Anticancer Effects of Morusin in Prostate Cancer via Inhibition of Akt/mTOR Signaling Pathway.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most prevalent cancer in men worldwide. The majority of PCa incidences eventually progress to castration-resistant PCa (CRPC), thereby establishing an urgent need for new effective therapeutic strategies. This study aims to examine the effects of morusin, a prenylated flavonoid isolated from Morus alba L., on PCa progression and identify the regulatory mechanism of morusin. Cell growth, cell migration and invasion, and the expression of EMT markers were examined. Cycle progression and cell apoptosis were examined using flow cytometry and a TUNEL assay, while transcriptome analysis was performed using RNA-seq with results being further validated using real-time PCR and western blot. A xenograft PCa model was used to examine tumor growth. Our experimental results indicated that morusin significantly attenuated the growth of PC-3 and 22Rv1 human PCa cells; moreover, morusin significantly suppressed TGF-[Formula: see text]-induced cell migration and invasion and inhibited EMT in PC-3 and 22Rv1 cells. Significantly, morusin treatment caused cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and induced cell apoptosis in PC-3 and 22Rv1 cells. Morusin also attenuated tumor growth in a xenograft murine model. The results of RNA-seq indicated that morusin regulated PCa cells through the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, while our western blot results confirmed that morusin suppressed phosphorylation of AKT, mTOR, p70S6K, and downregulation of the expression of Raptor and Rictor in vitro and in vivo. These results suggest that morusin has antitumor activities on regulating PCa progression, including migration, invasion, and formation of metastasis, and might be a potential drug for CRPC treatment.

Early Postoperative Outcomes of Retroperitoneal Partial Nephrectomy of Anterior and Posterior Renal Tumors: A 5-Year Experience in A Single Center.

Objective: Partial nephrectomy (PN) is one of the surgical treatment options for renal tumors. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the surgical outcomes of retroperitoneal PN for anterior and posterior tumors. Materials and Methods: This study enrolled 177 patients who had renal tumors that were detected on abdominal computed tomography and underwent PN between January 2017 and April 2021. Tumor position was defined by the anatomic avascular Brodel's line. Surgical outcomes were compared between approaches using the chi-squared Student's t-tests, logistic regression analysis, and stratification analysis. Results: Of the 177 patients, 97 (54.8%) patients had anterior renal tumors and 80 (45.2%) had posterior renal tumors. On comparing the surgical results between the two groups, the anterior group had higher levels of hemoglobin (Hb) reduction (-1.92 vs -1.54 g/dL, p = 0.0444), but the estimated blood loss showed no significant difference between the two groups (497.6 vs 433.2 mL, p = 0.4149). In addition, the alteration in estimated glomerular filtration rate at postoperative 1st day (p = 0.5616), 6th month (p = 0.5046), and at postoperative 1st year (p = 0.7085) was not significantly different between the two groups. Other surgical outcomes, such as blood transfusion rate, complications, and lengths of stay, also had no significant difference. Stratified analysis revealed the anterior renal tumors had a 3.76 times risk (p = 0.0186) than the posterior tumors for decreasing Hb >10% under laparoscopic PN. No postoperative gastrointestinal-related complications were reported. Conclusions: This study demonstrated retroperitoneal surgical access to renal tumors and revealed equivalent surgical outcomes for both anterior and posterior renal tumors. Moreover, anterior renal tumors had benefits under robotic PN for bleeding control. Retroperitoneal PN can be considered as a good approach for both anterior and posterior renal tumors with few intra-abdominal complications.

Protodioscin inhibits bladder cancer cell migration and growth, and promotes apoptosis through activating JNK and p38 signaling pathways.

