A novel curcumin analogue is a potent chemotherapy candidate for human hepatocellular carcinoma

Chemoprotective Effect of Decalactone on Hepatic Cancer via Diminishing the Inflammatory Response and Oxidative Stress

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is the 5^th most common type of cancer in all types of cancers, globally. It is well known that the frequency of inflammatory reaction and oxidative stress increases during the HCC. The goal of this study was to see if decalactone could prevent rats against HCC caused by diethylnitrosamine (DEN). Single intraperitoneal administration of DEN (200 mg/kg) used as inducer and weekly intraperitoneal injection of phenobarbital (8 mg/kg) was used as promotor for induction the HCC in rats. Serum alpha fetoprotein (AFP) was used for the confirmation of HCC. Different doses of decalactone (5, 10 and 15 mg/kg) were orally administered to the rats. The body weight was determined at regular time. The hepatic, non-hepatic, antioxidant markers and inflammatory mediators were scrutinized. All groups of animals were scarified and macroscopically examination of the liver tissue was performed and the weight of organ (hepatic tissue) were estimated. Decalactone increased body weight while also suppressing hepatic nodules and tissue weight. Decalactone treatment reduced AFP, total bilirubin, and direct bilirubin levels while increasing albumin and total protein levels in a dose-dependent manner. Decalactone reduced lipid peroxidation (LPO) and increased catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels significantly (p < 0.001) (SOD). Decalactone lowered the levels of significantly (p < 0.001) inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory markers in the liver. Based on the findings, we may conclude that decalactone inhibited HCC in DEN-induced HCC animals via reducing oxidative stress and inflammatory mediators.

A curcumin analog GL63 inhibits the malignant behaviors of hepatocellular carcinoma by inactivating the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway via the circular RNA zinc finger protein 83/microRNA-324-5p/cyclin-dependent kinase 16 axis

BACKGROUND AND AIM

(1E,4E)-1,5-bis(2-bromophenyl) penta-1,4-dien-3-one (GL63) is a curcumin analog that can protect against carcinogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to explore the molecular mechanism of GL63 in HCC.

METHODS

Cell viability was examined by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Circular RNA zinc finger protein 83 (circZNF83), microRNA-324-5p (miR-324-5p), and cyclin-dependent kinase 16 (CDK16) levels were measured via the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Cell proliferation was assessed using colony formation assay. Flow cytometry was performed for detecting cell cycle and apoptosis. Protein analysis was conducted by western blot. Cell migration and invasion were determined using transwell assay. Target relation was analyzed using dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays. The function of GL63 in vivo was researched by xenograft model in mice.

RESULTS

GL63 inhibited the circZNF83 expression in HCC cells. CircZNF83 overexpression attenuated the inhibitory effects of GL63 on HCC cell growth, cell cycle progression, migration, and invasion but the promoting effect on cell apoptosis. CircZNF83 served as a sponge of miR-324-5p and circZNF83/miR-324-5p axis was involved in the functional regulation of GL63 in HCC progression. Moreover, CDK16 was a downstream target of miR-324-5p and circZNF83 could regulate the CDK16 expression by sponging miR-324-5p. The anti-tumor function of GL63 was also related to the miR-324-5p/CDK16 axis. In addition, GL63 inactivated the JAK2/STAT3 pathway via downregulating circZNF83 to mediate the miR-324-5p/CDK16 axis. GL63 also repressed tumor growth in vivo through the circZNF83/miR-324-5p/CDK16-mediated JAK2/STAT3 signal inhibition.

CONCLUSION

This study suggested GL63 impeded the HCC development by blocking the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway via mediating the circZNF83/miR-324-5p/CDK16 axis.

Therapeutic effect of curcumin in gastrointestinal cancers: A comprehensive review

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers with a high global prevalence are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Accordingly, there is a great need to develop efficient therapeutic approaches. Curcumin, a naturally occurring agent, is a promising compound with documented safety and anticancer activities. Recent studies have demonstrated the activity of curcumin in the prevention and treatment of different cancers. According to systematic studies on curcumin use in various diseases, it can be particularly effective in GI cancers because of its high bioavailability in the gastrointestinal tract. Nevertheless, the clinical applications of curcumin are largely limited because of its low solubility and low chemical stability in water. These limitations may be addressed by the use of relevant analogues or novel delivery systems. Herein, we summarize the pharmacological effects of curcumin against GI cancers. Moreover, we highlight the application of curcumin's analogues and novel delivery systems in the treatment of GI cancers.

The Curcumin Analog CH-5 Exerts Anticancer Effects in Human Osteosarcoma Cells via Modulation of Transcription Factors p53/Sp1

Curcumin is a potential anticancer drug with poor bioavailability, which limits its clinical use as a therapeutic agent. The aim of this study was a preliminary evaluation of the curcumin analogue CH-5 as a cytotoxic agent in human osteosarcoma cell lines U2OS, MG-63, and Saos-2. CH-5 inhibited cell viability at lower concentrations than curcumin, leading to the induction of apoptosis. The cellular levels of the transcription factors p53 and Sp1 affect the expression of cellular pathways that lead to apoptosis. CH-5 increased p53 protein levels in U2OS cells and reduced Sp1 levels, with a consequent effect on the expression of their target genes DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) and growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible 45 alpha gene (Gadd45a). CH-5 repressed DNMT1 and increased Gadd45a mRNA expression, which was dependent on p53, as this effect was only observed in the colorectal cancer cell line HCT116 with active p53, but not in the isogenic p53-deficient HCT116 cells. CH-5 also reduced the protein levels of DNMT1, which led to the upregulation of Gadd45a. These results suggest that CH-5 has potentially higher anticancer activity than curcumin, which is associated with the expression of apoptosis-associated genes regulated by the transcription factors Sp1 and p53. Future work on CH-5 will define the therapeutic potential of this compound in vivo.

