Berberine inhibits the proliferation of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells via an Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 1-dependent mechanism

Update of Natural Products and Their Derivatives Targeting Epstein-Barr Infection

Epstein-Barr (EBV) is a human γ-herpesvirus that undergoes both a productive (lytic) cycle and a non-productive (latent) phase. The virus establishes enduring latent infection in B lymphocytes and productive infection in the oral mucosal epithelium. Like other herpesviruses, EBV expresses its genes in a coordinated pattern during acute infection. Unlike others, it replicates its DNA during latency to maintain the viral genome in an expanding pool of B lymphocytes, which are stimulated to divide upon infection. The reactivation from the latent state is associated with a productive gene expression pattern mediated by virus-encoded transcriptional activators BZLF-1 and BRLF-1. EBV is a highly transforming virus that contributes to the development of human lymphomas. Though viral vectors and mRNA platforms have been used to develop an EBV prophylactic vaccine, currently, there are no vaccines or antiviral drugs for the prophylaxis or treatment of EBV infection and EBV-associated cancers. Natural products and bioactive compounds are widely studied for their antiviral potential and capability to modulate intracellular signaling pathways. This review was intended to collect information on plant-derived products showing their antiviral activity against EBV and evaluate their feasibility as an alternative or adjuvant therapy against EBV infections and correlated oncogenesis in humans.

The Fight against the Carcinogenic Epstein-Barr Virus: Gut Microbiota, Natural Medicines, and Beyond

Despite recent advances in oncology, cancer has remained an enormous global health burden, accounting for about 10 million deaths in 2020. A third of the cancer cases in developing counties are caused by microbial infections such as human papillomavirus (HPV), Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), and hepatitis B and C viruses. EBV, a member of the human gamma herpesvirus family, is a double-stranded DNA virus and the primary cause of infectious mononucleosis. Most EBV infections cause no long-term complications. However, it was reported that EBV infection is responsible for around 200,000 malignancies worldwide every year. Currently, there are no vaccines or antiviral drugs for the prophylaxis or treatment of EBV infection. Recently, the gut microbiota has been investigated for its pivotal roles in pathogen protection and regulating metabolic, endocrine, and immune functions. Several studies have investigated the efficacy of antiviral agents, gut microbial metabolites, and natural products against EBV infection. In this review, we aim to summarise and analyse the reported molecular mechanistic and clinical studies on the activities of gut microbial metabolites and natural medicines against carcinogenic viruses, with a particular emphasis on EBV. Gut microbial metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids were reported to activate the EBV lytic cycle, while bacteriocins, produced by Enterococcus durans strains, have shown antiviral properties. Furthermore, several natural products and dietary bioactive compounds, such as curcumin, epigallocatechin gallate, resveratrol, moronic acid, and andrographolide, have shown antiviral activity against EBV. In this review, we proposed several exciting future directions for research on carcinogenic viruses.

Apoptosis Induction, a Sharp Edge of Berberine to Exert Anti-Cancer Effects, Focus on Breast, Lung, and Liver Cancer

Cancer is the leading cause of death and one of the greatest barriers to increased life expectancy worldwide. Currently, chemotherapy with synthetic drugs remains one of the predominant ways for cancer treatment, which may lead to drug resistance and normal organ damage. Increasing researches have suggested that apoptosis, a type of programmed cell death, is a promising way for cancer therapy. Furthermore, natural products are important sources for finding new drugs with high availability, low cost and low toxicity. As a well-known isoquinoline alkaloid, accumulating evidence has revealed that berberine (BBR) exerts potential pro-apoptotic effects on multiple cancers, including breast, lung, liver, gastric, colorectal, pancreatic, and ovarian cancers. The related potential signal pathways are AMP-activated protein kinase, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and protein kinase B pathways. In this review, we provide a timely and comprehensive summary of the detailed molecular mechanisms of BBR in treating three types of cancer (breast, lung and liver cancer) by inducing apoptosis. Furthermore, we also discuss the existing challenges and strategies to improve BBR’s bioavailability. Hopefully, this review provides valuable information for the comprehension of BBR in treating three types of cancer and highlight the pro-apoptotic effects of BBR, which would be beneficial for the further development of this natural compound as an effective clinical drug for treating cancers.

