Quantitative analysis of differential protein expression in cervical carcinoma cells after zeylenone treatment by stable isotope labeling with amino acids in cell culture

Based on 3D-PDU and clinical characteristics nomogram for prediction of lymph node metastasis and lymph-vascular space invasion of early cervical cancer preoperatively

PURPOSE

To develop and validate a nomogram based on 3D-PDU parameters and clinical characteristics to predict LNM and LVSI in early-stage cervical cancer preoperatively.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of first diagnosis 138 patients with cervical cancer who had undergone 3D-PDU examination before radical hysterectomy plus lymph dissection between 2014 and 2019 were enrolled for this study. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to analyze the 3D-PDU parameters and selected clinicopathologic features and develop a nomogram to predict the probability of LNM and LVSI in the early stage. ROC curve was used to evaluate model differentiation, calibration curve and Hosmer-Lemeshow test were used to evaluate calibration, and DCA was used to evaluate clinical practicability.

RESULTS

Menopause status, FIGO stage and VI were independent predictors of LNM. BMI and maximum tumor diameter were independent predictors of LVSI. The predicted AUC of the LNM and LSVI models were 0.845 (95%CI,0.765-0.926) and 0.714 (95%CI,0.615-0.813). Calibration curve and H-L test (LNM groups P = 0.478; LVSI P = 0.783) all showed that the predicted value of the model had a good fit with the actual observed value, and DCA indicated that the model had a good clinical net benefit.

CONCLUSION

The proposed nomogram based on 3D-PDU parameters and clinical characteristics has been proposed to predict LNM and LVSI with high accuracy, demonstrating for the first time the potential of non-invasive prediction. The probability derived from this nomogram may have the potential to provide valuable guidance for physicians to develop clinical individualized treatment plans of FIGO patients with early cervical cancer.

Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts and their derivatives: a patent-based exploration of diverse biological activities

Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts are polyfunctionalized compounds that result from a three-component reaction involving an electrophilic sp2 carbon (aldehyde, ketone or imine) and the α-position of an activated alkene, catalyzed by a tertiary amine. These adducts exhibit a wide range of biological activities and act as valuable starting materials for developing drug candidates, pesticides, polymers, and other applications. In this regard, the present review aimed to explore the biological potential of Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts and their derivatives as documented in patent literature. Additionally, the review delves into the synthetic methodologies employed in their preparation.

Development of S4A-BSA-Au NPs for enhanced anti-tumor therapy of canine breast cancer

S4A ((1R,2R,3S)-1,2-propanediol acetal-zeylenone) is one of the derivatives of zeylenone and exhibits superior cytotoxicity against the canine breast cancer cell line CIPp. However, its poor aqueous solubility and toxicity to normal tissue limit its clinical application. Therefore, in order to enhance the anticancer effect of S4A, in this article, BSA/BSA-Au-nanocluster-aggregated core/shell nanoparticles (B-BANC-NPs) were prepared by using bovine serum albumin (BSA) and HAuCl4, and then we further synthesized S4A-BSA-Au NPs which were spherical, with a diameter of about 60 nm. In vitro cytotoxicity assessed by using CCK-8 assay demonstrated that the IC50 value of the S4A-BSA-Au NPs was 10.39 μg mL-1, which was not significantly different from that of S4A (10.45 μg mL-1). In vitro apoptosis assay showed that the apoptosis rate of cells treated with S4A-BSA-Au NPs was 20.12%, which was significantly higher than that of the control group treated with S4A (11.3%). Notably, S4A-BSA-Au NPs were shown to effectively accumulate at tumor sites with fluorescence tracing. Besides, the effect of S4A-BSA-Au NPs on SPARC expression was determined by western blotting, and the result showed that 24 h after applying S4A-BSA-Au NPs, SPARC expression in low, middle and high dosage groups was lower than that of the control group, and the tendency showed dose dependence. The results revealed that S4A-BSA-Au NPs could effectively improve the anti-tumor activity of S4A on canine breast cancer, which may be associated with their abilities to effectively accumulate within tumor and to reduce the expression of SPARC.

Identification of COPA as a potential prognostic biomarker and pharmacological intervention target of cervical cancer by quantitative proteomics and experimental verification

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer is the most fatal gynecological carcinoma in the world. It is urgent to explore novel prognostic biomarkers and intervention targets for cervical cancer.

