Targeting survivin with Tanshinone IIA inhibits tumor growth and overcomes chemoresistance in colorectal cancer

Review on anti-tumour lipid nano drug delivery systems of traditional Chinese medicine

In recent years, the use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of cancer has received widespread attention. Treatment of tumours using TCM can effectively reduce the side effects of anti-tumour drugs, meanwhile to improve the treatment efficacy of patients. However, most of the active ingredients in TCM, such as saponins, alkaloids, flavonoids, volatile oils, etc., have defects such as low bioavailability and poor solubility in clinical application, which seriously restrict the application of TCM. Meanwhile, the encapsulation of TCM into lipid nano-delivery systems for cancer therapy has received much attention. Lipid nano-delivery systems are obtained by using phospholipids as the base material and adding other auxiliary materials under a certain preparation process, including, for example, liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs), microemulsions, and self-microemulsion drug delivery systems (SMEDDS), can resolve the application problems of TCM by improving the efficacy of active ingredients of TCM and reducing the toxicity of anti-tumour drugs. This paper focuses on the categories, development status, and research progress of lipid nano delivery system of TCM, aiming to provide a certain theoretical basis for further in-depth research and rational application of these systems.

Novel dihydrochalcone from Fissistigma latifolium targets STAT3 and survivin to overcome multidrug resistance cancers in vitro and in vivo

BACKGROUND

Multidrug resistance (MDR) remains a significant challenge in cancer chemotherapy, with no FDA-approved drugs currently available for its treatment. Natural chalcones, known for their diverse bioactivities, have emerged as potential therapeutic candidates.

PURPOSE

This study aimed to investigate the potential of 4,6-dimethoxy-2,5-quinodihydrochalcone (DODHC), a compound derived from Fissistigma latifolium, in overcoming MDR in cancer and to elucidate its underlying molecular mechanisms.

METHODS

The reversal effects of DODHC on MDR were evaluated using cytotoxicity assays. The molecular mechanisms were explored through apoptosis- and cell cycle-related assays, STAT3 ELISA, western blotting, docking simulations, and a zebrafish model. The impact of DODHC on P-glycoprotein (P-gp) activity was assessed using the Calcein-AM uptake assay.

RESULTS

DODHC promoted apoptosis in MDR cancer cells by suppressing survivin expression and activating the extrinsic apoptotic pathway. It also induced G2/M phase cell cycle arrest by downregulating cell division control protein 2 (CDC2) and cyclin B1 (CCNB1), thereby inhibiting cell proliferation. Additionally, DODHC reduced both total and phosphorylated STAT3 levels in MDR cancer cells without affecting P-gp activity. In vivo, DODHC significantly inhibited tumor growth in MDR cancer models, both as a monotherapy and in combination with paclitaxel.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights DODHC as a dual inhibitor of STAT3 and survivin, demonstrating its potential as a promising candidate for the treatment of MDR cancers.

A novel L-shaped ortho-quinone analog targeting adenosine A2b receptor to inhibit epithelial-mesenchymal transition in colorectal cancer cells

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignancy of the gastrointestinal tract, with its incidence and mortality rates rising significantly in recent decades. In this study, we identified a compound (TC4) from a series of L-shaped ortho-quinone analog with notable inhibitory effects on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in CRC cells. In vitro studies demonstrated that TC4 induces apoptosis, thereby suppressing CRC cell growth, invasion, and metastasis. Target analysis suggested that adenosine A2b receptor (ADORA2B) is a key molecular target of TC4, which was further confirmed by thermodynamic experiments showing direct binding to ADORA2B in living cells. Using ADORA2B overexpression and knockdown models, we found that abnormal expression of ADORA2B significantly affects CRC cell growth, invasion, metastasis, and sensitivity to TC4, confirming ADORA2B as a critical target for the compound's anti-tumor activity. TC4 was shown to markedly influence EMT, downregulating E-cadherin while upregulating N-cadherin, Vimentin, and Snail, with these effects dependent on ADORA2B overexpression. This indicates that the regulation of EMT by TC4 is closely associated with its interaction with ADORA2B. The present study confirms that TC4, a newly discovered compound with the ability to inhibit the growth and metastasis of CRC cells, can target ADORA2B to significantly regulate EMT in cancer cells.

