Tanshinone IIA Attenuates Insulin Like Growth Factor 1 -Induced Cell Proliferation in PC12 Cells through the PI3K/Akt and MEK/ERK Pathways

Chinese herbal medicine decreases incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in diabetes mellitus patients with regular insulin management

BACKGROUND

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is an independent risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), while insulin is a potent mitogen. Identifying a new therapeutic modality for preventing insulin users from developing HCC is a critical goal for researchers.

AIM

To investigate whether regular herbal medicine use can decrease HCC risk in DM patients with regular insulin control.

METHODS

We used data acquired from the Taiwanese National Health Insurance research database between 2000 and 2017. We identified patients with DM who were prescribed insulin for > 3 months. The herb user group was further defined as patients prescribed herbal medication for DM for > 3 months per annum during follow-up. We matched the herb users to nonusers at a 1:3 ratio according to age, sex, comorbidities and index year by propensity score matching. We analyzed HCC incidence, HCC survival rates, and the herbal prescriptions involved.

RESULTS

We initially enrolled 657144 DM patients with regular insulin use from 2000 to 2017. Among these, 46849 patients had used a herbal treatment for DM, and 140547 patients were included as the matched control group. The baseline variables were similar between the herb users and nonusers. DM patients with regular herb use had a 12% decreased risk of HCC compared with the control group [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 0.88, 95%CI = 0.80-0.97]. The cumulative incidence of HCC in the herb users was significantly lower than that of the nonusers. Patients with a herb use of > 5 years cumulatively exhibited a protective effect against development of HCC (aHR = 0.82, P < 0.05). Of patients who developed HCC, herb users exhibited a longer survival time than nonusers (aHR = 0.78, P = 0.0001). Additionally, we report the top 10 herbs and formulas in prescriptions and summarize the potential pharmacological effects of the constituents. Our analysis indicated that Astragalus propinquus (Huang Qi) plus Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Dan Shen), and Astragalus propinquus (Huang Qi) plus Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim. (Tian Hua Fen) were the most frequent combination of single herbs. Meanwhile, Ji Sheng Shen Qi Wan plus Dan Shen was the most frequent combination of herbs and formulas.

CONCLUSION

This large-scale retrospective cohort study reveals that herbal medicine may decrease HCC risk by 12% in DM patients with regular insulin use.

Tanshinone IIA targeting cell signaling pathways: a plausible paradigm for cancer therapy

Natural compounds originating from plants offer a wide range of pharmacological potential and have traditionally been used to treat a wide range of diseases including cancer. Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA), a bioactive molecule found in the roots of the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herb Salvia miltiorrhiza, has been shown to have remarkable anticancer properties through several mechanisms, such as inhibition of tumor cell growth and proliferation, metastasis, invasion, and angiogenesis, as well as induction of apoptosis and autophagy. It has demonstrated excellent anticancer efficacy against cell lines from breast, cervical, colorectal, gastric, lung, and prostate cancer by modulating multiple signaling pathways including PI3K/Akt, JAK/STAT, IGF-1R, and Bcl-2-Caspase pathways. This review focuses on the role of Tan IIA in the treatment of various cancers, as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Salvia miltiorrhiza in cancer: Potential role in regulating MicroRNAs and epigenetic enzymes

MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that play important roles in gene regulation by influencing the translation and longevity of various target mRNAs and the expression of various target genes as well as by modifying histones and DNA methylation of promoter sites. Consequently, when dysregulated, microRNAs are involved in the development and progression of a variety of diseases, including cancer, by affecting cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, migration, and apoptosis. Preparations from the dried root and rhizome of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge (Lamiaceae), also known as red sage or danshen, are widely used for treating cardiovascular diseases. Accumulating data suggest that certain bioactive constituents of this plant, particularly tanshinones, have broad antitumor effects by interfering with microRNAs and epigenetic enzymes. This paper reviews the evidence for the antineoplastic activities of S. miltiorrhiza constituents by causing or promoting cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, autophagy, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, angiogenesis, and epigenetic changes to provide an outlook on their future roles in the treatment of cancer, both alone and in combination with other modalities.

