Inhibition of hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation through regulation of the Cell Cycle, AGE-RAGE, and Leptin signaling pathways by a compound formulation comprised of andrographolide, wogonin, and oroxylin A derived from Andrographis Paniculata(Burm.f.) Nees

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

In 2020, liver cancer contributed to approximately 0.9 million new cases and 0.83 million deaths, making it the third leading cause of mortality worldwide. Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Nees(APN), a traditional Chinese or ethnic medicine extensively utilized in Asia, has been historically employed for treating hepatitis and liver cancer. However, the precise molecular mechanism responsible for its therapeutic efficacy remains unclear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To identify and replace the active components of APN on liver cancer, which is investigate the potential of a Multi-Component Chinese Medicine derived from Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Nees(APN-MCCN) for the treatment of liver cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Firstly, the TCMSP database and two liver cancer disease databases were utilized to optimize the chemical constituents of APN and the disease-related targets of liver cancer. The network was constructed using Cytoscape to visualize the relationships between them. Subsequently, the optimal combination of components in APN-MCCN for the treatment of liver cancer was determined using the contribution index method. HPLC analysis was performed to measure the content of each component. Pathway enrichment and gene annotation were conducted using the ClueGo plugin. In vivo efficacy was evaluated by transplanting S180 and H22 tumor-bearing mouse models. In vitro efficacy was determined through MTT assay, morphological observations, flow cytometry analysis, and scratch tests. Western blotting was used to validate the protein expression. The transfection techniques were employed to knockdown the expressions of key protein in different pathway.

RESULTS

We obtained 24 effective compounds, with andrographolide contributing 20.78%, wogonin contributing 41.85%, and oroxylin A contributing 30.26% to the overall composition. Based on the predicted enrichment degree and correlation with liver cancer, we identified a total of 27 pathways, among which the Leptin signaling pathway, AGE-RAGE signaling pathway, and Cell Cycle signaling pathway were selected for further investigation. The content of andrographolide, oroxylin A, and wogonin in APN was found to be 0.104%, 0.0024%, and 0.0052%, respectively. In vivo experiments demonstrated that APN-MCCM significantly reduced tumor weight in S180 tumor-bearing mice and prolonged the survival time of H22 liver cancer-bearing mice. APN-MCCM exhibited inhibitory effects on the proliferation, apoptosis, and migration of liver cancer cells while arresting them in the G2/M phase. Furthermore, APN-MCCM down-regulated the protein expression of NCOA1, PTPN1, and GSK3B in the Leptin signaling pathway, NOS2 and NOS3 in the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway, CCNA2, CDK1, CDK2, and CDK7 in the Cell Cycle signaling pathway. Additionally, it upregulated the protein phosphorylation of p-P38 and p-JUN in the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway. Knockout experiments revealed that the inhibitory effect of APN-MCCM on liver cancer cell migration was prevented when the MAPK or NCOA1 genes were knocked out. Similarly, knocking out the CDK7 gene blocked the G2/M phase arrest induced by APN-MCCM in liver cancer cells.

CONCLUSIONS

APN-MCCM, consisting of andrographolide, wogonin, and oroxylin A, exhibits inhibitory effects on the cell proliferation of liver cancer cells by targeting the cell cycle pathway. Additionally, it suppresses the migration of liver cancer cells through the AGE-RAGE and Leptin signaling pathways.

Computational analysis for identification of early diagnostic biomarkers and prognostic biomarkers of liver cancer based on GEO and TCGA databases and studies on pathways and biological functions affecting the survival time of liver cancer

Background

Liver cancer is the sixth most commonly diagnosed cancer and the fourth most common cause of cancer death. The purpose of this work is to find new diagnostic biomarkers or prognostic biomarkers and explore the biological functions related to the prognosis of liver cancer.

Methods

GSE25097 datasets were firstly obtained and compared with TCGA LICA datasets and an analysis of the overlapping differentially expressed genes (DEGs) was conducted. Cytoscape was used to screen out the Hub Genes among the DEGs. ROC curve analysis was used to screen the Hub Genes to determine the genes that could be used as diagnostic biomarkers. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards model screened genes associated with prognosis biomarkers, and further Gene Set Enrichment Analysis was performed on the prognosis genes to explore the mechanism affecting the survival and prognosis of liver cancer patients.