Fusobacterium nucleatum modulates the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in colorectal cancer development

The Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway normally maintains cellular and tissue homeostasis by regulating cellular differentiation and survival in a controlled manner. An aberrantly regulated Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway can transform into an oncogenic pathway, which is associated with Colorectal cancer (CRC) as well as other cancers. CRC is one of the most frequently occurring gastrointestinal cancers worldwide. In CRC tissues, deregulation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway is observed, which indicates that this oncogenic pathway directly promotes CRC malignancy, cell migration, angiogenesis, chemoresistance, as well as shorter lifespan of a patient. Growing evidence suggests that human commensal microbes have a strong association with carcinogenesis, particularly the prevalence and high enrichment of Fusobacterium nucleatum in CRC progression. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway is one of the targeted pathways by F. nucleatum in CRC, where Fusobacterium adhesin attaches to E-cadherin to initiate infection. Also, Wnt/β-catenin pathway can be a potential target for the treatment of both CRC and F. nucleatum-positive CRC. Here, we discuss the underlying mechanisms of F. nucleatum-positive CRC development through modulation of Wnt/β-catenin signalling and its possibility for the application in targeted therapy of F. nucleatum-positive CRC.

Signaling pathways behind the biological effects of tanshinone IIA for the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular diseases

Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) is a well-known fat-soluble diterpenoid found in Salvia miltiorrhiza, recognized for its various biological effects. The molecular signaling pathways of Tan IIA have been investigated in different diseases, including the anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, renoprotective, neuroprotective effects, and fibrosis prevention. This article provides a brief overview of the signaling pathways related to anti-cancer and cardioprotective effects of Tan IIA. It shows that Tan IIAs anti-cancer ability has good expectation through multiplicity mechanisms affecting various aspects' tumor biology. The major pathways involved in its anti-cancer effects include inhibition of PI3/Akt, MAPK, and p53/p21 signaling which leads to enhancement of immune responses and increased radiation sensitivity. Some essential pathways responsible for cardioprotective effects induced by Tan IIA are PI3/AKT activation, MAPK, and SIRT1 promoting protection against ischemia/reperfusion injury in myocardial cells as well as inhibiting pathological remodeling processes. Finally, the article underscores the complex and specific signaling pathways influenced by Tan IIA. The PI3/Akt and MAPK pathways play critical roles in the anti-cancer and cardioprotective effects of Tan IIA. Particularly, Tan IIA suppresses the proliferation of malignancies in cancerous cells but stimulates protective mechanisms in normal cardiovascular cells. These findings highlight the importance of investigating molecular signaling pathways in evaluating the therapeutic potential of natural products. Studying about signaling pathways is vital in understanding the therapeutic aspects of Tan IIA and its derivatives as anti-cancer and cardio-protective agents. Further research is necessary to understand these complex mechanisms.

Single-cell and spatial-resolved profiling reveals cancer-associated fibroblast heterogeneity in colorectal cancer metabolic subtypes

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer (CRC) presents significant treatment challenges due to its high heterogeneity and complex intercellular interactions. Further exploration of CRC subtypes and interactions among tumor-specific clusters will facilitate the development of personalized treatment strategies.

METHODS

Single-cell RNA sequencing and bulk RNA sequencing datasets were integrated to determine CRC metabolic subtypes by hierarchical clustering. The analysis was further extended to cellchat, pseudotime, immune infiltration, and clinicopathological relevance to explore the characteristics of secreted frizzled related protein 2 (SFRP2) + cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) clusters, and validated by spatial transcriptomics (ST), in vivo experiments, and multiple immunohistochemistry (mIHC).

RESULTS

CRC samples were stably classified into three heterogeneous metabolic subtypes, each exhibiting different microenvironment and CAF heterogeneity, particularly in the distribution of SFRP2 + CAF, which was aligned with metabolic activity. SFRP2 + CAF exhibits high extracellular matrix (ECM) activity and is closely involved in cellular communication, not only promoting the malignant progression of cancer cells but also inducing the differentiation of Tregs. Compared to responders of chemotherapy, the proportion of SFRP2 + CAFs is significantly increased in non-responders. Importantly, mIHC and ST analyses confirm that cancer cells with low expression of agmatinase (AGMAT) can recruit SFRP2 + CAFs, and Treg infiltration surrounding SFRP2 + CAFs was observed. AGMAT combined with oxaliplatin showed the best efficacy in vivo, which may be associated with the inhibition of SFRP2 + CAF infiltration.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study identified and described the potential protumor biological properties of SFRP2 + CAFs, and AGMAT may be a valuable target for disrupting their properties.

