Induction of cell-specific apoptosis and protection of mice from cancer challenge by a steroid positive compound from Zornia diphylla (L.) Pers

Dihydrochalcones as antitumor agents

Dihydrochalcones are a class of secondary metabolites, possessing several biological properties such as antitumor, antioxidant, antibacterial, antidiabetic, estrogenic, anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic, antiviral, neuroprotective and immunomodulator properties; therefore, they are currently considered promising candidates in the drug discovery process. This review intend to debate their pharmacological actions with a particular attention to their antitumor activity against a panel of cancer cell-lines and to the description of the inhibition mechanisms of cell proliferation such as the regulation of angiogenesis, apoptosis, etc etc.

The Protective Effects of Zornia diphylla (L.) Pers. Against Acute Liver Injury Induced by Carbon Tetrachloride in Mice

Background:Zornia diphylla (L.) Pers. (ZDP) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine that has been used for several decades to treat patients with liver diseases. Whether ZDP is best administered as a single agent or adjunctive therapy has yet to be determined as does the mechanism whereby it exerts its effects on antagonizing acute liver injury (ALI).

Aim of the study: To investigate the protective effects of ZDP on ALI induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) and the potential underlying mechanisms.

Materials and Methods: Sixty adult mice were randomized into six study groups (n = 10/group). Three groups were treated with different concentrations of ZDP (2.5, 1.25, 0.625 g/kg), one with bifendate (0.0075 g/kg) alone (positive control) and one with physiologic saline (normal, negative control). All groups were treated for 14 days. Two hours after the last administration, the normal group received an intraperitoneal injection of peanut oil, and the other five groups received an intraperitoneal injection of an equal dose of CCl₄ peanut oil solution. At 24 h, the liver index, histology and serum or tissue levels and/or protein expression of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total bilirubin (TBIL), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), Akt, phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt), nuclear factor kappa B p65 (NF-κB p65), inhibitor of NF-κB α (IκB-α), interleukin-1 β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), E-cadherin and vimentin were determined.

Results: Compared to the model controls, the degree of inflammatory cell infiltration and hepatocyte injury of liver tissue was relieved in the bifendate and three ZDP groups; liver index in the ZDP (2.5, 1.25 g/kg) groups and serum liver function indices in the ZDP (2.5, 1.25 and 0.625 g/kg) groups were decreased; antioxidants SOD, CAT and GSH in liver tissue were increased but the lipid peroxidation index MDA was decreased; protein expression of inflammatory cytokines Akt, p-Akt, NF-κB p65, IκB-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in the liver was ameliorated, and E-cadherin expression was increased. The results of liver histopathology also showed that ZDP had a significant effect on ALI.

Conclusion: ZDP has obvious protective effects on CCl₄-induced ALI as a single therapy and appears to act by inhibiting oxidation, reducing the release of inflammatory factors and promoting hepatocyte repair.

Rapid Characterization of Triterpene Saponins from Zornia brasiliensis by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS

Zornia brasiliensis Vogel (Leguminosae) is a species popularly known in Brazil as “urinária”, “urinana”, and “carrapicho”, it is popularly used as a diuretic and in the treatment of venereal diseases. A specific methodology to obtain a saponin-enriched fraction and high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection, ion trap mass spectrometry, and TOF-MS (HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS) was applied for the analysis of triterpene saponins. The MS and MS/MS experiments were carried out by ionization in negative mode. Molecular mass and fragmentation data were used to support the structural characterization of the saponins. Based on retention times, high-resolution mass determination and fragmentation, 35 oleanane-triterpene saponins were tentatively identified in Z. brasiliensis.

Zornia (Leguminosae) no estado do Ceará, Nordeste do Brasil

Resumo Apresentamos o levantamento florístico das espécies de Zornia no estado do Ceará, como parte do projeto “Flora do Ceará”. O estudo foi baseado na análise comparativa dos caracteres morfológicos de espécimes depositados em herbários, amostras obtidas em campo, bibliografias especializadas e imagens de materiais-tipo. Para o estado foram registradas dez espécies de Zornia: Z. afranioi, Z. brasiliensis, Z. cearensis, Z. curvata, Z. guanipensis, Z. harmsiana, Z. latifolia, Z. leptophylla, Z. reticulata e Z. sericea. As espécies ocorrem preferencialmente em vegetação de Savana Estépica (Caatinga), mas também, foram registradas em Floresta Estacional Decidua (Mata Seca), Savana (Cerrado), Floresta Estacional Semidecidual das Terras Baixas (Mata de Tabuleiro) e Vegetação com Influência Marinha (Restinga). Zornia curvata, Z. guanipensis e Z. harmsiana são novas ocorrências para o Ceará. Três espécies foram registradas em cinco Unidades de Conservação no estado.