Results

790 DEGs and 2162 DEGs were obtained respectively from the GSE25097 and TCGA LIHC data sets, and 102 Common DEGs were identified by overlapping the two DEGs. Further screening identified 22 Hub Genes from 102 Common DEGs. ROC and survival curves were used to analyze these 22 Hub Genes and it was found that there were 16 genes with a value of AUC > 90%. Among these, the expression levels of ESR1,SPP1 and FOSB genes were closely related to the survival time of liver cancer patients. Three common pathways of ESR1, FOBS and SPP1 genes were identified along with seven common pathways of ESR1 and SPP1 genes and four common pathways of ESR1 and FOSB genes.

Conclusions

SPP1, AURKA, NUSAP1, TOP2A, UBE2C, AFP, GMNN, PTTG1, RRM2, SPARCL1, CXCL12, FOS, DCN, SOCS3, FOSB and PCK1 can be used as diagnostic biomarkers for liver cancer, among which FOBS and SPP1 genes can also be used as prognostic biomarkers. Activation of the cell cycle-related pathway, pancreas beta cells pathway, and the estrogen signaling pathway, while on the other hand inhibition of the hallmark heme metabolism pathway, hallmark coagulation pathway, and the fat metabolism pathway may promote prognosis in liver cancer patients.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-021-08520-1.

The neurobiological reward system in Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD): A systematic review

Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) is a debilitating condition affecting between 7% and 10% of bereaved individuals. Past imaging and psychological studies have proposed links between PGD's characteristic symptoms - in particular, profound yearning - and the neural reward system. We conducted a systematic review to investigate this connection. On December 19, 2019, we searched six bibliographic databases for data on the neurobiology of grief and disordered grief. We excluded studies of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, animal studies, and reviews. After abstract and full-text screening, twenty-four studies were included in the final review. We found diverse evidence for the activation of several reward-related regions of the brain in PGD. The data reviewed suggest that compared to normative grief, PGD involves a differential pattern of activity in the amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC); likely differential activity in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), rostral or subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and basal ganglia overall, including the nucleus accumbens (NAc); and possible differential activity in the insula. It also appears that oxytocin signaling is altered in PGD, though the exact mechanism is unclear. Our findings appear to be consistent with, though not confirmative of, conceptualizing PGD as a disorder of reward, and identify directions for future research.

Oridonin induces apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway in human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells

Oridonin is one of the most important antitumor active ingredients of Rabdosia rubescens. Recently published studies from our laboratory have demonstrated that oridonin was able to arrest human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells at G2/M phase. However, little is known about inducing apoptosis in gastric cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of oridonin on antineoplastic capability of SGC-7901 cells and the detailed molecular mechanism of oridonin-mediated intrinsic pathway of apoptosis. Cell proliferation was assessed by MTT assay while apoptosis induced by oridonin was determined by Hoechst 33342 staining assay and Annexin V/PI double staining assay. Early apoptotic rate was stained by Annexin V/PI and detected by flow cytometry. Apoptosis pathway was analyzed by western blot analysis of Bcl-2, Bax, cytochrome c and caspase-3 expression. The results showed that oridonin was able to inhibit the SGC-7901 cell proliferation, the 50% growth inhibition (IC50) was 22.74 µM. Oridonin could induce cell apoptosis of SGC-7901 cells and the early apoptotic rates induced by 0, 20, 40, 80 µmol/l oridonin were 1.53±0.67, 3.33±0.29, 84.80±0.82 and 96.43±0.51%, respectively. Western blot analysis revealed that oridonin downregulated Bcl-2 protein (the anti-apoptotic factor) and upregulated Bax protein (pro-apoptotic factor), eventually leading to a reduction in the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax proteins. Furthermore, oridonin induced the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria to the cytosol and the activation of caspase-3. Taken together, the current study suggested that oridonin induced apoptosis in SGC-7901 cells via the mitochondrial signal pathway, which may represent one of the major mechanisms of oridonin-mediated apoptosis in SGC-7901 cells.