METHODS

Through integrated quantitative proteomic strategy, we investigated the protein expression profiles of cervical cancer; 28 fresh frozen tissue samples (11 adenocarcinoma (AC), 12 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and 5 normal cervixes (HC)) were included in discover cohort; 45 fresh frozen tissue samples (19 AC, 18 SCC and 8 HC) were included in verification cohort; 140 paraffin-embedded tissues samples of cervical cancer (85 AC and 55 SCC) were used for immunohistochemical evaluation (IHC) of coatomer protein subunit alpha (COPA) as a prognostic biomarker for cervical cancer; how deficiency of COPA affects cell viability and tumorigenic ability of cervical cancer cells (SiHa cells and HeLa cells) were evaluated by cell counting kit-8 and clone formation in vitro.

RESULTS

We identified COPA is a potential prognostic biomarker for cervical cancer in quantitative proteomics analysis. By retrospective IHC analysis, we additionally verified the proteomics results and demonstrated moderate or strong IHC staining for COPA is an unfavourable independent prognostic factor for cervical cancer. We also identified COPA is a potential pharmacological intervention target of cervical cancer by a series of in vitro experiments.

CONCLUSION

This study is the first to demonstrate that COPA may contribute to progression of cervical cancer. It can serve as a potential prognostic biomarker and promising intervention target for cervical cancer.

The Role of Natural Products as Sources of Therapeutic Agents for Innovative Drug Discovery

Emerging threats to human health require a concerted effort in search of both preventive and treatment strategies, placing natural products at the center of efforts to obtain new therapies and reduce disease spread and associated mortality. The therapeutic value of compounds found in plants has been known for ages, resulting in their utilization in homes and in clinics for the treatment of many ailments ranging from common headache to serious conditions such as wounds. Despite the advancement observed in the world, plant based medicines are still being used to treat many pathological conditions or are used as alternatives to modern medicines. In most cases, these natural products or plant-based medicines are used in an un-purified state as extracts. A lot of research is underway to identify and purify the active compounds responsible for the healing process. Some of the current drugs used in clinics have their origins as natural products or came from plant extracts. In addition, several synthetic analogues are natural product-based or plant-based. With the emergence of novel infectious agents such as the SARS-CoV-2 in addition to already burdensome diseases such as diabetes, cancer, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, there is need to come up with new drugs that can cure these conditions. Natural products offer an opportunity to discover new compounds that can be converted into drugs given their chemical structure diversity. Advances in analytical processes make drug discovery a multi-dimensional process involving computational designing and testing and eventual laboratory screening of potential drug candidates. Lead compounds will then be evaluated for safety, pharmacokinetics and efficacy. New technologies including Artificial Intelligence, better organ and tissue models such as organoids allow virtual screening, automation and high-throughput screening to be part of drug discovery. The use of bioinformatics and computation means that drug discovery can be a fast and efficient process and enable the use of natural products structures to obtain novel drugs. The removal of potential bottlenecks resulting in minimal false positive leads in drug development has enabled an efficient system of drug discovery. This review describes the biosynthesis and screening of natural products during drug discovery as well as methods used in studying natural products.

Discovery of zeylenone from Uvaria grandiflora as a potential botanical fungicide

BACKGROUND

Botanical pesticides play an important role in organic agricultural practices and are widely used in integrated pest management (IPM). Uvaria grandiflora was mainly reported as traditional medicines and possessed antibacterial, antioxidant, and antiprotozoal activities. Therefore, important biological activities of U. grandiflora may suggest that they have the potential to be used as botanical pesticides.

RESULTS

The extract of U. grandiflora exhibited broad-spectrum inhibitory activity toward phytopathogenic fungi and oomycetes, particularly against Colletotrichum musae and Phytophthora capsici, and its secondary metabolite zeylenone also displayed strong antifungal and anti-oomycete activities against phytopathogens. Particularly, half maximal effective concentration (EC₅₀ ) values of zeylenone against Phytophthora capsici and C. musae were 6.98 and 3.37 μg mL^-1 , showing better inhibitory effects than those of commercial fungicides (azoxystrobin and osthole). Additionally, the pot experiments showed that the extract of U. grandiflora could effectively control Pseudoperonospora cubensis, Phytophthora infestans, Phytophthora capsici and Podosphaera xanthii. In the field experiment, 5% microemulsion of U. grandiflora extract exhibited 79.72% efficacy against cucumber powdery mildew at 87.5 g ha^-1 on the 14th day after two sprayings, which was better than that of 21.5% trifloxystrobin and 21.5% fluopyram SC at 200.9 g ha^-1 . Surprisingly, 5% microemulsion of U. grandiflora extract could promote cucumber growth significantly. Furthermore, the action mechanism analysis indicated that zeylenone may damage the cytoderm and affect energy metabolism of Phytophthora capsici.

