Baicalein induces apoptosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells through modulation of the PI3K/Akt pathway

Baicalin Attenuates Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL)-Induced Cytoskeleton Rearrangement via Regulating the RhoA/ROCK/LIMK and PI3K/AKT/GSK-3β Pathways in Bovine Mammary Epithelial Cells

Pore-forming toxins (PFTs) exert physiological effects by rearrangement of the host cell cytoskeleton. Staphylococcus aureus-secreted PFTs play an important role in bovine mastitis. In the study, we examined the effects of recombinant Panton-Valentine leukocidin (rPVL) on cytoskeleton rearrangement, and identified the signaling pathways involved in regulating the process in bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs) in vitro. Meanwhile, the underlying regulatory mechanism of baicalin for this process was investigated. The results showed that S. aureus induced cytoskeleton rearrangement in BMECs mainly through PVL. S. aureus and rPVL caused alterations in the cell morphology and layer integrity due to microfilament and microtubule rearrangement and focal contact inability. rPVL strongly induced the phosphorylation of cofilin at Ser3 mediating by the activation of the RhoA/ROCK/LIMK pathway, and resulted in the activation of loss of actin stress fibers, or the hyperphosphorylation of Tau at Ser396 inducing by the inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/GSK-3β pathways, and decreased the microtubule assembly. Baicalin significantly attenuated rPVL-stimulated cytoskeleton rearrangement in BMECs. Baicalin inhibited cofilin phosphorylation or Tau hyperphosphorylation via regulating the activation of RhoA/ROCK/LIMK and PI3K/AKT/GSK-3β signaling pathways. These findings provide new insights into the pathogenesis and potential treatment in S. aureus causing bovine mastitis.

Multidisciplinary docking, kinetics and X-ray crystallography studies of baicalein acting as a glycogen phosphorylase inhibitor and determination of its' potential against glioblastoma in cellular models

Glycogen phosphorylase (GP) is the rate-determining enzyme in the glycogenolysis pathway. Glioblastoma (GBM) is amongst the most aggressive cancers of the central nervous system. The role of GP and glycogen metabolism in the context of cancer cell metabolic reprogramming is recognised, so that GP inhibitors may have potential treatment benefits. Here, baicalein (5,6,7-trihydroxyflavone) is studied as a GP inhibitor, and for its effects on glycogenolysis and GBM at the cellular level. The compound is revealed as a potent GP inhibitor against human brain GPa (Ki = 32.54 μM), human liver GPa (Ki = 8.77 μM) and rabbit muscle GPb (Ki = 5.66 μM) isoforms. It is also an effective inhibitor of glycogenolysis (IC50 = 119.6 μM), measured in HepG2 cells. Most significantly, baicalein demonstrated anti-cancer potential through concentration- and time-dependent decrease in cell viability for three GBM cell-lines (U-251 MG, U-87 MG, T98-G) with IC50 values of ∼20-55 μM (48- and 72-h). Its effectiveness against T98-G suggests potential against GBM with resistance to temozolomide (the first-line therapy) due to a positive O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) status. The solved X-ray structure of rabbit muscle GP-baicalein complex will facilitate structure-based design of GP inhibitors. Further exploration of baicalein and other GP inhibitors with different isoform specificities against GBM is suggested.

Baicalein as Promising Anticancer Agent: A Comprehensive Analysis on Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Perspectives

Despite significant therapeutic advancements for cancer, an atrocious global burden (for example, health and economic) and radio- and chemo-resistance limit their effectiveness and result in unfavorable health consequences. Natural compounds are generally considered safer than synthetic drugs, and their use in cancer treatment alone, or in combination with conventional therapies, is increasingly becoming accepted. Interesting outcomes from pre-clinical trials using Baicalein in combination with conventional medicines have been reported, and some of them have also undergone clinical trials in later stages. As a result, we investigated the prospects of Baicalein, a naturally occurring substance extracted from the stems of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and Oroxylum indicum Kurz, which targets a wide range of molecular changes that are involved in cancer development. In other words, this review is primarily driven by the findings from studies of Baicalein therapy in several cancer cell populations based on promising pre-clinical research. The modifications of numerous signal transduction mechanisms and transcriptional agents have been highlighted as the major players for Baicalein’s anti-malignant properties at the micro level. These include AKT serine/threonine protein kinase B (AKT) as well as PI3K/Akt/mTOR, matrix metalloproteinases-2 & 9 (MMP-2 & 9), Wnt/-catenin, Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), NF-κB, Caspase-3/8/9, Smad4, Notch 1/Hes, Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/Kelch-like ECH-associated protein-1 (Keap 1), Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), Src/Id1, ROS signaling, miR 183/ezrin, and Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling cascades. The promise of Baicalein as an anti-inflammatory to anti-apoptotic/anti-angiogenic/anti-metastatic medicinal element for treating various malignancies and its capability to inhibit malignant stem cells, evidence of synergistic effects, and design of nanomedicine-based drugs are altogether well supported by the data presented in this review study.

The Multifaceted Role of Baicalein in Cancer Management through Modulation of Cell Signalling Pathways

The roles of medicinal plants or their purified bioactive compounds have attracted attention in the field of health sciences due to their low toxicity and minimal side effects. Baicalein is an active polyphenolic compound, isolated from Scutellaria baicalensis, and plays a significant role in the management of different diseases. Epidemiologic studies have proven that there is an inverse association between baicalein consumption and disease severity. Baicalein is known to display anticancer activity through the inhibition of inflammation and cell proliferation. Additionally, the anticancer potential of baicalein is chiefly mediated through the modulation of various cell-signaling pathways, such as the induction of apoptosis, autophagy, cell cycle arrest, inhibition of angiogenesis, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, and PI3K/Akt pathways, as well as the regulation of other molecular targets. Therefore, the current review aimed to explore the role of baicalein in different types of cancer along with mechanisms of action. Besides this, the synergistic effects with other anti-cancerous drugs and the nano-formulation based delivery of baicalein have also been discussed.

Deciphering the pharmacological mechanisms of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi on oral leukoplakia by combining network pharmacology, molecular docking and experimental evaluations

BACKGROUND

Oral leukoplakia (OLK), an uncharacterized pathological condition that occurs as a white patch in the oral mucosa, is the most common precancerous condition. Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (SBG) is a medicinal plant with a wide range of pharmacological effects. Increased evidence shows that SBG has potential therapeutic effects on OLK. However, the therapeutic mechanisms of SBG against OLK have not yet been completely elucidated.

PURPOSE

This study aimed to clarify the active components and multi-target mechanisms of SBG against OLK via network pharmacology, molecular docking and experimental evaluations.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

The active components and related targets of SBG were screened by the TCMSP database and Swiss Target Prediction database. Potential therapeutic targets of OLK were collected using the GeneCards and OMIM databases. Then, we established protein-protein interaction (PPI), compound-target-disease (C-T-D), and compound-target-pathway (C-T-P) networks by Cytoscape to identify the main components, core targets, and pharmacological pathways of SBG against OLK via applying data mining techniques and topological parameters. Metascape database was utilized for GO and KEGG pathway analysis. Molecular docking techniques were used to estimate the binding force between the components and the hub genes. Subsequently, a series of in vitro experiments, specifically CCK-8 assay, clone formation assay, wound healing assay, flow cytometry, RT-qPCR and western blotting were conducted for further verification.