Bladder cancer is one of the most common malignancies of the male genitourinary urinary system. Protodioscin is a steroidal saponin with anti-cancer effects on several types of cancers; however, the anti-cancer activities of protodioscin on bladder cancer have not yet been investigated. Therefore, we aimed to examine the anti-cancer effects of protodioscin on bladder cancer. Two types of bladder cancer cell lines, non-muscle-invasive 5637 cells and muscle-invasive T24 cells, were used to evaluate the effects of protodioscin on cell growth, migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT) marker expressions. Transcriptome analysis was performed by RNA-seq and validated using real-time PCR and western blot; additionally, an in vivo xenograft animal model was established and the anti-tumor effects of protodioscin were tested. Our results demonstrated that protodioscin inhibited cell proliferation, migration, motility and invasion on 5637 and T24 cells. Additionally, protodioscin also induced cell apoptosis and arrested the progression of cell cycle at G2 phase in bladder cancer cells. Moreover, protodioscin inhibited EMT through increased protein expression of E-cadherin and decreased protein expression of N-cadherin and vimentin. RNA-seq analysis indicated that protodioscin regulated mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK) and phosphoinositide 3-kinases(PI3K)/protein kinase B(AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR) signaling pathways as further verified by Western blot. Furthermore, protodioscin significantly inhibited tumor growth in vivo. Our results indicated that protodioscin inhibits cell growth, migration and invasion and induces apoptosis and G2 phase cell cycle arrest by activated p38 and JNK signaling pathways in bladder cancer cells, suggesting that protodioscin could be an effective agent for bladder cancer treatment.

Comparison of mini endoscopic combined intrarenal surgery and multitract minimally invasive percutaneous nephrolithotomy specifically for kidney staghorn stones: a single-centre experience.

BACKGROUND: Staghorn stones require surgical treatment to prevent serious complications. Multitract percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) causes great renal parenchymal injury and blood loss. One-stage endoscopic combined intrarenal surgery (ECIRS) entails the combined use of antegrade nephroscope and retrograde flexible ureteroscope to clear the staghorn stone, which may overcome the limitations of multitract PNL. We aimed to compare the perioperative outcomes of mini ECIRS and multitract minimally invasive PNL in staghorn stone management. METHODS: This was a retrospective single-center study of patients with staghorn stones who underwent ECIRS (n = 17) or multitract minimally invasive PNL (n = 17) between January 2018 and September 2021. RESULTS: There was a significant between-group difference with respect to Guy's stone score. Stone size, stone burden (ECIRS group, 21.41 cm3; multitract minimally invasive PNL group, 20.88 cm3 [P = 0.94]), and degree of hydronephrosis were comparable in the two groups. There was no significant between-group difference with respect to one-step or final stone-free rates. The mean operative time was also not significantly different between the groups (ECIRS group, 140 min; multitract minimally invasive PNL group, 183 min [P = 0.63]). ECIRS was associated with significantly lesser postoperative pain (visual analog scale; ECIRS group: 0; multitract minimally invasive PNL group: 2.7 [P < 0.001]). Hemoglobin loss, postoperative blood transfusion rate, complications, and length of hospital stay were comparable in the two groups. CONCLUSION: Both mini ECIRS and multitract minimally invasive PNL were effective and safe for the management of renal staghorn stones with comparable operation time and stone-free rate, and complications. ECIRS was associated with less severe postoperative pain.

Novel insights into the anti-cancer effects of 3-bromopyruvic acid against castration-resistant prostate cancer.

3-bromopyruvic acid (3-BP), a small molecule alkylating agent, has been emerged as a glycolytic inhibitor with anticancer activities. However, the effects of 3-BP on the growth and metastasis in prostate cancer have not been well investigated. Here we investigated the anti-cancer effects of 3-BP on prostate cancer in vitro and in vivo. Cell growth, apoptosis, migration, motility, and invasion were examined. The tumor growth ability was determined using a xenograft murine model. Transcriptome analysis using RNA-seq was performed to explore the mechanism of action of 3-BP. Our experimental results showed that 3-BP effectively inhibits prostate cancer cell growth, especially in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) cells. Moreover, 3-BP induces apoptosis and suppresses cell migration, motility, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and invasion in CRPC cells. In addition, 3-BP also attenuates tumor growth in a xenograft murine model. Through transcriptome analysis using RNA-seq, 3-BP significantly regulates the cell cycle pathway and decreases the expression of downstream cycle cycle-associated genes in CRPC cells. The results of cell cycle analysis indicated that 3-BP arrests cell cycle progression at G2/M in CRPC cells. These results suggest that 3-BP has the potential in inhibiting CRPC progression and might be a promising drug for CRPC treatment.