Update and New Insights on Future Cancer Drug Candidates From Plant-Based Alkaloids

Cancer is a complex multifactorial disease that results from alterations in many physiological and biochemical functions. Over the last few decades, it has become clear that cancer cells can acquire multidrug resistance to conventional anticancer drugs, resulting in tumor relapse. Thus, there is a continuous need to discover new and effective anticancer drugs. Natural products from plants have served as a primary source of cancer drugs and continue to provide new plant-derived anticancer drugs. The present review describes plant-based alkaloids, which have been reported as active or potentially active in cancer treatment within the past 4 years (2017-2020), both in preclinical research and/or in clinical trials. In addition, recent insights into the possible molecular mechanism of action of alkaloid prodrugs naturally present in plants are also highlighted.

Primary Peripheral Epstein-Barr Virus Infection Can Lead to CNS Infection and Neuroinflammation in a Rabbit Model: Implications for Multiple Sclerosis Pathogenesis

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a common herpesvirus associated with malignant and non-malignant conditions. An accumulating body of evidence supports a role for EBV in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS), a demyelinating disease of the CNS. However, little is known about the details of the link between EBV and MS. One obstacle which has hindered research in this area has been the lack of a suitable animal model recapitulating natural infection in humans. We have recently shown that healthy rabbits are susceptible to EBV infection, and viral persistence in these animals mimics latent infection in humans. We used the rabbit model to investigate if peripheral EBV infection can lead to infection of the CNS and its potential consequences. We injected EBV intravenously in one group of animals, and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) in another, with and without immunosuppression. Histopathological changes and viral dynamics were examined in peripheral blood, spleen, brain, and spinal cord, using a range of molecular and histopathology techniques. Our investigations uncovered important findings that could not be previously addressed. We showed that primary peripheral EBV infection can lead to the virus traversing the CNS. Cell associated, but not free virus in the plasma, correlated with CNS infection. The infected cells within the brain were found to be B-lymphocytes. Most notably, animals injected with EBV, but not PBS, developed inflammatory cellular aggregates in the CNS. The incidence of these aggregates increased in the immunosuppressed animals. The cellular aggregates contained compact clusters of macrophages surrounded by reactive astrocytes and dispersed B and T lymphocytes, but not myelinated nerve fibers. Moreover, studying EBV infection over a span of 28 days, revealed that the peak point for viral load in the periphery and CNS coincides with increased occurrence of cellular aggregates in the brain. Finally, peripheral EBV infection triggered temporal changes in the expression of latent viral transcripts and cytokines in the brain. The present study provides the first direct in vivo evidence for the role of peripheral EBV infection in CNS pathology, and highlights a unique model to dissect viral mechanisms contributing to the development of MS.

Natural Products and Their Derivatives against Human Herpesvirus Infection

Herpesviruses establish long-term latent infection for the life of the host and are known to cause numerous diseases. The prevalence of viral infection is significantly increased and causes a worldwide challenge in terms of health issues due to drug resistance. Prolonged treatment with conventional antiviral drugs is more likely to develop drug-resistant strains due to mutations of thymidine nucleoside kinase or DNA polymerase. Hence, the development of alternative treatments is clearly required. Natural products and their derivatives have played a significant role in treating herpesvirus infection rather than nucleoside analogs in drug-resistant strains with minimal undesirable effects and different mechanisms of action. Numerous plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria-derived compounds have been proved to be efficient and safe for treating human herpesvirus infection. This review covers the natural antiherpetic agents with the chemical structural class of alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, polyphenols, anthraquinones, anthracyclines, and miscellaneous compounds, and their antiviral mechanisms have been summarized. This review would be helpful to get a better grasp of anti-herpesvirus activity of natural products and their derivatives, and to evaluate the feasibility of natural compounds as an alternative therapy against herpesvirus infections in humans.