RESULTS

There were 25 active components and 31 related target genes in SBG against OLK. PPI analysis showed that Akt1, VEGFA, EGFR, HIF1A and PTGS2 shared the highest centrality among all target genes. KEGG pathway analysis found that PI3K-Akt signaling pathway may occupy core status in the anti-OLK system. Molecular docking results showed that the main active components of SBG had a strong binding affinity to the hub genes. In vitro experiments showed that the leading component baicalein may inhibit proliferation, block cells in the S phase, induce DOK cell apoptosis, and downregulate the mRNA expression of 5 hub genes by inhibiting PI3K/Akt signaling pathway activation.

CONCLUSION

The most predominant component of SBG against OLK was baicalein and the key pathway was PI3K/Akt. The main components and hub genes had robust binding abilities. In vitro experiments showed that baicalein could inhibit the proliferation of DOK cells, induce apoptosis, block the cell cycle, and inhibit the mRNA expression level of the hub genes by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt pathway.

Baicalein Inhibits the Progression and Promotes Radiosensitivity of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma by Targeting HIF-1A

Purpose

To explore the mechanism of the effect of baicalein on radioresistance of esophageal cancer, and to provide ideas for the treatment of patients with poor radiotherapy effect of esophageal cancer.

Methods

The glycolytic rate assay kit was used to detect the changes in glycolytic metabolism in esophageal cancer cells after treatment with baicalein, and mass spectrometry was used to detect whether baicalein could affect the level of glycolysis-related metabolites in esophageal cancer cells. The binding of baicalein to the target protein was simulated by molecular docking technique, the protein expression level was detected by Western Blot, and the changes in the cell cycle were detected by flow cytometry.

Results

Radiation combined with baicalein could significantly inhibit the proliferation and migration of esophageal cancer cells compared with that of 6 Gy rays alone. The results of the glycolytic rate assay showed that baicalein could inhibit the glycolysis of esophageal cancer cells. Metabonomic studies showed that baicalein could affect the expression levels of glycolysis-related metabolites. The results of network pharmacology showed that baicalein could target several key glycolysis enzymes and glycolysis-related proteins, such as HIF-1A. The results of the WB experiment showed that glycolysis-related proteins and cycle-related proteins were down-regulated after baicalein treatment.

Conclusion

The main mechanism of baicalein inhibiting radiation resistance of esophageal cancer cells is that targeting HIF-1A protein regulates glucose metabolism and then regulates Cyclin D1/CDK4 axis to change the cell cycle.

Redox Activity of Flavonoids: Impact on Human Health, Therapeutics, and Chemical Safety

The cost-effectiveness of presently used therapies is a problem in overall redox-based management, which is posing a significant financial burden on communities across the world. As a result, sophisticated treatment models that provide notions of predictive diagnoses followed by targeted preventive therapies adapted to individual patient profiles are gaining global acclaim as being beneficial to patients, the healthcare sector, and society as a whole. In this context, natural flavonoids were considered due to their multifaceted antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects as well as their low toxicity and ease of availability. The aim of this review is to focus on the capacity of flavonoids to modulate the responsiveness of various diseases and ailments associated with redox toxicity. The review will also focus on the flavonoids' pathway-based redox activity and the advancement of redox-based therapies as well as flavonoids' antioxidant characteristics and their influence on human health, therapeutics, and chemical safety. Research findings indicated that flavonoids significantly exhibit various redox-based therapeutic responses against several diseases such as inflammatory, neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, and hepatic diseases and various types of cancer by activating the Nrf2/Keap1 transcription system, suppressing the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB)/IκB kinase inflammatory pathway, abrogating the function of the Hsp90/Hsf1 complex, inhibiting the PTEN/PI3K/Akt pathway, and preventing mitochondrial dysfunction. Some flavonoids, especially genistein, apigenin, amentoflavone, baicalein, quercetin, licochalcone A, and biochanin A, play a potential role in redox regulation. Conclusions of this review on the antioxidant aspects of flavonoids highlight the medicinal and folk values of these compounds against oxidative stress and various diseases and ailments. In short, treatment with flavonoids could be a novel therapeutic invention in clinical trials, as we hope.

Baicalein Inhibits Metastatic Phenotypes in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cells via a Focal Adhesion Protein Integrin β8

Baicalein, a prominent flavonoid from the indigenous herbal plant Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, possesses broad-spectrum anticancer activities. However, the biological effects of baicalein on nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and its underlying mechanisms remain unclarified. Thus, in this study, we examined the effects of baicalein on NPC cell lines and investigated the corresponding molecular mechanism through transcriptome profiling. In the study, four NPC cell lines were treated with various concentrations of baicalein at different time points. Cellular toxicity and proliferative inhibition of baicalein were examined by MTT assay. Metastatic phenotypes of NPC cells were investigated by wound healing, transwell, and adhesion assays. Additionally, microarray experiments were performed to determine the cellular pathways affected by baicalein. The expression and localization of the integrin β8 were validated by western immunoblotting and immunofluorescence. Our results revealed that baicalein exhibited its cytotoxicity and antiproliferative activity on all tested NPC cell lines. It also significantly inhibited metastatic phenotypes at sub-lethal concentrations. Transcriptomic analysis showed that baicalein significantly affected the focal adhesion pathway in NPC, where integrin β8 was greatly diminished. Thus, the present study results suggested that baicalein inhibits the metastatic phenotypes of NPC cells by modulating integrin β8, one of the major molecules in a focal adhesion pathway.

Function of selected natural antidiabetic compounds with potential against cancer via modulation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR cascade

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder with growing global incidence, as 387 million people were diagnosed in 2014 with an expected projection of 642 million in 2040. Several complications are associated with DM including heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, and cancer. The latter is the second leading cause of death worldwide accounting for one in every six deaths, with liver, pancreas, and endometrium cancers are the most abundant among patients with diabetes. Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway plays a vital role in developing a wide array of pathological disorders, among them diabetes and cancer. Natural secondary metabolites that counteract the deleterious effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and modulate PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway could be a promising approach in cancer therapy. Here, 717 medicinal plants with antidiabetic activities were highlighted along with 357 bioactive compounds responsible for the antidiabetic activity. Also, 43 individual plant compounds with potential antidiabetic activities against cancer via the modulation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR cascade were identified. Taken together, the available data give an insight of the potential of repurposing medicinal plants and/or the individual secondary metabolites with antidiabetic activities for cancer therapy.

Study on the effects of the different polar group of EPA-enriched phospholipids on the proliferation and apoptosis in 95D cells

EPA-enriched phosphatidylcholine (EPA-PC) and EPA-enriched phosphatidylethanolamine (EPA-PE) are newly identified marine phospholipids. The polar group of phospholipids is known to influence EPA-phospholipid activity. However, the differences in anti-tumor effects between EPA-PC and EPA-PE have not been reported. In this study, we evaluated the effects of two forms of EPA on the proliferation and apoptosis in the lung-cancer cell line 95D as well as possible molecular mechanisms. Our results showed that EPA-PC effectively inhibited proliferative activity and promoted apoptosis of 95D cells in a dose-dependent manner, while EPA-PE had no effect on cell proliferation, although it slightly promoted apoptosis. Western blot results showed that EPA-PC and EPA-PE upregulated the expression of PPARγ, RXRα, and PTEN, and downregulated the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Furthermore, EPA-PC and EPA-PE induced the expression of the pro-apoptotic gene, Bax, and reduced the expression of the anti-apoptotic gene, Bcl-xl. Additionally, EPA-PC and EPA-PE promoted the release of cytochrome c and activated the apoptotic enzyme-cleaved caspase-3. These data suggest that the anti-tumor effect of EPA-phospholipids may be exerted via a PPARγ-related mechanism. EPA-PC was more efficacious as compared to EPA-PE, which might be due to the different polar groups of phospholipids.