Identification of a Steroid Hormone-Associated Gene Signature Predicting the Prognosis of Prostate Cancer through an Integrative Bioinformatics Analysis.

The importance of anti-androgen therapy for prostate cancer (PC) has been well recognized. However, the mechanisms underlying prostate cancer resistance to anti-androgens are not completely understood. Therefore, identifying pharmacological targets in driving the development of castration-resistant PC is necessary. In the present study, we sought to identify core genes in regulating steroid hormone pathways and associating them with the disease progression of PC. The selection of steroid hormone-associated genes was identified from functional databases, including gene ontology, KEGG, and Reactome. The gene expression profiles and relevant clinical information of patients with PC were obtained from TCGA and used to examine the genes associated with steroid hormone. The machine-learning algorithm was performed for key feature selection and signature construction. With the integrative bioinformatics analysis, an eight-gene signature, including CA2, CYP2E1, HSD17B, SSTR3, SULT1E1, TUBB3, UCN, and UGT2B7 was established. Patients with higher expression of this gene signature had worse progression-free interval in both univariate and multivariate cox models adjusted for clinical variables. The expression of the gene signatures also showed the aggressiveness consistently in two external cohorts, PCS and PAM50. Our findings demonstrated a validated eight-gene signature could successfully predict PC prognosis and regulate the steroid hormone pathway.

Toxicity of amantadine hydrochloride on cultured bovine cornea endothelial cells.

Amantadine hydrochloride (HCl) is commonly prescribed for treating influenza A virus infection and Parkinson's disease. Recently, several studies have indicated that the use of amantadine HCl is associated with corneal edema; however, the cytotoxic effect of amantadine HCl has not been investigated. In the present study, the effects of amantadine HCl on cell growth, proliferation, and apoptosis in bovine cornea endothelial cells, and in vitro endothelial permeability were examined. Results showed that lower doses of amantadine HCl do not affect cell growth (≤ 20 µΜ), whereas higher doses of amantadine HCl inhibits cell growth (≥ 50 µΜ), induces apoptosis (2000 µΜ), increases sub-G1 phase growth arrest (2000 µΜ), causes DNA damage (≥ 1000 µΜ), and induces endothelial hyperpermeability (≥ 1000 µΜ) in bovine cornea endothelial cells; additionally, we also found that amantadine HCl attenuates the proliferation (≥ 200 µΜ) and arrests cell cycle at G1 phase (≥ 200 µΜ) in bovine cornea endothelial cells. In the present study, we measured the cytotoxic doses of amantadine HCl on cornea endothelial cells, which might be applied in evaluating the association of corneal edema.

Mycotoxin Zearalenone Attenuates Innate Immune Responses and Suppresses NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation in LPS-Activated Macrophages.

Zearalenone (ZEA) is a mycotoxin that has several adverse effects on most mammalian species. However, the effects of ZEA on macrophage-mediated innate immunity during infection have not been examined. In the present study, bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) were used to induce the activation of macrophages and evaluate the effects of ZEA on the inflammatory responses and inflammation-associated signaling pathways. The experimental results indicated that ZEA suppressed LPS-activated inflammatory responses by macrophages including attenuating the production of proinflammatory mediators (nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)), decreased the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-6), inhibited the activation of c-Jun amino-terminal kinase (JNK), p38 and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathways, and repressed the nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain (NOD)-, leucine-rich repeat (LRR)- and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation. These results indicated that mycotoxin ZEA attenuates macrophage-mediated innate immunity upon LPS stimulation, suggesting that the intake of mycotoxin ZEA-contaminated food might result in decreasing innate immunity, which has a higher risk of adverse effects during infection.

