Substituting one Paris for another? In vitro cytotoxic and in vivo antitumor activities of Paris forrestii, a substitute of Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis

N-alkylamides from Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers. with potential anti-inflammatory activity

Six amides, including a new N-alkylamide (1), four known N-alkylamides (2-5) and one nicotinamide (6) were isolated from Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers., which is a pioneer herb traditionally utilized in medicine. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR experiments and by comparison of their spectroscopic and physical data with the literature values. Cubebamide (1) is a new cinnamoyltyraminealkylamide and possessed obvious anti-inflammatory activity against NO production with IC50 values of 18.45 μM. Further in-depth pharmacophore-based virtual screening and molecular docking were carried out to reveal the binding mode of the active compound inside the 5-LOX enzyme. The results indicate that L. cubeba, and the isolated amides might be useful in the development of lead compounds for the prevention of inflammatory diseases.

Research progress of Paris polyphylla in the treatment of digestive tract cancers

Cancer has become one of the most important causes of human death. In particular, the 5 year survival rate of patients with digestive tract cancer is low. Although chemotherapy drugs have a certain efficacy, they are highly toxic and prone to chemotherapy resistance. With the advancement of antitumor research, many natural drugs have gradually entered basic clinical research. They have low toxicity, few adverse reactions, and play an important synergistic role in the combined targeted therapy of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. A large number of studies have shown that the active components of Paris polyphylla (PPA), a common natural medicinal plant, can play an antitumor role in a variety of digestive tract cancers. In this paper, the main components of PPA such as polyphyllin, C21 steroids, sterols, and flavonoids, amongst others, are introduced, and the mechanisms of action and research progress of PPA and its active components in the treatment of various digestive tract cancers are reviewed and summarized. The main components of PPA have been thoroughly explored to provide more detailed references and innovative ideas for the further development and utilization of similar natural antitumor drugs.

LncRNA NEAT1 antagonizes the inhibition of melanoma proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT by Polyphyllin B

Polyphyllin B (PPB) is a compound with anti-tumor effects. Nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (NEAT1) is a long-stranded noncoding RNA that induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of tumor cells and promotes tumor growth and metastasis. However, the role and mechanism of PPB on melanoma and the correlation between them remain unclear. In this study we screened NEAT1 by using LncRNA transcriptomic sequencing, and then transfected B16F10 cells using OVER-NEAT1 lentivirus. Next, we found that PPB had significant proliferation inhibition of melanoma and B16F10 cells through MTT assay and establishment of mouse subcutaneous transplantation tumor model; in addition, through wound healing assay, transwell assay and establishment of mouse melanoma lung metastasis model, we found that PPB significantly inhibited the invasion and migration of B16F10 cells in vitro, and inhibited the metastasis of melanoma to lung, bone and liver in vivo. Finally, changes in the expression levels of EMT-related proteins were assessed by western blot (WB) and immunohistochemistry, and PPB significantly downregulated the expression levels of MMP-9, N-cadherin, etc., and upregulated E-cadherin. While overexpressed NEAT1 showed the ability to promote melanoma proliferation, migration and invasion, in addition to partially reversed the inhibition of proliferation, migration and invasion of melanoma by PPB mentioned above.

Identification and vitro verification of the potential drug targets of active ingredients of Chonglou in the treatment of lung adenocarcinoma based on EMT-related genes

