Nod-like receptor protein 3 inflammasome in head-and-neck cancer

Activation of inflammasomes has a decisive role in host defense mechanism against pathogens and other intracellular risk factors, but recently, it has been revealed that they play a significant role in the pathogenesis of several diseases, including cancer. Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, the best-studied inflammasome, has contrasting roles in cancer development and progressions. In head-and-neck cancers, the upregulated level of NLRP3 promotes tumor progression. The main objective of this review is to provide current knowledge on the involvement of NLRP3 inflammasome in head-and-neck cancers. Deeper understanding of the biology of this dynamic protein complex provides new scope for the development of more effective anticancer therapies.

Modulation of Natural Killer Cell Activity, Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity, and Antibody-Dependent Complement-Mediated Cytotoxicity by Andrographolide in Normal and Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma-Bearing Mice

Modulation of immune responses is highly relevant in tumor cell destruction. The present study is focused on the effect of Andrographis paniculata extract (APE) and its isolated compound andrographolide (ANDLE) on cell-mediated immune responses in normal and tumor-bearing control animals. Treatment with APE and ANDLE significantly enhanced natural killer cell activity in normal (APE, 46.82% cell lysis; ANDLE, 40.79% cell lysis) and tumor-bearing animals (APE, 48.66% cell lysis; ANDLE, 42.19% cell lysis) on the fifth day, and it was observed earlier than in tumor-bearing control animals (12.89% cell lysis on day 9). Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity was also increased in APE (45.17% cell lysis on day 11) as well as ANDLE (39.92% cell lysis on day 11)-treated normal and tumor-bearing animals (APE, 47.39% cell lysis; ANDLE, 41.48% cell lysis on day 11) compared to untreated tumor-bearing control animals (maximum of 11.76% cell lysis on day 17). An early enhancement of antibody-dependent complement-mediated cytotoxicity was also observed by the administration of APE and ANDLE in normal as well as tumor-bearing animals. APE and ANDLE administration could significantly enhance the mitogen-induced proliferation of splenocyte, thymocyte, and bone marrow cells. Moreover, treatment of APE and ANDLE significantly elevated the production of interleukin-2 and interferon-γ in normal and Ehrlich ascites carcinoma-bearing animals.

Protective Effect of Andrographis paniculata and Andrographolide on Cyclophosphamide-Induced Urothelial Toxicity

The protective effect of Andrograhis paniculata and andrographolide (ANDLE) against cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced urothelial toxicity was investigated in this study. Pretreatment of Swiss albino mice with A paniculata extract (10 mg/dose/animal intraperitoneally [ip]) and ANDLE (500 μg/dose/animal ip) could significantly reduce CTX (1.5 nmol/kg body weight)-induced urothelial toxicity. Morphological and histopathological analysis of urinary bladder of CTX-treated mice showed severe inflammation and dark coloration, whereas A paniculata and ANDLE-treated mice showed almost normal bladder morphology. Elevation of urinary protein level (7.33±0.3 g/L) by CTX administration was reduced by A paniculata (3.78 ± 0.4 g/L) and ANDLE treatment (4.19 ± 0.1 g/L). Urinary urea N2level, which was elevated after 48 hours of CTX administration (24.25 ± 0.2 g/L) was found to be reduced by the treatment with A paniculata (14.19 ± 0.5 g/L) and ANDLE (15.79 ± 0.4 g/L). A decreased level of reduced glutahione (GSH) content in liver (2.81 ± 0.1 nmol/mg protein) and bladder (1.20 ± 0.2 nmol/mg protein) after CTX administration was also increased by the treatment with A paniculata (liver: 5.78 ± 0.3 nmol/mg protein; bladder: 2.96 ± 0.2 nmol/mg protein) and ANDLE (liver: 5.14 ± 0.3 nmol/mg protein; bladder: 2.84 ± 0.2 nmol/mg protein). Production of the proinflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis factor-α, which was elevated during CTX administration, was found to be inhibited by A paniculata and ANDLE treatment. The lowered level of interleukin-2 and interferon-γ during CTX treatment was elevated by the administration of A paniculata and ANDLE.

