Loss of MTA2-mediated downregulation of PTK7 inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis progression by modulating the FAK-MMP7 axis

The expression of metastasis tumor-associated protein 2 (MTA2) and protein tyrosine kinase 7 (PTK7) is associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. However, the functional effect and mechanism through which MTA2 regulates PTK7-mediated HCC progression remains unclear. Here, we found that MTA2 knockdown significantly down-regulated PTK7 expression in HCC cells (SK-Hep-1 and PLC/PRF/5). Data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases show that the PTK7 expression level was higher in HCC tissues than in normal liver tissues. In HCC patients, the PTK7 expression level clearly correlated with tumor stage and grade, lower overall survival (OS) correlated positively with MTA2 level, and PTK7 expression acted as a downstream factor for MTA2 expression. In addition, matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP7) expression was closely regulated by PTK7, and the mRNA and protein expression levels of MTA2 and PTK7 correlated positively with lower OS. MMP7 downregulation by PTK7 knockdown clearly decreased the migration and invasion abilities of HCC cells. In HCC cells, recombinant human MMP7 reversed the PTK7 knockdown-induced suppression of migration and invasion. Furthermore, deactivation of FAK using siFAK or FAK inhibitor (PF-573228, PF) synergistically contributed to PTK7 knockdown-inhibited FAK activity, MMP7 expression, and the migration and invasion abilities of HCC cells. Collectively, our findings show that PTK7 mediates HCC progression by regulating the MTA2-FAK-MMP7 axis and may be a diagnostic value for HCC patients.

Protein phosphatase 2A modulation and connection with miRNAs and natural products

Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), a heterotrimeric holoenzyme (scaffolding, catalytic, and regulatory subunits), regulates dephosphorylation for more than half of serine/threonine phosphosites and exhibits diverse cellular functions. Although several studies on natural products and miRNAs have emphasized their impacts on PP2A regulation, their connections lack systemic organization. Moreover, only part of the PP2A family has been investigated. This review focuses on the PP2A-modulating effects of natural products and miRNAs' interactions with potential PP2A targets in cancer and non-cancer cells. PP2A-modulating natural products and miRNAs were retrieved through a literature search. Utilizing the miRDB database, potential PP2A targets of these PP2A-modulating miRNAs for the whole set (17 members) of the PP2A family were retrieved. Finally, PP2A-modulating natural products and miRNAs were linked via a literature search. This review provides systemic directions for assessing natural products and miRNAs relating to the PP2A-modulating functions in cancer and disease treatments.

Demethoxymurrapanine, an indole-naphthoquinone alkaloid, inhibits the proliferation of oral cancer cells without major side effects on normal cells

Antioral cancer drugs need a greater antiproliferative impact on cancer than on normal cells. Demethoxymurrapanine (DEMU) inhibits proliferation in several cancer cells, but an in-depth investigation was necessary. This study evaluated the proliferation-modulating effects of DEMU, focusing on oral cancer and normal cells. DEMU (0, 2, 3, and 4 μg/mL) at 48 h treatments inhibited the proliferation of oral cancer cells (the cell viability (%) for Ca9-22 cells was 100.0 ± 2.2, 75.4 ± 5.6, 26.0 ± 3.8, and 15.4 ± 1.4, and for CAL 27 cells was 100.0 ± 9.4, 77.2 ± 5.9, 57.4 ± 10.7, and 27.1 ± 1.1) more strongly than that of normal cells (the cell viability (%) for S-G cells was 100.0 ± 6.6, 91.0 ± 4.6, 95.0 ± 2.6, and 95.8 ± 5.5), although this was blocked by the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine. The presence of oxidative stress was evidenced by the increase of reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial superoxide and the downregulation of the cellular antioxidant glutathione in oral cancer cells, but these changes were minor in normal cells. DEMU also caused greater induction of the subG1 phase, extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis (annexin V and caspases 3, 8, and 9), and DNA damage (γH2AX and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine) in oral cancer than in normal cells. N-acetylcysteine attenuated all these DEMU-induced changes. Together, these data demonstrate the preferential antiproliferative function of DEMU in oral cancer cells, with the preferential induction of oxidative stress, apoptosis, and DNA damage in these cancer cells, and low cytotoxicity toward normal cells.

6-n-Butoxy-10-nitro-12,13-dioxa-11-azatricyclo[7.3.1.02,7]trideca-2,4,6,10-tetraene Improves the X-ray Sensitivity on Inhibiting Proliferation and Promoting Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis of Oral Cancer Cells