The other side of the coin: protein deubiquitination by Ubiquitin-Specific Protease 1 in cancer progression and therapy

Reversible protein ubiquitination is a crucial factor in cellular homeostasis, with Ubiquitin-Specific Protease 1 (USP1) serving as a key deubiquitinase involved in DNA damage response (DDR) and repair mechanisms in cancer. While ubiquitin ligases have been extensively studied, research on the reverse process of ubiquitination, particularly the mechanisms involving USP1, remains relatively limited. USP1 is overexpressed in various cancers, influencing tumor initiation and progression by regulating multiple associated proteins. Inhibiting USP1 effectively suppresses tumor proliferation and migration and may help overcome resistance to cisplatin and PARP inhibitors. As a potential synthetic lethal target, USP1 demonstrates significant research potential. This review highlights the biological mechanisms of USP1 in cancer progression, the signaling pathways it regulates, and the latest advancements in USP1 inhibitors, while also analyzing the opportunities and challenges of targeting USP1. By adopting the perspective of "the other side of the coin," this review aims to underscore the crucial yet often overlooked role of the deubiquitinase USP1, contrasting it with the extensively studied ubiquitin ligases, and emphasizing its therapeutic potential in cancer treatment.

Tanshinone T1/T2A inhibits non-small cell lung cancer through Lin28B-let-7-BORA/MYC regulatory network

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Tanshinones are a group of compounds in Salvia miltiorrhiza. Although the effects of tanshinone I (T1) and tanshinone IIA (T2A) are widely concerned, the mechanisms of T1 and T2A in lung cancer is rarely studied.

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

Xenograft tumor growth was performed to detect the role of T1/T2A in vivo. Next-generation sequencing of miRNA expression profiles in T1/T2A-treated A549 cells showed that T1/T2A upregulated the expression of the let-7 family. Then, let-7a-5p and its downstream target gene BORA were identified as the research objects in this paper. Mechanistically, we examined the interplay between miR-let-7 and BORA through the dual-luciferase reporter assay. Finally, the potential regulatory role of T1/T2A on Lin28B and MYC was explored.

RESULTS

This study found that the let-7 family was significantly up-regulated via "Next-generation" sequencing (NGS) in the T1/T2A-treated A549 cell line, while BORA was downregulated. BORA was confirmed as a direct target of let-7. LncRNA MYCLo-5 was up-regulated after treatment with tanshinones. Knockdown of MYCLo-5 promoted the cell cycle and proliferation of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells.

CONCLUSIONS

This study explored the effects of tanshinone T1 and T2A on NSCLC in vitro and in vivo, revealing the T1/T2A-let-7/BORA/MYCLo-5 regulatory pathway, which provided new insights for lung cancer treatment.

Survivin modulates stiffness-induced vascular smooth muscle cell motility

Arterial stiffness is a key contributor to cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, restenosis, and coronary artery disease, it has been characterized to be associated with the aberrant migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). However, the underlying molecular mechanisms driving VSMC migration in stiff environments remain incompletely understood. We recently demonstrated that survivin, a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein family, is highly expressed in both mouse and human VSMCs cultured on stiff polyacrylamide hydrogels, where it modulates stiffness-mediated cell cycle progression and proliferation. However, its role in stiffness-dependent VSMC migration remains unknown. To assess its impact on migration, we performed time-lapse video microscopy on VSMCs seeded on fibronectin-coated soft and stiff polyacrylamide hydrogels, mimicking the physiological stiffness of normal and diseased arteries, with either survivin inhibition or overexpression. We observed that VSMC motility increased under stiff conditions, while pharmacologic or siRNA-mediated inhibition of survivin reduced stiffness-stimulated migration to rates similar to those observed under soft conditions. Further investigation revealed that cells on stiff hydrogels exhibited greater directional movement and robust lamellipodial protrusion compared to those on soft hydrogels. Interestingly, survivin-inhibited cells on stiff hydrogels showed reduced directional persistence and lamellipodial protrusion compared to control cells. We also examined whether survivin overexpression alone is sufficient to induce cell migration on soft hydrogels, and found that survivin overexpression modestly increased cell motility and partially rescued the lack of directional persistence compared to GFP-expressing control VSMCs on soft hydrogels. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that survivin plays a key role in regulating stiffness-induced VSMC migration, suggesting that targeting survivin and its signaling pathways could offer therapeutic strategies for addressing arterial stiffness in cardiovascular diseases.

