Anti-proliferation and induction of mitochondria-mediated apoptosis by Garcinia hanburyi resin in colorectal cancer cells

London Rocket (Sisymbrium irio L.) as Healthy Green: Bioactive Compounds and Bioactivity of Plants Grown in Wild and Controlled Environments

London rocket (Sisymbrium irio) is a wild green consumed globally, yet its phytochemical composition remains underexplored. In this study, we analyzed the leaves of wild S. irio plants and those grown in controlled environments (GCE) with varying electrical conductivities (EC) and light spectra. Plants were assessed for growth, phenolic content, vitamin C, antioxidant activity, glucosinolates, and antiproliferative effects against HT-29 human colorectal cancer cells. The optimal biomass yield occurred at the EC levels of 3.0-3.5 dS m-1 under Valoya® LED light. Wild plants showed higher antioxidant activity (DPPH and ABTS assays) than GCE samples, with values of 8.03-8.67 and 6.49-6.81 mmol TE per 100 g dry weight, respectively. The vitamin C range was 50.7-84.3 and 84.5-186.9 mg 100 g-1 fresh weight for GCE and wild samples, respectively. Phenolic content was higher in wild plants than in the GCE ones, with apigetrin as the primary phenolic compound. The MTT assay showed that ethanol extracts from wild plants weakly inhibited HT-29 cell growth, with a GI50 of 210-380 µg mL-1 after 72 h of cells exposure to plant extracts. Principal Component Analysis suggested that EC and UV exposure increase the antioxidant activity, total phenolics, and glucosinolates in wild plants, offering insights into the bioactive profiles of S. irio leaves.

Benja-ummarit induces ferroptosis with cell ballooning feature through ROS and iron-dependent pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Benja-ummarit (BU), a traditional Thai herbal formula, has been prescribed by traditional Thai practitioners for the treatment of liver cancer. Clinical trials of BU have shown an increase in overall survival in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, including stage 1-3 (with or without prior standard chemotherapy) and terminal stage. The clinical outcomes differ from those of other apoptosis-based conventional chemotherapies. The molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-cancer properties of BU remain unclear.

AIM OF STUDY

To investigate BU-induced ferroptosis through morphological and molecular analyses of HCC cell lines and HCC rat tissues.

METHODOLOGY

Cytotoxicity of BU extract in HepG2 and HuH-7 cells, with or without LX-2 in 2D and 3D cultures, was determined through MTT assay and by observing spheroid formation, respectively, as compared to sorafenib. Morphological changes and the cellular ultrastructure of the treated cells were evaluated by light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. In addition, alterations in ferroptosis protein markers in both cell lines and rat liver tissue were determined using western blot analysis and immunohistochemical staining, respectively. To investigate the pathways mediating ferroptosis, cells were pretreated with an iron chelator to confirm the iron-dependent ferroptosis induced by the BU extract. Intracellular ROS, a mediator of ferroptosis, was measured using a scanning ion conductance microscope (SICM). SICM was also used to determine cellular stiffness. The lipid profiles of BU-treated cells were studied using LC-MS/MS.

RESULTS

The BU extract induced cell death under all HCC cell culture conditions. The BU-IC50 in HepG2 and HuH-7 were 31.24 ± 4.46 μg/mL and 23.35 ± 0.27 μg/mL, respectively as determined by MTT assay. In co-culture with LX-2, BU exhibited a similar trend of cytotoxicity in both HepG2 and HuH-7 cells. Light microscopy showed cell ballooning features with intact plasma membranes, and TEM microscopy showed mitochondrial swelling and reduced mitochondrial cristae in BU-treated cells. BU promotes intracellular iron levels by increasing DMT1 and NCOA4 expression and decreasing FTH1 expression. BU also suppressed the cellular antioxidant system by lowering CD98, NRF2, and GPX4 expression, and promoting KEAP1 expression. IHC results of HCC rat liver tissues showed the absence of DMT1 and high expression of GPX4 in the tumor area. Pre-treatment with an iron chelator partially restored cell viability and shifted the mode of cell death to a more apoptosis-like morphology in the BU-treated group. The SICM showed increased intracellular ROS levels and cellular stiffness 24 h after BU treatment. In more detail of BU-mediated ferroptosis, cellular lipid profiling revealed increased expression of 3 polyunsaturated lipids, which are highly susceptible to lipid peroxidation, in BU-treated cells.