Berberine in Human Oncogenic Herpesvirus Infections and Their Linked Cancers

Human herpesviruses are known to induce a broad spectrum of diseases, ranging from common cold sores to cancer, and infections with some types of these viruses, known as human oncogenic herpesviruses (HOHVs), can cause cancer. Challenges with viral latency, recurrent infections, and drug resistance have generated the need for finding new drugs with the ability to overcome these barriers. Berberine (BBR), a naturally occurring alkaloid, is known for its multiple biological activities, including antiviral and anticancer effects. This paper comprehensively compiles all studies that have featured anti-HOHV properties of BBR along with promising preventive effects against the associated cancers. The mechanisms and pathways induced by BBR via targeting the herpesvirus life cycle and the pathogenesis of the linked malignancies are reviewed. Approaches to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of BBR and its use in clinical practice as an anti-herpesvirus drug are also discussed.

The molecular march of primary and recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) results from the aberrant and uncontrolled growth of the nasopharyngeal epithelium. It is highly associated with the Epstein-Barr virus, especially in regions where it is endemic. In the last decade, significant advances in genetic sequencing techniques have allowed the discovery of many new abnormal molecular processes that undoubtedly contribute to the establishment, growth and spread of this deadly disease. In this review, we consider NPC as EBV induced. We summarise the recent discoveries and how they add to our understanding of the pathophysiology of NPC in the context of genomics first in primary and then in recurrent disease. Overall, we find key early events lead to p16 inactivation and cyclin D1 expression, allowing latent viral infection. Host and viral factors work together to affect a variety of molecular pathways, the most fundamental being activation of NF-κB. Nonetheless, much still yearns to be discovered, especially in recurrent NPC.

Lytic Induction Therapy against Epstein-Barr Virus-Associated Malignancies: Past, Present, and Future

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) lytic induction therapy is an emerging virus-targeted therapeutic approach that exploits the presence of EBV in tumor cells to confer specific killing effects against EBV-associated malignancies. Efforts have been made in the past years to uncover the mechanisms of EBV latent-lytic switch and discover different classes of chemical compounds that can reactivate the EBV lytic cycle. Despite the growing list of compounds showing potential to be used in the lytic induction therapy, only a few are being tested in clinical trials, with varying degrees of success. This review will summarize the current knowledge on EBV lytic reactivation, the major hurdles of translating the lytic induction therapy into clinical settings, and highlight some potential strategies in the future development of this therapy for EBV-related lymphoid and epithelial malignancies.

Isoimperatorin Induces Apoptosis of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cells via the MAPK/ERK1/2 Signaling Pathway

Objective

To investigate the effect of isoimperatorin on nasopharyngeal carcinoma CNE2 cell apoptosis and the role of the MAPK/ERK1/2 signaling pathway in inducing apoptosis.

Methods

Real-time cellular analysis technology (RTCA) and MTT were used to detect cell proliferation; Annexin V-FITC/PI dual-fluorescence flow cytometry analysis, Hoechst 33342 staining, and mitochondrial membrane potential detection kit were used to detect cell apoptosis; western blot was used to detect protein expression.

Results

Different concentrations of isoimperatorin (10 μM, 20 μM, 20 μM, 20 μM, 20 μM, 20 μM, 20 μM, 20 

Conclusion

Isoimperatorin can induce nasopharyngeal carcinoma CNE2 cell apoptosis through the MAPK/ERK1/2 signaling pathway.