Andrographolide induces apoptosis in B16F-10 melanoma cells by inhibiting NF-κB-mediated bcl-2 activation and modulating p53-induced caspase-3 gene expression

Cancer is a disorder characterized by uncontrolled proliferation and reduced apoptosis. Inducing apoptosis is an efficient method of treating cancers. In this study, we investigated the effect of andrographolide on the induction of apoptosis as well as its regulatory effect on the activation of transcription factors in B16F-10 melanoma cells. Treatment of B16F-10 cells with nontoxic concentration of andrographolide showed the presence of apoptotic bodies and induced DNA fragmentation in a dose-dependent manner. Cell cycle analysis and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assays also confirmed the observation. The proapoptotic genes p53, Bax, caspase-9, and caspase-3 were found upregulated in andrographolide-treated cells, whereas the antiapoptotic gene bcl-2 was downregulated. This study also reveals that andrographolide treatment could alter the production and expression of proinflammatory cytokines and could inhibit the activation and nuclear translocation of p65, p50, and c-Rel subunits of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and other transcription factors such as c-fos, activated transcription factor-2, and cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element-binding protein in B16F-10 melanoma cells. These results suggest that andrographolide induces apoptosis via inhibiting NF-κB-induced bcl-2-mediated survival signaling and modulating p53-induced caspase-3-mediated proapoptotic signaling.

Andrographis paniculata downregulates proinflammatory cytokine production and augments cell mediated immune response in metastatic tumor-bearing mice

Effects of Andrographis paniculata extract and its major component, andrographolide, on cell-mediated immune responses in metastatic tumor bearing animals were studied. NK cell mediated target cell lysis was enhanced by the administration of Andrographis paniculata extract (45.0% cell lysis) and andrographolide (40.2% cell lysis) on the 5th day after tumor induction when compared to untreated metastatic tumor bearing animals in which maximum target cell lysis was observed on 11th day (11.4%). Antibody dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) was also enhanced by treatment with the extract (42.0% cell lysis) and andrographolide (40.2%) in comparison with the untreated case (11.0%). Similarly, the extract (25%) and andrographolide (22%) showed higher ACC activity than the control (14%) and treatment of extract and andrographolide resulted in significant increase in serum IL-2 and TIMP-1 levels. Furthermore, the levels of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1ß, IL-6, GM-CSF and TNF-α were effectively reduced by the administration of extract and andrographolide in metastatic tumor bearing animals.

Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of the PlantAndrographis PaniculataNees

In this study, we explored the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of the medicinal herb Andrographis paniculata using in vitro as well as in vivo systems. Methanolic extract of Andrographis paniculata was found to inhibit formation of oxygen derived free radicals such as superoxide (32%) hydroxyl radicals (80%) lipid peroxidation (80%) and nitric oxide (42.8%) in in vitro system. In vivo studies using BALB/c mice models also showed significant inhibition in PMA induced superoxide (32.4%) and nitric oxide (65.3%) formation. Interestingly we also found that, administration of Andrographis paniculata extract produced complete inhibition of carageenan induced inflammation compared with control models.

Activation of cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses and attenuation of tumor growth in vivo by Andrographis paniculata extract and andrographolide