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the main histological type of lung cancer with an unfavorable survival rate. Metastasis is the leading LUAD-related death with Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) playing an essential role. The anticancer efficacies of the active ingredients in Chonglou have been widely reported in various cancers. However, the potential therapeutic targets of the Chonglou active ingredients in LUAD patients remain unknown. Here, the network pharmacology and bioinformatics were performed to analyze the associations of the clinical characteristics, immune infiltration factors and m⁶A-related genes with the EMT-related genes associated with LUAD (EMT-LUAD related genes), and the molecular docking, STRING, GO, and KEGG enrichment for the drug targets of Chonglou active ingredients associated with EMT (EMT-LUAD-Chonglou related genes). And, cell viability analysis and cell invasion and infiltration analysis were used to confirm the theoretical basis of this study. A total of 166 EMT-LUAD related genes were identified and a multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model with a favorable predictive accuracy was constructed. Meanwhile, the immune cell infiltration, immune cell subsets, checkpoint inhibitors and the expression of m⁶A-related genes were significantly associated with the risk scores for EMT-LUAD related genes with independent significant prognostic value of all included LUAD patients. Furthermore, 12 EMT-LUAD-Chonglou related genes with five core drug targets were identified, which participated in LUAD development through extracellular matrix disassembly, collagen metabolic process, collagen catabolic process, extracellular matrix organization, extracellular structure organization and inflammatory response. Moreover, we found that the active ingredients of Chonglou could indeed inhibit the progression of lung adenocarcinoma cells. These results are oriented towards EMT-related genes to achieve a better understanding of the role of Chonglou and its targets in osteosarcoma development and metastasis, thus guiding future preclinical studies and facilitating clinical translation of LUAD treatment.

Cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic effects of botanical drugs derived from the indigenous cultivated medicinal plant Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis

Background: Cancer is one of the top two leading causes of death worldwide. Ethnobotanical research, it is one of methods, which is able to discover effective anticancer drugs based on "prototype" of indigenous people's historical experiences and practices. The rhizomes of Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis (Franch.) Hand.-Mazz. have been used as botanical drugs to treat cancer by Yi, Bai, Dai, and Naxi ethnic groups in Yunnan, China, where this species is widely cultivated in a large scale in Yunnan. Materials and methods: To identify the substances of anticancer activities based on indigenous medicine knowledge, chromatography was performed to separate saponins from the rhizomes of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis, followed by spectroscopy to determine the structure of six isolated saponins. The cytotoxicity of five extracts and six pure compounds were evaluated by MTS method. Quantitative determination of total saponins of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis was analyzed by HPLC. Cell cycle assay, apoptosis assay, and mitochondrial membrane potential were used to evaluate the pro-apoptotic activity in vitro. Results: Five extracts and six pure saponins showed significant inhibitory cytotoxic activities of three human liver cancer cell lines (SMMC-7721, HepG2, and SK-HEP-1) and one non-small-cell lung cancer cell line (A549). The contents of Paris saponins I, II, and VII were 6.96% in the rhizomes of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis, much higher than Chinese Pharmacopoeia standards (0.6%). Six saponins induced significant apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in three human cancer cell lines (A549, SMMC-7721, and HepG2), which was associated with the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. Conclusion: The result of this study support that cultivated P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis could be a substitute for wild resource as an anticancer medicine based on indigenous medicine knowledge.

Steroidal saponin components and their cancer cell cytotoxicity from Paris rugosa

The chemical components and availability of Paris rugosa were investigated for the first time, using a UPLC-MS/MS-based molecular networking strategy and phytochemical research. Ultimately, eleven undescribed steroidal saponins, parisrugosides A-K, and ten known analogs were identified. Their structures were confirmed using comprehensive spectroscopic data and chemical methods. The aglycones of parisrugosides A-D are first spirostanes with an epoxy group at C-5/C-6, a hydroxy group at C-7, and a double bond at C-8/C-9 or C-8/C-14. Parisrugosides G and H possess an undescribed spirostane aglycone with two double bonds located at C-5/C-6 and C-8/C-9, which are conjugated with a carbonyl group at C-7. The isolates were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against five human cancer cell lines (human HL-60 leukemia, A549 lung, MCF-7 breast, SMMC-7721 liver, and SW480 colon solid cancer cell lines). Parisyunnanoside D, kingianoside K, and dichotomin displayed significant cytotoxicity against these cancer lines, with IC50 values ranging from 0.50 to 19.58 μM.

