Diterpenoid tanshinones inhibit gastric cancer angiogenesis through the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge is a kind of Chinese herbal medicine known for activating blood circulation and removing blood stasis, with the effect of cooling blood and eliminating carbuncles, and has been proven to have the effect of treating tumors. However, the inhibitory effect of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge extracts (Diterpenoid tanshinones) on tumors by inhibiting angiogenesis has not been studied in detail.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to investigate the anti-gastric cancer effect of diterpenoid tanshinones (DT) on angiogenesis, including the therapeutic effects and pathways.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This experiment utilized network pharmacology was used to identify relevant targets and pathways of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge-related components in the treatment of gastric cancer. The effects of DT on the proliferation and migration of human gastric cancer cell line SGC-7901 and human umbilical vein endothelial cell line HUVECs were evaluated, and changes in the expression of angiogenesis-related factors were measured. In vivo, experiments were conducted on nude mice to determine tumor activity, size, immunohistochemistry, and related proteins.

RESULTS

The findings showed that DT could inhibit the development of gastric cancer by suppressing the proliferation of gastric cancer cells, inducing apoptosis, and inhibiting invasion and metastasis. In addition, the content of angiogenesis-related factors and proteins was significantly altered in DT-affected cells and animals.

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest that DT has potential as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of gastric cancer, as it can inhibit tumor growth and angiogenesis. It was also found that DT may affect the expression of the angiogenic factor VEGF through the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, leading to the regulation of tumor angiogenesis. This study provides a new approach to the development of anti-tumor agents and has significant theoretical and clinical implications for the treatment of gastric cancer.

Organic trace minerals improve eggshell quality by improving the eggshell ultrastructure of laying hens during the late laying period

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of low inclusion levels of organic trace minerals (iron, copper, manganese, and zinc) on performance, eggshell quality, serum hormone levels, and enzyme activities of laying hens during the late laying period. A total of 405 healthy hens (HY-Line White, 50-week-old) were randomly divided into 3 treatments, with 9 replications per treatment and 15 birds per replication. The dietary treatments included a basal diet supplemented with inorganic trace minerals at commercial levels (CON), a basal diet supplemented with inorganic trace minerals at 1/3 commercial levels (ITM), and a basal diet supplemented with proteinated trace minerals at 1/3 commercial levels (TRT). The trial lasted 56 D (8 wk). Compared with the CON group, the ITM group showed decrease in (P < 0.05) egg production, eggshell strength, eggshell palisade layer, palisade layer ratio, serum estrogen, luteinizing hormone, glycosaminoglycan concentration, and carbonic anhydrase activity and increase in (P < 0.05) egg loss and mammillary layer ratio. However, the TRT group almost kept all the indices close to the CON group (P > 0.05). Furthermore, hens fed with low inclusion levels of organic trace minerals had smaller mammillary knobs (P < 0.05) than those in the CON and ITM groups. In conclusion, hens fed with low inclusion levels of proteinated trace minerals had better performance and eggshell strength than those fed with identical levels of inorganic compounds; organic trace minerals improved eggshell quality by improving the eggshell ultrastructure of laying hens during the late laying period.

[HarpinPss elicited early defense responses of tobacco cells and involvement of calcium]

HarpinPss can induce hypersensitive reaction (HR) in tobacco leaves. As superoxide dismutase can inhibit but catalase can not inhibit the development of HR induced by harpinPss, superoxide anion is required for this response. HarpinPss can also induce the release of active oxygen and extracellular alkalinization, two early defence responses in tobacco suspension culture. Diphenylene iodoium, can completely inhibit the induction of HR in tobacco leaves, and the release of active oxygen in the suspension culture system, superoxide anion in these system may be produced by the activation of NADPH oxidase. Ethyleneglycol-bis (beta-aminoethyl) N, N, N'N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) can inhibit the development of harpinPss-induced HR and these two early defence responses in suspension culture system. Adding Ca2+ into the medium again, these responses can return to normal level in a short time. Lanthanum chloride, verapamil, neomycin, U-73122, and LiCl can also inhibit these harpinPss-induced responses. Therefore, the influx of Ca2+ mediated by calcium channel and the release of Ca2+ from internal Ca2+ pool may be involved in the two early defense responses induced by harpinPss. Cycloheximide and actinomycin D have no effect on the release of active oxygen but can inhibit harpinPss-induced HR even added them in the intermediate process for inducing HR. It indicates superoxide is just a trigger for HR, and HR is a more complex process that needs the sustained expression of some genes.

[Involvement of anion channel in signal transduction of early defense responses elicited by harpinPss in tobacco]

No matter when anion channel inhibitors, DIDS (4, 4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2, 2'-disulfonic acid) and A9C (anthracene-9-carboxylic acid) added (before, at the same time of or after harpinPss treatment), they can inhibit harpinPss-induced hypersensitive response in tobacco seedlings and release of active oxygen and extracellular alkalinization in tobacco suspension cells. DIDS and A9C also inhibit harpinPss-induced Ca2+ influx. In all these cases, DIDS is more efficient than A9C. It is postulated that anion channel positively regulates calcium channel in plasma membrane, and harpinPss may function through signal transduction mediated by anion channel and calcium channel to regulate cellular Ca2+ concentration and defense responses.