[Survey on Echinococcosis in Maqing County of Qinghai Province]

OBJECTIVE

To understand the status of echinococcosis in Maqing County of Qinghai Province in order to facilitate echinococcosis control in this region.

METHODS

Ultrasonic scanning and indirect hemagglutination assay were used to detect echinococcosis infection in residents >1 year old, according to the People's Republic of China Health Industry Standard--Diagnostic Criteria for Hydatid Disease (WS257-2006). Meanwhile, ELISA was used o detect the Echinococcus antigen in dog's feces collected in Youyun, Dangluo and Xiadawu townships.

RESULTS

Ultrasonic scanning showed that the prevalence of hydatid disease in the residents was 7.4% (116/1 561), cystic hydatid disease 5.3% (82/1 561), alveolar hydatid disease 2.2% (34/1 561). The serum positive rate in human population was 23.8%(307/1 288). Of the 82 cases of cystic hydatid disease, 23 cases (28.1%) had the hydatid cyst with a diameter of >10 cm. The prevalence in males and females in the county was 5.3% (40/753) and 9.4% (76/808), respectively (P<0.05). Among populations with different occupations, the highest prevalence of hydatid disease fell into houseworkers (11/61, 18.0%), monks (5/41, 12.2%) and herdsmen (84/758, 11.1%). Among the age groups, the groups of >60 years (24/132, 18.2%) and 30-40 years (31/302, 10.3%) had higher prevalence of hydatid disease. The three townships with the higher prevalence were Youyun (29/247, 11.7%), Changmahe (6/63, 9.5%) and Dangluo (54/645, 8.4%). Of the 199 samples of dog's feces, 54 were positive for Echinococcus antigens (27.1%), with a positive rate of 40.4% (23/57) in Youyun towship, being significantly higher than in the other two (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Maqin county is a co-endemic area of cystic echinococcosis and alveolar echinococcosis. The prevalence is higher in females and those over 60 years-old.

Screening antitumor bioactive fraction from Sauromatum giganteum (Engl.) Cusimano & Hett and sensitive cell lines with the serum pharmacology method and identification by UPLC-TOF-MS

Sauromatum giganteum (Engl.) Cusimano & Hett Tuber are used in Chinese folklore medicine for treatment of neoplasms. However, the claim has not been scientifically validated. The aim of the study is to screen the antitumor bioactive fraction of Sauromatum giganteum (Engl.) Cusimano & Hett Tuber and sensitive tumor cell lines using a cytotoxicity assay in vitro and tumor transplantation method in vivo, to support its use in folk medicine. The petroleum ether fraction, chloroform fraction, ethyl acetate fraction, n-butanol fraction and water fraction were successively extracted by turn by the maceration under reflux assay. Screening of antitumor bioactive fraction and sensitive cell lines were measured by MTT assay and the serum pharmacology method, and in vivo the antitumor activities of the active fraction was evaluated by using S₁₈₀ or H₂₂ tumor-bearing mice model and Kunming mice. The active constituents of ethyl acetate fraction of Sauromatum giganteum (Engl.) Cusimano & Hett were characterized by UPLC-TOF-MS. Compared with control groups, mice serum containing ethyl acetate fraction had a inhibition effect on SMMC-7721 cell, SGC-7901 cell, MCF-7 cell, HeLa cell, A549 cell, HT-29, and MDA-MB-231, respectively, but mice serum containing other four fractions had no different with that of control group. The inhibition capabilities of mice serum containing ethyl acetate fraction on the seven cell lines in descending order is SGC-7901 > SMMC-7721 > MCF-7 > HT-29 > A549 > HeLa > MDA-MB-231. In vivo the inhibition rate of 106, 318, 954 mg/kg·d ethyl acetate fraction dry extract to sarcoma S₁₈₀ is 15.22%, 26.15% and 40.24%, respectively, and life prolonging rate to hepatoma H₂₂ is 33.61%, 40.16% and 55.74%. A total of 14 compounds were identified in the ethyl acetate fraction of Sauromatum giganteum (Engl.) Cusimano & Hett. The results of the experimental studies proved the antitumor activity of Sauromatum giganteum (Engl.) Cusimano & Hett and supported the traditional use of this plant. These data indicate the potential for the use of ethyl acetate fraction of Sauromatum giganteum (Engl.) Cusimano & Hett Tuber in tumor therapy, anti-tumor activity on cancer cell line in descending order is SGC-7901 > SMMC-7721 > MCF-7 > HT-29 > A549 > HeLa > MDA-MB-231.