Protective Effect of Piplartine against LPS-Induced Sepsis through Attenuating the MAPKs/NF-κB Signaling Pathway and NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation.

Piplartine (or Piperlongumine) is a natural alkaloid isolated from Piper longum L., which has been proposed to exhibit various biological properties such as anti-inflammatory effects; however, the effect of piplartine on sepsis has not been examined. This study was performed to examine the anti-inflammatory activities of piplartine in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo using murine J774A.1 macrophage cell line, peritoneal macrophages, bone marrow-derived macrophages and an animal sepsis model. The results demonstrated that piplartine suppresses iNOS and COX-2 expression, reduces PGE2, TNF-α and IL-6 production, decreases the phosphorylation of MAPKs and NF-κB and attenuates NF-κB activity by LPS-activated macrophages. Piplartine also inhibits IL-1ß production and suppresses NLRP3 inflammasome activation by LPS/ATP- and LPS/nigericin-activated macrophages. Moreover, piplartine reduces the production of nitric oxide (NO) and TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1ß, decreases LPS-induced tissue damage, attenuates infiltration of inflammatory cells and enhances the survival rate. Collectively, these results demonstrate piplartine exhibits anti-inflammatory activities in LPS-induced inflammation and sepsis and suggest that piplartine might have benefits for sepsis treatment.

Zerumbone Suppresses the LPS-Induced Inflammatory Response and Represses Activation of the NLRP3 Inflammasome in Macrophages.

Zerumbone is a natural product isolated from the pinecone or shampoo ginger, Zingiber zerumbet (L.) Smith, which has a wide range of pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory effects. However, the effects of zerumbone on activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in macrophages have not been examined. This study aimed to examine the effects of zerumbone on LPS-induced inflammatory responses and NLRP3 inflammasome activation using murine J774A.1 cells, murine peritoneal macrophages, and murine bone marrow-derived macrophages. Cells were treated with zerumbone following LPS or LPS/ATP treatment. Production of nitric oxide (NO) was measured by Griess reagent assay. The levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1ß secretion were analyzed by ELISA. Western blotting analysis was performed to determine the expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS), COX-2, MAPKs, and NLRP3 inflammasome-associated proteins. The activity of NF-κB was determined by a promoter reporter assay. The assembly of NLRP3 was examined by immunofluorescence staining and observed by confocal laser microscopy. Our experimental results indicated that zerumbone inhibited the production of NO, PGE2 and IL-6, suppressed the expression of iNOS and COX-2, repressed the phosphorylation of ERK, and decreased the activity of NF-κB in LPS-activated J774A.1 cells. In addition, zerumbone suppressed the production of IL-1ß and inhibited the activity of NLRP3 inflammasome in LPS/ATP- and LPS/nigericin-activated J774A.1 cells. On the other hand, we also found that zerumbone repressed the production of NO and proinflammatory cytokines in LPS-activated murine peritoneal macrophages and bone marrow-derived macrophages. In conclusion, our experimental results demonstrate that zerumbone effectively attenuates the LPS-induced inflammatory response in macrophages both in vitro and ex vivo by suppressing the activation of the ERK-MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways as well as blocking the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. These results imply that zerumbone may be beneficial for treating sepsis and inflammasome-related diseases.

Thrombospondin 1-induced exosomal proteins attenuate hypoxia-induced paraptosis in corneal epithelial cells and promote wound healing.

Thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) is involved in corneal wound healing caused by chemical injury. Herein, we examined the effects of TSP1 on hypoxia-induced damages and wound-healing activity in human corneal epithelial (HCE) cells. Exosomal protein expression was determined using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and HCE cell migration and motility were examined through wound-healing assay and time-lapse microscopy. Reestablishment of cell junctions by TSP1 was assessed through confocal microscopy and 3D image reconstruction. Our results show that CoCl2 -induced hypoxia promoted HCE cell death by paraptosis. TSP1 protected these cells against paraptosis by attenuating mitochondrial membrane potential depletion, swelling and dilation of endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria, and mitochondrial fission. Exosomes isolated from HCE cells treated with TSP1 contained wound healing-associated proteins that were taken up by HCE cells to promote tissue remodeling and repair. TSP1 protected HCE cells against hypoxia-induced damages and inhibited paraptosis progression by promoting cell migration, cell-cell adhesion, and extracellular matrix remodeling. These findings indicate that TSP1 ameliorates hypoxia-induced paraptosis in HCE cells and promotes wound healing and remodeling by regulating exosomal protein expression. TSP1 may, therefore, play important roles in the treatment of hypoxia-associated corneal diseases.

Effects of antibodies against human parvovirus B19 on angiogenic signaling.

Human parvovirus B19 (B19V) infection has symptoms similar to those of anti­phospholipid syndrome (APS). Antibodies against B19V­VP1 unique region (VP1u) exhibit activity similar to that of anti­phospholipid antibodies (aPLs) by inducing vascular endothelial cell adhesion factors and APS­like syndrome. Previous studies have identified an effect of aPLs on angiogenesis. However, little is understood regarding the effect of anti­B19V­VP1u antibodies on angiogenesis. The present study investigated the effects of anti­B19V­VP1u antibodies on the expression of adhesion molecules and angiogenic signaling using an aPL­induced human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) model, and trypan blue staining and western blotting. The effect of B19V­VP1u antibodies on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in A549 cells, another well­known model used to study angiogenesis, was also examined. Significantly higher intracellular adhesion molecule 1 expression was observed following treatments with 10% fetal calf serum (FCS), aPL immunoglobulin G (IgG), B19V­VP1u IgG or B19V­NS1 IgG, compared with in the normal human (NH) IgG­treated cells. Conversely, significantly higher vascular cellular adhesion molecule 1 was only detected in HUVECs treated with B19V­VP1u IgG. Significantly increased integrin ß1 was detected in HUVECs treated with aPL IgG or B19V­VP1u IgG, whereas no difference in integrin ß1 was observed in those treated with 10% FCS, NH IgG or B19V­NS1 IgG. No difference in AKT­mTOR­S6 ribosomal protein (S6RP) signaling was observed in HUVECs treated with B19­VP1u IgG or B19V­NS1 IgG, compared with NH IgG­treated cells. Significantly higher human inducible factor­1α was detected in HUVECs treated with 10% FCS, aPL IgG, B19V­VP1u IgG or B19V­NS1 IgG, compared with in NH IgG­treated cells. However, there was no difference in the level of VEGF observed among HUVECs treated with NH IgG, B19V­VP1u IgG or B19V­NS1 IgG. Notably, no difference in VEGF level was observed in A549 cells treated with NH IgG, aPL IgG, B19V­VP1u IgG or B19V­NS1 IgG. These findings suggest that anti­B19V­VP1u antibodies may serve a role in activating adhesion molecules, but not in AKT­mTOR­S6RP signaling.

Therapeutic benefit of second-look transurethral resection of bladder tumors for newly diagnosed T1 bladder cancer: a single-center experience.

