This study focused on investigating the relationship between curcumin and AS-associated microRNA, which may provide a better understanding of curcumin in a different mechanism. Human microvascular endothelial HMEC-1 cells were treated by curcumin alone or oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) plus curcumin, after which the following parameters were analyzed: cell viability, migration, and the expression of AS-associated factors. The regulatory effects of curcumin on miR-126 and signaling pathways involved in AS were then studied. Further, an animal model of AS was stimulated by feeding rabbits with 1% cholesterol diet. The effects of curcumin on the animal model were explored. We found that curcumin treatment significantly reduced HMEC-1 cells viability, migration, and the protein levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the presence or absence of ox-LDL. Meanwhile, the expression of VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 was repressed by curcumin. miR-126 was upregulated by curcumin. The abovementioned effects of curcumin on HMEC-1 cells were all attenuated when miR-126 was silenced. And also, VEGF was a target gene of miR-126, and curcumin could inhibit the activation of PI3K/AKT JAK2/STAT5 signaling pathways via miR-126. The effects of curcumin and its regulation on miR-126 and VEGF were confirmed in the animal model of AS. To sum up, curcumin exerted potent anti-AS property possibly via upregulating miR-126 and thereby inhibiting PI3K/AKT and JAK2/STAT5 signaling pathways.