Potential therapeutic role of Tridham in human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line through induction of p53 independent apoptosis

Nrf2 antioxidant pathway and apoptosis induction and inhibition of NF-κB-mediated inflammatory response in human prostate cancer PC3 cells by Brassica oleracea var. acephala: An in vitro study

BACKGROUND

Brassica oleracea var. acephala is a good source of health-promoting biologically active compounds like phenolics, vitamins, and glucosinolates.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This in vitro research was conducted to evaluate the apoptotic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative properties of ethanolic extract of Brassica oleracea var. acephala (EEBO) in PC3 prostate cancer cells. The LC-MS/MS technique was applied to identify the biomolecules of EEBO. The MTT assay was used to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of EEBO on PC3 cells. Moreover, qRT-PCR was used to examine the expression levels of Nrf2, NQO1, HO-1, NF-κB, TNF-α, IL-6, BAX, and BCL-2 in PC3 cell line. MMP was predicted by Rhodamine 123 staining, and release of cytochrome c was detected by an ELISA kit. Further, apoptosis was quantified by DNA fragmentation assay. The Western blotting method was used to detect the protein expression levels, and The DPPH assay was applied to determine the antioxidant effect of EEBO. The formula and structure of 19 biomolecules were predicted by LC-MS/MS. EEBO exhibited scavenging activity for DPPH. The MTT test showed EEBO reduced the viability of PC3 cells. The mRNA and protein levels of NRF2 pathway genes and BAX were increased, but those of the NF-κB pathway genes and BCL-2 were decreased in the EEBO-treated cells. Moreover, EEBO led to the diminution of MMP and enhanced the release of cytochrome c and DNA fragmentation, which resulted in apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Molecular changes due to the anticancer impact of EEBO on PC3 were involved in the induction of Nrf2 antioxidant pathway and apoptosis and inhibition of inflammation.

Bioactivity Guided Fractionation and Elucidation of Anti-Cancer Properties of Imperata Cylindrica Leaf Extracts

BACKGROUND

In our earlier study, we reported the anticancer effect of methanolic extracts of, I. cylindrica leaf (ICL) against human oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines SCC-9. The cytotoxic effect of ICL methanolic extract was specific to the cancer cells and not to the normal cells. The present study aimed to fractionate the ICL methanolic extract to derive anticancer bioactives.

METHODS

The ICL methanolic extract was subjected to a bioactivity guided fractionation. Cytotoxic, cell cycle inhibitory, apoptosis and caspase gene expression inducing activity of the active fractions were evaluated using MTT assay, FACS analysis, Annexin V binding assay and RT-PCR respectively.

RESULTS

The hexane fraction of ICL methanolic extract (ICLH) was observed to be the most bioactive fraction. It was shown to possess effective cytotoxic and cell cycle inhibitory activities against SCC-9 cells. The hexane fraction also induced apoptosis in SCC-9 cells which was further established at the level of caspase 3 and 8 gene expressions.

CONCLUSION

Overall, the results clearly establish the potential of ICLH extract to inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in the SCC-9 cells. Further analysis of the ICLH fraction could result in development of effective anticancer therapeutics. The natural abundance of I. cylindrica with its wide geographic distribution could make it a preferred natural resource for obtaining novel, cost-effective, anticancer therapeutics with minimal systemic side effects.

Elaeocarpus reticulatus fruit extracts reduce viability and induce apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells in vitro

Treatment options for pancreatic cancer (PC) are severely limited due to late diagnosis, early metastasis and the inadequacy of chemotherapy and radiotherapy to combat the aggressive biology of the disease. In recent years, plant-derived bioactive compounds have emerged as a source of novel, anti-cancer agents. Used in traditional medicine worldwide, Elaeocarpus species have reported anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-cancer properties. This study aimed to isolate and identify potential anti-PC compounds in the fruit of Elaeocarpus reticulatus Sm. A 50% acetone crude extract significantly decreased the viability of four pancreatic cell lines (≥ 10 µg/mL for BxPC-3 cells) and induced apoptosis in BxPC-3 and HPDE cells. Analysis by HPLC identified the triterpenoid Cucurbitacin I as a likely component of the extract. Furthermore, treatment with Cucurbitacin I significantly reduced the viability of HPDE and BxPC-3 cells, with results comparable to the same concentration of gemcitabine. Interestingly, attempts to isolate bioactive compounds revealed that the crude extract was more effective at reducing PC-cell viability than the fractionated extracts. This study provides initial insight into the bioactive constituents of E. reticulatus fruits.