Repurposing of plant alkaloids for cancer therapy: Pharmacology and toxicology

Drug repurposing (or repositioning) is an emerging concept to use old drugs for new treatment indications. Phytochemicals isolated from medicinal plants have been largely neglected in this context, although their pharmacological activities have been well investigated in the past, and they may have considerable potentials for repositioning. A grand number of plant alkaloids inhibit syngeneic or xenograft tumor growth in vivo. Molecular modes of action in cancer cells include induction of cell cycle arrest, intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis, autophagy, inhibition of angiogenesis and glycolysis, stress and anti-inflammatory responses, regulation of immune functions, cellular differentiation, and inhibition of invasion and metastasis. Numerous underlying signaling processes are affected by plant alkaloids. Furthermore, plant alkaloids suppress carcinogenesis, indicating chemopreventive properties. Some plant alkaloids reveal toxicities such as hepato-, nephro- or genotoxicity, which disqualifies them for repositioning purposes. Others even protect from hepatotoxicity or cardiotoxicity of xenobiotics and established anticancer drugs. The present survey of the published literature clearly demonstrates that plant alkaloids have the potential for repositioning in cancer therapy. Exploitation of the chemical diversity of natural alkaloids may enrich the candidate pool of compounds for cancer chemotherapy and -prevention. Their further preclinical and clinical development should follow the same stringent rules as for any other synthetic drug as well. Prospective randomized, placebo-controlled clinical phase I and II trials should be initiated to unravel the full potential of plant alkaloids for drug repositioning.

Naturally occurring anti-cancer compounds: shining from Chinese herbal medicine

Numerous natural products originated from Chinese herbal medicine exhibit anti-cancer activities, including anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic, anti-metastatic, anti-angiogenic effects, as well as regulate autophagy, reverse multidrug resistance, balance immunity, and enhance chemotherapy in vitro and in vivo. To provide new insights into the critical path ahead, we systemically reviewed the most recent advances (reported since 2011) on the key compounds with anti-cancer effects derived from Chinese herbal medicine (curcumin, epigallocatechin gallate, berberine, artemisinin, ginsenoside Rg3, ursolic acid, silibinin, emodin, triptolide, cucurbitacin B, tanshinone I, oridonin, shikonin, gambogic acid, artesunate, wogonin, β-elemene, and cepharanthine) in scientific databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, Scopus, and Clinical Trials). With a broader perspective, we focused on their recently discovered and/or investigated pharmacological effects, novel mechanism of action, relevant clinical studies, and their innovative applications in combined therapy and immunomodulation. In addition, the present review has extended to describe other promising compounds including dihydroartemisinin, ginsenoside Rh2, compound K, cucurbitacins D, E, I, tanshinone IIA and cryptotanshinone in view of their potentials in cancer therapy. Up to now, the evidence about the immunomodulatory effects and clinical trials of natural anti-cancer compounds from Chinese herbal medicine is very limited, and further research is needed to monitor their immunoregulatory effects and explore their mechanisms of action as modulators of immune checkpoints.

Curcumin Inhibits Proliferation of Epstein-Barr Virus-Associated Human Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cells by Inhibiting EBV Nuclear Antigen 1 Expression

This investigation aims to study the effect of curcumin on the proliferation, cycle arrest, and apoptosis of Epstein-Barr virus- (EBV-) positive nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cells. EBV⁺ NPC cells were subjected to curcumin treatment. The cell viability was evaluated with the CCK-8. Cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry analysis. Expression (protein and mRNA) levels were detected with western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR, respectively. Curcumin efficiently reduced the viability of EBV⁺ NPC cells. Curcumin induced the cycle arrest of the HONE1 and HK1-EBV cells positive for EBV. Moreover, curcumin treatment promoted the NPC cell apoptosis, via the mitochondria- and death receptor-mediated pathways. Furthermore, curcumin decreased the expression of EBNA1 in the HONE1 and HK1-EBV cells and inhibited the transcriptional level of EBNA1 in the HeLa cells. Curcumin induced EBNA1 degradation via the proteasome-ubiquitin pathway. In addition, curcumin inhibited the proliferation of HONE1 and HK1-EBV cells positive for EBV, probably by decreasing the expression level of EBNA1. In both the HONE1 and HK1-EBV cells, curcumin inhibited the EBV latent and lytic replication. Curcumin could reduce the EBNA1 expression and exert antitumor effects against NPC in vitro.

Anticancer effect of berberine based on experimental animal models of various cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Numerous studies have explored the anti-tumor effect of berberine (BBR), but little clinical evidence guides the use of BBR in cancer patients.