PURPOSE: In recent years, second-look transurethral resection of bladder tumors (TURBT) has been recommended for patients with stage T1 bladder cancer after the initial TURBT for restaging and deciding the subsequent treatment. However, we believe that second-look TURBT has therapeutic benefits, such as low incidence of recurrence and progression. Therefore, we compare the differences in long-term outcome between patients who did and did not accept second-look TURBT for stage T1 bladder cancer. METHODS: We assessed 504 patients diagnosed with urothelial carcinoma who underwent initial TURBT between January 2012 and December 2016 at a single medical center; of these patients, 177 were diagnosed with T1 bladder cancer during the initial TURBT, and we excluded no muscle from the specimen in the initial TURBT. The patients were categorized into groups 1 and 2 based on the acceptance of second-look TURBT, which was performed within 4-14 weeks after the initial TURBT. Group 1 underwent second-look TURBT, but group 2 did not. Both groups were followed-up for recurrence-free survival (RFS) and progression-free survival (PFS), and the risk factors for recurrence and progression were analyzed. RESULTS: In total, 93 (52.5%) patients in group 1 underwent second-look TURBT, and 84 (47.5%) in group 2 did not. The 2-year RFS rates were 74.6% and 60.0% and the PFS rates were 91.2% and 87.5% in groups 1 and 2, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated higher recurrence-free and progression-free survival rates for patients who underwent second-look TURBT. This result emphasizes the importance of second-look TURBT in stage T1 bladder cancer not only for restaging but also for therapeutic benefit.

Bavachin attenuates LPS-induced inflammatory response and inhibits the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in macrophages.

BACKGROUND: Bavachin is a natural product isolated from Psoralea corylifolia L. that has been applied as a traditional medicine in Asian countries. However, the anti-inflammatory effects of bavachin on LPS-induced inflammation and NLRP3 inflammasome activation by macrophages remain unclear. PURPOSE: We investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of bavachin on LPS-activated murine macrophage cell line J774A.1 cells and murine peritoneal macrophages. METHODS: J774A.1 cells and murine peritoneal macrophages were pre-treated with bavachin following LPS treatment. The concentrations of NO, PGE2, IL-6 and IL-12p40 in cell culture supernatant were analyzed. The expressions of iNOS, COX-2, mPGES-1 and MAPKs were analyzed using Western blotting, while NF-κB activity was detected using promoter reporter assay. To examine the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome, J774A.1 cells were incubated with LPS, and then treated with bavachin following treatment with ATP. The concentration of IL-1ß in the cell culture supernatant was measured. The expressions of NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1 and IL-1ß were analyzed using Western blotting. The formation of inflammasome complex was observed by immunofluorescence microscopy. RESULTS: Bavachin suppressed LPS-induced NO and PGE2 production, and decreased iNOS and mPGES-1 expression. Bavachin also reduced LPS-induced IL-6 and IL-12p40 production and decreased the activation of MAPKs and NF-κB. Additionally, bavachin suppressed NLRP3 inflammasome-derived IL-1ß secretion, decreased caspase-1 activation, repressed mature IL-1ß expression, and inhibited inflammasome complex formation. Furthermore, bavachin also suppressed the production of NO, IL-6 and IL-12p40 by LPS-stimulated murine peritoneal macrophages. CONCLUSION: Our experimental results indicated anti-inflammatory effects of bavachin exhibit attenuation of LPS-induced inflammation and inhibit activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in macrophages. These results suggest that bavachin might have potential in treating inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

AICAR Induces Apoptosis and Inhibits Migration and Invasion in Prostate Cancer Cells Through an AMPK/mTOR-Dependent Pathway.

Current clinical challenges of prostate cancer management are to restrict tumor growth and prohibit metastasis. AICAR (5-aminoimidazole-4-carbox-amide-1-ß-d-ribofuranoside), an AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) agonist, has demonstrated antitumor activities for several types of cancers. However, the activity of AICAR on the cell growth and metastasis of prostate cancer has not been extensively studied. Herein we examine the effects of AICAR on the cell growth and metastasis of prostate cancer cells. Cell growth was performed by MTT assay and soft agar assay; cell apoptosis was examined by Annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) staining and poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) cleavage western blot, while cell migration and invasion were evaluated by wound-healing assay and transwell assay respectively. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related protein expression and AMPK/mTOR-dependent signaling axis were analyzed by western blot. In addition, we also tested the effect of AICAR on the chemosensitivity to docetaxel using MTT assay. Our results indicated that AICAR inhibits cell growth in prostate cancer cells, but not in non-cancerous prostate cells. In addition, our results demonstrated that AICAR induces apoptosis, attenuates transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß-induced cell migration, invasion and EMT-related protein expression, and enhances the chemosensitivity to docetaxel in prostate cancer cells through regulating the AMPK/mTOR-dependent pathway. These findings support AICAR as a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of prostate cancer.

