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Lan D, Wang J, Sun G, Jiang L, Chen Q, Li S, Qu H, Wang Y, Wu B. Abnormal upregulation of NUBP2 contributes to cancer progression in colorectal cancer. Mol Cell Biochem 2024:10.1007/s11010-024-04956-8. [PMID: 38492158 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-024-04956-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC), a digestive tract malignancy with high mortality and morbidity, lacks effective biomarkers for clinical prognosis due to its complex molecular pathogenesis. Nucleotide binding protein 2 (NUBP2) plays a vital role in the assembly of cytosolic Fe/S protein and has been implicated in cancer progression. In this study, we found that NUBP2 was highly expressed in CRC by TCGA database analysis. Subsequently, we verified the expression of NUBP2 in CRC tumor tissues and para-carcinoma tissues using IHC staining, and further investigated its association with clinicopathological parameters. In vitro cell experiments were conducted to assess the role of NUBP2 in CRC by evaluating cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis upon NUBP2 dysregulation. Furthermore, we established a subcutaneous CRC model to evaluate the impact of NUBP2 on tumor growth in vivo. Additionally, we performed mechanistic exploration using a Human Phospho-Kinase Array-Membrane. Our results showed higher expression of NUBP2 in CRC tissues, which positively correlated with the pathological stage, indicating its involvement in tumor malignancy. Functional studies demonstrated that NUBP2 knockdown reduced cell proliferation, increased apoptosis, and impaired migration ability. Moreover, NUBP2 knockdown inhibited tumor growth in mice. We also observed significant changes in the phosphorylation level of GSK3β upon NUBP2 knockdown or overexpression. Additionally, treatment with CHIR-99021 HCl, an inhibitor of GSK3β, reversed the malignant phenotype induced by NUBP2 overexpression. Overall, this study elucidated the functional role of NUBP2 in CRC progression both in vitro and in vivo, providing insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying CRC and potential implications for targeted therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danfeng Lan
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650032, Yunnan, China
| | - Junyu Wang
- Department of General Surgery II, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, No. 157, Jingbi Road, Kunming, 650032, Yunnan, China
| | - Guishun Sun
- Department of General Surgery II, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, No. 157, Jingbi Road, Kunming, 650032, Yunnan, China
| | - Lixia Jiang
- Department of General Surgery II, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, No. 157, Jingbi Road, Kunming, 650032, Yunnan, China
| | - Qiyun Chen
- Department of General Surgery II, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, No. 157, Jingbi Road, Kunming, 650032, Yunnan, China
| | - Sha Li
- Department of General Surgery II, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, No. 157, Jingbi Road, Kunming, 650032, Yunnan, China
| | - Haiyan Qu
- Department of General Surgery II, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, No. 157, Jingbi Road, Kunming, 650032, Yunnan, China
| | - Yibo Wang
- Department of General Surgery II, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, No. 157, Jingbi Road, Kunming, 650032, Yunnan, China
| | - Bian Wu
- Department of General Surgery II, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, No. 157, Jingbi Road, Kunming, 650032, Yunnan, China.