Resistance to Intervention: Paclitaxel in Breast Cancer

Breast cancer stands as the most prevalent cancer in women globally, and contributes to the highest percentage of mortality due to cancer-related deaths in women. Paclitaxel (PTX) is heavily relied on as a frontline chemotherapy drug in breast cancer treatment, especially in advanced metastatic cancer. Generation of resistance to PTX often derails clinical management and adversely affects patient outcomes. Understanding the molecular mechanism of PTX resistance is necessary to device methods to aid in overcoming the resistance. Recent studies exploring the mechanism of development of PTX resistance have led to unveiling of a range novel therapeutic targets. PTX resistance pathways that involve major regulatory proteins/RNAs like RNF8/Twist/ROR1, TLR, ErbB3/ErbB2, BRCA1- IRIS, MENA, LIN9, MiRNA, FoxM1 and IRAK1 have expanded the complexity of resistance mechanisms, and brought newer insights into the development of drug targets. These resistance-related targets can be dealt with synthetic/natural therapeutics in combination with PTX. The present review encompasses the recent understanding of PTX resistance mechanisms in breast cancer and possible therapeutic combinations to overcome resistance.

The Root Extract of Scutellaria baicalensis Induces Apoptosis in EGFR TKI-Resistant Human Lung Cancer Cells by Inactivation of STAT3

Resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR TKIs) is a major obstacle in managing lung cancer. The root of Scutellaria baicalensis (SB) traditionally used for fever clearance and detoxification possesses various bioactivities including anticancer effects. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether SB exhibited anticancer activity in EGFR TKI-resistant lung cancer cells and to explore the underlying mechanism. We used four types of human lung cancer cell lines, including H1299 (EGFR wildtype; EGFR TKI-resistant), H1975 (acquired TKI-resistant), PC9/ER (acquired erlotinib-resistant), and PC9/GR (acquired gefitinib-resistant) cells. The ethanol extract of SB (ESB) decreased cell viability and suppressed colony formation in the four cell lines. ESB stimulated nuclear fragmentation and the cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and caspase-3. Consistently, the proportion of sub-G1 phase cells and annexin V+ cells were significantly elevated by ESB, indicating that ESB induced apoptotic cell death in EGFR TKI-resistant cells. ESB dephosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and downregulated the target gene expression. The overexpression of constitutively active STAT3 reversed ESB-induced apoptosis, suggesting that ESB triggered apoptosis in EGFR TKI-resistant cells by inactivating STAT3. Taken together, we propose the potential use of SB as a novel therapeutic for lung cancer patients with EGFR TKI resistance.

Baicalein and Baicalin Promote Melanoma Apoptosis and Senescence via Metabolic Inhibition

Malignant melanoma is one of the most common and dangerous skin cancers with a high rate of death every year. Furthermore, N-RAS and B-RAF mutations in melanoma cells increase the difficulties for clinical treatment in patients. Therefore, development of effective and universal drugs against melanoma is urgently needed. Here we demonstrate that baicalein and baicalin, the active components of the Chinese traditional medicinal plant Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, can significantly inhibit melanoma cell growth and proliferation, suppress tumor cell colony formation and migration, as well as induce apoptosis and senescence in melanoma cells. The anti-tumor effects mediated by baicalein and baicalin are independent of N-RAS and B-RAF mutation statuses in melanoma cells. Mechanistically, we identify that the suppression of baicalein and baicalin on melanoma cells is due to inhibition of tumor cell glucose uptake and metabolism by affecting the mTOR-HIF-1α signaling pathway. In addition, we demonstrated that baicalein and baicalin can suppress tumorigenesis and tumor growth in vivo in the melanoma model. These studies clearly indicate that baicalein and baicalin can control tumor growth and development metabolically and have great potential as novel and universal drugs for melanoma therapy.

Antioxidants in Cancer Therapy: Recent Trends in Application of Nanotechnology for Enhanced Delivery

Recently, the occurrence of cancer has significantly increased; it represents the second-most frequent cause of death after cardiovascular diseases. Many dietary antioxidants have shown large impact as effective agents for cancer prevention by reducing oxidative stress, which has been a part in the development of many diseases, including cancer. One of the obstacles in the delivery of antioxidant therapies into the required domain lies in the inadequate delivery of these agents to their intended site of action. Using nanotechnology in delivery of antioxidants leads to increased therapeutic index and higher drug concentration in tumor tissues, thus enhancing anticancer treatment. In this review, we discuss the role of different antioxidants in cancer therapy and their improved therapeutic effect through their formulation using nanotechnology.

Linc01014 regulates gefitinib resistance in oesophagus cancer via EGFR-PI3K-AKT-mTOR signalling pathway

This study aimed to explore the underlying mechanism of linc01014 in oesophagus cancer gefitinib resistance. Gefitinib-resistant oesophagus squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC gefitinibR) cell lines were constructed by using different gefitinib treatment in FLO-1, KYAE-1, TE-8 and TE-5 cell lines and confirmed by MTS50 and proliferation assays. Expression of linc01014 was overexpressed/silenced in FLO-1 cells followed by gefitinib treatment, and then, the apoptosis-associated markers Bax and Bcl-2, and PI3KCA in PI3K signalling pathway were determined using Western blotting. MST50 and morphology analyses showed that ESCC gefitinibR cell lines presented obvious gefitinib resistance than their parental ESCC cell lines. ESCC gefitinibR cell lines showed significantly higher proliferation abilities than their parental ESCC cell lines after treating with gefitinib. Overexpression of linc01014 significantly inhibited the apoptosis of FLO-1 cells induced by gefitinib and silencing linc01014 obviously promoted the apoptosis of FLO-1 cells induced by gefitinib. Silencing linc01014 could significantly increase the gefitinib chemotherapy sensitivity of oesophagus cancer via PI3K-AKT-mTOR signalling pathway.

Silence of cZNF292 suppresses the growth, migration, and invasion of human esophageal cancer Eca-109 cells via upregulating miR-206

Circular RNA (circRNA) cZNF292 has been previously revealed as a circular oncogenic RNA. This study attempted to illustrate the functions of cZNF292 in human esophageal carcinoma Eca-109 cells. Eca-109 cells were transfected with the short hairpin RNA specific against cZNF292 (sh-cZNF292) and/or miR-206 inhibitor. cZNF292 and miR-206 expression was examined by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Cell counting kit-8 and flow cytometry were performed for detecting cell growth including cell viability as well as apoptosis. Various kinds of factors, which are involved in cell development including proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were determined by western blot analysis. Besides, the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and PI3K/AKT signaling was measured by western blot analysis. It was found that cZNF292 silencing decreased Eca-109 cell viability and induced apoptosis. In the meantime, cZNF292 silencing inhibited cell migration and invasion. cZNF292 silencing upregulated miR-206 expression. And miR-206 downregulation impaired the suppressive effects of cZNF292 silence toward Eca-109 cell growth, migration, and invasion. cZNF292 silencing activated AMPK signaling and inactivated PI3K/AKT signaling also via regulating miR-206. In conclusion, silencing of cZNF292 abated growth, migration, and invasion of Eca-109 cells by upregulating miR-206, which subsequently modulated AMPK and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways.