This in vitro study examines the anti-oral cancer effects and mechanisms of a combined X-ray/SK2 treatment, i.e., X-ray and 6-n-butoxy-10-nitro-12,13-dioxa-11-azatricyclo[7.3.1.02,7]trideca-2,4,6,10-tetraene (SK2). ATP cell viability and flow cytometry-based cell cycle, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and DNA damage assessments were conducted. The X-ray/SK2 treatment exhibited lower viability in oral cancer (Ca9-22 and CAL 27) cells than in normal (Smulow-Glickman, S-G) cells, i.e., 32.0%, 46.1% vs. 59.0%, which showed more antiproliferative changes than with X-ray or SK2 treatment. Oral cancer cells under X-ray/SK2 treatment showed slight subG1 and G2/M increments and induced high annexin V-monitored apoptosis compared to X-ray or SK2 treatment. The X-ray/SK2 treatment showed higher caspase 3 and 8 levels for oral cancer cells than other treatments. X-ray/SK2 showed a higher caspase 9 level in CAL 27 cells than other treatments, while Ca9-22 cells showed similar levels under X-ray and/or SK2. The X-ray/SK2 treatment showed higher reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) depletion than other treatments. Meanwhile, the mitochondrial superoxide (MitoSOX) and glutathione levels in X-ray/SK2 treatment did not exhibit the highest rank compared to others. Moreover, oral cancer cells had higher γH2AX and/or 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine levels from X-ray/SK2 treatment than others. All these measurements for X-ray/SK2 in oral cancer cells were higher than in normal cells and attenuated by N-acetylcysteine. In conclusion, X-ray/SK2 treatment showed ROS-dependent enhanced antiproliferative, apoptotic, and DNA damage effects in oral cancer cells with a lower cytotoxic influence on normal cells.

Melanoma biology and treatment: a review of novel regulated cell death-based approaches

The incidence of melanoma, the most lethal form of skin cancer, has increased due to ultraviolet exposure. The treatment of advanced melanoma, particularly metastatic cases, remains challenging with poor outcomes. Targeted therapies involving BRAF/MEK inhibitors and immunotherapy based on anti-PD1/anti-CTLA4 antibodies have achieved long-term survival rates of approximately 50% for patients with advanced melanoma. However, therapy resistance and inadequate treatment response continue to hinder further breakthroughs in treatments that increase survival rates. This review provides an introduction to the molecular-level pathogenesis of melanoma and offers an overview of current treatment options and their limitations. Cells can die by either accidental or regulated cell death (RCD). RCD is an orderly cell death controlled by a variety of macromolecules to maintain the stability of the internal environment. Since the uncontrolled proliferation of tumor cells requires evasion of RCD programs, inducing the RCD of melanoma cells may be a treatment strategy. This review summarizes studies on various types of nonapoptotic RCDs, such as autophagy-dependent cell death, necroptosis, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, and the recently discovered cuproptosis, in the context of melanoma. The relationships between these RCDs and melanoma are examined, and the interplay between these RCDs and immunotherapy or targeted therapy in patients with melanoma is discussed. Given the findings demonstrating melanoma cell death in response to different stimuli associated with these RCDs, the induction of RCD shows promise as an integral component of treatment strategies for melanoma.

Michelia compressa-Derived Santamarine Inhibits Oral Cancer Cell Proliferation via Oxidative Stress-Mediated Apoptosis and DNA Damage

The anti-oral cancer effects of santamarine (SAMA), a Michelia compressa var. compressa-derived natural product, remain unclear. This study investigates the anticancer effects and acting mechanism of SAMA against oral cancer (OC-2 and HSC-3) in parallel with normal (Smulow-Glickman; S-G) cells. SAMA selectively inhibits oral cancer cell viability more than normal cells, reverted by the oxidative stress remover N-acetylcysteine (NAC). The evidence of oxidative stress generation, such as the induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial superoxide and the depletion of mitochondrial membrane potential and glutathione, further supports this ROS-dependent selective antiproliferation. SAMA arrests oral cancer cells at the G2/M phase. SAMA triggers apoptosis (annexin V) in oral cancer cells and activates caspases 3, 8, and 9. SAMA enhances two types of DNA damage in oral cancer cells, such as γH2AX and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine. Moreover, all of these anticancer mechanisms of SAMA are more highly expressed in oral cancer cells than in normal cells in concentration and time course experiments. These above changes are attenuated by NAC, suggesting that SAMA exerts mechanisms of selective antiproliferation that depend on oxidative stress while maintaining minimal cytotoxicity to normal cells.

The neddylation inhibitor MLN4924 inhibits proliferation and triggers apoptosis of oral cancer cells but not for normal cells

Increased neddylation benefits the survival of several types of cancer cells. The inhibition of neddylation has the potential to exert anticancer effects but is rarely assessed in oral cancer cells. This study aimed to investigate the antiproliferation potential of a neddylation inhibitor MLN4924 (pevonedistat) for oral cancer cells. MLN4924 inhibited the cell viability of oral cancer cells more than that of normal oral cells (HGF-1) with 100% viability, that is, IC50 values of oral cancer cells (CAL 27, OC-2, and Ca9-22) are 1.8, 1.4, and 1.9 μM. MLN4924 caused apoptotic changes such as the subG1 accumulation, activation of annexin V, pancaspase, and caspases 3/8/9 of oral cancer cells at a greater rate than in normal oral cells. MLN4924 induced greater oxidative stress in oral cancer cells compared to normal cells by upregulating reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial superoxide and depleting the mitochondrial membrane potential and glutathione. In oral cancer cells, preferential inductions also occurred for DNA damage (γH2AX and 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine). Therefore, this investigation demonstrates that MLN4924 is a potential anti-oral-cancer agent showing preferential inhibition of apoptosis and promotion of DNA damage with fewer cytotoxic effects on normal cells.