OBJECTIVES

Our aim was to investigate the impact of BBR on various cancers in healthy animals to promote the transformation from bench to bed.

SEARCH METHODS

PubMed, Embase, Springer, and Cochrane databases were searched from January 2000 to October 2018 for relevant articles.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Only published studies focusing on the relationship between BBR and various cancers in vivo were qualified. Two review authors independently assessed the risk of bias for each study, and any disagreement was resolved by discussion or by involving a third assessor.

RESULTS

A total of 26 studies from 2000 to 2018, focusing on various cancer types, including breast cancer, liver cancer, colorectal cancer, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, lung cancer, gastric cancer, neuroepithelial cancer, endometrial carcinoma, esophageal cancer, tongue cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, and sarcoma were included. Overall, BBR reduced tumor volume (SMD =3.72, 95% CI: 2.89, 4.56, Z = 8.73, p < 0.00001) and tumor weight (SMD =2.35, 95% CI: 1.51, 3.19, Z = 5.50, p < 0.00001) in a linear The dose-response relationship (Pearson r = - 0.6717, p < 0.0001 in tumor volume analysis; Pearson r = - 0.7704, p < 0.0005 in tumor weight analysis). BBR inhibited angiogenesis in tumor tissues (SMD = 4.29, 95% CI: 2.14, 6.44, Z = 3.92, p < 0.00001), but it had no significant effect on the body weight of experimental animals (SMD = 0.11, 95% CI: - 0.70, 0.92, Z = 0.27, p = 0.78). Publication bias was not detected.

CONCLUSION

BBR exerted anti-tumor effects in a variety of tumors in vivo, especially breast cancer and lung cancer, and the evidence was still insufficient in colorectal cancer and gastric cancer.

Triptolide inhibits Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 1 expression by increasing sensitivity of mitochondria apoptosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells

BACKGROUND

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is widely found in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) tissue and associated with poor prognosis of patients. EBV nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) is expressed in all NPC tumors and plays multiple biological roles in both virus and host cells. Triptolide is a natural product extracted from Tripterygium and shows anti-cancer activities. The goal of this work was to illustrate the anti-cancer effect of triptolide and elucidate a novel anti-apoptotic mechanism of EBNA1 in NPC cells encountered with triptolide.

METHODS

In the present study, a CCK-8 assay was used to analyze the proliferation of NPC cells treated with triptolide in a dose- and time-dependent ways. Effects of triptolide on NPC cell cycle and apoptosis were investigated by flow cytometric analysis. EBNA1 expression in mRNA and protein levels was determined by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot, respectively.

RESULTS

Our results showed that triptolide effectively inhibited proliferation of NPC cells. Triptolide arrested NPC cell cycles in S phase and induced apoptosis through a caspase-9-dependent apoptosis pathway. Low-dose of triptolide reduced the half-life of EBNA1 and significantly decreased EBNA1 expression by promoting the process of proteasome-ubiquitin pathway. Over-expression of EBNA1, which was independent from EBV genome, effectively attenuated the apoptosis induced by triptolide. In addition, triptolide significantly inhibited proliferations of tumors induced by EBV-positive cells in vivo. Furthermore, EBNA1 were expressed in all NPC biopsies of Chinese patients.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, our study provides the evidence that triptolide induces EBNA1 degradation and stimulates NPC apoptosis through mitochondria apoptotic pathway. In addition, EBNA1 assists NPC cells to resist triptolide-induced apoptosis through inhibiting caspase-9-dependent apoptotic pathway.