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Farrash WF, Aslam A, Almaimani R, Minshawi F, Almasmoum H, Alsaegh A, Iqbal MS, Tabassum A, Elzubier ME, El-Readi MZ, Mahbub AA, Idris S, Refaat B. Metformin and thymoquinone co-treatment enhance 5-fluorouracil cytotoxicity by suppressing the PI3K/mTOR/HIF1α pathway and increasing oxidative stress in colon cancer cells. Biofactors 2023; 49:831-848. [PMID: 36929658 DOI: 10.1002/biof.1947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the chemotherapeutic effects of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), metformin (Met), and/or thymoquinone (TQ) single/dual/triple therapies in the HT29, SW480 and SW620 colon cancer (CRC) cell lines. Cell cycle/apoptosis were measured by flow cytometry. The gene and protein expression of apoptosis (PCNA/survivin/BAX/Cytochrome-C/Caspase-3) and cell cycle (CCND1/CCND3/p21/p27) molecules, the PI3K/mTOR/HIF1α oncogenic pathway, and glycolysis regulatory enzymes were measured by quantitative-PCR and Western blot. Markers of oxidative stress were also measured by colorimetric assays. Although all treatments induced anti-cancer effects related to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, the triple therapy showed the highest pro-apoptotic actions that coincided with the lowest expression of CCND1/CCND3/PCNA/survivin and the maximal increases in p21/p27/BAX/Cytochrome-C/Caspase-3 in all cell lines. The triple therapy also revealed the best suppression of the PI3K/mTOR/HIF1α pathway by increasing its endogenous inhibitors (PTEN/AMPKα) in all cell lines. Moreover, the lowest expression of lactate dehydrogenase and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase-1 with the highest expression of pyruvate dehydrogenase were seen with the triple therapy, which also showed the highest increases in oxidative stress markers (ROS/RNS/MDA/protein carbonyl groups) alongside the lowest antioxidant levels (GSH/CAT) in all cell lines. In conclusion, this is the first study to reveal enhanced anti-cancer effects for metformin/thymoquinone in CRC that were superior to all monotherapies and the other dual therapies. However, the triple therapy approach showed the best tumoricidal actions related to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in all cell lines, possibly by enhancing oxidative glycolysis and augmenting oxidative stress through stronger modulation of the PI3K/mTOR/HIF1α oncogenic network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wesam F Farrash
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Akhmed Aslam
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Riyad Almaimani
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Faisal Minshawi
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hussain Almasmoum
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Aiman Alsaegh
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad S Iqbal
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Aisha Tabassum
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohamed E Elzubier
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mahmoud Z El-Readi
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University, Assuit, Egypt
| | - Amani A Mahbub
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shakir Idris
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bassem Refaat
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
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Lin X, Yang X, Yang Y, Zhang H, Huang X. Research progress of traditional Chinese medicine as sensitizer in reversing chemoresistance of colorectal cancer. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1132141. [PMID: 36994201 PMCID: PMC10040588 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1132141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the incidences and mortalities from colorectal cancer (CRC) have been increasing; therefore, there is an urgent need to discover newer drugs that enhance drug sensitivity and reverse drug tolerance in CRC treatment. With this view, the current study focuses on understanding the mechanism of CRC chemoresistance to the drug as well as exploring the potential of different traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in restoring the sensitivity of CRC to chemotherapeutic drugs. Moreover, the mechanism involved in restoring sensitivity, such as by acting on the target of traditional chemical drugs, assisting drug activation, increasing intracellular accumulation of anticancer drugs, improving tumor microenvironment, relieving immunosuppression, and erasing reversible modification like methylation, have been thoroughly discussed. Furthermore, the effect of TCM along with anticancer drugs in reducing toxicity, increasing efficiency, mediating new ways of cell death, and effectively blocking the drug resistance mechanism has been studied. We aimed to explore the potential of TCM as a sensitizer of anti-CRC drugs for the development of a new natural, less-toxic, and highly effective sensitizer to CRC chemoresistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Lin
- The First Clinical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xinyu Yang