Body weight increase and metabolic derangements after tenofovir disoproxil fumarate switch to tenofovir alafenamide in patients with chronic hepatitis B

BACKGROUND

Lipid-lowering effect was observed during treatment with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) for chronic hepatitis B (CHB). However, the metabolic features in patients switching from TDF to tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) remain unclear.

AIMS

To compare the impacts of switching from TDF to TAF or from entecavir to TAF on body weight and metabolic features in patients with CHB.

METHODS

This was a multi-centre, prospective, observational study in patients with CHB on TDF or entecavir who switched to TAF. Baseline characteristics, lipid profile and sugar profile were determined. This study received IRB approval from each hospital.

RESULTS

We enrolled 177 patients on TDF (99) or entecavir (78) and followed them for 48 weeks after the switch to TAF. At baseline, TDF-experienced patients had lower serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol than entecavir-experienced patients. The switch from TDF to TAF significantly increased body weight, triglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, fasting glucose, glycaemic haemoglobin, insulin and insulin resistance. The switch from entecavir to TAF did not affect these measures. There was no significant difference in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk scores between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The switch from TDF to TAF was associated with weight gain, derangements of lipid profile, and increased insulin resistance in patients with CHB. Long-term effects on these metabolic features need further investigation.

A novel quinoline derivative, DFIQ, sensitizes NSCLC cells to ferroptosis by promoting oxidative stress accompanied by autophagic dysfunction and mitochondrial damage

BACKGROUND

The development of nonapoptotic programmed cell death inducers as anticancer agents has emerged as a cancer therapy field. Ferroptosis, ferrous ion-driven programmed cell death that is induced by redox imbalance and dysfunctional reactive oxygen species (ROS) clearance, is triggered during sorafenib and PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy. DFIQ, a quinoline derivative, promotes apoptosis by disrupting autophagic flux and promoting ROS accumulation. Our pilot experiments suggest that DFIQ participates in ferroptosis sensitization. Thus, in this study, we aimed to reveal the mechanisms of DFIQ in ferroptosis sensitization and evaluate the clinical potential of DFIQ.

METHODS

We treated the non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines H1299, A549, and H460 with the ferroptosis inducer (FI) DFIQ and analyzed viability, protein expression, ROS generation, and fluorescence staining at different time points. Colocalization analysis was performed with ImageJ.

RESULTS

DFIQ sensitized cells to FIs such as erastin and RSL3, resulting in a decrease in IC50 of at least 0.5-fold. Measurement of ROS accumulation to explore the underlying mechanism indicated that DFIQ and FIs treatment promoted ROS accumulation and SOD1/SOD2 switching. Mitochondria, known ROS sources, produced high ROS levels during DFIQ/FI treatment. RSL3 treatment promoted mitochondrial damage and mitophagy, an autophagy-associated mitochondrial recycling system, and cotreatment with DFIQ induced accumulation of mitochondrial proteins, which indicated disruption of mitophagic flux. Thus, autophagic flux was measured in cells cotreated with DFIQ. DFIQ treatment was found to disrupt autophagic flux, leading to accumulation of damaged mitochondria and eventually inducing ferroptosis. Furthermore, the influence of DFIQ on the effects of clinical FIs, such as sorafenib, was evaluated, and DFIQ was discovered to sensitize NSCLC cells to sorafenib and promote ferroptosis.

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicates that DFIQ not only promotes NSCLC apoptosis but also sensitizes cells to ferroptosis by disrupting autophagic flux, leading to accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria and thus to ferroptosis. Ferroptosis is a novel therapeutic target in cancer therapy. DFIQ shows the potential to enhance the effects of FIs in NSCLC and act as a potential therapeutic adjuvant in ferroptosis-mediated therapy.

Connection between Radiation-Regulating Functions of Natural Products and miRNAs Targeting Radiomodulation and Exosome Biogenesis

Exosomes are cell-derived membranous structures primarily involved in the delivery of the payload to the recipient cells, and they play central roles in carcinogenesis and metastasis. Radiotherapy is a common cancer treatment that occasionally generates exosomal miRNA-associated modulation to regulate the therapeutic anticancer function and side effects. Combining radiotherapy and natural products may modulate the radioprotective and radiosensitizing responses of non-cancer and cancer cells, but there is a knowledge gap regarding the connection of this combined treatment with exosomal miRNAs and their downstream targets for radiation and exosome biogenesis. This review focuses on radioprotective natural products in terms of their impacts on exosomal miRNAs to target radiation-modulating and exosome biogenesis (secretion and assembly) genes. Several natural products have individually demonstrated radioprotective and miRNA-modulating effects. However, the impact of natural-product-modulated miRNAs on radiation response and exosome biogenesis remains unclear. In this review, by searching through PubMed/Google Scholar, available reports on potential functions that show radioprotection for non-cancer tissues and radiosensitization for cancer among these natural-product-modulated miRNAs were assessed. Next, by accessing the miRNA database (miRDB), the predicted targets of the radiation- and exosome biogenesis-modulating genes from the Gene Ontology database (MGI) were retrieved bioinformatically based on these miRNAs. Moreover, the target-centric analysis showed that several natural products share the same miRNAs and targets to regulate radiation response and exosome biogenesis. As a result, the miRNA-radiomodulation (radioprotection and radiosensitization)-exosome biogenesis axis in regard to natural-product-mediated radiotherapeutic effects is well organized. This review focuses on natural products and their regulating effects on miRNAs to assess the potential impacts of radiomodulation and exosome biogenesis for both the radiosensitization of cancer cells and the radioprotection of non-cancer cells.