Naturally occurring steroidal saponins as potential anticancer agents: Current developments and mechanisms of action

Cancer is claimed as a prevalent cause of mortality throughout the world. Conventional chemotherapy plays a pivotal role in the treatment of cancers, but the multidrug resistance has already become one of the major impediments for efficacious cancer therapy, creating a great demand for the development of novel anticancer drugs. Steroidal saponins, abundantly found in nature, possess extensive structural variability, and some naturally occurring steroidal saponins exhibited profound anticancer properties through a variety of pathways. Hence, naturally occurring steroidal saponins are powerful lead compounds/candidates in the development of novel therapeutic agents. This review article described the recent progress in naturally occurring steroidal saponins as potential anticancer agents, and the mechanisms of action were also discussed, covering articles published between 2017 and 2021.

Study on the identification and evaluation of growth years for Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis using deep learning combined with 2DCOS

Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis, as perennial plants, its quality is closely related to growth period. Different harvest years determine the dry matter accumulation of its medicinal parts and the dynamic accumulation of active ingredients, as well as its economic value and medicinal value. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a systematic evaluation method for the identification and evaluation of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis with different growth years. Deep learning has a powerful ability in recognition. This study extends it to the identification analysis of medicinal plants from the perspective of spectrum. For the first time, two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2DCOS) based on the attenuated total reflection Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) combined with residual neural network (Resnet) was used to identify growth years. 525 samples were collected, 4725 2DCOS images were drawn, and the dry matter accumulation in rhizomes of different growth years and different sampling sites were briefly analyzed. The results show that the eight-year-old P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis in Dali has higher economic value and medicinal value. The synchronous 2DCOS models based on ATR-FTIR can realize the identification of growth years with accuracy of 100%. Synchronous 2DCOS are more suitable for the identification of medicinal plants with complex systems. 2DCOS images with different colors and second derivative processing cannot optimize the modeling results. In summary, the method we established is innovative and feasible. It not only solved the identification of growth years, expanded the application field of deep learning, but could also be extended to further research on other medicinal plants.

Effects of Ganfule capsule on microbial and metabolic profiles in anti-hepatocellular carcinoma

AIMS

Based on the gut microbiota and plasma metabolites, the underlying mechanism was analysed for the anti-hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) effects of Ganfule capsule (GFL) in the study.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The UPLC-Q-TOF/MS results showed that 13 key compounds were identified in GFL and the major active ingredients included amygdalin, saikosaponin A, astragaloside I, etc. The nude mice received HepG2 injection, and GFL showed lower volume and weight of the tumour. In addition, the apoptosis proteins (Bax and Bcl2) were altered in response to GFL treatment, and apoptosis cells were increased, indicating an anti-HCC effect. Interestingly, 16S rDNA results showed that GFL treatment improved gut microbiota diversity and compositions, especially for the beneficial bacteria, such as Bacilli, Lactobacillales, Lactobacillus, Lactobacillaceae, Firmicutes, Lactobacillus_reuteri and Lactobacillus_gasseri. Metabonomics further identified 426 metabolites and 343 metabolites variation in the positive and negative ion modes after GFL treatment, which might be associated with amino acid, lipid metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism pathways, indicating these metabolites might involve in the protective role of GFL in HCC. Correlation analysis showed a significant relationship between gut microbiota and plasma metabolites.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, GFL exerted an anti-HCC effect in the nude murine model, which might be associated with microbial and metabolic improvements.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This study is the first to report the anti-HCC effect of GFL associated with gut microbiota and plasma metabolites. GFL may improve the gut microbiota structure, such as increasing probiotics - Lactobacillus. It also provides a new strategy for the scientific demonstration of the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine.

Natural Polyphyllins (I, II, D, VI, VII) Reverses Cancer Through Apoptosis, Autophagy, Mitophagy, Inflammation, and Necroptosis

Cancer is the second leading cause of mortality worldwide. Conventional therapies, including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, have limited success because of secondary resistance. Therefore, safe, non-resistant, less toxic, and convenient drugs are urgently required. Natural products (NPs), primarily sourced from medicinal plants, are ideal for cancer treatment because of their low toxicity and high success. NPs cure cancer by regulating different pathways, such as PI3K/AKT/mTOR, ER stress, JNK, Wnt, STAT3, MAPKs, NF-kB, MEK-ERK, inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, autophagy, mitophagy, and necroptosis. Among the NPs, steroid saponins, including polyphyllins (I, II, D, VI, and VII), have potent pharmacological, analgesic, and anticancer activities for the induction of cytotoxicity. Recent research has demonstrated that polyphyllins (PPs) possess potent effects against different cancers through apoptosis, autophagy, inflammation, and necroptosis. This review summarizes the available studies on PPs against cancer to provide a basis for future research.

