Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Activity of Sea Cucumber (Holothuria scabra) Active Compounds against KEAP1 and iNOS Protein

Oxidative stress and inflammation have a role in the development of various diseases. Oxidative stress and inflammation are associated with many proteins, including Kelch ECH associating protein 1 (KEAP1) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) proteins. The active compounds contained in Holothuria scabra have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of sea cucumber's active compounds by targeting KEAP1 and iNOS proteins. 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and nitric oxide (NO) scavenging activity of H. scabra extract were measured spectrophotometrically. The 3-dimensional (3D) structures of sea cucumber's active compounds and proteins were obtained from the PubChem and Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics Protein Data Bank (RCSB PDB) databases. Molecular docking was performed using AutoDock Vina software. Molecular dynamics simulations were carried out using Yet Another Scientific Artificial Reality Application (YASARA) software with environmental parameters according to the cell's physiological conditions. The membrane permeability test was performed using the PerMM web server. The methanol extract of H. scabra had a weak antioxidant activity against DPPH and strong activity against NO radical. Scabraside and holothurinoside G had the most negative binding affinity values when interacting with the active site of KEAP1 and iNOS proteins. Molecular dynamics simulations also showed that both compounds were stable when interacting with KEAP1 and iNOS. However, scabraside and holothurinoside G were difficult to penetrate the cell plasma membrane, which is seen from the high energy transfer value in the lipid acyl chain region of phospholipids. Scabraside and holothurinoside G are predicted to act as antioxidants and anti-inflammations, but in their implementation to in vitro and in vivo study, it is necessary to have liposomes or nanoparticles, or other delivery methods to help these 2 compounds enter the cell.

A Potential Anticancer Mechanism of Finger Root (Boesenbergia rotunda) Extracts against a Breast Cancer Cell Line

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer women suffer from worldwide in 2020 and the 4th leading cause of cancer death. Boesenbergia rotunda is an herb with high potential as an anticancer agent. This study explores the potential bioactive compounds in B. rotunda as anti-breast cancer agents using in silico and in vitro approaches. The in silico study was used for active compound analysis, selection of anticancer compound candidates, prediction of target protein, functional annotation, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation, respectively. The in vitro study was conducted by measurement toxicity, rhodamine 123, and apoptosis assays on T47D cells. Based on the KNApSAcK database, B. rotunda contained 20 metabolites, which are dominated by chalcone and flavonoid groups. Seven of them were predicted to have anticancer activity, namely, sakuranetin, cardamonin, alpinetin, 2S-pinocembrin, 7.4'-dihydroxy-5-methoxyflavanone, 5.6-dehydrokawain, and pinostrobin chalcone. These compounds targeted proteins related to cancer progression pathways such as the PI3K/Akt, FOXO, JAK/STAT, and estrogen signaling pathways. Therefore, these compounds are predicted to inhibit growth and induce apoptosis of cancer cells through their interactions with MMP12, MMP13, CDK4, JAK3, VEGFR1, VEGFR2, and KCNA3. Anticancer activity of B. rotunda through in vitro study confirmed that B. rotunda extract is strong cytotoxic and induces apoptosis of breast cancer cell lines. This study concludes that Boesenbergia rotunda has potency as an anticancer candidate.

Anticancer activity of Caesalpinia sappan by downregulating mitochondrial genes in A549 lung cancer cell line

Background: The standardization and mechanism of action of  Caesalpinia sappan as an anticancer agent are still lacking. This study aimed to understand the mechanism of action of  C,sappan extract as an anticancer agent.

Methods: This study was conducted using the A549 lung cancer cell line to understand the mechanism of action of  C. sappan extract as an anticancer agent. The cytotoxicity activity, cell cycle progression, apoptosis, protein-related apoptosis (i.e., BCL-2and BAX protein) assays, and RNA sequencing were performed level were measured. Moreover, the antioxidant activity, total flavonoids, and phenolics of C.sappan were also assessed.

Results:C.sappan has strong antioxidant activity (22.14 ± 0.93 ppm) total flavonoid content of (529.3 ± 4.56 mgQE/g), and phenolics content of (923.37 ± 5 mgGAE/g). The C.sappan ethanol extract inhibited cancer cell growth and arrested at G0/G1 phase of cell cycle, inducing apoptosis by increasing BAX/BCL-2 protein ratio in A549 lung cancer cell line. Furthermore, results from RNA sequencing analysis showed that C.sappan ethanol extract caused downregulation of genes acting on mitochondrial function including adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production and respiration.