Dihydrotanshinone I Enhances Cell Adhesion and Inhibits Cell Migration in Osteosarcoma U-2 OS Cells through CD44 and Chemokine Signaling

In the screening of novel natural products against cancer using an in vitro cancer cell model, we recently found that tanshinones from a traditional Chinese medicine, the rhizome of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Danshen), had potent effects on cell proliferation and migration. Especially for human osteosarcoma U−2 OS cells, tanshinones significantly enhanced the cell adherence, implying a possible role in cell adhesion and cell migration inhibition. In this work, therefore, we aimed to provide a new insight into the possible molecule mechanisms of dihydrotanshinone I, which had the strongest effects on cell adhesion among several candidate tanshinones. RNA−sequencing-based transcriptome analysis and several biochemical experiments indicated that there were comprehensive signals involved in dihydrotanshinone I-treated U−2 OS cells, such as cell cycle, DNA replication, thermogenesis, tight junction, oxidative phosphorylation, adherens junction, and focal adhesion. First, dihydrotanshinone I could potently inhibit cell proliferation and induce cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase by downregulating the expression of CDK4, CDK2, cyclin D1, and cyclin E1 and upregulating the expression of p21. Second, it could significantly enhance cell adhesion on cell plates and inhibit cell migration, involving the hyaluronan CD44−mediated CXCL8–PI3K/AKT–FOXO1, IL6–STAT3–P53, and EMT signaling pathways. Thus, the increased expression of CD44 and lengthened protrusions around the cell yielded a significant increase in cell adhesion. In summary, these results suggest that dihydrotanshinone I might be an interesting molecular therapy for enhancing human osteosarcoma U−2 OS cell adhesion and inhibiting cell migration and proliferation.

A Novel miRNA Y-56 Targeting IGF-1R Mediates the Proliferation of Porcine Skeletal Muscle Satellite Cells Through AKT and ERK Pathways

As a key regulator of gene transcription and post-transcriptional modification, miRNAs play a wide range of roles in skeletal muscle development. Skeletal muscle satellite cells contribute to postnatal growing muscle fibers. Thus, the goal of this study was to explore the effects of novel miRNA Y-56 on porcine skeletal muscle satellite cells (PSCs). We found that Y-56 was highly expressed in porcine muscle tissues, and its expression was higher in Bama Xiang pigs than in Landrace pigs. The EdU assay, cell counting kit-8, and flow cytometry results showed that Y-56 overexpression suppressed cell proliferation and cell cycle, whereas Y-56 inhibition resulted in the opposite consequences. The results of qRT-PCR and Western blot showed that Y-56 remarkably inhibited the expression levels of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and cyclin D1. We identified that IGF-1R was a direct target of Y-56 by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Moreover, IGF-1R overexpression promoted the proliferation and cell cycle process of PSCs and upregulated the expression of CDK4, PCNA, and cyclin D1. Conversely, IGF-1R knockdown had the opposite effect. Furthermore, IGF-1R overexpression partially reversed the inhibition of the cell proliferation and cell cycle process of PSCs and the downregulation of the expression of CDK4, PCNA, and Cyclin D1 caused by Y-56 overexpression. Finally, Y-56 inhibited the protein expression levels of p-AKT and p-ERK. Collectively, our findings suggested that Y-56 represses the proliferation and cell cycle process of PSCs by targeting IGF-1R-mediated AKT and ERK pathways.

Insulin-like growth factor reduced against decabromodiphenyl ether-209-induced neurodevelopmental toxicity in vivo and in vitro

OBJECTIVE

How to reduce the neurodevelopmental toxicity of decabromodiphenyl ether (PBDE-209) remains unclear. This study investigated neurodevelopmental toxicity of PBDE-209 and the protective effects of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1).