- The First Clinical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yushang Yang
- The First Clinical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hangbin Zhang
- The First Clinical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xuan Huang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Xuan Huang,
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Yu Z, Chan S, Wang X, Sun R, Wang M, Wang Z, Zuo X, Chen J, Zhang H, Chen W. 5-Fluorouracil Combined with Rutaecarpine Synergistically Suppresses the Growth of Colon Cancer Cells by Inhibiting STAT3. Drug Des Devel Ther 2023; 17:993-1006. [PMID: 37020802 PMCID: PMC10069641 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s402824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose To evaluate the effect of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) combined with rutaecarpine (RUT) on the antiproliferative, anti-migratory, and apoptosis-promoting ability of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells and explore the underlying mechanism. Methods The antiproliferative effects of RUT and 5-FU on CRC cells were evaluated using MTT and colony formation assays. Anti-migration was assessed by cell scratch and transwell tests. The synergistic effect of RUT and 5-FU was assessed by isobologram and combination index analysis using CompuSyn software. The effects of RUT and 5-FU on cell apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry. Differences in protein expression levels with or without RUT and/or 5-FU treatment were assessed by Western blot. Moreover, a mouse xenograft model of CRC was established to investigate the antitumor effect of RUT and 5-FU in vivo, and Ki67 and cleaved caspase-3 expression was detected by immunofluorescence. Results In this study, we found that 5-FU combined with RUT can inhibit the proliferative, migratory, and antiapoptotic abilities of CRC cells to a significantly greater extent than either RUT or 5-FU alone both in vivo and in vitro. Western blot analysis showed that the level of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) phosphorylation in CRC cells was significantly reduced after combination therapy compared with that seen with the respective monotherapies. In addition, combination therapy influenced the STAT3 signaling pathway, namely, it inhibited the expression of c-Myc, CDK4, and Bcl-2 while enhancing that of the proapoptotic protein cleaved caspase-3. Immunofluorescence staining further showed that the expression of Ki67 and cleaved caspase-3 was significantly downregulated and upregulated, respectively, in tumor tissues of mice treated with combination therapy compared with that observed with 5-FU treatment alone. Conclusion Combined therapy with 5-FU and RUT exerted a superior curative effect in CRC than treatment with either single drug alone and has potential as a novel therapeutic modality for the treatment of CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Yu
- Department of General Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shixin Chan
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xu Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, People’s Republic of China
| | - Rui Sun
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ming Wang
- Department of General Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhenglin Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaomin Zuo
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiajie Chen
- Department of Dermatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huabing Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, People’s Republic of China
- Correspondence: Huabing Zhang, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, People’s Republic of China, Email ;
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of General Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, People’s Republic of China
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, People’s Republic of China
- Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei, 230022, People’s Republic of China
- Wei Chen, Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230022, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 13966711566, Fax +86 0551-63633742, Email ;
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Jiao J, Cheng CS, Xu P, Yang P, Zhang K, Jing Y, Chen Z. Mechanisms of pancreatic tumor suppression mediated by Xiang-lian pill: An integrated in silico exploration and experimental validation. J Ethnopharmacol 2022; 298:115586. [PMID: 35931303 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2022.115586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Xiang-lian pill, consisting of Coptis chinensis Franch. coprocessed with Tetradium ruticarpum (A.Juss.) T.G.Hartley (Yu-huang-lian) and Aucklandia lappa DC. (Mu-xiang), is traditionally used to relieve fever, abdominal pain, and gastrointestinal inflammatory symptoms observed in patients with malignancies of the gastrointestinal tract. Each of the three herbs contained in Xiang-lian pill has been indicated to have anticancer effects on a variety of cancers, but its effects on pancreatic cancer