A chemically characterized ethanolic extract of Thai Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton fruits (nutlets) reduces oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in human hepatoma (HuH7) cells

Perilla frutescens is cultivated in East Asian countries including Thailand, and the nutlets (single-seeded fruits) are used as traditional and medicinal food. Perilla nutlets extracted by ethyl acetate (EA), 80% ethanol (Eth), and hot water (HW) sequentially were chemically characterized using high-resolution accurate liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry with the main compounds detected assigned as rosmarinic acid and derivatives of the flavones apigenin and luteolin, with the more diverse chemical composition observed with the Eth extract. All extracts showed dose-dependent free-radical scavenging activity, with the Eth extract the most potent (IC₅₀  = 3.43 mg/ml for ABTS^• scavenging and 0.27 mg/ml for DPPH^• scavenging). The Eth extract also inhibited AAPH-induced hemolysis (IC₅₀  = 0.07 mg/ml) more potently than did the HW (IC₅₀  = 0.38 mg/ml) and EA extracts (IC₅₀  = 1.63 mg/ml). An MTT test revealed all the extracts were noncytotoxic at concentrations up to 200 μg/ml. Only the Eth and EA extracts showed protective effects against the generation of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation in FeCl₃ -induced HuH7 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Our findings suggest the Eth extract of Thai perilla nutlets, containing rosmarinic acid and flavones and their derivatives, may have potential to provide protection against oxidative stress in hepatic disorders.

Binding of human recombinant mutant soluble ectodomain of FGFR2IIIc to c subtype of FGFRs: implications for anticancer activity

FGFRs are considered essential targets for cancer therapy. We previously reported that msFGFR2c, a Ser252Trp mutant soluble ectodomain of FGFR2IIIc, inhibited tumor growth by blocking FGF signaling pathway. However, the underlying molecular mechanism is still obscure. In this study, we reported that msFGFR2c but not wild-type soluble ectodomain of FGFR2IIIc (wsFGFR2c) could selectively bind to c subtype of FGFRs in the presence of FGF-2. Thermodynamic analysis demonstrated that msFGFR2c bound to wsFGFR2c in the presence of FGF-2 with a K value of 6.61 × 10⁵ M⁻¹. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that the mutated residue Trp252 of msFGFR2c preferred a π-π interaction with His254 of wsFGFR2c. Concomitantly, Arg255 of msFGFR2c and Glu250 of wsFGFR2c adjusted their conformations and formed three H-bonds. These two interactions therefore stabilized the final structure of wsFGFR2c and msFGFR2c heterocomplex. In FGFR2IIIc-positive/high FGF-2-secreted BT-549 cells, msFGFR2c significantly inhibited the proliferation and induced apoptosis by the blockage of FGF-2-activated FGFRs phosphorylation, also the growth and angiogenesis of its xenograft tumors implanted in chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane model. While weaker the above inhibitory effects of msFGFR2c were observed on FGFR2IIIc-negative/low FGF-2-secreted MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, msFGFR2c significantly inhibited the proliferation of FGFR1IIIc-positive NCI-H1299 lung cancer cells by the suppression of FGF-2-induced FGFR1 activation and suppressed the growth of NCI-H1299 transplanted tumors in nude mice. In sum, msFGFR2c is a potential anti-tumor agent targeting FGFR2c/FGFR1c-positive tumor cells. These findings also provide a molecular basis for msFGFR2c to disrupt the activation of FGF signaling.

Effect of polybrominated diphenyl ether (BDE-209) on testicular steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis through altered thyroid status in adult mice

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), a class of brominated flame retardants (BFRs), have been widely used in many products to minimize the risk of fire, mainly by mixing in polymer products. BDE-209, a congener of PBDEs having structural similarity with thyroid hormones, acts as an endocrine disruptor by interfering with thyroid homeostasis. However, little is known about the effect of BDE-209 exposure on testicular steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis. This study was therefore conducted in adult mice to examine the effect of BDE-209 on testicular steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis in relation to thyroid status, and to explore possible mechanism(s) of its action. Adult Parkes strain male mice were orally gavaged with 750 and 950mg/kg BW of BDE-209 in corn oil for 35days. Significant reductions were noted in the levels of serum total T_3, T₄ and testosterone in mice treated with 950mg/kg BW of BDE-209 compared to controls; histologically, testes showed nonuniform degenerative changes in the seminiferous tubules as both affected and normal tubules were observed in the same section; further, number and viability of spermatozoa were also adversely affected in cauda epididymidis of these mice. Semiquantitative RT-PCR and western blot analyses also showed significant reductions in both testicular mRNA and protein levels of steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1), steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein, cytochrome P450scc (CYP11A1), 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD) in 950mg dose treated-mice compared to controls. Immunohistochemical and immunoblot analyses further revealed a marked decrease in proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) positive cells in testes of 950mg dose of BDE-209-treated mice. However, 750mg dose of BDE-209 had no effect on the above parameters. In conclusion, our results suggest that exposure of BDE-209 to adult mice causes reduction in serum levels of thyroid hormones and altered thyroid status may partly result into impairment of testicular steroidogenesis because of down-regulated expression of SF-1, thereby causing suppression of spermatogenesis.