Physapruin A Exerts Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress to Trigger Breast Cancer Cell Apoptosis via Oxidative Stress

Physalis plants are commonly used traditional medicinal herbs, and most of their extracts containing withanolides show anticancer effects. Physapruin A (PHA), a withanolide isolated from P. peruviana, shows antiproliferative effects on breast cancer cells involving oxidative stress, apoptosis, and autophagy. However, the other oxidative stress-associated response, such as endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and its participation in regulating apoptosis in PHA-treated breast cancer cells remain unclear. This study aims to explore the function of oxidative stress and ER stress in modulating the proliferation and apoptosis of breast cancer cells treated with PHA. PHA induced a more significant ER expansion and aggresome formation of breast cancer cells (MCF7 and MDA-MB-231). The mRNA and protein levels of ER stress-responsive genes (IRE1α and BIP) were upregulated by PHA in breast cancer cells. The co-treatment of PHA with the ER stress-inducer (thapsigargin, TG), i.e., TG/PHA, demonstrated synergistic antiproliferation, reactive oxygen species generation, subG1 accumulation, and apoptosis (annexin V and caspases 3/8 activation) as examined by ATP assay, flow cytometry, and western blotting. These ER stress responses, their associated antiproliferation, and apoptosis changes were partly alleviated by the N-acetylcysteine, an oxidative stress inhibitor. Taken together, PHA exhibits ER stress-inducing function to promote antiproliferation and apoptosis of breast cancer cells involving oxidative stress.

Diphenyl disulfide potentiates the apoptosis of breast cancer cells through Bax proteolytic activation with accompanying autophagy

Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, and chemoresistance often leads to poor patient outcomes. In this study, we investigated the anticancer activity of synthetic diphenyl disulfide (DPDS) in breast cancer cell lines. DPDS inhibited cellular proliferation and viability in a dose-dependent manner and reduced colony formation, an index of clonogenicity. Annexin-V and 7-AAD double staining showed that DPDS could induce the apoptosis of breast cancer cells. Western blotting of the expression of Bax p21 and its cleaved form p18 suggested the activation of p18 Bax-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, the increased expression of the autophagy marker LC3B-II indicated autophagic lysosome accumulation induced by DPDS. Our findings suggest that DPDS has potential as a candidate for treating breast cancer, and further modifications and optimizations are warranted.

Rescue therapy for refractory Helicobacter pylori infection: current status and future concepts

Helicobacter pylori infection is an important issue worldwide, and several guidelines have been published for clinicians to achieve successful eradication. However, there are still some patients who remain infected with H. pylori after treatment. Clinicians should identify the reasons that caused treatment failure and find strategies to manage them. We have searched and organized the literature and developed methods to overcome factors that contribute to prior treatment failure, such as poor compliance, inadequate intragastric acid suppression, and antibiotic resistance. To improve compliance, telemedicine or smartphone applications might play a role in the modern world by increasing doctor-patient relationships, while concomitant probiotics could be administered to reduce adverse effects and enhance adherence. For better acid suppression, high-potency and high-dose proton-pump inhibitors or potassium-competitive acid blockers have preferable efficacy. To overcome antibiotic resistance, susceptibility tests either by culture or by genotyping are the most commonly used methods and have been suggested for antibiotic selection before rescue therapy, but empirical therapy according to detailed medical history could be an alternative. Eradication with a longer treatment period (14 days) has a better outcome than shorter period (7 or 10 days). Ultimately, clinicians should select antibiotics based on the patient's history of drug allergy, previous antibiotic exposure, local antibiotic resistance, available medications, and cost. In addition, identifying patients with a high risk of cancer and shared decision-making are also essential for those who have experienced eradication failure.