remain unexplored. The main extracts of these herbs have anti-pancreatic cancer effects, but the comprehensive mechanism of this compound prescription of Xiang-lian pill in pancreatic cancer remains to be revealed. AIM OF THE STUDY To explore the main active ingredients, potential anti-pancreatic cancer targets, and related mechanisms of the Xiang-lian pill and to determine its therapeutic value in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS Network pharmacology and bioinformatics analysis were applied to screen the potential effective ingredients and key targets. Liquid/gas-mass spectrometry was performed for ingredients validation. Molecular docking and the cellular thermal shift assay were performed to test the binding efficiency between ingredients and targets. A murine pancreatic cancer model was established and administered different doses of the Xiang-lian pill. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used for histopathological observation. Immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting were conducted for target validation. In vitro studies (cell viability and clonogenicity assays) were conducted to investigate the impact of three main ingredients in Xiang-lian pill on pancreatic cancer cells. PTGS2 overexpression was performed to reversely confirm the antitumor mechanisms of rutaecarpine as a specific PTGS2 inhibitor. RESULTS Xiang-lian pill suppressed pancreatic cancer growth in the dose range of 0.78-2.34g/kg with no significant toxicity. Sixteen potentially active ingredients and 26 corresponding therapeutic targets for pancreatic cancer were identified. PTGS2, PTGS1, KCNH2, PRSS1, and HSP90AA1 were the top 5 significant genes targeted by the Xiang-lian pill. Evodiamine, rutaecarpine and stigmasterol bound to PTGS2 and PTGS1 with different affinities and inhibited pancreatic cancer cell proliferation. The PTGS2-associated metabolic pathway MEK/ERK was downregulated by rutaecarpine in vitro and the Xiang-lian pill in vivo. CONCLUSIONS Xiang-lian pill mainly regulates inflammation, apoptosis, metastasis, and metabolism to exert an antitumor effect. The main active ingredients in Xiang-lian pill exhibit antitumor roles through directly binding to key targets in pancreatic cancer. PTGS2 mediated MEK/ERK inhibition by rutaecarpine represents a key therapeutic mechanism of Xiang-lian pill.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juying Jiao
- Department of Integrative Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Chien-Shan Cheng
- Department of Integrative Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Panling Xu
- Department of Chinese Integrative Medicine Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
| | - Peiwen Yang
- Department of Integrative Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Ke Zhang
- Department of Integrative Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yanhua Jing
- Department of Integrative Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Zhen Chen
- Department of Integrative Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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Kumar A, Singh AK, Singh H, Thareja S, Kumar P. Regulation of thymidylate synthase: an approach to overcome 5-FU resistance in colorectal cancer. Med Oncol 2022; 40:3. [PMID: 36308643 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-022-01864-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Thymidylate synthase is the rate-limiting enzyme required for DNA synthesis and overexpression of this enzyme causes resistance to cancer cells. Long treatments with 5-FU cause resistance to Thymidylate synthase targeting drugs. We have also compiled different mechanisms of drug resistance including autophagy and apoptosis, drug detoxification and ABC transporters, drug efflux, signaling pathways (AKT/PI3K, RAS-MAPK, WNT/β catenin, mTOR, NFKB, and Notch1 and FOXM1) and different genes associated with resistance in colorectal cancer. We can overcome 5-FU resistance in cancer cells by regulating thymidylate synthase by natural products (Coptidis rhizoma), HDAC inhibitors, mTOR inhibitors, Folate antagonists, and several other drugs which have been used in combination with TS inhibitors. This review is a compilation of different approaches reported for the regulation of thymidylate synthase to overcome resistance in colorectal cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adarsh Kumar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Natural Products, Central University of Punjab, Ghudda, Bathinda, 151401, India
| | - Ankit Kumar Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Natural Products, Central University of Punjab, Ghudda, Bathinda, 151401, India
| | - Harshwardhan Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Natural Products, Central University of Punjab, Ghudda, Bathinda, 151401, India
| | - Suresh Thareja
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Natural Products, Central University of Punjab, Ghudda, Bathinda, 151401, India
| | - Pradeep Kumar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Natural Products, Central University of Punjab, Ghudda, Bathinda, 151401, India.