Ethanol but not aqueous extracts of tubers of Sauromatum Giganteum(Engl.) Cusimano and Hett inhibit cancer cell proliferation

BACKGROUND

Both alcohol and aqueous extracts of Sauromatum giganteum(Engl.) Cusimano and Hett, the dried root tuber of which is named Baifuzi in Chinese, have been used for folklore treatment of cancer in Northeast of China. However, little is known about which is most suitable to the cancer therapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Serum pharmacology and MTT assays were adopted to detect the effects of ethanol and aqueous extracts of Sauromatum giganteum(Engl.) Cusimano and Hett , prepared by heat reflux methods, on proliferation of different cancer cells.

RESULTS

Cancer cells treated with medium supplemented with 10%, 20%, 40% serum(v/v) containing ethanol extract had a decline in viability, with inhibition rates of 7.69%, 21.8%, 41.9% in MCF-7 cells, 42.8%, 48.1%, 51.8% in SGC-7901 cells, 44.1%, 49.2%, 53.7% in SMMC-7721 cells, 6.8%, 15.2%, 39.8% in HepG2 cells, 7.57%, 16.3%, 36.2% in HeLa cells, 6.24%, 12.5%, 27.4% in A549 cells, and 7.20%, 17.5%, 31.3% in MDA-MB-231 cells, respectively. Viability in the aqueous extract groups was no different with that of controls.

CONCLUSIONS

An ethanol extract of Sauromatum giganteum(Engl.) Cusimano and Hett inhibited the proliferation of SMMC-7721, SGC-7901 and MCF-7 cells, which supports the use of alcoholic but not aqueous extracts for control of sensive cancers, which might include hepatocarcinoma, gastric cancer and breast cancer.

Endostatin Gene Therapy for Endometriosis in Rats

Objective:

Endostatin gene therapy for endometriosis was studied in an experimental autotransplantation model in rats.

Methods:

Endometriotic lesions were transfected by intralesional injection of the plasmid lipofectamine-endostatinpBud (group 1), lipofectamine-pBud (empty vector; group 2) or phosphatebuffered saline (group 3). Endostatin mRNA and protein levels in lesions were evaluated by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis. Endostatin and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein levels in serum, and microvessel density (MVD) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 protein levels in endometriotic lesions, were also determined.

Results:

Lipofectamine- endostatin-pBud injection increased endostatin mRNA and protein levels in lesions. Lesions were significantly smaller, and serum VEGF levels significantly lower, in group 1 versus controls. Serum VEGF was significantly and negatively correlated with serum endostatin. In group 1, MMP-2 levels and MVD were significantly lower versus controls. MMP-2 level was negatively correlated with endostatin.

Conclusions:

Gene therapy with endostatin appears to be an effective treatment for endometriosis. Restoration of endostatin gene expression by gene transfer in vivo might be a potential gene therapy approach for human endometriosis.

One-atmosphere aqueous-solution synthesis of trimolybdate nanomaterials and the feasibility for mass production

Mass production of low-cost functional nanomaterials is an important issue for the development of nanoscience and nanotechnology. With rich structural, physical and chemical properties, polyoxometalates are important functional materials for both industrial applications and fundamental research. We presented a family of alkali trimolybdate nanowires and nanorods that were synthesized by a one-atmosphere aqueous solution method from a mixture of two solutions, one consisting of (NH4)6Mo7O24 x 4H2O and the other of Li+, Na+, K+ and Rb+ ions, respectively. This family showed clear similarities in their Raman and infrared spectra. By systematic characterizations, we have figured out a universal formula theta(m)(NH4)(2-m)Mo3O10 x nH2O (theta = Li, Na, K, Rb; m = 1,2) for this family of hydrate nanomaterials. Among them, two new phases, namely Li2Mo3O10 x H2O and Rb2Mo3O10 x 3 x 4H2O were recognized. The method was also applied to synthesizing Ag-doped trimolybdate nanowires, and the feasibility for mass production of these nanomaterials with a continuous synthesis experiment was also clear demonstrated. The results of this work offered interesting experimental data for theoretical analysis of the unique growth mechanism.