Boesenbergia stenophylla-Derived Stenophyllol B Exerts Antiproliferative and Oxidative Stress Responses in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells with Few Side Effects in Normal Cells

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is insensitive to target therapy for non-TNBC and needs novel drug discovery. Extracts of the traditional herb Boesenbergia plant in Southern Asia exhibit anticancer effects and contain novel bioactive compounds but merely show cytotoxicity. We recently isolated a new compound from B. stenophylla, stenophyllol B (StenB), but the impact and mechanism of its proliferation-modulating function on TNBC cells remain uninvestigated. This study aimed to assess the antiproliferative responses of StenB in TNBC cells and examine the drug safety in normal cells. StenB effectively suppressed the proliferation of TNBC cells rather than normal cells in terms of an ATP assay. This preferential antiproliferative function was alleviated by pretreating inhibitors for oxidative stress (N-acetylcysteine (NAC)) and apoptosis (Z-VAD-FMK). Accordingly, the oxidative-stress-related mechanisms were further assessed. StenB caused subG1 and G2/M accumulation but reduced the G1 phase in TNBC cells, while normal cells remained unchanged between the control and StenB treatments. The apoptosis behavior of TNBC cells was suppressed by StenB, whereas that of normal cells was not suppressed according to an annexin V assay. StenB-modulated apoptosis signaling, such as for caspases 3, 8, and 9, was more significantly activated in TNBC than in normal cells. StenB also caused oxidative stress in TNBC cells but not in normal cells according to a flow cytometry assay monitoring reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial superoxide, and their membrane potential. StenB induced greater DNA damage responses (γH2AX and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine) in TNBC than in normal cells. All these StenB responses were alleviated by NAC pretreatment. Collectively, StenB modulated oxidative stress responses, leading to the antiproliferation of TNBC cells with little cytotoxicity in normal cells.

Connection of Cancer Exosomal LncRNAs, Sponging miRNAs, and Exosomal Processing and Their Potential Modulation by Natural Products

Cancerous exosomes contain diverse biomolecules that regulate cancer progression. Modulating exosome biogenesis with clinical drugs has become an effective strategy for cancer therapy. Suppressing exosomal processing (assembly and secretion) may block exosomal function to reduce the proliferation of cancer cells. However, the information on natural products that modulate cancer exosomes lacks systemic organization, particularly for exosomal long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). There is a gap in the connection between exosomal lncRNAs and exosomal processing. This review introduces the database (LncTarD) to explore the potential of exosomal lncRNAs and their sponging miRNAs. The names of sponging miRNAs were transferred to the database (miRDB) for the target prediction of exosomal processing genes. Moreover, the impacts of lncRNAs, sponging miRNAs, and exosomal processing on the tumor microenvironment (TME) and natural-product-modulating anticancer effects were then retrieved and organized. This review sheds light on the functions of exosomal lncRNAs, sponging miRNAs, and exosomal processing in anticancer processes. It also provides future directions for the application of natural products when regulating cancerous exosomal lncRNAs.

Ginger-Derived 3HDT Exerts Antiproliferative Effects on Breast Cancer Cells by Apoptosis and DNA Damage

Ginger-derived compounds are abundant sources of anticancer natural products. However, the anticancer effects of (E)-3-hydroxy-1-(4'-hydroxy-3',5'-dimethoxyphenyl)-tetradecan-6-en-5-one (3HDT) have not been examined. This study aims to assess the antiproliferation ability of 3HDT on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. 3HDT showed dose-responsive antiproliferation for TNBC cells (HCC1937 and Hs578T). Moreover, 3HDT exerted higher antiproliferation and apoptosis on TNBC cells than on normal cells (H184B5F5/M10). By examining reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial membrane potential, and glutathione, we found that 3HDT provided higher inductions for oxidative stress in TNBC cells compared with normal cells. Antiproliferation, oxidative stress, antioxidant signaling, and apoptosis were recovered by N-acetylcysteine, indicating that 3HDT preferentially induced oxidative-stress-mediated antiproliferation in TNBC cells but not in normal cells. Moreover, by examining γH2A histone family member X (γH2AX) and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine, we found that 3HDT provided higher inductions for DNA damage, which was also reverted by N-acetylcysteine. In conclusion, 3HDT is an effective anticancer drug with preferential antiproliferation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and DNA damage effects on TNBC cells.

Modulation of AKT Pathway-Targeting miRNAs for Cancer Cell Treatment with Natural Products

Many miRNAs are known to target the AKT serine-threonine kinase (AKT) pathway, which is critical for the regulation of several cell functions in cancer cell development. Many natural products exhibiting anticancer effects have been reported, but their connections to the AKT pathway (AKT and its effectors) and miRNAs have rarely been investigated. This review aimed to demarcate the relationship between miRNAs and the AKT pathway during the regulation of cancer cell functions by natural products. Identifying the connections between miRNAs and the AKT pathway and between miRNAs and natural products made it possible to establish an miRNA/AKT/natural product axis to facilitate a better understanding of their anticancer mechanisms. Moreover, the miRNA database (miRDB) was used to retrieve more AKT pathway-related target candidates for miRNAs. By evaluating the reported facts, the cell functions of these database-generated candidates were connected to natural products. Therefore, this review provides a comprehensive overview of the natural product/miRNA/AKT pathway in the modulation of cancer cell development.

