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Liu G, Qin P, Cheng X, Wu L, Wang R, Gao W. Ursolic acid: biological functions and application in animal husbandry. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1251248. [PMID: 37964910 PMCID: PMC10642196 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1251248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Ursolic acid (UA) is a plant-derived pentacyclic triterpenoid with 30 carbon atoms. UA has anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, antimicrobial, hepato-protective, anticancer, and other biological activities. Most studies on the biological functions of UA have been performed in mammalian cell (in vitro) and rodent (in vivo) models. UA is used in animal husbandry as an anti-inflammatory and antiviral agent, as well as for enhancing the integrity of the intestinal barrier. Although UA has been shown to have significant in vitro bacteriostatic effects, it is rarely used in animal nutrition. The use of UA as a substitute for oral antibiotics or as a novel feed additive in animal husbandry should be considered. This review summarizes the available data on the biological functions of UA and its applications in animal husbandry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanhui Liu
- School of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, China
| | - Peng Qin
- Chenguang Biotechnology Group Handan Co., Ltd., Handan, China
| | - Xinying Cheng
- Chenguang Biotechnology Group Handan Co., Ltd., Handan, China
| | - Lifei Wu
- Hebei Plant Extraction Innovation Center Co., Ltd., Handan, China
- Hebei Province Plant Source Animal Health Products Technology Innovation Center, Handan, China
| | - Ruoning Wang
- School of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, China
| | - Wei Gao
- Hebei Plant Extraction Innovation Center Co., Ltd., Handan, China
- Hebei Province Plant Source Animal Health Products Technology Innovation Center, Handan, China
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Cai C, Zhi Y, Xie C, Geng S, Sun F, Ji Z, Zhang P, Wang H, Tang J. Ursolic acid-downregulated long noncoding RNA ASMTL-AS1 inhibits renal cell carcinoma growth via binding to HuR and reducing vascular endothelial growth factor expression. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 2023; 37:e23389. [PMID: 37300450 DOI: 10.1002/jbt.23389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
It has been reported ursolic acid (UA), one of the naturally abundant pentacyclic triterpenes, possesses a wide range of biological activities including anti-inflammatory, anti-atherosclerotic, and anticancer properties. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a severe malignancy due to its asymptomatically spreading ability. Our study aimed to investigate the role and molecular mechanism of UA in RCC. RCC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis were assessed using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, Transwell, and tube formation assays. Xenograft tumor models were established to confirm the role of UA and long noncoding RNA ASMTL antisense RNA 1 (ASMTL-AS1) in vivo. Expression levels of ASMTL-AS1 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were measured using reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. The interaction probabilities of ASMTL-AS1 or VEGF with RNA-binding protein human antigen R (HuR) were verified by RNA immunoprecipitation experiment. The half-life period of messenger RNA (mRNA) was determined using actinomycin D. UA inhibited RCC cell growth in vivo and tumorigenesis in vitro. ASMTL-AS1 was highly expressed in RCC cell lines. Of note, UA downregulated ASMTL-AS1 expression, and overexpressed ASMTL-AS1 reversed the UA-induced suppression on RCC cell migration, invasion, and tube formation. Additionally, ASMTL-AS1 bound to HuR to maintain the stability of VEGF mRNA. Rescue experiments showed that the suppressed malignancy of RCC cells mediated by ASMTL-AS1 knockdown was counteracted by overexpression of VEGF. Moreover, silenced ASMTL-AS1 inhibited RCC tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. The obtained data suggest UA as a promising therapeutic agent to attenuate the development of RCC via regulation of the targeted molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengkuan Cai
- Department of Urology, The First People's Hospital of Lianyungang, The Affiliated Lianyungang Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Lianyungang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yunlai Zhi
- Department of Urology, The First People's Hospital of Lianyungang, The Affiliated Lianyungang Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Lianyungang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Cheng Xie
- Department of Urology, The First People's Hospital of Lianyungang, The Affiliated Lianyungang Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Lianyungang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shen Geng
- Department of Urology, The First People's Hospital of Lianyungang, The Affiliated Lianyungang Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Lianyungang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Fanghu Sun
- Department of Urology, The First People's Hospital of Lianyungang, The Affiliated Lianyungang Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Lianyungang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhengshuai Ji
- Department of Urology, The First People's Hospital of Lianyungang, The Affiliated Lianyungang Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Lianyungang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Pengcheng Zhang
- Department of Urology, The First People's Hospital of Lianyungang, The Affiliated Lianyungang Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Lianyungang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Department of Urology, The First People's Hospital of Lianyungang, The Affiliated Lianyungang Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Lianyungang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jingyuan Tang
- Department of Urology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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Yap WH, Goh BH. Editorial: Biofunctional Molecule Exploratory Research on Application in Food and Health. Molecules 2023; 28:5089. [PMID: 37446751 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28135089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Biofunctional molecules with pharmacological activities are reported in various fields of application, including in the pharmaceutical, cosmetics, nutraceuticals, agriculture, and food industries [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Hsum Yap
- School of Biosciences, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Taylor's University, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia
- Centre for Drug Discovery and Molecular Pharmacology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Taylor's University, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia
| | - Bey Hing Goh
- Biofunctional Molecule Exploratory (BMEX) Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway 47500, Malaysia
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