Baicalein Induces Autophagy and Apoptosis through AMPK Pathway in Human Glioma Cells

Baicalein (BAI) is a natural flavonoid. It has been shown that BAI has anticancer effects, but the molecular mechanism is still unclear. The aim of the current study was to confirm whether or not BAI triggers autophagy and induces AMPK activation in glioma U251 cells. The Ad-mcherry-GFP-LC3B adenovirus experiments indicated that BAI induces glioma cell autophagy. Western blotting showed that the level of LC3II expression increased with the time and concentration of BAI. Following treatment with chloroquine, the expression of LC3 was enhanced Immunofluorescence also confirmed this result. At the same time, cleaved caspase-3, DAPI staining, and JC-1 staining revealed that apoptosis was also induced in the induction of autophagy. In addition, we found that BAI activates phosphorylation of AMPK, which is further confirmed using compound C in this process. When the phosphorylation of AMPK was inhibited, autophagy, and apoptosis were also inhibited. In conclusion, BAI induces autophagy and apoptosis through AMPK pathway. Surprisingly, our research provides new insight with the function of anticancer of BAI, and the potential of the promotion in glioma cell apoptosis might be related to autophagy activation. These results demonstrate the anticancer activity of BAI, which can be used as potential therapeutic agents for cancer therapy.

Anticancer Effects of Baicalein in FRO Thyroid Cancer Cells Through the Up-regulation of ERK/p38 MAPK and Akt Pathway

BACKGROUND/AIM

The aim of the study was to evaluate the anticancer effects of baicalein in FRO anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

FRO cells were treated with baicalein and viability was measured by the MTT assay. Cell apoptosis was observed by staining with Hoechst dye. The expression of apoptotic proteins (Bax, Bcl-2, PARP, cytochrome c, and caspase-3) and the inflammatory protein Cox-2 and the phosphorylation of MAPKs and Akt were determined by western blot.

RESULTS

Treatment with baicalein inhibited cell proliferation in a time-dependent manner and increased DNA fragmentation and apoptosis in FRO cells. Baicalein at 50 and 100 μM inhibited the expression of Bax, PARP, cytochrome c, cleaved caspase-3, and Cox-2, and increased the expression of Bcl-2. Baicalein increased the phosphorylation of ERK, p38 MAPK, and Akt and decreased JNK phosphorylation.

CONCLUSION

Baicalein caused anticancer effects in FRO ATC cells through induction of apoptosis and regulation of the MAPK and Akt pathway.

Long noncoding RNA LINC00520 prevents the progression of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma through the inactivation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway by downregulating EGFR

BACKGROUND

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play pivotal roles in various malignant tumors. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling is associated with the pathogenesis of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). This study aimed to explore the role of LINC00520 in the development of cSCC via EGFR and phosphoinositide 3-kinase-protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) signaling pathways.

METHODS

A microarray analysis was applied to screen differentially expressed lncRNAs in cSCC samples. The A431 cSCC cell line was transfected and assigned different groups. The expression patterns of LINC00520, EGFR, and intermediates in the PI3K/Akt pathway were characterized using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western blotting analysis. Cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were detected using the MTT assay, scratch test, and Transwell assay, respectively. Cell-based experiments and a tumorigenicity assay were conducted to assess the effect of LINC00520 on cSCC progression. This study was ended in September 2017. Comparisons between two groups were analyzed with t-test and comparisons among multiple groups were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance. The nonparametric Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to analyze skewed data. The enumerated data were analyzed using the chi-square test or Fisher exact test.

RESULTS

Data from chip GSE66359 revealed depletion of LINC00520 in cSCC. Cells transfected with LINC00520 vector and LINC00520 vector + si-EGFR showed elevated LINC00520 level but decreased levels of the EGFR, PI3K, AKT, VEGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9 mRNAs and proteins, and inhibition of the growth, migration and adhesion of cSCC cells, while the si-LINC00520 group showed opposite trends (all P < 0.05). Compared with the LINC00520 vector group, the LINC00520 vector + si-EGFR group showed decreased levels of the EGFR, PI3K, AKT, VEGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9 mRNAs and proteins, and inhibition of the growth, migration and adhesion of cSCC cells, while the LINC00520 vector + EGFR vector group showed opposite results (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Based on our results, LINC00520-targeted EGFR inhibition might result in the inactivation of the PI3K/Akt pathway, thus inhibiting cSCC development.

Silencing UHRF1 Inhibits Cell Proliferation and Promotes Cell Apoptosis in Retinoblastoma Via the PI3K/Akt Signalling Pathway

This study aimed to investigate the effect of silencing ubiquitin-like with PHD and RING finger domains 1 (UHRF1) on the proliferation and apoptosis of retinoblastoma (RB) cells and to clarify the molecular mechanism of the UHRF1 gene in the development of RB. Human RB WERI-Rb-1 cells were selected and assigned into a blank group (WERI-Rb-1 cells with no transfection), NC-shRNA group (WERI-Rb-1 cells infected with NC-shRNA virus) and UHRF1-shRNA group (WERI-Rb-1 cells infected with pGC-UHRF1-shRNA-LV-GFP# (39-1) virus). The mRNA and protein expression of UHRF1 was detected by RT-qPCR and Western blot analysis. The effect of silencing UHRF1 on the proliferation and apoptosis of WERI-Rb-1 cells was assessed by MTT assay, EdU assay, flow cytometry, and Hoechst staining. Furthermore, the expression of cell cycle-related factor (cyclin D1), apoptosis-related factors (caspase-9, Bcl-2 and Bax), and PI3K/Akt signalling pathway-related factors (p-PI3K, PI3K, p-Akt and Akt) were measured via Western blot analysis. The RNA interference plasmid UHRF1-shRNA was successfully constructed. After WERI-Rb-1 cells were infected with UHRF1-shRNA, decreased mRNA and protein expression of UHRF1 was found. WERI-Rb-1 cells infected with UHRF1-shRNA showed inhibited proliferative ability and increased apoptosis. In the UHRF1-shRNA group, more cells arrested at the G0/G1 phase and less cells at the S and G2/M phases. WERI-Rb-1 cells infected with UHRF1-shRNA had increased expression of caspase-9 and Bax and decreased expression of Bcl-2 expression and decreased levels of p-PI3K and p-Akt. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that silencing UHRF1 could inhibit the proliferation of RB cells and promote apoptosis. The mechanism may be caused by the downregulation of the proportion of Bcl-2/Bax expression and the promotion of the expression of caspase-9 through the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway.

Conventional Western Treatment Associated With Chinese Herbal Medicine Ameliorates the Incidence of Head and Neck Cancer Among Patients With Esophageal Cancer

BACKGROUND

Because of advances in medical treatment, the survival of cancer patients is prolonged. In line with the prolonged survival time of cancer the incidence of second primary cancer has increased. There is currently no effective way to prevent the occurrence of secondary primary cancer (SPC).

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to evaluate whether Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) is correlated with reduced occurrence of second primary cancer (SPC) of head and neck (H&N) in patients with esophageal cancer (EC).

METHOD

We identified 15,546 patients who were diagnosed with esophageal cancer between Jan 1, 2000, and Dec 31, 2010. The patients with H&N cancer before receiving CHM were excluded. After the selection and matching process, both CHM and non-CHM cohorts each contained 850 individuals. We compared the cumulative incidence of SPC of H&N with or without CHM treatment in patients with EC by the Kaplan-Meier method. NodeXL is used to run a network analysis of CHM to examine the association between herbs and formulas.