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Kang YH, Wang JH, Lee JS, Lee NH, Son CG. Coptidis Rhizoma Suppresses Metastatic Behavior by Inhibiting TGF-β-Mediated Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in 5-FU-Resistant HCT116 Cells. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:909331. [PMID: 35770076 PMCID: PMC9234293 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.909331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most lethal malignancy worldwide. The high mortality rate of CRC is largely due to cancer metastasis. Recently, suppressing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been considered a promising strategy for treating metastatic cancer, especially drug-resistant metastatic cancer. The present study aimed to evaluate the antimetastatic effect of Coptidis Rhizoma, as well as the potential underlying mechanisms, using a 5-fluorouracil-resistant colon tumor cell model (HCT116/R). Coptidis Rhizoma 30% ethanol extract (CRE) significantly inhibited HCT116/R cells migration and invasion. CRE effectively inhibited EMT in HCT116/R cells by upregulating the expression of an epithelial marker (E-cadherin) and downregulating the expression of mesenchymal markers (vimentin, Snail, and ZEB2) at both the protein and gene levels. Immunofluorescence assays also confirmed consistent patterns in the levels of E-cadherin and vimentin. In addition, the anti-EMT activity of CRE and its related effects were associated with the CRE-mediated suppression of the TGF-β pathway, as shown by changes in the levels of downstream molecules (phosphorylated Akt and p38), and inhibition of migration, invasion, and protein expression of TGF-β after treatment/cotreatment with a TGF-β inhibitor (SB431542). In conclusion, Coptidis Rhizoma exerts an antimetastatic effect, especially in the treatment of drug-resistant cancer, and the possible mechanisms are associated with inhibiting EMT via TGF-β signaling. Thus, Coptidis Rhizoma will likely become a potential therapeutic candidate for simultaneously mitigating drug resistance and metastasis in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Hwi Kang
- Institute of Bioscience and Integrative Medicine, Daejeon Oriental Hospital of Daejeon University, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Jing-Hua Wang
- Institute of Bioscience and Integrative Medicine, Daejeon Oriental Hospital of Daejeon University, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Jin-Seok Lee
- Institute of Bioscience and Integrative Medicine, Daejeon Oriental Hospital of Daejeon University, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Nam-Hun Lee
- Institute of Bioscience and Integrative Medicine, Daejeon Oriental Hospital of Daejeon University, Daejeon, South Korea
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Cheonan Oriental Hospital of Daejeon University, Cheonan-si, South Korea
- *Correspondence: Nam-Hun Lee, ; Chang-Gue Son,
| | - Chang-Gue Son
- Institute of Bioscience and Integrative Medicine, Daejeon Oriental Hospital of Daejeon University, Daejeon, South Korea
- *Correspondence: Nam-Hun Lee, ; Chang-Gue Son,
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Almaimani RA, Aslam A, Ahmad J, El-Readi MZ, El-Boshy ME, Abdelghany AH, Idris S, Alhadrami M, Althubiti M, Almasmoum HA, Ghaith MM, Elzubeir ME, Eid SY, Refaat B. In Vivo and In Vitro Enhanced Tumoricidal Effects of Metformin, Active Vitamin D3, and 5-Fluorouracil Triple Therapy against Colon Cancer by Modulating the PI3K/Akt/PTEN/mTOR Network. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14061538. [PMID: 35326689 PMCID: PMC8946120 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14061538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Failure of chemotherapy is common during the treatment of colon cancer, and there is a compelling need to develop alternative therapeutic approaches against this common malignancy. Metformin, which is an oral hypoglycaemic agent used for treating diabetes mellitus, and vitamin D have shown promising anticancer activities, and both agents boosted the actions of chemotherapy against colon cancer. This study, therefore, measured the potential beneficial effects of adding metformin and/or active vitamin D to the main cytotoxic drug used for treating colon cancer. The results demonstrate that metformin had superior anticancer effects relative to active vitamin D and ameliorated the effects of chemotherapy in animals and in cells. To the best of our knowledge, this study is also the first to report that triple treatment with the drugs of