Treatment of infective hepatitis: Where biomedicine has no answers, Ayurveda has!!

Background:

Infective hepatitis is a major health hazard in the Indian sub-continent with a large population and improper sanitation adding to the malady. Water-borne or infective hepatitis has no treatment in modern medicine. However, there are multiple accounts of how infective hepatitis can be successfully cured by Ayurvedic medicine.

Aim:

To review relevant studies in Ayurveda claiming to treat hepatitis.

Materials and Methods:

A comprehensive PubMed search was conducted using ‘Treatment of Hepatitis’ and ‘Ayurveda’ as the primary search criterion.

Results:

27 articles were revealed by the search. 16 of these 27 articles were selected after reading all abstracts. All 16 articles were reviewed in detail and thereafter the current article was written.

Conclusion:

Ayurveda definitely has a lot to offer in terms of the treatment of hepatitis. However, a mass awareness of this potential of Ayurvedic medicine is desirable to achieve a larger impact on the society.

Mitochondria and redox homoeostasis as chemotherapeutic targets of Araucaria angustifolia (Bert.) O. Kuntze in human larynx HEp-2 cancer cells

Natural products are among one of the most promising fields in finding new molecular targets in cancer therapy. Laryngeal carcinoma is one of the most common cancers affecting the head and neck regions, and is associated with high morbidity rate if left untreated. The aim of this study was to examine the antiproliferative effect of Araucaria angustifolia on laryngeal carcinoma HEp-2 cells. The results showed that A. angustifolia extract (AAE) induced a significant cytotoxicity in HEp-2 cells compared to the non-tumor human epithelial (HEK-293) cells, indicating a selective activity of AAE for the cancer cells. A. angustifolia extract was able to increase oxidative damage to lipids and proteins, and the production of nitric oxide, along with the depletion of enzymatic antioxidant defenses (superoxide dismutase and catalase) in the tumor cell line. Moreover, AAE was able to induce DNA damage, nuclear fragmentation and chromatin condensation. A significant increase in the Apoptosis Inducing Factor (AIF), Bax, poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and caspase-3 cleavage expression were also found. These effects could be related to the ability of AAE to increase the production of reactive oxygen species through inhibition of the mitochondrial electron transport chain complex I activity and ATP production by the tumor cells. The phytochemical analysis of A. angustifolia, performed using High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRMS) in MS and MS/MS mode, showed the presence of dodecanoic and hexadecanoic acids, and phenolic compounds, which may be associated with the chemotherapeutic effect observed in this study.

Recombinant hirudin suppresses the viability, adhesion, migration and invasion of Hep-2 human laryngeal cancer cells

Recombinant hirudin (rH) is a highly potent and specific inhibitor of thrombin, and has been shown to inhibit the growth and metastasis of several types of cancers in experimental tumor models. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antitumor effects and explore the underlying mechanisms of rH in Hep-2 human laryngeal carcinoma (LC) cells. Hep-2 cells were treated with various concentrations of rH for 24 h. The cell viability was evaluated by a water-soluble tetrazolium salt (WST) assay. The adhesion ability of the cells was evaluated by cell adhesion to fibronectin. Cell migration and invasion were measured with the Boyden chamber assay. Cell apoptosis was detected by Hoechst 33324 fluorescence staining. A chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay was used to assess the effects of rH on angiogenesis in vivo. Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGF-R), focal adhesion kinase (FAK), Bcl-2-associated agonist of cell death (Bad) and B-cell CLL/lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) proteins. rH significantly inhibited the cell viability and induced apoptosis in LC Hep-2 cells in a dose-dependent manner, as compared with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) as control. These results were accompanied by a decrease in the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and an increase in the pro-apoptotic protein Bad. Moreover, rH dose-dependently inhibited the adhesion, migration and invasion of the Hep-2 cells, compared to the vehicle PBS. In addition, rH robustly suppressed angiogenesis in the CAM assay. Importantly, the expression of adhesion and angiogenesis-associated proteins FAK and VEGF-R was significantly downregulated by rH in a dose-dependent manner. The present findings demonstrate that rH exerts antitumor effects in Hep-2 human laryngeal cancer cells via multiple mechanisms and suggests that targeting thrombin by rH is a potential strategy for the treatment of LC.