DISCUSSION

Alterations in intracellular iron levels, ROS levels, and cellular lipid composition have been previously reported in cancer cells. Therefore, targeting the iron-dependent ROS pathway and polyunsaturated lipids via BU-induced ferroptosis may be more cancer-specific than apoptosis-based cancer drugs. These observations are in accordance with the clinical outcomes of BU. The ferroptosis-inducing mechanism of BU makes it an extremely promising novel drug candidate for the treatment of HCC.

Growth parameters, phytochemicals, and antitumor activity of wild and cultivated ice plants (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L.)

The ice plant (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L.) is a halophyte that could become an alternative crop because of its interest as a functional food and its adaptation to high-saline soils. In this work, leaves from wild ice plants were compared with their cultivated counterparts in a soilless system at different salinities and light exposures for assessing growth parameters, moisture, fatty acid profiles, total carotenoids, phenolic compounds, vitamin C, antioxidant activity, and antiproliferative activity against the HT-29 colorectal cancer cell line. Moisture ranged between 876 and 955 g kg-1, and wild plants contained higher proportions of α-linolenic acid (58.7%-60.7% of total fatty acids) than cultivated ones (20.4%-36.6%). Vitamin C ranged between 819 and 1143 mg kg-1 fresh leaves. Higher salinity led to a larger production of carotenoids, whereas plant mass, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity increased in plants grown using L8 NS1 and L8 AP67 lamps in comparison with white-light ones. Phenolic profiles were assessed by LC coupled to a hybrid mass spectrometer Q-Orbitrap. Total phenolic acid content was 3-4-fold higher than that of flavonoids, and sinapic, p-coumaric, gallic, 4-hydroxybenzoic, and 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzoic acids, as well as gallocatechin, occurred in all samples. Hydroalcoholic extracts of ice plant leaves showed dose- and time-dependent antiproliferative activity against the HT-29 human colorectal cancer cell line, and GI50 was between 920 and 977 μg mL-1 of plant extract. This work contributes to improving knowledge about the growth parameters, phytochemical profiles, and biological activities of wild and cultivated ice plants.

Chromones and biflavonoids from Garcinia pedunculata and Garcinia nujiangensis and their anti-inflammatory activity

Plants of the Garcinia genus were rich in structurally diverse and naturally bioactive components, while limited studies have been reported for Garcinia pedunculata Roxb. and G. nujiangensis C. Y. Wu & Y. H. Li. Four previously undescribed compounds including three chromones, garpedunchromones A-C (1-3), and one biflavonoid, nujiangbiflavone A (14), along with fifteen known analogs (4-13, 15-19) were isolated from G. pedunculata and G. nujiangensis. The structures of the isolated compounds were determined based on their HRESIMS data, extensive NMR spectroscopic analyses, and ECD calculations. The chromone derivatives were isolated from Garcinia for the first time. Compound 14 was a rare biflavonoid with C-3─C-6″ linkage. The biological evaluation of these isolates against NO production was conducted in the LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells, resulting in the identification of a series of potent NO inhibitors, of which garpedunchromone B (2) was the most active with an IC50 value of 18.11 ± 0.96 μM. In the network pharmacology studies, the potential targets of compounds and inflammation were obtained from PharmMapper and GeneCards database. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that the overlapped targets were closely related to the major pathogenic processes linked to inflammation. Garpedunchromone B and proteins binding sites were being predicted.