Citrus peels prevent cancer

BACKGROUND

Citrus comprises the largest fruit sector worldwide, and its fruit peels are the dominant 'residue' of the industry. Though not profitable, Citrus peels are industrially used for making some byproducts (cattle feed, molasses, ethanol, fiber) and for the extraction of bioactives (flavonoids, essential oils, d-limonene). Still huge amounts of peels are wasted by Citrus industries, juice and other vending sectors.

PURPOSE

The biological potentials of these unutilized or 'wasted' Citrus peels are least exploited. Here we tested the anticancer potentials of Citrus medica (2 morphotypes), C. sinensis, C. maxima, C. limon and C. reticulata peels by in vitro assays and in vivo cancer models.

METHODS

Chemical profiles of Citrus peel oils and peel extracts were analyzed by gas chromatographic techniques (GC-FID, GC-MS) and HPTLC-densitometry, respectively. Anticancer potentials of Citrus peels (Citrus medica 2 morphotypes, C. sinensis, C. maxima, C. limon and C. reticulata) were evaluated by various in vitro assays (MTT assay, morphological observations, fast halo assay, flow cytometric analysis) and in vivo cancer models.

RESULTS

C. reticulata peels (extracts, essential oils) showed significant activity against DLA cell line in MTT assay. We found C. reticulata peel water extract inducing cell cycle arrest of DLA in G0/G1 phase followed by nuclear condensation, membrane blebbing, formation of apoptotic bodies and DNA damage leading to apoptosis. In in vivo experiments, C. reticulata peel extract pre-treated mice were significantly (50%) protected from DLA compared to post-treated mice (33%), without any conspicuous toxic symptoms. Citrus peels have volatiles (essential oils, limonoids) and non-volatiles (mainly polymethoxy flavones) as their bioactive/anticancer constituents.

CONCLUSION

Our results encourage the use of Citrus peels, which is wasted in huge amounts, as cancer preventive food additives and as anticancer agents.

Suppressive effect of microRNA-143 in retinoblastoma

AIM

To investigate microRNA-143 expression and effect on suppression of retinoblastoma (RB) cells.

METHODS

The expression of microRNA-143 was investigated and compared in normal human retina tissue samples and in RB cell lines of Y79 and Weri1. The microRNA-143 mimics were transfected into the RB cell lines separately, and its effect on RB cell lines was detected using reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting methods.

RESULTS

The microRNA-143 expression was significantly suppressed in RB cell lines. Overexpression of microRNA-143 significantly lowered cell viability and invasion of the RB cell lines, and increased the number of apoptotic cells. Meanwhile, the Bax expression was up-regulated and much higher in the microRNA-143 mimics transfected group than that in the negative control and the microRNA-143 inhibitor groups.

CONCLUSION

MicroRNA-143 exhibits suppressive effects in RB. The current study provides the perspective of a potential therapeutic treatment for RB.

miR-99 inhibits cervical carcinoma cell proliferation by targeting TRIB2

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have significant roles in cell processes, including proliferation, apoptosis and stress responses. To investigate the involvement of miR-99 in the inhibition of HeLa cell proliferation, an miR-99 gene expression vector (pU6.1/miR-99), which overexpressed miR-99 in HeLa cells after transient transfection, was constructed. The expression of miR-99 was detected by qPCR. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were analyzed by cell viability, proliferation and apoptosis assays, as well as by electron microscopy. The results showed that overexpression of miR-99 in HeLa cells increased the HeLa cell mortality rate. Moreover, miR-99 overexpression was able to markedly inhibit HeLa cell proliferation according to the 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. The cell apoptosis rate was significantly higher in pU6.1/miR-99-treated cells compared with that in the control cultures. Increases in intracellular electron density, as well as the proportion of nuclear plasma, blebbing phenomena and apoptotic bodies were observed in pU6.1/miR-99-treated cells compared with control cultures according to electron microscopy analysis. The Tribbles 2 (TRIB2) 3′-untranslated region was also observed to be targeted by miR-99 and the results further demonstrated that miR-99 was able to negatively regulate TRIB2 expression in HeLa cells The results indicate that miR-99 acts as a tumor suppressor gene in HeLa cells, establishing a theoretical basis for its application in cancer therapeutics.