METHODS

Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with PBDE-209 and IGF-1, and the offspring were subjected to the Morris Water Maze test. Hippocampal neurons were cultured with PBDE-209 and IGF-1 or the PI3K inhibitor or MEK inhibitor for cell viability, apoptosis, immunofluorescence, and Western blot assays.

RESULTS

Prenatal PBDE-209 exposure impaired the learning and memory ability of rats by delaying the mean latency to the platform compared, whereas prenatal treatment with IGF-1 treatment improved the learning and memory ability. In vitro, treatment of primary cultured hippocampal neural stem cells (H-NSCs) with PBDE-209 reduced cell proliferation and differentiation, but induced apoptosis. In contrast, IGF-1 treatment antagonized the cytotoxic effects of PBDE-209 in H-NSCs in vitro. At the gene level, IGF-1 inhibition of PBDE-209-induced cell cytotoxicity was through the activation of the PI3K/AKT and MEK/ERK signaling pathways in vitro because the effect of IGF-1 was blocked by the AKT inhibitor LY294002 and the ERK1/2 inhibitor PD98059.

CONCLUSION

Prenatal PBDE-209 exposure impaired the learning and memory ability of rats, whereas IGF-1 treatment was able to inhibit the neurodevelopmental toxicity of PBDE-209 by activation of the PI3K/AKT and ERK1/2 cell pathways.

A SNP in the 3'UTR of the porcine IGF-1 gene interacts with miR-new14 to affect IGF-1 expression, proliferation and apoptosis of PK-15 cells

The kidney of miniature pigs has been considered the most likely potential kidney source for patients needing kidney transplantation. Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is involved in regulating the growth of miniature pigs and inducing growth of kidneys. There are evidences showing that the SNPs in the 3'UTR of a gene may affect the gene expression by affecting the binding to a miRNA target site. In this study, one SNP (rs34142920) was screened in the IGF-1 3'UTR between 2 different body types of porcine breeds, Bama Xiang (BX) pigs, a miniature pig breed, and Large White (LW) pigs by sequencing. The secondary structure of the IGF-1 3'UTR mRNA containing the SNP in BX pigs is different from that of LW pigs. We then verified that there was a porcine miRNA (miR-new14) binding to this SNP in the 3'UTR of IGF-1 via cotransfecting the 3'UTR from the 2 breeds and miR-new14. We further found that the SNP downregulated mRNA and protein levels of IGF-1 by affecting the binding of miR-new14. To understand the function of miR-new14 in porcine kidney (PK-15) cells and its mechanism, cell proliferation and cell apoptosis assays were employed and results showed that proliferation viability of PK-15 cells was weakened and the apoptotic percentage of PK-15 cells was higher in the miR-new14 group. Porcine miRNA reduced the mRNA expression of AKT/ERK and protein levels of p-AKT/p-ERK. These results suggested that the expression of IGF-1 is influenced by this SNP and miR-new14 and that miR-new14 may suppress cell proliferation and promote cell apoptosis in PK-15 cells through regulating AKT and ERK signaling pathways, in which IGF-1 is involved.

An overview of the anti-cancer actions of Tanshinones, derived from Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen)

Tanshinone is a herbal medicinal compound described in Chinese medicine, extracted from the roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen). This family of compounds, including Tanshinone IIA and Tanshinone I, have shown remarkable potential as anti-cancer molecules, especially against breast, cervical, colorectal, gastric, lung, and prostate cancer cell lines, as well as leukaemia, melanoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma among others. Recent data has indicated that Tanshinones can modulate multiple molecular pathways such as PI3K/Akt, MAPK and JAK/STAT3, and exert their pharmacological effects against different malignancies. In addition, preclinical and clinical data, together with the safety profile of Tanshinones, encourage further applications of these compounds in cancer therapeutics. In this review article, the effect of Tanshinones on different cancers, challenges in their pharmacological development, and opportunities to harness their clinical potential have been documented.