The Use of Verbal and Nonverbal Memory Tests for Alzheimer's Disease Screening in Taiwan Chinese

Patients with Alzheimer's disease typically have initial deficits in memory. Memory testing can be categorized as verbal or nonverbal by the modality of the stimuli used. We compared the discriminative validity of selected verbal and nonverbal memory tests between non-dementia and Alzheimer's disease in Taiwan. Ninety-eight patients with mild Alzheimer's disease and 269 non-dementia individuals underwent story recall test (immediate and delayed recall), and constructional praxis test (copy and delayed recall). The receiver-operating characteristic curve and area under the curve were evaluated to compare between tests. Patients with Alzheimer's disease performed poorly across all memory tests, and the receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that story recall immediate and relayed recall, and constructional praxis delayed recall had good classification accuracy with area under the curve of .90, .87 and .87 respectively. These results provide support that both verbal and nonverbal memory tests are reliable measure for screening patients with Alzheimer's disease.

A 12-Year Comparison of Alzheimer's Dementia Patients With Their Informants in Taiwan

BACKGROUND

To update the characteristics of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and their informants in Taiwan and compare them from 12 years ago.

METHODS

1218 patients with AD and their informants were recruited from six hospitals in Taiwan. The uniform data set version 3.0 (UDS3, form A1-A3) were administered.

RESULTS

Compared with the first registration from 2010-2012 (n = 691), the mean clinical dementia rating sum of boxes score was significantly lower, more patients living independently, and more informants not living together with the patients. A total of 11.2%, 4.1%, 12.8%, and 0.5% of the patients had a reported history of cognitive impairment in their mothers, fathers, siblings, and children, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Compared with the data from 2010, patients have been diagnosed at a milder disease stage, and their informants used telephone contact more frequently instead of living with the patients. Family histories of cognitive impairment in patients with AD remain frequent.

The Association Between Subjective Mental Impairment and Objective Cognitive Performance in Non-Demented, Very Mild and Mild Demented Individuals

OBJECTIVES

Explore associations between subjective mental impairment, objective cognitive performance, and subsequent decline in older individuals with different cognitive statuses in Taiwan.

METHODS

Use self-reported questionnaire and cognitive abilities screening instrument to assess subjective and objective cognitive function. Categorize participants as reporters or non-reporters based on subjective reports. Conduct t-tests and regression analysis.

RESULTS

206 participants were assessed: 99 cognitively intact (CI), 44 very mild dementia, and 63 mild dementia. In the CI group, reporters in memory, orientation, daily life, community affairs, and judgement domains performed worse than non-reporters. In very mild dementia group, reporters in memory and personality domains performed better than non-reporters. No association found between subjective reports and 1-year cognitive decline in dementia groups.

CONCLUSION

Association between subjective impairment and objective performance differs in CI and very mild dementia groups. Subjective reports do not predict 1-year cognitive decline in dementia patients. Longer follow-up studies needed.

Combined Treatment (Ultraviolet-C/Physapruin A) Enhances Antiproliferation and Oxidative-Stress-Associated Mechanism in Oral Cancer Cells

Physapruin A (PHA), a Physalis peruviana-derived withanolide, exhibits antiproliferation activity against oral and breast cancer cells. However, its potential antitumor effects in combined treatments remain unclear. This investigation focused on evaluating the impact of the combined treatment of ultraviolet-C with PHA (UVC/PHA) on the proliferation of oral cancer cells. The UVC-caused antiproliferation was enhanced by combination with PHA in oral cancer (Ca9-22 and CAL 27) but not normal cells (SG), as evidenced by ATP detection, compared with UVC or PHA alone. UVC/PHA showed a greater extent of subG1 increase, G2/M arrest, annexin-V-assessed apoptosis, caspase 3/7 activation, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the UVC or PHA treatment of oral cancer compared to normal cells. Moreover, the mitochondrial functions, such as mitochondrial superoxide bursts and mitochondrial membrane potential destruction, of oral cancer cells were also enhanced by UVC/PHA compared to UVC or PHA alone. These oxidative stresses triggered γH2AX and 8-hydroxyl-2'-deoxyguanosine-assessed DNA damage to a greater extent under UVC/PHA treatment than under UVC or PHA treatment alone. The ROS inhibitor N-acetylcysteine reversed all these UVC/PHA-promoted changes. In conclusion, UVC/PHA is a promising strategy for decreasing the proliferation of oral cancer cells but shows no inhibitory effect on normal cells.

Antioral Cancer Effects by the Nitrated [6,6,6]Tricycles Compound (SK1) In Vitro

A novel nitrated [6,6,6]tricycles-derived compound containing nitro, methoxy, and ispropyloxy groups, namely SK1, was developed in our previous report. However, the anticancer effects of SK1 were not assessed. Moreover, SK1 contains two nitro groups (NO2) and one nitrogen-oxygen (N-O) bond exhibiting the potential for oxidative stress generation, but this was not examined. The present study aimed to evaluate the antiproliferation effects and oxidative stress and its associated responses between oral cancer and normal cells. Based on the MTS assay, SK1 demonstrated more antiproliferation ability in oral cancer cells than normal cells, reversed by N-acetylcysteine. This suggests that SK1 causes antiproliferation effects preferentially in an oxidative stress-dependent manner. The oxidative stress-associated responses were further validated, showing higher ROS/MitoSOX burst, MMP, and GSH depletion in oral cancer cells than in normal cells. Meanwhile, SK1 caused oxidative stress-causing apoptosis, such as caspases 3/8/9, and DNA damages, such as γH2AX and 8-OHdG, to a greater extent in oral cancer cells than in normal cells. Siilar to cell viability, these oxidative stress responses were partially diminished by NAC, indicating that SK1 promoted oxidative stress-dependent responses. In conclusion, SK1 exerts oxidative stress, apoptosis, and DNA damage to a greater extent to oral cancer cells than in normal cells.