RESULTS

Compared with non-CHM users, CHM-users showed a reduced incidence rate of SPC of H&N among the patients with EC. Reduced cumulative incidence of SPC of H&N among patients with EC was noted in the CHM cohort compared to the non-CHM cohort. The most commonly used single herbs and formulas were associated with reducing SPC occurrence.

CONCLUSION

We propose that CHM as an adjuvant therapy may prevent the occurrence of SPC of H&N in patients with EC.

Baicalein induces apoptosis and autophagy of breast cancer cells via inhibiting PI3K/AKT pathway in vivo and vitro

Purpose

Baicalein, a widely used Chinese herbal medicine, has shown anticancer effects on many types of human cancer cell lines. However, little is known about the underlying mechanism in human breast cancer cells. In this study, we examined the apoptotic and autophagic pathways activated following baicalein treatment in human breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

Materials and methods

In in vitro study, we used MTT and clone formation assay to confirm the inhibitory role of baicalein on proliferation of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Apoptosis was detected employing Hoechst 33258 staining, JC-1 staining, and flow cytometry. Autophagy was monitored by acridine orange staining and transmission electron microscopy observation. Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot analysis were employed to study the effects of baicalein on PI3K/AKT signaling components of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. In in vivo study, the effect of baicalein was tested with a breast cancer cells transplantation tumor model.

Results

Our study showed that baicalein has the potential to suppress cell proliferation, induce apoptosis and autophagy of breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, baicalein significantly downregulated the expression of p-AKT, p-mTOR, NF-κB, and p-IκB while enhancing the expression of IκB in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. It also decreased the p-AKT/AKT and p-mTOR/mTOR ratios.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrated that baicalein induces apoptosis and autophagy of breast cancer cells via inhibiting the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in vivo and vitro. Our study revealed that baicalein may be a potential therapeutic agent for breast cancer.

Interleukin-17 promotes the development of cisplatin resistance in colorectal cancer

Cisplatin (DDP)-based anticancer therapy is an important chemotherapeutic strategy for the treatment of colorectal cancer. However, its beneficial effect is largely compromised by adverse reactions, and more importantly, by the development of drug resistance. Therefore, it is crucial to determine the potential mechanism underlying the development of DDP resistance in colorectal cancer. Interleukin-17 (IL-17) is a proinflammatory cytokine that has been found to serve an important role in the host defense during cancer development. It has been suggested that IL-17 is key to promoting the development of resistance to DDP in several major types of cancer. However, the role of IL-17 in DDP resistance in colorectal cancer has not been extensively investigated. In the present study, it was observed that IL-17 was significantly upregulated in colorectal tumor samples, compared with the adjacent tissues. Furthermore, IL-17 was found to promote the viability of HCT116 colorectal cells treated with DDP, whilst blocking IL-17 signaling leading to HCT116 cell apoptosis. IL-17 was also shown to regulate the expression of several apoptosis-related proteins, including phosphorylated-protein kinase B (p-Akt), apoptosis regulator BAX (Bax), apoptosis regulator Bcl-2 (Bcl-2) and serine/threonine-protein kinase mTOR (mTOR). These findings indicated that IL-17 facilitates the development of DDP resistance in colorectal cancer by inhibiting cancer cell apoptosis through targeting p-Akt, Bax, Bcl-2 and mTOR. Overall, the findings of the present study suggest that a combination of DDP and an IL-17 inhibitor may prove to be a highly efficient strategy for colorectal cancer treatment.

Specific inhibitor of Notch‑3 enhances the sensitivity of NSCLC cells to gemcitabine

Notch-3 is a receptor of the Notch signaling pathway and plays an important role in regulating self-renewal, differentiation and apoptosis in cancer cells. Overexpression of Notch-3 has been proved to be associated with resistance to gemcitabine (GEM) and poor patient prognosis for various malignant tumors. In the present study, two non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines, H1299 and A549, were induced with GEM for two months and then were treated with various concentrations of a Notch signaling blocker, N-[N-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl)-L-alanyl]-S-phenylglycine t-butyl ester (DAPT), with the goal of reducing expression of Notch intracellular domain 3 (NICD3). Both cell lines were subsequently treated with either DAPT or DAPT combined with GEM and then viability, apoptosis, colony formation and cell count assays were performed. DAPT treatment effectively downregulated the expression of NICD3 in both cell lines. DAPT combined with GEM also significantly reduced the percentage of viable cells in both cell lines, while increasing the percentage of apoptotic cells, compared with GEM alone. In the clonogenicity assays, the combination of DAPT and GEM led to a decrease in clone numbers and significantly greater inhibition of the H1299 and A549 cells compared to treatment with DAPT or GEM alone. Meanwhile, levels of the apoptosis-related proteins, Bcl-2 and Bax, were found to be affected by the various treatments. Thus Notch-3 appears to be a promising target for gene therapy and DAPT is able to mediate a strong antitumor effect in NSCLC cells that overexpress Notch-3. Further studies of a combined treatment regimen with DAPT and GEM are warranted and may provide greater efficacy and safety in the treatment of NSCLC patients.

Natural Borneol Enhances Paclitaxel-Induced Apoptosis of ESCC Cells by Inactivation of the PI3K/AKT

Paclitaxel (PTX) has been used in a variety of malignancies for inhibiting tumor development and improving survival. However, its clinical application is limited due to poor solubility, drug resistance, and gastrointestinal reactions. Natural borneol (NB), as a promoter, could help to improve drug absorption. Therefore, the aims of the present study were to investigate the ability of NB to synergize with PTX to induce human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells apoptosis and the underlying mechanism of synergistic effects. In this study, our findings showed that NB could effectively synergize with PTX to inhibit the survival of ESCC cells by inducing apoptosis. The molecular mechanism by western blotting elucidated that combination treatment with PTX and NB significantly activated apoptotic pathway by triggering upregulation of cleaved caspase-3 expression and downregulation of survivin and P-AKT expression. These results demonstrated that NB could strongly potentiate PTX-induced apoptosis in ESCC cells through suppressing PI3K/AKT pathway. Thus, the combination therapy with NB and PTX might be a promising treatment strategy for human esophageal cancer.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Esophageal cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. It has brought about a major public health problem. Many natural agents have been employed in the synergized treatments of esophageal cancer. This study provides a comprehensive way to investigate the ability of borneol to synergize with paclitaxel to induce human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells apoptosis and the underlying mechanism of synergistic effects. The research showed that the combination treatment with some natural agents might be a promising treatment strategy for human esophageal cancer.

Baicalein disturbs the morphological plasticity and motility of breast adenocarcinoma cells depending on the tumor microenvironment

During tumor invasion, cancer cells change their morphology and mode of migration based on communication with the surrounding environment. Numerous studies have indicated that paracrine interactions from non-neoplastic cells impact the migratory and invasive properties of cancer cells. Thus, these interactions are potential targets for anticancer therapies. In this study, we showed that the flavones member baicalein suppresses the motility of breast cancer cells that is promoted by paracrine interactions. First, we identified laminin-332 (LN-332) as a principle paracrine factor in conditioned medium from mammary epithelium-derived MCF10A cells that regulates the morphology and motility of breast adenocarcinoma MDA-MB-231 cells. Then, we carried out a morphology-based screen for small compounds, which showed that baicalein suppressed the morphological changes and migratory activity of MDA-MB-231 cells that were induced by conditioned medium from MCF10A cells and LN-332. We also found that baicalein caused narrower and incomplete lamellipodia formation in conditioned medium-treated MDA-MB-231 cells, although actin dynamics downstream of Rho family small GTPases were unaffected. These results suggest the importance of mammary epithelial cells in the cancer microenvironment promoting the migratory activity of breast adenocarcinoma cells and show a novel mechanism through which baicalein inhibits cancer cell motility.