Synergy of theophylline reduces necrotic effect of berberine, induces cell cycle arrest and PARP, HMGB1, Bcl-2 family mediated apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells

Berberine, is a plant alkaloid, proved to have anticancer effect on various cancers. Theophylline (TH), a natural product, is widely used in the treatment of respiratory difficulties. The present study designed to elucidate the effects of theophylline and berberine combination on breast cancer cells cytotoxicity, gene expression and cell cycle. MTT assay revealed that berberine inhibited MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells viability in a time and dose dependent manner (IC₅₀ of 100 μM) but theophylline had no considerably effect on the cells. Combined treatment of berberine and theophylline showed a synergistic anti-proliferation effect, IC₅₀ of berberine reduced to 50 μM and the cells were arrested at G2/M phase. Combined treatment of Berberine and theophylline reduced extracellular level of HMGB1 and down regulated HMGB1 and MMP-9 mRNA expression. The results of flow cytometry using annexin/PI staining of the cells, HMGB1 release, and poly ADP ribose polymerase cleavage demonstrated that theophylline attenuated necrotic effect of berberine and increased the level of apoptotic cell death. Enhancement of Bax content detected by ELISA and upregulation of Bax mRNA expression, down-regulation of Bcl-2 expression and increase of anion superoxide production confirmed induction of apoptosis via intrinsic apoptotic pathway. Replacement of theophylline with exogenous cyclic AMP in combination treatment represented similar effect on berberine cytotoxicity. From the results it is concluded that synergistic anticancer effect of theophylline and berberine suggests that combination of these two drugs may be an effective therapeutic agent against breast cancer cell.

The Hsp70 inhibitor 2-phenylethynesulfonamide inhibits replication and carcinogenicity of Epstein-Barr virus by inhibiting the molecular chaperone function of Hsp70

Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) can infect cells in latent and lytic period and cause serious disease. Epstein–Barr virus nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) is essential for the maintenance of the EBV DNA episome, replication and transcription. 2-phenylethynesulfonamide (PES) is a small molecular inhibitor of Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70), which can interact with Hsp70 and disrupts its association with co-chaperones and substrate proteins of Hsp70. In our study, we found that PES could decrease the expression of EBNA1, which is independent of effects on EBNA1 transcription or proteasomal degradation pathway. The central glycine–alanine repeats domain was not required for inhibition of EBNA1 expression by PES. Also, PES could reduce the amount of intracellular EBV genomic DNA. PES inhibited proliferation and migration but induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of EBV positive cells. In addition, silencing of Hsp70 decreased expression of EBNA1 and the amounts of intracellular EBV genomic DNA, and PES increased this effect on a dose-dependent manner. On the contrast, over-expression of Hsp70 enhanced the expression of EBNA1 and the amounts of intracellular EBV genomic DNA, but PES inhibited this effect on a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, Hsp70 interacted with EBNA1 but PES interfered this interaction. Our results indicate that PES suppresses replication and carcinogenicity of Epstein–Barr virus via inhibiting the molecular chaperone function of Hsp70.

Epstein Barr Virus Infection Affects Function of Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes in Patients with Severe Aplastic Anemia. Biomed Res Int. 2018;2018:6413815. [PMID: 29862282 PMCID: PMC5976969 DOI: 10.1155/2018/6413815]

Severe aplastic anemia (SAA) is characterized by pancytopenia and failure of hematopoietic function and is caused by excessive functioning of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). EBNA-1, a nucleoprotein of the Epstein Barr virus (EBV), can influence the proliferation and function of lymphocytes. We therefore tested the number of EBV copies in the CD8+ T cells of 27 patients with SAA and 10 healthy control subjects and observed the influences of EBNA-1 upon the CD8+ T cells of patients with SAA. The results showed that more EBV copies were found in the CD8+ T cells of patients with untreated SAA than in patients with SAA in remission or in the healthy control subjects. Their copy number was positively correlated with the expression of granzyme B and perforin, the secretion level of interferon-γ in CD8+ T cells, and the viability of CD8+ T cells, whereas no correlation was seen between the copy number and the interleukin 4 secretion level or the apoptosis rate. Meanwhile, the expression of granzyme B and perforin was reduced after EBNA-1 gene knockdown, whereas the interferon-γ secretion level and cell viability declined. Therefore, we infer that EBV infection may be a factor in the activation of CTLs and in damaging the bone marrow hematopoietic function of patients with SAA.