The stimulatory effect of Andrographis paniculata extract and andrographolide on cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) production was determined in BALB/c mice by Winn's neutralization assay using CTL sensitive EL4 thymoma cells as target cell. Extract and andrographolide showed a significant increase in CTL production in both the in vivo and in vitro models. The survival time of EL4 cells alone in animals was only 27.1 days and it was increased to 51.1 and 44.5 days in extract- and andrographolide treated animals with percentage increase in life span (%ILS) of 88.5 and 64.2, respectively. The survival rate of animals administered EL4 cells incubated with alloimmunized spleen cells (effector cells) from normal BALB/c mice was 35.8 (%ILS 32.1). When this group was treated with 10 doses of extract and andrographolide the life span was further increased to 52.1 days (%ILS 92.2 ) and 48.1 days (%ILS 77.4). Survival days of animal carrying EL4 cells incubated with alloimmunized spleen cells (effector cells) from extract and andrographolide treated animals were 55.5 and 50.3 days respectively. When these animals continued with extract and andrographolide treatment for 10 days their life spans were significantly increased to 62 and 53.8 days, respectively. The level of cytokines such as Interlevkin (IL)-2 and Interferon (IFN)-gamma also was enhanced in these animals when they were treated with extract and andrographolide. This study demonstrated that A. paniculata extract and andrographolide stimulate the CTL production through enhanced secretion of IL-2 and IFN-gamma by T cells and thereby inhibit the tumor growth.

Antiangiogenic activity of Andrographis paniculata extract and andrographolide

Inhibition of angiogenesis is currently perceived as one of the promising strategies in the treatment of cancer. In this study we analyzed the antiangiogenic activity of Andrographis paniculata extract (APE) and its major component andrographolide (ANDLE) using both in vitro and in vivo models. Intraperitoneal administration of APE and ANDLE significantly inhibited the B16F-10 melanoma cell line induced capillary formation in C57BL/6 mice. Analysis of serum cytokine profile showed a drastic elevation in the proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha and GM-CSF and the most potent angiogenic factor VEGF in angiogenesis induced animals. Treatment of APE and ANDLE significantly reduced this elevated levels. Moreover, VEGF mRNA level in B16F-10 cell line showed a reduced level of expression in the presence of APE and ANDLE. Serum NO level which was increased in B16F-10 melanoma injected control animals was also found to be significantly lowered by the administration of APE and ANDLE. Antiangiogenic factors such as TIMP-1 and IL-2 level was elevated in APE and ANDLE treated angiogenesis induced animals. In the rat aortic ring assay APE and ANDLE inhibited the microvessel outgrowth at non toxic concentrations. Taken together our results demonstrate that APE and ANDLE inhibit the tumor specific angiogenesis by regulating the production of various pro and antiangiogenic factors such as proinflammatory cytokine, nitric oxide, VEGF, IL-2 and TIMP-1.

Ameliorating effects of Andrographis paniculata extract against cyclophosphamide-induced toxicity in mice

Major drawbacks of chemotherapeutic agents are their toxic side effects and lack of tumor specificity. Immunological and biochemical studies were here carried out to investigate protective effects of ethanolic extract of Andrographis paniculata against cyclophosphamide (CTX) induced toxicity in vivo. Intraperitoneal administration of the extract significantly increased the total WBC account (3256.5+/-196 cells/cm(2)), bone marrow cellularity (17.1+/-10.4x10(6) cells/femur) and betaesterase positive cells (849+/-23.2 cells/4000 cells) in CTX treated animals, when compared to CTX alone treated control mice. Weights of lymphoid organs such as a spleen and thymus, reduced by CTX administration, were also increased by A paniculata treatment. Reduction of GSH in liver (4.8+/-0.21nmol/mg protein) and in intestinal mucosa (13+/-0.67 nmol/mg protein) of CTX-treated controls was significantly reversed by A paniculata administration (liver: 6.4+/-0.13, intestinal mucosa: 17.11+/-0.06), with amelioration of changes in serum and liver ALP, GPT, LPO (lipid peroxidation). Histopathological analysis of small intestine also suggests that extract could reduce the CTX induced intestinal damage. The level of proinflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha, which was elevated during CTX administration, was significantly reduced by the A paniculata extract administration. The lowered levels of other cytokines like IFN-gamma, IL-2, GM-CSF, after CTX treatment were also found to be increased by extract administration.