Porcine IGF-1R synonymous mutations in the intracellular domain affect cell proliferation and alter kinase activity

Miniature pigs are regarded as ideal organ donors for xenotransplantation into humans. Elucidating the formation mechanism of miniature pigs is important. The insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) is crucial in the regulation of cell proliferation and organismal growth. According to our previous research, the IGF-1R expression levels between large and miniature pigs showed different profiles in liver and muscle tissues. Here, five synonymous mutations of IGF-1R in the coding sequence (CDS) of intracellular domain (ICD) between large and miniature pigs were analysed by constructing expression vectors of two haplotypes and named pcDNA3.1-LP (with the CDS of IGF-1R ICD of Large White pigs, LP group) and pcDNA3.1-BM (with the CDS of IGF-1R ICD of Bama Xiang pigs, BM group). The IGF-1R of the BM group was expressed lower than that of the LP group in transcription, translation and autophosphorylation levels. The IGF-1R of the BM group also down-regulated the protein levels of p-AKT/p-ERK than that of the LP group. PK-15 and C2C12 cell proliferation were detected to further understand the function of the haplotype. Results showed that the proliferation viability of PK-15 and C2C12 cells weakened in the BM group. Moreover, the mRNA and protein stabilities of the BM group were higher than those of the LP group. Our data indicated that two haplotypes of IGF-1R CDS in ICD between large and miniature pigs altered IGF-1R expression and down-regulated AKT and ERK signalling pathways at translation levels, resulting in an inhibitory effect on PK-15 and C2C12 cell proliferation.

Vanadium and insulin: Partners in metabolic regulation

Since the 1970s, the biological role of vanadium compounds has been discussed as insulin-mimetic or insulin-enhancer agents. The action of vanadium compounds has been investigated to determine how they influence the insulin signaling pathway. Khan and coworkers proposed key proteins for the insulin pathway study, introducing the concept "critical nodes". In this review, we also considered critical kinases and phosphatases that participate in this pathway, which will permit a better comprehension of a critical node, where vanadium can act: a) insulin receptor, insulin receptor substrates, and protein tyrosine phosphatases; b) phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase, 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase and mammalian target of rapamycin complex, protein kinase B, and phosphatase and tensin homolog; and c) insulin receptor substrates and mitogen-activated protein kinases, each node having specific negative modulators. Additionally, leptin signaling was considered because together with insulin, it modulates glucose and lipid homeostasis. Even in recent literature, the possibility of vanadium acting against metabolic diseases or cancer is confirmed although the mechanisms of action are not well understood because these critical nodes have not been systematically investigated. Through this review, we establish that vanadium compounds mainly act as phosphatase inhibitors and hypothesize on their capacity to affect kinases, which are critical to other hormones that also act on common parts of the insulin pathway.

The Anticancer Properties of Tanshinones and the Pharmacological Effects of Their Active Ingredients

Cancer is a common malignant disease worldwide with an increasing mortality in recent years. Salvia miltiorrhiza, a well-known traditional Chinese medicine, has been used for the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases for thousands of years. The liposoluble tanshinones in S. miltiorrhiza are important bioactive components and mainly include tanshinone IIA, dihydrodanshinone, tanshinone I, and cryptotanshinone. Previous studies showed that these four tanshinones exhibited distinct inhibitory effects on tumor cells through different molecular mechanisms in vitro and in vivo. The mechanisms mainly include the inhibition of tumor cell growth, metastasis, invasion, and angiogenesis, apoptosis induction, cell autophagy, and antitumor immunity, and so on. In this review, we describe the latest progress on the antitumor functions and mechanisms of these four tanshinones to provide a deeper understanding of the efficacy. In addition, the important role of tumor immunology is also reviewed.