Induction of Mitotic Catastrophe via Inhibition of Aurora B by Ionizing Radiation With Additive of Mulberry Water Extract in Human Bladder Cancer Cells.

Mulberry fruit water extract (MWE) has been reported to synergistically enhance the cytotoxic effect of paclitaxel by promoting mitotic catastrophe to induce apoptosis in bladder cancer cells in our previous work. The aim of this study was to evaluate and to mechanistically explore the effects of MWE on bladder cancer responses to ionizing radiation (IR) by treating TSGH 8301 bladder carcinoma cells with MWE after exposing to IR. The results of MTT assay showed a synergistic cytotoxicity of IR with the co-treatment of MWE (IR/MWE) by inducing G2/M phase arrest as demonstrated by flow cytometry analysis in TSGH 8301, HT1367 and HT1197 bladder carcinoma cells lines. The IR/MWE-treated cells expressed increased levels of the G2/M phase arrest-related proteins cdc2/cyclin B1 and displayed giant multinucleated morphology, a typical characteristic of mitotic catastrophe. Immunofluorescent confocal microscopy revealed that the combined strategy inhibited Aurora B phosphorylation through Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signaling cascade as demonstrated by Western blotting analysis. IR/MWE also caused an inhibitory effect on Plk1 and the subsequent downstream regulator RhoA repression and Cep55 induction, which would influence cell cycle progression in the early steps of cytokinesis. A profound tumor growth suppression and inactivation of Aurora B activity in the tumor tissues by IR/MWE treatment were confirmed in the TSGH 8301 xenograft model in vivo. These data demonstrated that MWE could be an effective auxiliary to synergize with radiation on the anticancer efficacy by promoting mitotic catastrophe through inhibition of Aurora B, providing a novel and effective therapeutic option for bladder cancer management.

Corylin inhibits LPS-induced inflammatory response and attenuates the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in microglia.

BACKGROUND: Inflammation has been found to be associated with many neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's and dementia. Attenuation of microglia-induced inflammation is a strategy that impedes the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. METHODS: We used lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to simulate murine microglia cells (BV2 cells) as an experimental model to mimic the inflammatory environment in the brain. In addition, we examined the anti-inflammatory ability of corylin, a main compound isolated from Psoralea corylifolia L. that is commonly used in Chinese herbal medicine. The production of nitric oxide (NO) by LPS-activated BV2 cells was measured using Griess reaction. The secretion of proinflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) by LPS-activated BV2 cells was analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor containing pyrin domain 3 (NLRP3), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase-activation and recruitment domain (ASC), caspase-1, IL-1ß and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in LPS-activated BV2 cells was examined by Western blot. RESULTS: Our experimental results demonstrated that corylin suppressed the production of NO and proinflammatory cytokines by LPS-activated BV2 cells. In addition, corylin inhibited the expression of iNOS and COX-2, attenuated the phosphorylation of ERK, JNK and p38, decreased the expression of NLRP3 and ASC, and repressed the activation of caspase-1 and IL-1ß by LPS-activated BV2 cells. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate the anti-inflammatory effects of corylin acted through attenuating LPS-induced inflammation and inhibiting the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in LPS-activated BV2 cells. These results suggest that corylin might have potential in treating brain inflammation and attenuating the progression of neurodegeneration diseases.

RNA-seq transcriptome analysis of breast cancer cell lines under shikonin treatment.