CONCLUSION

It is the first time that the extract of U. grandiflora and zeylenone have been discovered leading to broad application prospects in the development as botanical fungicides. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

A divergent and stereoselective approach for the syntheses of (-)-zeylenol, (+)-6-O-benzoylzeylenol, (+)-uvarigranol E and (+)-uvarigranol F

A common, divergent, efficient, and stereoselective approach to the total syntheses of four carbasugars, namely, (-)-zeylenol, (+)-6-O-benzoylzeylenol, (+)-uvarigranol E and (+)-uvarigranol F from d-mannose derived key intermediate 14 is described. This intermediate was synthesized using mixed aldol condensation, Grignard reaction and ring closing metathesis as key steps by our previous method in nine steps from d-mannose. From this intermediate, we achieved the syntheses of (+)-6-O-benzoylzeylenol, (+)-uvarigranol F in three steps, (+)-uvarigranol E in four steps and improved synthesis of (-)-zeylenol.

Mechanisms and Advances in Anti-Ovarian Cancer with Natural Plants Component

Ovarian cancer ranks seventh in the most common malignant tumors among female disease, which seriously threatens female reproductive health. It is characterized by hidden pathogenesis, missed diagnosis, high reoccurrence rate, and poor prognosis. In clinic, the first-line treatment prioritized debulking surgery with paclitaxel-based chemotherapy. The harsh truth is that female patients are prone to relapse due to the dissemination of tumor cells and drug resistance. In these circumstances, the development of new therapy strategies combined with traditional approaches is conductive to improving the quality of treatment. Among numerous drug resources, botanical compounds have unique advantages due to their potentials in multitarget functions, long application history, and wide availability. Previous studies have revealed the therapeutic effects of bioactive plant components in ovarian cancer. These natural ingredients act as part of the initial treatment or an auxiliary option for maintenance therapy, further reducing the tumor and metastatic burden. In this review, we summarized the functions and mechanisms of natural botanical components applied in human ovarian cancer. We focused on the molecular mechanisms of cell apoptosis, autophagy, RNA and DNA lesion, ROS damage, and the multiple-drug resistance. We aim to provide a theoretical reference for in-depth drug research so as to manage ovarian cancer better in clinic.

Zeylenone synergizes with cisplatin in osteosarcoma by enhancing DNA damage, apoptosis, and necrosis via the Hsp90/AKT/GSK3β and Fanconi anaemia pathway

A safer and more effective combination strategy designed to enhance the efficacy and minimize the toxicity of cisplatin in osteosarcoma (OS) is urgently needed. Zeylenone (zey), a cyclohexene oxide compound, exerted an obvious inhibitory effect on several cancer cell lines and exhibited little cytotoxicity towards normal cells, enabling zey to play a unique role in combination therapy. Thus, the study aimed to determine whether the combination of zey and cisplatin produces synergistic antitumour effects on OS and to further explore molecular mechanisms. Initially, we found that zey potentiated the anti-osteosarcoma efficacy of cisplatin and exhibited synergistic interactions with cisplatin in vitro, which also were confirmed in vivo by using xenograft model. Mechanistically, zey and cisplatin synergistically induced DNA damage, cell cycle arrest, necrosis, and apoptosis in OS cells. Importantly, zey had a high binding affinity for Hsp90 and reduced the expression of Hsp90, which further induced the suppression of AKT/GSK3β signalling axis and the degradation of Fanconi anaemia (FA) pathway proteins. Thus, the Hsp90/AKT/GSK3β and FA pathway are the key to the synergism between zey and cisplatin. Overall, zey shows promise for development as a cisplatin chemosensitizer with clinical utility in restoring cisplatin sensitivity of cancer cells.

Concise total synthesis of (+)-Zeylenone with antitumor activity and the structure-activity relationship of its derivatives

Natural products--polyoxygenated cyclohexenes exhibited potent anti-tumor activity, such as zeylenone, which is a natural product isolated from Uvaria grandiflora Roxb. This article will attempt to establish a gram-scale synthesis method of (+)-zeylenone and explain the structure-activity relationship of this kind of compound. Total synthesis of (+)-zeylenone was completed in 13 steps with quinic acid as the starting material in 9.8% overall yield. The highlight of the route was the control of the three carbon's chirality by single step dihydroxylation. In addition, different kinds of derivatives were designed and synthesized. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) assay was used for evaluating antitumor activity against three human cancer cell lines. The structure--activity relationship suggested that compounds with both absolute configurations exhibited tumor-suppressive effects. Moreover, hydroxyls at the C-1/C-2 position were crucial to the activity, and the esterification of large groups at C-1 hydroxyl eliminated the activity. Hydroxyl at the C-3 position was also important as proper ester substituent could increase the potency.