Chloroplast phylogenomic analysis provides insights into the evolution of Paris liiana sp. nov

Paris liiana sp. nov is a species of flowering herb of the genus Paris and widely distributed in the southwest of China. In this study, we sequenced the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of P. liiana sp. nov to investigate its phylogenetic relationship in genus Paris. The cp genome of P. liiana sp. nov was 163,860 bp in length, containing a large single-copy (LSC) region of 84,415 bp, a small single-copy (SSC) region of 12,947 bp, and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) region of 33,249 bp. The overall GC content was 37.0%. The genome comprises of 135 genes, including 91 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes. Phylogenetic relationship analysis based on complete cp genome sequences exhibited that P. liiana sp. nov was most related to P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis.

RNF6 as an Oncogene and Potential Therapeutic Target—A Review

The RNF6 gene encodes Ring Finger Protein 6 (RNF6), which functions as a ubiquitin ligase. Its functions are not entirely known, but research shows that it is involved in human cancer development. Initially, this gene was considered to be a tumor suppressor. Numerous statistical analyses on cell lines and animals indicate, however, that RNF6 functions as an oncogene, involved in signaling pathways, including SHP1/STAT3, AKT/mTOR, Wnt/β-catenin, or ERα/Bcl-xL. Due to this fact, it has become a potential prognostic factor and therapeutic target. Studies in tumor cells and model organisms using inhibitors such as total saponins from Paris forrestii (TSPf), ellagic acid, or microRNA molecules show the effectiveness of inhibiting RNF6, and through it, the pathways of tumor cell proliferation. The results of the currently available studies are promising, but the function of RNF6 is not fully understood. More research is needed to assess the role of RNF6 and to check the safety and efficacy of inhibitors.

A steroidal saponin form Paris vietnamensis (Takht.) reverses temozolomide resistance in glioblastoma cells via inducing apoptosis through ROS/PI3K/Akt pathway

Glioblastoma is one of the most difficult cancers to treat with a 5-year overall survival rate less than 5%. Temozolomide (TMZ) is an effective drug for prolonging the overall survival time of patients, while drug-resistance is an important clinical problem at present. Pennogenin-3-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→4)-[α-Lrhamno-pyranosyl-(1→2)]- β-D-glucopyranoside (N45), a steroidal saponin, was isolated from the rhizomes of Paris vietnamensis (Takht.), which is used as a Traditional Chinese Medicine and has been reported to possess preclinical anticancer efficacy in various cancer types. However, the mechanism of the inhibition of N45 on glioblastoma cells and its possible application in the treatment of chemotherapy-resistant glioblastoma cells are still unknown. In this study, we use cellular methodological experiments including cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining assay, flow cytometry assay, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Western blot. The results show that N45 significantly suppresses the proliferation of glioblastoma cells and TMZ-resistant glioblastoma cells (U87R) by inducing mitochondrial apoptosis through reactive oxygen species (ROS)/phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signal pathway, and the N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) combined with N45 effectively reduced N45-mediated apoptosis and reversed the inhibition of PI3K/Akt signal pathway. In addition, N45 decreased the drug-resistance by down-regulation of nuclear factor kappa-B p65 (NF-κB p65) to attenuate O⁶-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) in TMZ-resistant glioblastoma cells (U87R). Our findings proved that N45 might be a potential therapeutic agent against glioblastoma and TMZ-resistant glioblastoma, promising to be a potential agent to reduce drug resistance.