Sodium fluoride induces apoptosis in cultured splenic lymphocytes from mice

Though fluorine has been shown to induce apoptosis in immune organs in vivo, there has no report on fluoride-induced apoptosis in the cultured lymphocytes. Therefore, this study was conducted with objective of investigating apoptosis induced by sodium fluoride (NaF) and the mechanism behind that in the cultured splenic lymphocytes by flow cytometry, western blot and Hoechst 33258 staining. The splenic lymphocytes were isolated from 3 weeks old male ICR mice and exposed to NaF (0, 100, 200, and 400 μmol/L) in vitro for 24 and 48 h. When compared to control group, flow cytometry assay and Hoechst 33258 staining showed that NaF induced lymphocytes apoptosis, which was promoted by decrease of mitochondria transmembrane potential, up-regulation of Bax, Bak, Fas, FasL, caspase 9, caspase 8, caspase 7, caspase 6 and caspase 3 protein expression (P < 0.05 or P <0.01), and down-regulation of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL protein expression (P <0.05 or P <0.01). The above-mentioned data suggested that NaF-induced apoptosis in splenic lymphocytes could be mediated by mitochondrial and death receptor pathways.

Baicalein inhibits cell growth and increases cisplatin sensitivity of A549 and H460 cells via miR-424-3p and targeting PTEN/PI3K/Akt pathway

Lung cancer is the leading cause of death in individuals with malignant disease. Non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer, and chemotherapy drugs such as cisplatin are the most widely used treatment for this disease. Baicalein is a purified flavonoid compound that has been reported to inhibit cancer cell growth and metastasis and increase sensitization to chemotherapeutic drugs via different pathways. Therefore, we assessed the effects of baicalein on the proliferation, apoptosis and cisplatin sensitivity in the NSCLC A549 and H460 cell lines and determined the pathways through which baicalein exerts its effects. Baicalein was slightly toxic to normal human bronchial NHBE cells but inhibited growth, induced apoptosis and increased cisplatin sensitivity in A549 and H460 cells. Baicalein down‐regulated miR‐424‐3p, up‐regulated PTEN expression and down‐regulated expression of PI3K and p‐Akt in A549 and H460 cells. Dual‐luciferase reporter assay demonstrated that PTEN is a target gene of miR‐424‐3p, and overexpression of miR‐424‐3p or silencing of PTEN partially attenuated the effects of baicalein on A549 and H460 cells. Taken together, we concluded that baicalein inhibits cell growth and increases cisplatin sensitivity to A549 and H460 cells via down‐regulation of miR‐424‐3p and targeting the PTEN/PI3K/Akt pathway.

Baicalein and baicalin inhibit colon cancer using two distinct fashions of apoptosis and senescence

Baicalein and baicalin are active components of the Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and both have broad anti-tumor activity. However, how and whether baicalein and baicalin inhibit colon cancer is unclear. Here we demonstrate that baicalein and baicalin can significantly inhibit human colon cancer cell growth and proliferation. Furthermore, both can induce cell cycle arrest, and suppress cancer cell colony formation and migration. The suppressive effects are mechanistically due to the induction of colon cancer cell apoptosis and senescence mediated by baicalein and baicalin, respectively. Furthermore, we revealed that baicalin-induced senescence in tumor cells is due to its inhibition of telomerase reverse transcriptase expression in tumor cells, and that MAPK ERK and p38 signaling pathways are causatively involved in the regulation of colon cancer cell apoptosis and senescence mediated by baicalein and baicalin. In addition, our in vivo studies using human colon cancer cells in humanized mouse xenograft models, further demonstrated that baicalein and baicalin can induce tumor cell apoptosis and senescence, resulting in inhibition of tumorigenesis and growth of colon cancer in vivo. These data clearly suggest that baicalein and baicalin have potent anti-cancer effects against human colon cancer and could be potential novel and effective target drugs for cancer therapy.

Scutellaria baicalensis and Cancer Treatment: Recent Progress and Perspectives in Biomedical and Clinical Studies

Scutellaria baicalensis (Huangqin in Chinese) is a major traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) herb, which has a long history of use in the treatment of a variety of symptoms correlated with cancer. In the past decade, the potential of S. baicalensis and single compounds derived from it as anticancer agents targeting various pathways has received extensive research attention. Specifically, the proliferation and metastases inhibiting properties of the single compounds in cancer have been studied; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This review summarizes the various mechanisms, pathways and molecular targets involved in the anticancer activity of S. baicalensis and its single compounds. However, the aim of this review is to provide a more thorough view of the last 10 years to link traditional use with modern research and to highlight recently discovered molecular mechanisms. Extracts and major flavonoids derived from S. baicalensis have been found to possess anticancer effects in multiple cancer cell lines both in vitro and in vivo. Further investigation is warranted to better understand the underlying mechanisms and to discover novel targets and cancer therapeutic drugs that may improve both the survival and quality of life of cancer patients.

Anticancer activities and mechanisms of heat-clearing and detoxicating traditional Chinese herbal medicine

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory, pathogenic heat and toxins, which are akin to the inflammatory factors, are the causes of cancer and could promote its virulent development. Therefore, heat-clearing and detoxicating (HCD) herbs are essential components of TCM formulas for cancer treatment. An increasing interest has been focused on the study of HCD herbs and accumulated evidences have shown that HCD herbs or HCD herbs-based formulas exhibited remarkable anticancer effects when used alone or combined with other therapeutic approaches. Some of the HCD herb-derived products have been tested in clinical trials. Studies revealed that extracts or pure compounds of the HCD herbs showed a broad anticancer spectrum against both solid and hematologic malignancies without significant toxic effects. Notably, some HCD herbs or formulas could strongly enhance the anticancer activities of chemo- or radio-therapy and alleviate their side effects. The anticancer activities of HCD herb exacts or the pure compounds were reported to be through multiple cellular or molecular mechanisms, such as induction of cancer cell apoptosis, differentiation and cell cycle arrest, inhibition of cancer cell growth, invasion and metastasis, and inhibition of tumor angiogenesis. In this review, we provide comprehensive analysis and summary of research progress and future prospects in this field to facilitate the further study and application of HCD herbs.

Baicalein inhibits pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and invasion via suppression of NEDD9 expression and its downstream Akt and ERK signaling pathways

Baicalein, a flavone ingredient of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, is a promising anti-cancer agent. However, its potential anti-pancreatic cancer effects and the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. In this study, we showed that Baicalein not only induced apoptosis, but also suppressed proliferation, migration and invasion of two pancreatic cancer cell lines BxPC-3 and PANC-1 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Notably, Baicalein exhibited low toxicity to normal human liver or kidney cells. We further discovered that Baicalein suppressed BxPC-3 and PANC-1 cell proliferation and invasion through targeting the expression of NEDD9, a Cas scaffolding protein, to decrease Akt and ERK activities. Especially, Baicalein decreased Akt phosphorylation at T-308 via lowering NEDD9-dependent PDK1 expression. Overexpression of NEDD9 effectively rescued proliferation and invasion of BxPC-3 and PANC-1 cells dampened by Baicalein. Taken together, our findings suggest that Baicalein is a potent remedy applied to pancreatic cancer treatment in the future.