Novel HSP90-PI3K Dual Inhibitor Suppresses Melanoma Cell Proliferation by Interfering with HSP90-EGFR Interaction and Downstream Signaling Pathways

Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, and its incidence has continuously increased over the past 20 years. Therefore, the discovery of a novel targeted therapeutic strategy for melanoma is urgently needed. In our study, MTT-based cell proliferation assay, cell cycle, and apoptosis assays through flow cytometry, protein immunoblotting, protein immunoprecipitation, designing of melanoma xenograft models, and immunohistochemical/immunofluorescent assays were carried out to determine the detailed molecular mechanisms of a novel HSP90-PI3K dual inhibitor. Our compound, named DHP1808, was found to suppress A375 cell proliferation through apoptosis induction by activating the Fas/FasL signaling pathway; it also induced cell-cycle arrest and inhibited the cell migration and invasion of A375 cells by interfering with Hsp90-EGFR interactions and downstream signaling pathways. Our results indicate that DHP1808 could be a promising lead compound for the Hsp90/PI3K dual inhibitor.

Artemether Activation of AMPK/GSK3β(ser9)/Nrf2 Signaling Confers Neuroprotection towards β-Amyloid-Induced Neurotoxicity in 3xTg Alzheimer's Mouse Model

Alzheimer's disease is a severe neurodegenerative disease. Multiple factors involving neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid-β plaques lead to the progression of the AD, generated by aggregated hyperphosphorylated Tau protein. Inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and oxidative stress play a significant role in the progression of AD. It has been therefore suggested that the multifactorial nature of AD pathogenesis requires the design of antioxidant drugs with a broad spectrum of neuroprotective activities. For this reason, the use of natural products, characterized by multiple pharmacological properties is advantageous as AD-modifying drugs over the single-targeted chemicals. Artemether, a peroxide sesquiterpenoid lipid-soluble compound, has been used in the clinic as an antimalarial drug. Also, it exhibits potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Here, we report the neuroprotective effects of Artemether towards Aβ-induced neurotoxicity in neuronal cell cultures. A temporal correlation was found between Artemether neuroprotection towards Aβ-induced neurotoxicity and AMPK/GSK3β phosphorylation activity and increased expression of the activated Nrf2 signaling pathway. In 3xTg-AD mice, Artemether attenuated learning and memory deficits, inhibited cortical neuronal apoptosis and glial activation, inhibited oxidative stress through decrease of lipid peroxidation and increased expression of SOD, and reduced Aβ deposition and tau protein phosphorylation. Moreover, in 3xTg-AD mice, Artemether induced phosphorylation of the AMPK/GSK3β pathway which activated Nrf2, increasing the level of antioxidant protein HO-1. These activities probably produced the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects responsible for the neuroprotective effects of Artemether in the 3xTg-AD mouse model. These findings propose Artemether as a new drug for the treatment of AD disease.

Tanshinone IIA Reverses Oxaliplatin Resistance In Human Colorectal Cancer Via Inhibition Of ERK/Akt Signaling Pathway

Background

Oxaliplatin (OXA)-based chemotherapy is generally used to treat human cancers, whereas OXA resistance is a main obstacle for the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC). Evidence has shown that tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) could induce apoptosis in CRC cells. However, the role of combination of OXA and Tan IIA on OXA-resistance CRC cells remains unknown. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effects of Tan IIA in combination with OXA on OXA-resistance CRC cells.

Methods

MTT assay, Ki67 immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry were used to detect viability, proliferation and apoptosis in OXA-resistant cell line SW480/OXA, respectively. The expressions of Bcl-2, Bax, active caspase 3, p-Akt and p-ERK in SW480/OXA cells were detected with Western blot. In vivo animal study was performed finally.

Results

In this study, the inhibitory effects of OXA on the proliferation and invasion of SW480/OXA cells were significantly enhanced by Tan IIA. In addition, Tan IIA obviously enhanced the anti-apoptosis effects of OXA on SW480/OXA cells via decreasing the levels of Bcl-2, p-Akt and p-ERK, and increasing the levels of Bax and active caspase 3. In vivo experiments confirmed that Tan IIA enhanced OXA sensitivity in SW480/OXA xenograft model.

Conclusion

We found that Tan IIA could reverse OXA resistance in OXA-resistance CRC cells. Therefore, OXA combined with Tan IIA might be considered as a therapeutic approach for the treatment of OXA-resistant CRC.