Zeylenone represses the progress of human prostate cancer by downregulating the Wnt/β‑catenin pathway

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common types of cancer in the urinary system in men. Zeylenone (Zey), a naturally occurring cyclohexene oxide, has an anticancer effect. In the present study, the role and potential mechanism of Zey in PCa were examined. The proliferative, invasive and migratory capacities of DU145 cells were analyzed using Cell Counting Kit-8, transwell and wound healing assays, respectively. The expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 were determined with an ELISA. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting assays were performed to evaluate the expression levels of extracellular matrix, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and Wnt/β-catenin pathway-associated factors. In the present study, it was observed that Zey not only suppressed the viability of DU145 cells; however, it additionally attenuated the invasive and migratory capacities of cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Treatment of Zey decreased the expression levels of MMP-2, MMP-9 and fibronectin-1; whereas, it increased tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 and collagen-1 expression levels. Additionally, the vimentin expression level was downregulated, however, the epithelial-cadherin expression level was upregulated in cells treated with Zey. Furthermore, Zey decreased the expression levels of wnt5a, β-catenin and cyclin D1. In conclusion, the present results demonstrated that Zey decreased the viability and metastasis of human PCa cells (DU145), via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Therefore, Zey may be applied as a novel drug for treating PCa in the future.

Zeylenone Induces Mitochondrial Apoptosis and Inhibits Migration and Invasion in Gastric Cancer

The mortality of gastric cancer (GC) is increasing due to its high rates of recurrence and metastasis. Zeylenone (Zey), a type of naturally occurring cyclohexene oxide, was demonstrated to be effective in cancer patients. The aim of this study is to explore the anti-cancer effect of Zey against gastric cancer both in vitro and in vivo, as well as the underlying mechanisms. We found that Zey inhibited gastric tumor growth, as demonstrated by in vitro gastric cancer cell lines and in a human gastric cancer xenograft mouse model. Furthermore, Zey induced substantial apoptosis through a mitochondrial apoptotic pathway, involving mitochondrial transmembrane potential loss, caspase-3 activation, anti-apoptotic protein downregulation, and pro-apoptotic protein upregulation. Notably, we revealed for the first time that Zey suppressed invasion and migration by wound healing and transwell chamber assays. Through Western blotting, we further explored the potential mechanism of Zey’s anti-cancer activity. We found that Zey downregulated the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 2/9 (MMP 2/9) and inhibited the phosphorylation of AKT and ERK. In short, Zey, which induced mitochondrial apoptosis and inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion, may be developed as a novel drug for the treatment of gastric cancer.

Zeylenone inhibits proliferation and promotes apoptosis in ovarian carcinoma cells via Janus kinase 2 / signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 pathways

AIM

Ovarian cancer is the fifth common cancer in females. The aim of our study was to determine function of Zeylenone on cell viability and apoptosis of ovarian carcinoma SKOV3 cells.

METHODS

Cell viability was measured by Cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) assay; Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry. The mRNA and protein levels of related factors were determined by Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western blot, respectively.

RESULTS

Cell viability was decreased by Zeylenone in a dose-dependent manner. Zeylenone with concentrations of 2.5, 5 and 10 μmol/L was used to treat ovarian carcinoma SKOV3 cells for 24 h in the following study. The loss of MMP and apoptosis were both significantly increased by Zeylenone. The mRNA and protein levels of cytochrome c (cyto c) and apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) in cytosol were increased by Zeylenone. The mRNA and protein levels of Caspase-3, Fas, Fasl and Bax were increased; while the expression of Bcl-2 was decreased by Zeylenone. The expression of (Janus family of tyrosine kinase) p-JAK and signal transducer and activator of transcription (p-STAT) was decreased significantly by Zeylenone.

CONCLUSION

Zeylenone inhibited cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis in ovarian carcinoma cells. The JAK-STAT pathway was involved in this progress.