Santamarine Inhibits NF-кB and STAT3 Activation and Induces Apoptosis in HepG2 Liver Cancer Cells via Oxidative Stress

Sesquiterpene lactones have long been used in traditional Chinese medicines to treat inflammatory diseases. Recently, sesquiterpene lactone family compounds have been recognized as potential anticancer agents. Thus, it is necessary to explore new sesquiterpene lactones and their antitumor mechanism for cancer treatments. In the present study, we have explored the potential anti-cancer activity of a novel sesquiterpene lactone compound “santamarine” (STM) in HepG2 cells. It inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis dose-dependently with IC₅₀ ~ 70 μM. Induction of apoptosis was found to be linked with increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, decreased activity of thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), glutathione (GSH) depletion, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) dissipation, Bcl-2 family proteins modulation, cytochrome c release, caspases-9, -8 and -3 activation and PARP cleavage. Further mechanistic study demonstrated that STM inhibited the constitutive and TNF-α-induced translocation of NF-кB into nucleus by decreasing phosphorylation of IkB-α. Moreover, STM inhibited STAT3 activation by decreasing phosphorylation at tyrosine705. NAC pretreatment reversed the effect of STM-mediated cell death, NF-кB inhibition and blockage of STAT3 activity, indicating the involvement of oxidative stress in STM-mediated anticancer activity. Further studies are needed to explore the exact molecular mechanism of STM-induced apoptosis to develop it into a lead for treatment of liver cancer in future.

Ultrasound-Responsive Polymeric Micelles for Sonoporation-Assisted Site-Specific Therapeutic Action

Targeting drug delivery remains a challenge in various disease treatment including cancer. The local drug deposit could be greatly enhanced by some external stimuli-responsive systems. Here we develop pluronic P123/F127 polymeric micelles (M) encapsulating curcumin (Cur) that are permeabilized directly by focused ultrasound, in which ultrasound triggers drug release. Tumor preferential accumulation and site-specific sonochemotherapy were then evaluated. Cur-loaded P123/F127 mixed micelles (Cur-M) exhibited longer circulating time and increased cellular uptake compared to free Cur. With the assistance of focused ultrasound treatment, Cur-M showed tumor-targeting deposition in a time-dependent manner following systemic administration. This was due to enhanced permeabilization of tumor regions and increased penetration of Cur-M in irradiated tumor cells by ultrasound sonoporation. Furthermore, Cur-M self-assembly could be regulated by ultrasound irradiation. In vitro Cur release from mixed micelles was greatly dependent on ultrasound intensity but not on duration, suggesting the cavitational threshold was necessary to initiate subsequent sonochemotherapy. In vivo site-specific drug release was demonstrated in dual-tumor models, which showed spatial-temporal release of entrapped drugs following intratumoral injection. The sonoporation-assisted site-specific chemotherapy significantly inhibited tumor growth and the decrease in tumor weight was approximately 6.5-fold more than without exposure to ultrasound irradiation. In conclusion, the established ultrasound-guided nanomedicine targeting deposit and local release may represent a new strategy to improve chemotherapy efficiency.

Chemotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma: The present and the future

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary tumor of the liver. Its relationship to chronic liver diseases, in particular cirrhosis, develops on a background of viral hepatitis, excessive alcohol intake or metabolic steatohepatitis, leads to a high incidence and prevalence of this neoplasia worldwide. Despite the spread of HCC, its treatment it’s still a hard challenge, due to high rate of late diagnosis and to lack of therapeutic options for advanced disease. In fact radical surgery and liver transplantation, the most radical therapeutic approaches, are indicated only in case of early diagnosis. Even local therapies, such as transarterial chemoembolization, find limited indications, leading to an important problem regarding treatment of advanced disease. In this situation, until terminal HCC occurs, systemic therapy is the only possible approach, with sorafenib as the only standard treatment available. Anyway, the efficacy of this drug is limited and many efforts are necessary to understand who could benefit more with this treatment. Therefore, other molecules for a targeted therapy were evaluated, but only regorafenib showed promising results. Beside molecular target therapy, also cytotoxic drugs, in particular oxaliplatin- and gemcitabine-based regimens, and immune-checkpoint inhibitors were tested with interesting results. The future of the treatment of this neoplasia is linked to our ability to understand its mechanisms of resistance and to find novel therapeutic targets, with the objective to purpose individualized approaches to patients affected by advanced HCC.

Metabolic and microbial signatures in rat hepatocellular carcinoma treated with caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment remains lack of effective chemopreventive agents, therefore it is very attractive and urgent to discover novel anti-HCC drugs. In the present study, the effects of chlorogenic acid (ChA) and caffeic acid (CaA) on HCC induced by diethylnitrosamine (DEN) were evaluated. ChA or CaA could reduce the histopathological changes and liver injury markers, such as alanine transarninase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, total bile acid, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol. The underlying mechanisms were investigated by a data integration strategy based on correlation analyses of metabonomics data and 16 S rRNA gene sequencing data. ChA or CaA could inhibit the increase of Rumincoccaceae UCG-004 and reduction of Lachnospiraceae incertae sedis, and Prevotella 9 in HCC rats. The principal component analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis were applied to reveal the metabolic differences among these groups. 28 different metabolites showed a trend to return to normal in both CaA and ChA treatment. Among them, Bilirubin, L-Tyrosine, L-Methionine and Ethanolamine were correlated increased Rumincoccaceae UCG-004 and decreased of Lachnospiraceae incertae sedis and Prevotella 9. These correlations could be identified as metabolic and microbial signatures of HCC onset and potential therapeutic targets.