interest showed the best inhibition of cancer progression, which could provide a better therapeutic strategy against colon cancer. Abstract Chemoresistance to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is common during colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment. This study measured the chemotherapeutic effects of 5-FU, active vitamin D3 (VD3), and/or metformin single/dual/triple regimens as complementary/alternative therapies. Ninety male mice were divided into: negative and positive (PC) controls, and 5-FU, VD3, Met, 5-FU/VD3, 5-FU/Met, VD3/Met, and 5-FU/VD3/Met groups. Treatments lasted four weeks following CRC induction by azoxymethane. Similar regimens were also applied in the SW480 and SW620 CRC cell lines. The PC mice had abundant tumours, markedly elevated proliferation markers (survivin/CCND1) and PI3K/Akt/mTOR, and reduced p21/PTEN/cytochrome C/caspase-3 and apoptosis. All therapies reduced tumour numbers, with 5-FU/VD3/Met being the most efficacious regimen. All protocols decreased cell proliferation markers, inhibited PI3K/Akt/mTOR molecules, and increased proapoptotic molecules with an apoptosis index, and 5-FU/VD3/Met revealed the strongest effects. In vitro, all therapies equally induced G1 phase arrest in SW480 cells, whereas metformin-alone showed maximal SW620 cell numbers in the G0/G1 phase. 5-FU/Met co-therapy also showed the highest apoptotic SW480 cell numbers (13%), whilst 5-FU/VD3/Met disclosed the lowest viable SW620 cell percentages (81%). Moreover, 5-FU/VD3/Met revealed maximal inhibitions of cell cycle inducers (CCND1/CCND3), cell survival (BCL2), and the PI3K/Akt/mTOR molecules alongside the highest expression of cell cycle inhibitors (p21/p27), proapoptotic markers (BAX/cytochrome C/caspase-3), and PTEN in both cell lines. In conclusion, metformin monotherapy was superior to VD3, whereas the 5-FU/Met protocol showed better anticancer effects relative to the other dual therapies. However, the 5-FU/VD3/Met approach displayed the best in vivo and in vitro tumoricidal effects related to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, justifiably by enhanced modulations of the PI3K/PTEN/Akt/mTOR pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riyad Adnan Almaimani
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Abdeyah, Makkah 24381, Saudi Arabia; (R.A.A.); (M.Z.E.-R.); (M.A.); (M.E.E.); (S.Y.E.)
| | - Akhmed Aslam
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Abdeyah, P.O. Box 7607, Makkah 24381, Saudi Arabia; (A.A.); (J.A.); (M.E.E.-B.); (A.H.A.); (S.I.); (H.A.A.); (M.M.G.)
| | - Jawwad Ahmad
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Abdeyah, P.O. Box 7607, Makkah 24381, Saudi Arabia; (A.A.); (J.A.); (M.E.E.-B.); (A.H.A.); (S.I.); (H.A.A.); (M.M.G.)
| | - Mahmoud Zaki El-Readi
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Abdeyah, Makkah 24381, Saudi Arabia; (R.A.A.); (M.Z.E.-R.); (M.A.); (M.E.E.); (S.Y.E.)
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University, Assuit 71524, Egypt
| | - Mohamed E. El-Boshy
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Abdeyah, P.O. Box 7607, Makkah 24381, Saudi Arabia; (A.A.); (J.A.); (M.E.E.-B.); (A.H.A.); (S.I.); (H.A.A.); (M.M.G.)
- Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
| | - Abdelghany H. Abdelghany
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Abdeyah, P.O. Box 7607, Makkah 24381, Saudi Arabia; (A.A.); (J.A.); (M.E.E.-B.); (A.H.A.); (S.I.); (H.A.A.); (M.M.G.)
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21544, Egypt
| | - Shakir Idris
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Abdeyah, P.O. Box 7607, Makkah 24381, Saudi Arabia; (A.A.); (J.A.); (M.E.E.-B.); (A.H.A.); (S.I.); (H.A.A.); (M.M.G.)
| | - Mai Alhadrami
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Abdeyah, Makkah 24381, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Mohammad Althubiti
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Abdeyah, Makkah 24381, Saudi Arabia; (R.A.A.); (M.Z.E.-R.); (M.A.); (M.E.E.); (S.Y.E.)
| | - Hussain A. Almasmoum
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Abdeyah, P.O. Box 7607, Makkah 24381, Saudi Arabia; (A.A.); (J.A.); (M.E.E.-B.); (A.H.A.); (S.I.); (H.A.A.); (M.M.G.)
| | - Mazen M. Ghaith
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Abdeyah, P.O. Box 7607, Makkah 24381, Saudi Arabia; (A.A.); (J.A.); (M.E.E.-B.); (A.H.A.); (S.I.); (H.A.A.); (M.M.G.)
| | - Mohamed E. Elzubeir
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Abdeyah, Makkah 24381, Saudi Arabia; (R.A.A.); (M.Z.E.-R.); (M.A.); (M.E.E.); (S.Y.E.)