Genistein decreases A549 cell viability via inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/HIF‑1α/VEGF and NF‑κB/COX‑2 signaling pathways

Genistein is an important chemopreventive agent against atherosclerosis and cancer. However, whether genistein is effective in the treatment of lung cancer, and its underlying mechanism, remains to be determined. The present study demonstrated that genistein treatment of A549 lung cancer cells decreased viability in a dose‑ and time‑dependent manner, and induced apoptosis. Additionally, A549 cells exhibited significantly increased reactive oxygen species formation and cytochrome‑c leakage, and activated caspase‑3, B‑cell lymphoma 2‑associated X protein and apoptosis inducing factor expression levels, which are involved in the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. Furthermore, the phosphatidylinositol‑4,5‑biphosphate 3‑kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/hypoxia‑inducible factor‑1α (HIF‑1α) and nuclear factor‑κB (NF‑κB)/cyclooxygenase‑2 (COX‑2) signaling pathways were significantly downregulated by genistein treatment. In conclusion, reduced proliferation and increased apoptosis in A549 lung cancer cells was associated with inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/HIF‑1α/ and NF‑κB/COX‑2 signaling pathways, which implicates genistein as a potential chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of lung cancer.

Anti-cancer effects of baicalein in non-small cell lung cancer in-vitro and in-vivo

Background

Baicalein is a widely used Chinese herbal medicine derived from Scutellaria baicalenesis, which has been traditionally used as anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer therapy. In this study we examined the anti-tumour pathways activated following baicalein treatment in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), both in-vitro and in-vivo.

Methods

The effect of baicalein treatment on H-460 cells in-vitro was assessed using both BrdU assay (cell proliferation) and High Content Screening (multi-parameter apoptosis assay). A xenograft nude mouse model was subsequently established using these cells and the effect of baicalein on tumour growth and survival assessed in-vivo. Tumours were harvested from these mice and histological tissue analysis carried out. VEGF, 12-lipoxygenase and microvessel density (CD-31) were assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC), while H and E staining was carried out to assess mitotic index. Gene expression profiling was carried out on corresponding RNA samples using Human Cancer Pathway Finder Arrays and qRT-PCR, with further gene expression analysis carried out using qRT-PCR.

Results

Baicalein significantly decreased lung cancer proliferation in H-460 cells in a dose dependent manner. At the functional level, a dose-dependent induction in apoptosis associated with decreased cellular f-actin content, an increase in nuclear condensation and an increase in mitochondrial mass potential was observed. Orthotopic treatment of experimental H-460 tumours in athymic nude mice with baicalein significantly (p < 0.05) reduced tumour growth and prolonged survival. Histological analysis of resulting tumour xenografts demonstrated reduced expression of both 12-lipoxygenase and VEGF proteins in baicalein-treated tumours, relative to untreated. A significant (p < 0.01) reduction in both mitotic index and micro-vessel density was observed following baicalein treatment. Gene expression profiling revealed a reduction (p < 0.01) in both VEGF and FGFR-2 following baicalein treatment, with a corresponding increase (p < 0.001) in RB-1.

Conclusion

This study is the first to demonstrate efficacy of baicalein both in-vitro and in-vivo in NSCLC. These effects may be mediated in part through a reduction in both cell cycle progression and angiogenesis. At the molecular level, alterations in expression of VEGF, FGFR-2, and RB-1 have been implicated, suggesting a molecular mechanism underlying this in-vivo effect.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-016-2740-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Anticancer properties of baicalein: a review

The constituents of many traditional Chinese herbal remedies are currently at the forefront of modern cancer research. Baicalein, a bioactive flavone widely used in nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals, has shown great potential in the treatment and prevention of cancer without causing severe side effects. Baicalein induces cancer cell apoptosis and cause cell cycle arrest. It shows inhibitory effects on angiogenesis, metastasis and inflammation, all of which are necessary for the promotion and progression of cancer. This review presents an overview of the anti-cancer effects and mechanisms of baicalein. In addition, the bioavailability of baicalein and approaches to improve it are summarized. Treatments of baicalein in combination with other anti-cancer agents are also mentioned.

San Huang Shel Shin Tang beta-cyclodextrin complex augmented the hepatoprotective effects against carbon tetrachloride-induced acute hepatotoxicity in rats

BACKGROUND

San Huang Shel Shin Tang (SHSST) is a traditional herbal decoction used as a hepato-protective agent and is composed of Rheum officinale Baill, Scutellaria baicalnsis Geprgi and Coptis chinensis Franch (2:1:1 w/w). Beta-cyclodextrin (β-CD) modification may potentially increase the solubility and spectral properties of SHSST.

METHODS

In this research, the hepato-protective effects of unmodified SHSST, β-CD modified SHSST complex (SHSSTc) and silymarin were evaluated in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced acute hepatotoxicity in rats.

RESULTS

SHHSTc (40 mg/kg/day) and silymarin (100 mg/kg/day) both decreased the CCl4-induced cirrhosis pathway-related transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) and apoptosis pathway-related caspase-8 protein expressions, but SHSST (40 mg/kg/day) did not reduce TGF-β and caspase-8 significantly . Moreover, SHHSTc (40 mg/kg/day) enhanced the activation of insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) mediated survival pathway than the silymarin (100 mg/kg/day) to protect the liver from damage induced by CCl4.

CONCLUSIONS

β-CD modification promotes hepato-protective effects of SHSST and reduces the required-dosage of the SHSST.

Latest research progress in the correlation between baicalein and breast cancer invasion and metastasis

Breast cancer is one of the most commonly occurring female malignant tumors. According to the 2012 GLOBOCAN statistics, produced by the International Agency for Research On Cancer ('IARC'), nearly 1.7 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer, with 522,000 related deaths: An increase in the incidence of breast cancer and associated mortality by nearly 18% from 2008. Metastasis is the final step in breast cancer progression, and represents the most common cause of mortality in patients with breast cancer. Therefore, a search for low-toxicity, safe and effective anti-breast cancer drugs in the form of natural compounds has become an intense focus of research. Baicalein, a widely used Chinese herbal medicine, has extensive antitumor activity. The present review briefly describes the research that has been performed on the association between baicalein and breast cancer metastasis, and further illustrates the influence of baicalein on the underlying mechanisms of breast cancer metastasis, adding a novel theory basis for baicalein antitumor research. In conclusion, baicalein may represent a promising target for the prevention and therapy of breast cancer.

Novel Investigations of Flavonoids as Chemopreventive Agents for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

We would like to highlight the application of natural products to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We will focus on the natural products known as flavonoids, which target this disease at different stages of hepatocarcinogenesis. In spite of the use of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in treating HCC, patients with HCC still face poor prognosis because of the nature of multidrug resistance and toxicity derived from chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Flavonoids can be found in many vegetables, fruits, and herbal medicines that exert their different anticancer effects via different intracellular signaling pathways and serve as antioxidants. In this review, we will discuss seven common flavonoids that exert different biological effects against HCC via different pathways.