Rhus coriaria induces autophagic and apoptotic cell death in pancreatic cancer cells

Background:Pancreatic cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide with increasing global incidence. We previously reported the anticancer effect of Rhus coriaria ethanolic extract (RCE) in triple negative breast and colon cancer cells. Herein, we investigated the anticancer effect of RCE on human pancreatic cancer cells. Methods: Cell viability was measured using Cell Titer-Glo and staining of viable and dead cells based on differential permeability to two DNA binding dyes. Cell cycle distribution and annexin V staining was carried out in Muse cell analyzer. Protein level was determined by Western blot. Tumor growth was assessed by in ovo chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane assay. Results: We found that RCE significantly inhibited the viability and colony growth of pancreatic cancer cells (Panc-1, Mia-PaCa-2, S2-013, AsPC-1). The antiproliferative effects of RCE in pancreatic cancer cells (Panc-1 and Mia-PaCa-2) were mediated through induction of G1 cell cycle arrest, Beclin-1-independent autophagy, and apoptosis. RCE activated both the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways of apoptosis and regulated the Bax/Bcl-2 apoptotic switch. Mechanistically, we found that RCE inhibited the AKT/mTOR pathway, downstream of which, inactivation of the cell cycle regulator p70S6K and downregulation of the antiapoptotic protein survivin was observed. Additionally, we found that RCE-induced autophagy preceded apoptosis. Further, we confirmed the anticancer effect of RCE in a chick embryo xenograft model and found that RCE inhibited the growth of pancreatic cancer xenografts without affecting embryo survival. Conclusion: Collectively, our findings demonstrate that Rhus coriaria exerts potent anti-pancreatic cancer activity though cell cycle impairment, autophagy, and apoptosis, and is hence a promising source of anticancer phytochemicals.

Elucidating the molecular mechanisms of pterostilbene against cervical cancer through an integrated bioinformatics and network pharmacology approach

Pterostilbene (PTE), a natural phenolic compound, has exhibited promising anticancer properties in the preclinical treatment of cervical cancer (CC). This study aims to comprehensively investigate the potential targets and mechanisms underlying PTE's anticancer effects in CC, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for its future clinical application and development. To accomplish this, we employed a range of methodologies, including network pharmacology, bioinformatics, and computer simulation, with specific techniques such as WGCNA, PPI network construction, ROC curve analysis, KM survival analysis, GO functional enrichment, KEGG pathway enrichment, molecular docking, MDS, and single-gene GSEA. Utilizing eight drug target prediction databases, we have identified a total of 532 potential targets for PTE. By combining CC-related genes from the GeneCards disease database with significant genes derived from WGCNA analysis of the GSE63514 dataset, we obtained 7915 unique CC-related genes. By analyzing the intersection of the 7915 CC-related genes and the 2810 genes that impact overall survival time in CC, we identified 690 genes as crucial for CC. Through the use of a Venn diagram, we discovered 36 overlapping targets shared by PTE and CC. We have constructed a PPI network and identified 9 core candidate targets. ROC and KM curve analyses subsequently revealed IL1B, EGFR, IL1A, JUN, MYC, MMP1, MMP3, and ANXA5 as the key targets modulated by PTE in CC. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses indicated significant enrichment of these key targets, primarily in the MAPK and IL-17 signaling pathways. Molecular docking analysis verified the effective binding of PTE to all nine key targets. MDS results showed that the protein-ligand complex between MMP1 and PTE was the most stable among the nine targets. Additionally, GSEA enrichment analysis suggested a potential link between elevated MMP1 expression and the activation of the IL-17 signaling pathway. In conclusion, our study has identified key targets and uncovered the molecular mechanism behind PTE's anticancer activity in CC, establishing a firm theoretical basis for further exploration of PTE's pharmacological effects in CC therapy.

Study on the Antitumor Mechanism of Tanshinone IIA In Vivo and In Vitro through the Regulation of PERK-ATF4-HSPA5 Pathway-Mediated Ferroptosis

As a traditional Chinese medicine, Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge was first recorded in the Shennong Materia Medica Classic and is widely used to treat "the accumulation of symptoms and masses". The main active ingredient of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, Tanshinone IIA (TIIA), has shown anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antifibrosis, antibacterial, and antioxidative activities, etc. In this study, the results showed that TIIA could inhibit the proliferation and migration of HepG2 cells and downregulate glutathione (GSH) and Glutathione Peroxidase 4 (GPX4) levels; besides, TIIA induced the production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), and upregulated the total iron content. Based on network pharmacology analysis, the antitumor effect of TIIA was found to be focused on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-mediated ferroptosis signaling pathway, with protein kinase R (PKR)-like ER kinase (PERK)-activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4)-heat shock 70 kDa protein 5 (HSPA5) as the main pathway. Herein, TIIA showed typical ferroptosis characteristics, and a ferroptosis inhibitor (ferrostatin-1) was used to verify the effect. The antitumor effects of TIIA, occurring through the inhibition of the PERK-ATF4-HSPA5 pathway, were further observed in vivo as significantly inhibited tumor growth and the improved pathological morphology of tumor tissue in H22-bearing mice. In summary, the antitumor mechanism of TIIA might be related to the downregulation of the activation of PERK-ATF4-HSPA5 pathway-mediated ferroptosis.