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor regulates the functional adhesive state of very late antigen-4 expressed by eosinophils

As very late antigen-4 (VLA-4) can exist in different functional states, we have sought to determine whether a cytokine expressed by inflamed endothelium (i.e., granulocyte-macrophage CSF (GM-CSF)) could regulate the functional state of VLA-4 expressed by eosinophils. Using a micropipette single cell adhesion assay able to measure the strength of adhesion forces, eosinophils exhibited low levels of basal adhesion to unstimulated endothelium (separation force, 0.022 +/- 0.003 mdynes). In contrast, individual eosinophils bound to IL-1beta-stimulated endothelium (0.49 +/- 0.02 mdynes), TNF-stimulated endothelium (0.62 +/- 0.05 mdynes), or IL-4-stimulated endothelium (0.11 +/- 0.01 mdynes) with increased avidity as assessed by separation force. Eosinophil binding to IL-4-stimulated endothelium was significantly inhibited by neutralizing Abs to either vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM) or VLA-4. The strength of eosinophil adhesion to VCAM (0.31 +/- 0.02 mdynes) or to connecting segment-1 (CS-1) (0.18 mdynes) was greater than the strength of eosinophil adhesion to unstimulated endothelium (0.02 mdynes), but was less than the strength of eosinophil adhesion to IL-1beta-stimulated endothelium (0.49 +/- 0.02 mdynes). After incubating eosinophils for 30 min with GM-CSF, the mean adhesion strength of eosinophils to CS-1 and VCAM increased significantly by 84 and 54%, respectively, compared with that of controls. This increased binding of eosinophils to VCAM or CS-1 was not due to alterations in VLA-4 receptor number (assessed by FACS analysis) or alterations in VLA-4 receptor distribution (assessed by confocal microscopy). These studies suggest that endothelial-derived cytokines such as GM-CSF have the potential to alter the functional state of eosinophil-expressed VLA-4 from a low affinity state to a high affinity state.

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor regulates the functional adhesive state of very late antigen-4 expressed by eosinophils

As very late antigen-4 (VLA-4) can exist in different functional states, we have sought to determine whether a cytokine expressed by inflamed endothelium (i.e., granulocyte-macrophage CSF (GM-CSF)) could regulate the functional state of VLA-4 expressed by eosinophils. Using a micropipette single cell adhesion assay able to measure the strength of adhesion forces, eosinophils exhibited low levels of basal adhesion to unstimulated endothelium (separation force, 0.022 +/- 0.003 mdynes). In contrast, individual eosinophils bound to IL-1beta-stimulated endothelium (0.49 +/- 0.02 mdynes), TNF-stimulated endothelium (0.62 +/- 0.05 mdynes), or IL-4-stimulated endothelium (0.11 +/- 0.01 mdynes) with increased avidity as assessed by separation force. Eosinophil binding to IL-4-stimulated endothelium was significantly inhibited by neutralizing Abs to either vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM) or VLA-4. The strength of eosinophil adhesion to VCAM (0.31 +/- 0.02 mdynes) or to connecting segment-1 (CS-1) (0.18 mdynes) was greater than the strength of eosinophil adhesion to unstimulated endothelium (0.02 mdynes), but was less than the strength of eosinophil adhesion to IL-1beta-stimulated endothelium (0.49 +/- 0.02 mdynes). After incubating eosinophils for 30 min with GM-CSF, the mean adhesion strength of eosinophils to CS-1 and VCAM increased significantly by 84 and 54%, respectively, compared with that of controls. This increased binding of eosinophils to VCAM or CS-1 was not due to alterations in VLA-4 receptor number (assessed by FACS analysis) or alterations in VLA-4 receptor distribution (assessed by confocal microscopy). These studies suggest that endothelial-derived cytokines such as GM-CSF have the potential to alter the functional state of eosinophil-expressed VLA-4 from a low affinity state to a high affinity state.