Rapid detection of quantum dot immune chromatography nasopharyngeal carcinoma EBNA1 antibody

This study explored the 605 nm carboxyl of water-soluble quantum dots to assess the practicability of the nasopharyngeal carcinoma marker EBNA1 antibody. We used 605 nm carboxyl water-soluble quantum dots and nasopharyngeal carcinoma EBNA1 antigen in 1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl-3-2-ethylcarbonimine hydrochloride to generate quantum dot-labeled antigen. Gel imaging system showed that serum group and 60 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma had significant differences in 30 cases of normal adult serogroup brightness, Levene test in the two groups ELISA absorbance value was P<0.001, namely the nasopharyngeal carcinoma group and the normal adult serum group measured absorbance value difference was obvious. The statistical significance, and the detection technology were of high specificity and sensitivity. In conclusion, this study adopted double antigen clip combining immune chromatography test EBNA1 antibody in serum, compared with the traditional enzyme-linked immunoassays this method is more rapid, with simpler operation, rapid detection for developing quantum dot immune chromatography technology the EBNA1 antibody kit provides a theoretical basis.

Capillary-HPLC with tandem mass spectrometry in analysis of alkaloid dyestuffs - a new approach

Development of the identification method of alkaloid compounds in Amur cork tree as well as not examined so far Oregon grape and European Barberry shrubs are presented. The novel approach to separation of alkaloids was applied and the capillary-high-performance liquid chromatography (capillary-HPLC) system was used, which has never previously been reported for alkaloid-based dyestuffs analysis. Its optimization was conducted with three different stationary phases (unmodified octadecylsilane-bonded silica, octadecylsilane modified with polar groups and silica-bonded pentaflourophenyls) as well as with different solvent buffers. Detection of the isolated compounds was carried out using diode-array detector (DAD) and tandem mass spectrometer with electrospray ionization (ESI MS/MS). The working parameters of ESI were optimized, whereas the multiple reactions monitoring (MRM) parameters of MS/MS detection were chosen based on the product ion spectra of the quasi-molecular ions. Calibration curve of berberine has been estimated (y = 1712091x + 4785.03 with the correlation coefficient 0.9999). Limit of detection and limit of quantification were calculated to be 3.2 and 9.7 ng/mL, respectively. Numerous alkaloids (i.e., berberine, jatrorrhizine and magnoflorine, as well as phellodendrine, menisperine and berbamine) were identified in the extracts from alkaloid plants and silk and wool fibers dyed with these dyestuffs, among them their markers.

The enhancement of combination of berberine and metformin in inhibition of DNMT1 gene expression through interplay of SP1 and PDPK1

Berberine (BBR), one of active alkaloid found in the rhizome, exhibited anti‐cancer properties. We have showed that BBR inhibited growth of non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells through mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK)‐mediated increase in forkhead box O3a (FOXO3a). However, the in‐depth mechanism underlying the anti‐tumor effects still remained to be elucidated. Herein, we further confirmed that BBR not only induced cell cycle arrest, but also reduced migration and invasion of NSCLC cells. Mechanistically, we observed that BBR reduced 3‐phosphoinositide‐dependent protein kinase‐1 (PDPK1) and transcription factor SP1 protein expressions. Exogenously expressed SP1 overcame BBR‐inhibited PDPK1 expression. Moreover, BBR inhibited DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) gene expression and overexpressed DNMT1 resisted BBR‐inhibited cell growth. Intriguingly, overexpressed PDPK1 antagonized BBR‐inhibited SP1 and DNMT1 expressions. Finally, metformin enhanced the effects of BBR both in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, we observe that BBR inhibits proliferation of NSCLC cells through inhibition of SP1 and PDPK1; this results in a reduction of DNMT1 expression. The interplay of PDPK1 and SP1 contributes to the inhibition of DNMT1 in response to BBR. In addition, there is a synergy of BBR and metformin. This study uncovers a new mechanism of BBR in combination with metformin for NSCLC‐associated therapy.