Conclusions: This study demonstrated that C.sappan has the ability to inhibit cancer cell growth by inducing apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction in A549 cells.

Anticancer activity of Caesalpinia sappan by downregulating mitochondrial genes in A549 lung cancer cell line

Background: The standardization and mechanism of action of Caesalpinia sappan as an anticancer agent are still lacking. This study aimed to understand the mechanism of action of  C,sappan extract as an anticancer agent. Methods: This study was conducted using the A549 lung cancer cell line to understand the mechanism of action of C. sappan extract as an anticancer agent. The cytotoxicity activity, cell cycle progression, apoptosis, protein-related apoptosis (i.e., BCL-2and BAX protein) assays, and RNA sequencing were performed level were measured. Moreover, the antioxidant activity, total flavonoids, and phenolics of C.sappan were also assessed. Results: C.sappan has strong antioxidant activity (22.14 ± 0.93 ppm) total flavonoid content of (529.3 ± 4.56 mgQE/g), and phenolics content of (923.37 ± 5 mgGAE/g). The C.sappan ethanol extract inhibited cancer cell growth and arrested at G0/G1 phase of cell cycle, inducing apoptosis by increasing BAX/BCL-2 protein ratio in A549 lung cancer cell line. Furthermore, results from RNA sequencing analysis showed that C.sappan ethanol extract caused downregulation of genes acting on mitochondrial function including adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production and respiration. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that C.sappan has the ability to inhibit cancer cell growth by inducing apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction in A549 cells.

Herbal combination from Moringa oleifera Lam. and Curcuma longa L. as SARS-CoV-2 antiviral via dual inhibitor pathway: A viroinformatics approach

Context: The COVID-19 outbreak is caused by the transmission and infection of SARS-CoV-2 at the end of 2019. It has led many countries to implement lockdown policies to prevent the viral spreading. Problems arise in a COVID-19 patient because of viral infection that leads to a systemic response in the immune system, specifically due to cytokine storm. Moreover, the antiviral drugs that have not been found. Indonesia had a variety of traditional medicines, such as is ‘jamu’. It consists of a mixture of natural ingredients such as Moringa oleifera Lam. and Curcuma longa L. Aims: To identify the activity of dual inhibitors as antiviral and anti-inflammatory agents from herbal combination compounds. Methods: Sample was collected from PubChem (NCBI, USA) and Protein Data Bank (PDB), then drug-likeness analysis using Lipinski rule of five in SCFBIO web server and bioactive probability analysis of bioactive compounds were conducted by PASS web server. Furthermore, the blind docking method was performed using PyRx 0.8 software to determine the binding activity and molecular interaction by PoseView web server and PyMol software v2.4.1 (Schrödinger, Inc, USA). Results: Cryptochlorogenic acid and curcumin have been computationally proven as dual inhibitors for antivirals by inhibiting Mpro SARS-CoV-2 and as anti-inflammatory through inhibition of NFKB1 activity. However, the results are merely computational so that it must be validated through a wet lab research. Conclusions: The combination of Moringa oleifera Lam. and Curcuma longa L. is predicted to have antiviral and anti-inflammatory activity through dual inhibitor mechanism played by cryptochlorogenic acid and curcumin.

Bioinformatics Study of Sea Cucumber Peptides as Antibreast Cancer Through Inhibiting the Activity of Overexpressed Protein (EGFR, PI3K, AKT1, and CDK4)

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women globally. The overexpressed proteins, including EGFR, PI3K, AKT1, and CDK4, have a role in the growth of breast cancer cells. The 3D peptide structure of sea cucumber Cucumaria frondosa was modeled and then docked with EGFR, PI3K, AKT1, and CDK4 proteins using AutoDock Vina software. The docking result, which has the best binding affinity value, is continued with molecular dynamics simulation. The docking results showed that all peptides bind to the active sites of the four proteins. WPPNYQW and YDWRF peptides bind to proteins with lower binding affinity values than positive controls. The four proteins were in a stable state when complexed with the WPPNYQW peptide, which was seen from the RMSD and RMSF value. PI3K-YDWRF and AKT1-YDWRF complexes are stable, characterized by high RMSD values and increased volatility in several amino acids. WPPNYQW peptide has high potential as an antibreast cancer agent because it binds to the active sites of the four proteins with low binding affinity values and stable interactions. Meanwhile, the YDWRF peptide interacts with the four proteins with low binding affinity values, but the interaction is only stable on PI3K and AKT1 proteins.