Pristimerin attenuates cell proliferation of uveal melanoma cells by inhibiting insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor and its downstream pathways

Uveal melanoma (UM) has a high mortality rate due to liver metastasis. The insulin‐like growth factor‐1 receptor (IGF‐1R) is highly expressed in UM and has been shown to be associated with hepatic metastases. Targeting IGF signalling may be considered as a promising approach to inhibit the process of metastatic UM cells. Pristimerin (PRI) has been demonstrated to inhibit the growth of several cancer cells, but its role and underlying mechanisms in the IGF‐1‐induced UM cell proliferation are largely unknown. The present study examined the anti‐proliferative effect of PRI on UM cells and its possible role in IGF‐1R signalling transduction. MTT and clonogenic assays were used to determine the role of PRI in the proliferation of UM cells. Flow cytometry was performed to detect the effect of PRI on the cell cycle distribution of UM cells. Western blotting was carried out to assess the effects of PRI and IGF‐1 on the IGF‐1R phosphorylation and its downstream targets. The results indicated that IGF‐1 promoted the UM cell proliferation and improved the level of IGF‐1R phosphorylation, whereas PRI attenuated the effect of IGF‐1. Interestingly, PRI could not only induce the G1 phase accumulation and reduce the G2 phase induced by IGF‐1, but also could stimulate the expression of p21 and inhibit the expression of cyclin D1. Besides, PRI could attenuate the phosphorylations of Akt, mTOR and ERK1/2 induced by IGF‐1. Furthermore, the molecular docking study also demonstrated that PRI had potential inhibitory effects on IGF‐1R. Taken together, these results indicated that PRI could inhibit the proliferation of UM cells through down‐regulation of phosphorylated IGF‐1R and its downstream signalling.

Effect of inhibiting ACAT-1 expression on the growth and metastasis of Lewis lung carcinoma

Accumulating evidence suggests that acetyl-CoA acetryltransferase 1 (ACAT-1) may mediate tumor development and metastasis. However, the specific function served by ACAT-1 in lung cancer is not well understood. Therefore, the present study initially verified that ACAT-1 was overexpressed in Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) tissues compared with non-LLC mice and that this overexpression promoted the proliferation, invasion and metastasis of these LLC samples. Western blotting, immunofluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry allowed the present study to determine that the ACAT-1 inhibitor avasimibe significantly reduced the expression of ACAT-1 in LLC compared with LLC cells that are not treated with avasimibe (P<0.05). A combination of Cell Counting Kit-8 and wound healing assays demonstrated that downregulating ACAT-1 expression sufficiently inhibited the proliferation of LLC cells. Avasimibe promoted LLC cell apoptosis as assessed by a Annexin V/propidium iodide double staining assay. Furthermore, avasimibe inhibited tumor growth in vivo and improved immune responses, with tissue biopsies from LLC model mice exhibiting higher levels of ACAT-1 compared with in healthy controls. Altogether, the results of the present study reveal that avasimibe may inhibit the progression of LLC by downregulating the expression of ACAT-1, which may thus be a potential novel therapeutic target for lung cancer treatment.

ERK is a Pivotal Player of Chemo-Immune-Resistance in Cancer

The extracellular signal-related kinases (ERKs) act as pleiotropic molecules in tumors, where they activate pro-survival pathways leading to cell proliferation and migration, as well as modulate apoptosis, differentiation, and senescence. Given its central role as sensor of extracellular signals, ERK transduction system is widely exploited by cancer cells subjected to environmental stresses, such as chemotherapy and anti-tumor activity of the host immune system. Aggressive tumors have a tremendous ability to adapt and survive in stressing and unfavorable conditions. The simultaneous resistance to chemotherapy and immune system responses is common, and ERK signaling plays a key role in both types of resistance. In this review, we dissect the main ERK-dependent mechanisms and feedback circuitries that simultaneously determine chemoresistance and immune-resistance/immune-escape in cancer cells. We discuss the pros and cons of targeting ERK signaling to induce chemo-immune-sensitization in refractory tumors.