Shikonin is a naphthoquinone isolated from the dried root of Lithospermum erythrorhizon, an herb used in Chinese medicine. Although several studies have indicated that shikonin exhibits antitumor activity in breast cancer, the mechanism of action remains unclear. In the present study, we performed transcriptome analysis using RNA-seq and explored the mechanism of action of shikonin in regulating the growth of different types of breast cancer cells. The IC50 of shikonin on MCF-7, SKBR-3 and MDA-MB-231 cells were 10.3 µΜ, 15.0 µΜ, 15.0 µΜ respectively. Our results also demonstrated that shikonin arrests the progression of cell cycle and induces apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells. Using RNA-seq transcriptome analysis, we found 38 common genes that significantly express in different types of breast cancer cells under shikonin treatment. In particular, our results indicated that shikonin induces the expression of dual specificity phosphatase (DUSP)-1 and DUSP2 in both RNA and protein levels. In addition, shikonin also inhibits the phosphorylation of JNK and p38, the downstream signaling molecules of DUSP1 and DUSP2. Therefore, our results suggest that shikonin induces the expression of DUSP1 and DUSP2 which consequently switches off JNK and p38 MAPK pathways and causes cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in breast cancer cells.

Corylin protects LPS-induced sepsis and attenuates LPS-induced inflammatory response.

Corylin is a main compound isolated from Psoralea corylifolia L. (Fabaceae). A variety of pharmacological effects such as antioxidant, anti-proliferation, and anti-inflammatory properties of corylin have been reported. Nevertheless, the effect of corylin in microbial infection and sepsis remains unclear. In the present study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of corylin. Our experimental results demonstrated that corylin inhibited the production of TNF-α, IL-6 and NO by both LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cells and LPS-activated murine peritoneal macrophages. Moreover, corylin suppressed the expression levels of iNOS and COX-2, reduced the production of PGE2 and HMGB1, blocked the translocation of HMGB1 from the nucleus to cytosol, and decreased the phosphorylation of MAPKs in LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cells as well as suppressed the activity of NF-κB in LPS-activated J-Blue cells. In addition, the administration of corylin reduced the production of NO and TNF-α, decreased LPS-induced liver damage markers (AST and ALT) and kidney damage markers (BUN and CRE), attenuated infiltration of inflammatory cells and tissue damage of lung, liver and kidney, and enhanced the survival rate of LPS-challenged mice. Taken together, these results show the anti-inflammatory properties of corylin on LPS-induced inflammation and sepsis. Corylin could potentially be a novel anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drug candidate in the treatment of sepsis and septic shock.

Role of galectin-1 in urinary bladder urothelial carcinoma cell invasion through the JNK pathway.

Human galectin-1 is a member of the galectin family, proteins with conserved carbohydrate-recognition domains that bind galactoside. Galectin-1 is highly expressed in various tumors and participates in various oncogenic processes. However, detailed descriptions of the function of galectin-1 in urinary bladder urothelial carcinoma have not been reported. Our previous cohort investigation showed that galectin-1 is associated with tumor invasiveness and is a possible independent prognostic marker of urinary bladder urothelial carcinoma. The present study aimed to clarify the relevance of galectin-1 expression level to tumor progression and invasion. In order to decipher a mechanism for the contribution of galectin-1 to the malignant behavior of urinary bladder urothelial carcinoma, two bladder cancer cell lines (T24 and J82) were established with knockdown of galectin-1 expression by shRNA. Bladder cancer cells with LGALS1 gene silencing showed reduced cell proliferation, lower invasive capability, and lower clonogenicity. Extensive signaling pathway studies indicated that galectin-1 participated in bladder cancer cell invasion by mediating the activity of MMP9 through the Ras-Rac1-MEKK4-JNK-AP1 signaling pathway. Our functional analyses of galectin-1 in urinary bladder urothelial carcinoma provided novel insights into the critical role of galectin-1 in tumor progression and invasion. These results revealed that silencing the galectin-1-mediated MAPK signaling pathway presented a novel strategy for bladder cancer therapy.