Bacterial Diversity in Roots, Stems, and Leaves of Chinese Medicinal Plant Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis

The root of Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis, a famous and endangered traditional Chinese herb, has a significant medicinal value. The aim of this study was to analyze the composition and functional characteristics of bacterial endophytes in roots, stems, and leaves of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing and functional prediction of bacterial endophytes in roots, stems, and leaves of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis were conducted. The Chao and Shannon indices of the bacteria in roots were significantly higher than those in stems and leaves. The dominant endophyte phyla were Cyanobacteria, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria. The main genera detected in roots were unclassified Cyanobacteria, Rhizobium, Flavobacterium, and Sphingobium; the main genera in stems were norank_c__Cyanobacteria, Bacillus, and Pseudomonas; the main genera in leaves were norank_c__Cyanobacteria and Rhizobium. The microbiota in roots was particularly enriched in functional categories "extracellular structures" and "cytoskeleton" compared with stems and leaves (p < 0.05). Our study reveals the structural and functional characteristics of the endophytic bacteria in roots, stems, and leaves of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis, which aids in the scientific understanding of this plant.

The root of Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis, a famous and endangered traditional Chinese herb, has a significant medicinal value. The aim of this study was to analyze the composition and functional characteristics of bacterial endophytes in roots, stems, and leaves of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing and functional prediction of bacterial endophytes in roots, stems, and leaves of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis were conducted. The Chao and Shannon indices of the bacteria in roots were significantly higher than those in stems and leaves. The dominant endophyte phyla were Cyanobacteria, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria. The main genera detected in roots were unclassified Cyanobacteria, Rhizobium, Flavobacterium, and Sphingobium; the main genera in stems were norank_c__Cyanobacteria, Bacillus, and Pseudomonas; the main genera in leaves were norank_c__Cyanobacteria and Rhizobium. The microbiota in roots was particularly enriched in functional categories “extracellular structures” and “cytoskeleton” compared with stems and leaves (p < 0.05). Our study reveals the structural and functional characteristics of the endophytic bacteria in roots, stems, and leaves of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis, which aids in the scientific understanding of this plant.

Total saponins from Paris forrestii (Takht) H. Li. show the anticancer and RNA expression regulating effects on prostate cancer cells

Paris forrestii is a unique plant found in Tibet and Yunnan, China, and total saponins from Paris forrestii (PCT3) contain anticancer steroid glycosides. RNA expression plays an important role in various biological processes. However, the cytotoxicity effects and mechanisms of PCT3 in relation to prostate cancer (PCa) cells have not yet been reported. In the present study, the antitumor activity of PCT3 on PCa cells was evaluated. PCT3 displayed potent anticancer effects toward PCa cells that were similar to the effects of pure saponins from P. forrestii, but PCT3 had less activity in suppressing the prostate epithelial cell line RWPE. Furthermore, using CCK-8 assays, Edu incorporation, colony formation assays, Annexin V/PI assays and western blotting, we found that treatment with 4 μg/mL PCT3 significantly decreased proliferation and induced apoptosis in PCa cells. Using wound healing and transwell assays, we demonstrated that treatment with 2 μg/mL PCT3 significantly suppressed the migration and invasion of PCa cells. To explore the molecular mechanisms behind the anticancer effect of PCT3, PCT3 (5 μg/mL) treated and untreated PCa cells (LNCAP and PC3 cell lines) were analyzed using transcriptomics. Taking the commonly differentially expressed genes (log2FC > 0.585) in both cell lines, 41 mRNAs and 5 lncRNAs were eventually identified. Bioinformatics analysis (GO and KEGG analyses) revealed that some genes involved in classical cell proliferation and apoptosis pathways were aberrantly expressed after PCT3 treatment of PCa cells. By using q-PCR, the expression levels of NEAT1, MALAT1, TIPIN, LYAR, IQGAP3, GINS2, and ZGRF1 were validated as consistent with microarray data, suggesting that these genes might participate in the PCT3 anticancer effect. The present study suggests that PCT3 exhibits an anticancer effect on PCa and reveals some crucial lncRNAs and mRNAs that are involved in the anticancer mechanisms of PCT3 on Pca.