Efficacy and side effects of bio-fabricated sardine fish scale silver nanoparticles against malarial vector Anopheles stephensi

Mosquitoes are a great menace for humankind since they transmit pathogenic organisms causing Malaria, Dengue, Chikungunya, Elephantiasis and Japanese encephalitis. There is an urgent need to discover new and novel biological tools to mitigate mosquito-borne diseases. To develop bioinsecticides through newly developed nanotechnology is another option in the present research scenario. In this study we synthesize and characterize sardine fish scales with silver nitrate by adopting various instrumental techniques such as UV- and FTIR-spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray (EDAX), X-ray diffraction analyses (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Toxicity bioassays were conducted with young developmental stages of mosquito vectors. Significant mortality appeared after different life stages of mosquito vectors (young larval and pupal instars were exposed to the nanomaterials). LC50 values were 13.261 ppm for young first instar larvae and 32.182 ppm for pupae. Feeding and predatory potential of G. affinis, before and after exposure to nanoparticles against mosquito larval (I & II) instars of the mosquitoes showed promising results in laboratory experiments. Feeding potential of mosquito fish without nanoparticle treatment was 79.7% and 70.55% for the first and second instar larval populations respectively. At the nanoparticle-exposed situation the predatory efficiency of mosquitofish was 94.15% and 84.3%, respectively. Antioxidant enzymes like (SOD), (CAT), and (LPO) were estimated in the gill region of sardine fish in control and experimental waters. A significant reduction of egg hatchability was evident after nanoparticle application. It became evident from this study that the nano-fabricated materials provide suitable tools to control the malaria vector Anopheles stephensi in the aquatic phase of its life cycle. This finding suggests an effective novel approach to mosquito control.

Soft Coral-Derived Dihydrosinularin Exhibits Antiproliferative Effects Associated with Apoptosis and DNA Damage in Oral Cancer Cells

Dihydrosinularin (DHS) is an analog of soft coral-derived sinularin; however, the anticancer effects and mechanisms of DHS have seldom been reported. This investigation examined the antiproliferation ability and mechanisms of DHS on oral cancer cells. In a cell viability assay, DHS showed growth inhibition against several types of oral cancer cell lines (Ca9-22, SCC-9, OECM-1, CAL 27, OC-2, and HSC-3) with no cytotoxic side effects on non-malignant oral cells (HGF-1). Ca9-22 and SCC-9 cell lines showing high susceptibility to DHS were selected to explore the antiproliferation mechanisms of DHS. DHS also causes apoptosis as detected by annexin V, pancaspase, and caspase 3 activation. DHS induces oxidative stress, leading to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS)/mitochondrial superoxide (MitoSOX) and mitochondrial membrane potential (MitoMP) depletion. DHS also induced DNA damage by probing γH2AX phosphorylation. Pretreatment with the ROS scavenger N-acetylcysteine (NAC) can partly counter these DHS-induced changes. We report that the marine natural product DHS can inhibit the cell growth of oral cancer cells. Exploring the mechanisms of this cancer cell growth inhibition, we demonstrate the prominent role DHS plays in oxidative stress.

Nepenthes Extract Induces Selective Killing, Necrosis, and Apoptosis in Oral Cancer Cells

Ethyl acetate Nepenthes extract (EANT) from Nepenthes thorellii × (ventricosa × maxima) shows antiproliferation and apoptosis but not necrosis in breast cancer cells, but this has not been investigated in oral cancer cells. In the present study, EANT shows no cytotoxicity to normal oral cells but exhibits selective killing to six oral cancer cell lines. They were suppressed by pretreatment of the antioxidant inhibitor N-acetylcysteine (NAC), demonstrating that EANT-induced cell death was mediated by oxidative stress. Concerning high sensitivity to EANT, Ca9-22 and CAL 27 oral cancer cells were chosen for exploring detailed selective killing mechanisms. EANT triggers a mixture of necrosis and apoptosis as determined by annexin V/7-aminoactinmycin D analysis. Still, they show differential switches from necrosis at a low (10 μg/mL) concentration to apoptosis at high (25 μg/mL) concentration of EANT in oral cancer cells. NAC induces necrosis but suppresses annexin V-detected apoptosis in oral cancer cells. Necrostatin 1 (NEC1), a necroptosis inhibitor, moderately suppresses necrosis but induces apoptosis at 10 μg/mL EANT. In contrast, Z-VAD-FMK, a pancaspase inhibitor, slightly causes necrosis but suppresses apoptosis at 10 μg/mL EANT. Furthermore, the flow cytometry-detected pancaspase activity is dose-responsively increased but is suppressed by NAC and ZVAD, although not for NEC1 in oral cancer cells. EANT causes several oxidative stress events such as reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial superoxide, and mitochondrial membrane depolarization. In response to oxidative stresses, the mRNA for antioxidant signaling, such as nuclear factor erythroid 2-like 2 (NFE2L2), catalase (CAT), heme oxygenase 1 (HMOX1), and thioredoxin (TXN), are overexpressed in oral cancer cells. Moreover, EANT also triggers DNA damage, as detected by γH2AX and 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine adducts. The dependence of oxidative stress is validated by the evidence that NAC pretreatment reverts the changes of cellular and mitochondrial stress and DNA damage. Therefore, EANT exhibits antiproliferation involving an oxidative stress-dependent necrosis/apoptosis switch and DNA damage in oral cancer cells.