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Zhao H, Tang S, Tao Q, Ming T, Lei J, Liang Y, Peng Y, Wang M, Liu M, Yang H, Ren S, Xu H. Ursolic Acid Suppresses Colorectal Cancer by Down-Regulation of Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway Activity. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2023; 71:3981-3993. [PMID: 36826439 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c06775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Overwhelming evidence points to an abnormally active Wnt/β-catenin signaling as a key player in colorectal cancer (CRC) pathogenesis. Ursolic acid (UA) is a pentacyclic triterpenoid that has been found in a broad variety of fruits, spices, and medicinal plants. UA has been shown to have potent bioactivity against a variety of cancers, including CRC, with the action mechanism obscure. Our study tried to learn more about the efficacy of UA on CRC and its functional mechanism amid the Wnt/β-catenin signaling cascade. We determined the efficacy of UA on CRC SW620 cells with respect to the proliferation, migration, clonality, apoptosis, cell cycle, and Wnt/β-catenin signaling cascade, with assessment of the effect of UA on normal colonic NCM460 cells. Also, the effects of UA on the tumor development, apoptosis, cell cycle, and Wnt/β-catenin signaling axis were evaluated after a subcutaneous SW620 xenograft tumor model was established in mice. In this work, we showed that UA drastically suppressed proliferation, migration, and clonality; induced apoptosis; and arrested the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase of SW620 cells, without the influence on NCM460 cells, accompanied by weakened activity of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Besides, UA markedly deterred the growth of the xenograft tumor, ameliorated pathological features, triggered apoptosis, and arrested the cell cycle in xenograft CRC tissue, by lessening the Wnt/β-catenin signaling cascade. Overall, UA may inhibit the malignant phenotype, induce apoptosis, and arrest the cell cycle of CRC, potentially by attenuating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling axis, providing insights into the mechanism for the potency of UA on CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Department of Pharmacology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Shun Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Department of Pharmacology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Qiu Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Department of Pharmacology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Tianqi Ming
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Department of Pharmacology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Jiarong Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Department of Pharmacology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Yuanjing Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Department of Pharmacology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Yuhui Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Department of Pharmacology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Minmin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Department of Pharmacology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Maolun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Department of Pharmacology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Han Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Department of Pharmacology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Shan Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Department of Pharmacology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Haibo Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Department of Pharmacology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
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Ursolic Acid Impairs Cellular Lipid Homeostasis and Lysosomal Membrane Integrity in Breast Carcinoma Cells. Cells 2022; 11:cells11244079. [PMID: 36552844 PMCID: PMC9776894 DOI: 10.3390/cells11244079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, thus the search for new cancer therapies is of utmost importance. Ursolic acid is a naturally occurring pentacyclic triterpene with a wide range of pharmacological activities including anti-inflammatory and anti-neoplastic effects. The latter has been assigned to its ability to promote apoptosis and inhibit cancer cell proliferation by poorly defined mechanisms. In this report, we identify lysosomes as the essential targets of the anti-cancer activity of ursolic acid. The treatment of MCF7 breast cancer cells with ursolic acid elevates lysosomal pH, alters the cellular lipid profile, and causes lysosomal membrane permeabilization and leakage of lysosomal enzymes into the cytosol. Lysosomal membrane permeabilization precedes the essential hallmarks of apoptosis placing it as an initial event in the cascade of effects induced by ursolic acid. The disruption of the lysosomal function impairs the autophagic pathway and likely partakes in the mechanism by which ursolic acid kills cancer cells. Furthermore, we find that combining treatment with ursolic acid and cationic amphiphilic drugs can significantly enhance the degree of lysosomal membrane permeabilization and cell death in breast cancer cells.
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Qu PR, Jiang ZL, Song PP, Liu LC, Xiang M, Wang J. Saponins and their derivatives: Potential candidates to alleviate anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity and multidrug resistance. Pharmacol Res 2022; 182:106352. [PMID: 35835369 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2022.106352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Anthracyclines (ANTs) continue to play an irreplaceable role in oncology treatment. However, the clinical application of ANTs has been limited. In the first place, ANTs can cause dose-dependent cardiotoxicity such as arrhythmia, cardiomyopathy, and congestive heart failure. In the second place, the development of multidrug resistance (MDR) leads to their chemotherapeutic failure. Oncology cardiologists are urgently searching for agents that can both protect the heart and reverse MDR without compromising the antitumor effects of ANTs. Based on in vivo and in vitro data, we found that natural compounds, including saponins, may be active agents for other both natural and chemical compounds in the inhibition of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity (AIC) and the reversal of MDR. In this review, we summarize the work of previous researchers, describe the mechanisms of AIC and MDR, and focus on revealing the pharmacological effects and potential molecular targets of saponins and their derivatives in the inhibition of AIC and the reversal of MDR, aiming to encourage future research and clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Rong Qu
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medicine Sciences, Beijing 100053, China
| | - Zhi-Lin Jiang
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medicine Sciences, Beijing 100053, China
| | - Ping-Ping Song
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medicine Sciences, Beijing 100013, China
| | - Lan-Chun Liu
- Beijing University of traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Mi Xiang
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medicine Sciences, Beijing 100053, China
| | - Jie Wang
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medicine Sciences, Beijing 100053, China
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