Natural Products for Drug Discovery in the 21st Century: Innovations for Novel Drug Discovery

The therapeutic properties of plants have been recognised since time immemorial. Many pathological conditions have been treated using plant-derived medicines. These medicines are used as concoctions or concentrated plant extracts without isolation of active compounds. Modern medicine however, requires the isolation and purification of one or two active compounds. There are however a lot of global health challenges with diseases such as cancer, degenerative diseases, HIV/AIDS and diabetes, of which modern medicine is struggling to provide cures. Many times the isolation of "active compound" has made the compound ineffective. Drug discovery is a multidimensional problem requiring several parameters of both natural and synthetic compounds such as safety, pharmacokinetics and efficacy to be evaluated during drug candidate selection. The advent of latest technologies that enhance drug design hypotheses such as Artificial Intelligence, the use of 'organ-on chip' and microfluidics technologies, means that automation has become part of drug discovery. This has resulted in increased speed in drug discovery and evaluation of the safety, pharmacokinetics and efficacy of candidate compounds whilst allowing novel ways of drug design and synthesis based on natural compounds. Recent advances in analytical and computational techniques have opened new avenues to process complex natural products and to use their structures to derive new and innovative drugs. Indeed, we are in the era of computational molecular design, as applied to natural products. Predictive computational softwares have contributed to the discovery of molecular targets of natural products and their derivatives. In future the use of quantum computing, computational softwares and databases in modelling molecular interactions and predicting features and parameters needed for drug development, such as pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics, will result in few false positive leads in drug development. This review discusses plant-based natural product drug discovery and how innovative technologies play a role in next-generation drug discovery.

A new terpene coumarin microbial transformed by Mucor polymorphosporus induces apoptosis of human gastric cancer cell line MGC-803

2′-Z auraptene (1) is a synthesized monoterpene coumarin with anticancer activity against human gastric cancer cells. In order to find new potential anticancer agent, Mucor polymorphosporus was used to transform cis-auraptene. Four new terpene coumarins with notable changes in the skeletal backbone, 2′-Z auraptene A-D (2–5), were obtained and evaluated for their antiproliferative effects against human normal gastric epithelium cells and human gastric cancer cells. These new compounds showed selective cytotoxic activity against MGC-803 cells with IC₅₀ values from 0.78 ± 0.13 to 10.78 ± 1.83 μM and the therapeutic index could also be significantly improved (TI = 59.0) compared with that of 1 (TI = 5.5). The structures of these metabolites were elucidated through extensive spectroscopic methods, and the possible biotransformation pathway of 1 by Mucor polymorphosporus was also proposed. Furthermore, the mechanism of the antiproliferative effects against MGC-803 cells of the most potent compound, 2′-Z auraptene A (2), was characterized. Annexin V/PI staining and abnormal expression of apoptosis-related protein suggested that compound 2 induces apoptosis in gastric cancer MGC-803 cells. Therefore, it is possible that compound 2 has the potential to be applied in gastric cancer therapy.

Zeylenone, a naturally occurring cyclohexene oxide, inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in cervical carcinoma cells via PI3K/AKT/mTOR and MAPK/ERK pathways

There is a strong rationale to therapeutically target the PI3K/Akt/mTOR and MAPK/ERK pathways in cervical carcinoma since they are highly deregulated in this disease. Previous study by our group have demonstrated that Zeylenone (Zey) exhibited strong suppressive activity on PI3K/AKT/mTOR and MAPK/ERK signaling, providing a foundation to investigate its antitumor activity in cervical carcinoma. Herein, the present study aimed to investigate suppressive effect of Zey on HeLa and CaSki cells, and further explore the underlying mechanisms. Cells were treated with Zey for indicated time, followed by measuring its effects on cell viability, colony formation, cell cycle, cell apoptosis, and signal pathways. In vivo antitumor activity of Zey was then assessed with nude xenografts. We found that Zey substantially suppressed cell proliferation, induced cell cycle arrest, and increased cell apoptosis, accompanied by increased production of ROS, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, activated caspase apoptotic cascade, and attenuated PI3K/Akt/mTOR and MAPK/ERK pathways. Additionally, in vivo experiments showed that Zey exerted good antitumor efficacy against HeLa bearing mice models via decreasing levels of p-PI3K and p-ERK. Collectively, these data clearly demonstrated the antitumor activity of Zey in cervical carcinoma cells, which is most likely via the regulation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR and MAPK/ERK pathways.

Zeylenone promotes apoptosis in chronic myelogenous leukemia-derived K562 cells by a mechanism involving Jak2 and Src kinase

Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a hematopoietic malignancy caused by the constitutive activation of BCR–ABL tyrosine kinase.