The Long-Term DEHP Exposure Confers Multidrug Resistance of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells through ABC Transporters and Intracellular ROS

The characteristics of phthalates had been thought to be similar to endocrine disruptors, which increases cancer risk. The role of phthalates in acquired drug resistance remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the effect of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) on acquired drug resistance in breast cancer. MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells were exposed to long-term physiological concentration of DEHP for more than three months. Long-exposure DEHP permanently attenuated the anti-proliferative effect of doxorubicin with estrogen receptor-independent activity even after withdrawal of DEHP. Long term DEHP exposure significantly reduced ROS (O2-) level in MDA-MB-231 cells while increased in MCF7 cells. ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters possess a widely recognized mechanism of drug resistance and are considered a target for drug therapy. Upregulation of ABC family proteins, ABCB-1 and ABCC-1 observed in DEHP-exposed clones compared to doxorubicin-resistant (DoxR) and parental MDA-MB-231 cells. A viability assay showed enhanced multidrug resistance in DEHP-exposed clones against Dox, topotecan, and irinotecan. Inhibition of ABC transporters with tariquidar, enhanced drug cytotoxicity through increased drug accumulation reversing acquired multidrug resistance in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Tariquidar enhanced Dox cytotoxicity by increasing intracellular ROS production leading to caspase-3 mediated apoptosis. Activation of PI3K/Akt signaling enhanced proliferation and growth of DEHP-exposed MDA-MB-231 cells. Overall, long-term DEHP exposure resulted in acquired multidrug resistance by upregulating ABCB-1 and ABCC1; apart from proliferation PI3K/Akt may be responsible for acquired drug resistance through ABC transporter upregulation. Targeting ABCB1 and ABCC1 with tariquidar may be a promising strategy for reversing the acquired multidrug resistance of triple-negative breast cancer cells.

The Mediterranean Dietary Pattern and Inflammation in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to explore the association between the Mediterranean dietary pattern and inflammation in older adults. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. A search of the literature was conducted up to June 2020 in 7 electronic databases, namely PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and ProQuest. The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklists and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale were used to assess the methodological quality. The overall standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% CIs were estimated in random-effects meta-analyses. Thirteen studies were identified as having acceptable quality and were included in this systematic review: 3 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 1 quasi-experimental study, 1 cohort study, and 8 cross-sectional studies. The circulating C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration was the most common inflammation indicator used. Results of the meta-analysis on 5 cross-sectional studies revealed a significant inverse association between the Mediterranean dietary pattern and inflammation as assessed by CRP (SMD = -0.26; 95% CI: -0.41, -0.11; P < 0.001). Other studies that investigated a variety of inflammation indicators other than CRP showed mixed results with regard to the relation between the Mediterranean dietary pattern and inflammation in older adults. Our findings suggest that the Mediterranean dietary pattern may be associated with lower inflammation in older adults. However, more long-term RCTs are required to demonstrate the effects of the Mediterranean dietary pattern on multiple inflammation parameters in older adults. The study has been registered on PROSPERO (#CRD42020140145).

Low Concentration of Withaferin a Inhibits Oxidative Stress-Mediated Migration and Invasion in Oral Cancer Cells

Withaferin A (WFA) has been reported to inhibit cancer cell proliferation based on high cytotoxic concentrations. However, the low cytotoxic effect of WFA in regulating cancer cell migration is rarely investigated. The purpose of this study is to investigate the changes in migration and mechanisms of oral cancer Ca9-22 cells after low concentrations of WFA treatment. WFA under 0.5 μM at 24 h treatment shows no cytotoxicity to oral cancer Ca9-22 cells (~95% viability). Under this condition, WFA triggers reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and inhibits 2D (wound healing) and 3D cell migration (transwell) and Matrigel invasion. Mechanically, WFA inhibits matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 activities but induces mRNA expression for a group of antioxidant genes, such as nuclear factor, erythroid 2-like 2 (NFE2L2), heme oxygenase 1 (HMOX1), glutathione-disulfide reductase (GSR), and NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1)) in Ca9-22 cells. Moreover, WFA induces mild phosphorylation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family, including extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 expression. All WFA-induced changes were suppressed by the presence of ROS scavenger N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Therefore, these results suggest that low concentration of WFA retains potent ROS-mediated anti-migration and -invasion abilities for oral cancer cells.