| | - Safaa Yehia Eid
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Abdeyah, Makkah 24381, Saudi Arabia; (R.A.A.); (M.Z.E.-R.); (M.A.); (M.E.E.); (S.Y.E.)
| | - Bassem Refaat
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Abdeyah, P.O. Box 7607, Makkah 24381, Saudi Arabia; (A.A.); (J.A.); (M.E.E.-B.); (A.H.A.); (S.I.); (H.A.A.); (M.M.G.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +966-541162707; Fax: +966-12-5270000 (ext. 4242)
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9
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Idris S, Refaat B, Almaimani RA, Ahmed HG, Ahmad J, Alhadrami M, El-Readi MZ, Elzubier ME, Alaufi HAA, Al-Amin B, Alghamdi AA, Bahwerth F, Minshawi F, Kabrah SM, Aslam A. Enhanced in vitro tumoricidal effects of 5-Fluorouracil, thymoquinone, and active vitamin D 3 triple therapy against colon cancer cells by attenuating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Life Sci 2022; 296:120442. [PMID: 35245520 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2022.120442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
AIMS This study measured the effects of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), calcitriol (VD3), and/or thymoquinone (TQ) single/dual/triple therapies on cell cycle progression, apoptosis, inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, and oxidative stress against colorectal cancer (CRC). MAIN METHODS The HT29, SW480 and SW620 cell lines were treated with 5-FU (50 μM), VD3 (25 μM), and TQ (75 μM), alone or combined for 12 h, prior to cell cycle/apoptosis analyses. KEY FINDINGS TQ monotherapy had greater anticancer effects to active VD3 or 5-FU, revealing higher expression of p21/p27/PTEN/BAX/Cyto-C/Casp-3 and increased levels of total glutathione, with inhibitions in CCND1/CCND3/BCL-2 and PI3K/AKT/mTOR molecules, alongside higher rates of apoptosis in HT29, SW480 and SW620 cells (P < 0.005 for all markers). Additionally, all combination protocols revealed enhanced modulations of the PI3K/PTEN/Akt/mTOR pathway, higher expression of p21/p27/PTEN/BAX/Cyto-C/Casp-3, and better anti-oxidant effects, than the monotherapies. Although TQ/5-FU and TQ/VD3 co-therapies were better relative to the VD3/5-FU regimen, the best tumoricidal effects were observed with triple therapy in the HT29 and SW480 cell lines, possibly by boosted attenuations of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR oncogenic pathway. In contrast, TQ single treatment was more effective than the triple therapy regimen in metastatic SW620 cells, suggesting that this protocol would be more useful therapeutically in late-stage CRC. SIGNIFICANCE In conclusion, this study is the first to demonstrated enhanced anti-tumorigenic effects for VD3, TQ, and 5-FU triple therapy against CRC cells and could represent the best strategy for treating early stages of malignancy, whereas TQ monotherapy could be a better approach for treating metastatic forms of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shakir Idris
- Department of Histopathology and Cytology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan; Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Abdeyah, PO Box 7607, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bassem Refaat
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Abdeyah, PO Box 7607, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Riyad A Almaimani
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Abdeyah, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hussain G Ahmed
- Department of Histopathology and Cytology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Jawwad Ahmad
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Abdeyah, PO Box 7607, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mai Alhadrami
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Abdeyah, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mahmoud Zaki El-Readi
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Abdeyah, Makkah, Saudi Arabia; Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University, Assuit, Egypt
| | - Mohamed E Elzubier
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Abdeyah, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Haneen A A Alaufi
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Abdeyah, PO Box 7607, Makkah, Saudi Arabia; Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Department of Anatomic Medicine, Prince Mohammed Bin Abdul Aziz Hospital, Madinah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Badriah Al-Amin
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Abdeyah, PO Box 7607, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmad A Alghamdi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fayez Bahwerth
- Laboratory and Blood Bank Department, King Faisal Hospital, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Faisal Minshawi
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Abdeyah, PO Box 7607, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saeed M Kabrah
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Abdeyah, PO Box 7607, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Akhmed Aslam
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Abdeyah, PO Box 7607, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
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