Cytotoxicity and Chemotaxonomic Significance of Saponins from Wild and Cultured Asparagus Shoots

The shoots of Asparagus L. are consumed worldwide, although most species belonging to this genus have a restricted range, and several taxa remain unstudied. In this work, a total of four taxa from different locations were scrutinized and compared with cultivated A. officinalis. All shoots were screened for saponins via LC-MS, and in vitro antiproliferative activities against the HT-29 colorectal cancer cell line were assessed via the MTT assay. The total saponins (TS) contained in the crude extracts ranged from 710.0 (A. officinalis) to 1258.6 mg/100 g dw (A. acutifolius). The richness of the compounds detected in this work stands out; a total of 47 saponins have been detected and quantified in the edible parts (shoots) of five taxa of Asparagus. The structure of all the saponins found present skeletons of the furostane and spirostane type. In turn, the structures with a furostane skeleton are divided into unsaturated and dioxygenated types, both in the 20-22 position. The sum of dioscin and derivatives varied largely among the studied taxa, reaching the following percentages of TS: 27.11 (A. officinalis), 18.96 (A. aphyllus), 5.37 (A. acutifolius), and 0.59 (A. albus); while in A. horridus, this compound remains undetected. Aspachiosde A, D, and M varied largely among samples, while a total of seven aspaspirostanosides were characterized in the analyzed species. The hierarchical cluster analysis of the saponin profiles clearly separated the various taxa and demonstrated that the taxonomic position is more important than the place from which the samples were acquired. Thus, saponin profiles have chemotaxonomic significance in Asparagus taxa. The MTT assay showed dose- and time-dependent inhibitory effects of all saponins extracts on HT-29 cancer cells, and the strongest cell growth inhibition was exercised by A. albus and A. acutifolius (GI50 of 125 and 175 µg/mL). This work constitutes a whole approach to evaluating the saponins from the shoots of different Asparagus taxa and provides arguments for using them as functional foods.

Unveiling Gambogenic Acid as a Promising Antitumor Compound: A Review

Gambogenic acid is a derivative of gambogic acid, a polyprenylated xanthone isolated from Garcinia hanburyi. Compared with the more widely studied gambogic acid, gambogenic acid has demonstrated advantages such as a more potent antitumor effect and less systemic toxicity than gambogic acid according to early investigations. Therefore, the present review summarizes the effectiveness and mechanisms of gambogenic acid in different cancers and highlights the mechanisms of action. In addition, drug delivery systems to improve the bioavailability of gambogenic acid and its pharmacokinetic profile are included. Gambogenic acid has been applied to treat a wide range of cancers, such as lung, liver, colorectal, breast, gastric, bladder, and prostate cancers. Gambogenic acid exerts its antitumor effects as a novel class of enhancer of zeste homolog 2 inhibitors. It prevents cancer cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis, ferroptosis, and necroptosis and controlling the cell cycle as well as autophagy. Gambogenic acid also hinders tumor cell invasion and metastasis by downregulating metastasis-related proteins. Moreover, gambogenic acid increases the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapy and has shown effects on multidrug resistance in malignancy. This review adds insights for the prevention and treatment of cancers using gambogenic acid.

Antitumor and Phytochemical Properties of Ferula assa-foetida L. Oleo-Gum-Resin against HT-29 Colorectal Cancer Cells In Vitro and in a Xenograft Mouse Model

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most frequently occurring tumors. Ferula assa-foetida oleo-gum-resin (OGR) extract is a traditional cooking spice known for its broad spectrum of biological activities such as antifungal, antiparasitic, and anti-inflammatory activities. This study evaluated the antitumor effect of OGR extract against HT-29 colorectal cancer cells. The OGR chemical composition was analyzed using LC-ESI-MS/MS; MTT, clonogenic assays, and a xenograft model were used to measure cytotoxicity, while apoptotic proteins were detected using Western blotting. Phytochemical analysis revealed that the extract was a rich source of isoflavones, xanthones, and other derivatives. In a dose-dependent manner, the OGR extract significantly inhibited colony formation ability and HT-29 cell growth (IC50 was 3.60 ± 0.02 and 10.5 ± 0.1 mg/mL, respectively). On the other hand, the OGR extract significantly induced apoptosis and increased the expression of some pro-death proteins involved in cellular apoptosis including PUMA, BIM, BIK, and BAK. Moreover, in a subcutaneous HT-29 xenograft model, the tumor volume and burden decreased after treatment with the OGR extract (550 ± 32 mm3 and 16.3 ± 3.6, respectively) This study demonstrated that Ferula assa-foetida OGR ethanolic extract has potential antitumor effects against HT-29 CRC cell lines by reducing cell viability and the function of apoptosis. More studies are needed to reveal the underlying mechanisms related to cytotoxicity and apoptosis induction.