Baicalein inhibits the migration and invasion of colorectal cancer cells via suppression of the AKT signaling pathway

The anticancer effect of baicalein has been known for a number of years. However, its anti-metastatic effect and associated mechanisms in colorectal cancer (CRC) remain unclear. The present study investigated the hypothesis that treatment with baicalein may inhibit the proliferation, motility and invasion of human CRC cell lines via regulation of the protein kinase B (AKT) signaling pathway. Baicalein was demonstrated to significantly inhibit the migration and invasion of CRC cells (P=0.01). Additionally, after treatment with baicalein for 24 h, the protein expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 in CRC cells were significantly reduced in a dose-dependent manner (P=0.01). Furthermore, treatment with baicalein significantly reduced the expression levels of phosphorylated AKT (P=0.01). In conclusion, baicalein appears to inhibit CRC cell migration and invasion by reducing the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 via suppression of the AKT signaling pathway. Thus, baicalein is a potential novel therapeutic agent for patients with CRC.

Development of trastuzumab-resistant human gastric carcinoma cell lines and mechanisms of drug resistance

Trastuzumab has been successfully employed for the treatment of Her-2-positive gastric cancer. However, there are problems with both primary and secondary resistance to trastuzumab. In this study, we employed the human gastric carcinoma cell line NCI-N87 with high Her-2 expression to create trastuzumab-resistant NCI-N87/TR cells by stepwise exposure to increasing doses of trastuzumab. Western blotting and Real-time PCR were conducted to detect protein and gene levels. Compared with NCI-N87 cells, the expression of P-IGF-1R and P-AKT proteins was significantly increased in NCI-N87/TR cells (both P = 0.000), while PTEN gene and protein expression showed a significant decrease (both P = 0.000). In addition, mutations of the PTEN gene were detected at exons 5, 7, and 8. The sensitivity of NCI-N87/TR cells to trastuzumab was increased by transfection with the PTEN gene, or by incubation with a PI3K inhibitor (LY294002) or an IGF-IR inhibitor (AG1024), as well as siRNA targeting PI3K p110 or IGF-1R. Taken together, our findings showed that activation of the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway was one of the major mechanisms leading to resistance of NCI-N87/TR gastric cancer cells to trastuzumab, which was probably associated with PTEN gene down-regulation and mutation, as well as with over-activity of the IGF-1R signaling pathway.

Baicalin and baicalein inhibit transforming growth factor-β1-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human breast epithelial cells

Since the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is involved in many crucial functions of cancer cells, we set out to identify a natural compound capable of inhibiting EMT processes. TGF-β1 treatment induces EMT among normal mammary epithelial cells (MCF10A cells), as reflected by characteristic morphological changes into the fibroblastic phenotype, reduced expression of E-cadherin. Interestingly, butanol extracts of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi significantly reduced the TGF-β1-mediated EMT of MCF10A cells. Further analysis revealed that baicalin and baicalein, the major flavones of these butanol extracts, inhibited TGF-β1-mediated EMT by reducing the expression level of the EMT-related transcription factor, Slug via the NF-κB pathway, and subsequently increased migration in MCF10A cells. Finally, both compounds reduced the TGF-β1-mediated EMT, anchorage-independent growth and cell migration of human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231 cells). Taken together, these results suggest that baicalin and baicalein of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi may suppress the EMT of breast epithelial cells and the tumorigenic activity of breast cancer cells. Thus, these compounds could have potential as therapeutic or supplementary agents for the treatment of breast cancer.

Biotransformation, a promising technology for anti-cancer drug development

With the high morbidity and mortality caused by cancer, finding new and more effective anti-cancer drugs is very urgent. In current research, biotransformation plays a vital role in the research and development of cancer drugs and has obtained some achievements. In this review, we have summarized four applications as follows: to exploit novel anti-cancer drugs, to improve existing anti-cancer drugs, to broaden limited anti-cancer drug resources and to investigate correlative mechanisms. Three different groups of important anti-cancer compounds were assessed to clarify the current practical applications of biotransformation in the development of anti-cancer drugs.

Baicalein Triggers Autophagy and Inhibits the Protein Kinase B/Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Pathway in Hepatocellular Carcinoma HepG2 Cells

Baicalein (BA), isolated from the Chinese medicinal herb Scutellariae radix (Huangqin in Chinese), is a flavonoid with various pharmacological effects. Herein, we found that BA only slightly reduced the cell viability on HepG2 cells after 24-h treatment as determined by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. However, BA (50 μM) effectively blocked the colony formation. Meanwhile, BA remarkably induced the formation of autophagosomes after 24-h treatment as determined by immunofluorescence with monodansylcadaverine staining as well as transmission electron microscopy, respectively. Moreover, BA obviously up-regulated the expression of microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3-II in concentration-dependent and time-dependent manners in HepG2 cells. When combined with the autophagy inhibitor chloroquine and BA, the cell viability and colony formation were significantly decreased, indicating that BA triggered protective autophagy, which prevented cell death. Further study showed that BA concentration-dependently and time-dependently decreased the expression of p-AKT (S473), p-ULK1 (S757) and p-4EBP1 (T37 and S65), suggesting the involvement of protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in BA-triggered autophagy.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel 7-O-lipophilic substituted baicalein derivatives as potential anticancer agents

A series of lipophilic 7-O-substituted baicalein derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their anticancer activity.

Modulation of Colitis-associated Colon Tumorigenesis by Baicalein and Betaine

In this review, we will summarize the current understanding of modulation of colitis-associated colon tumorigenesis by two natural products, baicalein and betaine, which have anti-inflammatory activities. Baicalein and betaine have been shown to provide various health benefits to organism in many ways. Baicalein is a phenolic flavonoid derived originally from the root of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi. From ancient times, baicalein has widely been used in oriental medicines as an anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer therapy. Betaine, trimethylglycine, is an essential biochemical molecule of the methionine/homocysteine cycle and is synthesized by conversion of choline. Betaine is an important human nutrient obtained from various foods including sugar beet and lycium. Betaine has provided various health benefits including disease prevention. However, the action mechanisms of their activity remain poorly understood. Recent studies reported the effects of baicalein and betaine on cytotoxicity against colon cancer cells and chemically induced colitis-associated colon tumorigenesis in mice. Administrations of baicalein and betaine containing diets significantly inhibited the incidence of tumors and hyperplasia with down-regulation of inflammation. Therefore, baicalein and betaine might be applicable to the prevention of inflammation-associated colon carcinogenesis.

Baicalein inhibits interleukin-1β-induced proliferation of human rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes

Baicalein shows anti-inflammatory effects in human rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes (RAFLS). Considering its anti-proliferatory effects on various cancer cells, we investigated the effects of baicalein on interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β)-induced proliferation of human RAFLS. Cell proliferation was examined by (3)H-thymidine incorporation assay. Western blot analysis was performed to assess the phosphorylation of extracellular regulating kinase (ERK), p38, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and nuclear translocation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) subunit p65. Notably, baicalein significantly suppressed IL-1β-mediated RAFLS proliferation (P < 0.05), along with reduced ERK1/2 and p38 phosphorylation. The IL-1β-induced p65 nuclear translocation and NF-κB DNA binding activity was significantly decreased by baicalein. Additionally, the inhibitory effects of baicalein on IL-1β-induced proliferation of RAFLS were dose-dependently reversed by the addition of recombinant macrophage migration inhibitory factory (MIF). Our results indicate that baicalein inhibits IL-1β-induced RAFLS proliferation, which involves suppression of NF-κB transcriptional activity and MIF-mediated signaling.