Inhibition of skin tumor promotion by TPA using a combination of topically applied ursolic acid and curcumin.

Prevention remains an important strategy to reduce the burden of cancer. One approach to prevent cancer is the use of phytochemicals in various combinations as safe and effective cancer preventative agents. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the combination of ursolic acid (UA) and curcumin (Curc) for potential combinatorial inhibition of skin tumor promotion using the mouse two-stage skin carcinogenesis model. In short-term experiments, the combination of UA + Curc given topically prior to 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) significantly inhibited activation of epidermal EGFR, p70S6K, NF-κB p50, Src, c-Jun, Rb, and IκBα. Levels of c-Fos, c-Jun, and Cox-2 were also significantly reduced by the combination compared to the TPA treated group. The alterations in these signaling pathways by the combination of UA + Curc were associated with decreased epidermal proliferation as assessed by measuring BrdU incorporation. Significant effects were also seen with the combination on epidermal inflammatory gene expression and dermal inflammation, with the greatest effects on expression of IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-22, and CXCL2. Furthermore, results from skin tumor experiments demonstrated that the combination of UA + Curc given topically significantly inhibited mouse skin tumor promotion by TPA to a greater extent than the individual compounds given alone. The greatest effects were seen on tumor free survival, tumor size, and tumor weight, although tumor incidence and multiplicity were also further reduced by the combination. These results demonstrate the potential cancer chemopreventive activity and mechanism(s) for the combination of UA + Curc.

Synthesis of oxygenated oleanolic and ursolic acid derivatives with anti-inflammatory properties.

The scalable syntheses of four oxygenated triterpenes have been implemented to access substantial quantities of maslinic acid, 3-epi-maslinic acid, corosolic acid, and 3-epi-corosolic acid. Semi-syntheses proceed starting from the natural products oleanolic acid and ursolic acid. Proceeding over five steps, each of the four compounds can be synthesized on the gram scale. Divergent diastereoselective reductions of α-hydroxy ketones provided access to the four targeted diol containing compounds from two precursors of the oleanane or ursane lineage. These compounds were subsequently evaluated for their ability to inhibit inflammatory gene expression in a mouse model of chemically induced skin inflammation. All compounds possessed the ability to inhibit the expression of one or more inflammatory genes induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13 acetate in mouse skin, however, three of the compounds, corosolic acid, 3-epi-corosolic acid and maslinic acid were more effective than the others. The availability of gram quantities will allow further testing of these compounds for potential anti-inflammatory activities as well as cancer chemopreventive activity.

Effect of Metformin, Rapamycin, and Their Combination on Growth and Progression of Prostate Tumors in HiMyc Mice.

In this study, we compared the effect of oral administration of metformin (MET) and rapamycin (RAPA) alone or in combination on prostate cancer development and progression in HiMyc mice. MET (250 mg/kg body weight in the drinking water), RAPA (2.24 mg/kg body weight microencapsulated in the diet), and the combination inhibited progression of prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia lesions to adenocarcinomas in the ventral prostate (VP). RAPA and the combination were more effective than MET at the doses used. Inhibition of prostate cancer progression in HiMyc mice by RAPA was associated with a significant reduction in mTORC1 signaling that was further potentiated by the combination of MET and RAPA. In contrast, treatment with MET alone enhanced AMPK activation, but had little or no effect on mTORC1 signaling pathways in the VP of HiMyc mice. Further analyses revealed a significant effect of all treatments on prostate tissue inflammation as assessed by analysis of the expression of cytokines, the presence of inflammatory cells and NFκB signaling. MET at the dose used appeared to reduce prostate cancer progression primarily by reducing tissue inflammation whereas RAPA and the combination appeared to inhibit prostate cancer progression in this mouse model via the combined effects on both mTORC1 signaling as well as on tissue inflammation. Overall, these data support the hypothesis that blocking mTORC1 signaling and/or tissue inflammation can effectively inhibit prostate cancer progression in a relevant mouse model of human prostate cancer. Furthermore, combinatorial approaches that target both pathways may be highly effective for prevention of prostate cancer progression in men.

Evaluation of pentacyclic triterpenes found in Perilla frutescens for inhibition of skin tumor promotion by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate.

A series of pentacyclic tritperpenes found in Perilla frutescens (P. frutescens), including ursolic acid (UA), oleanolic acid (OA), corosolic acid (CA), 3-epi-corosolic acid (3-epiCA), maslinic acid (MA), and 3-epi-maslinic acid (3-epiMA) were evaluated for their effects on epidermal cell signaling, proliferation, and skin inflammation in relation to their ability to inhibit skin tumor promotion by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and compared to UA as the prototype compound. All compounds were given topically 30 min prior to each TPA application and significantly inhibited skin tumor promotion. 3-epiCA and MA were significantly more effective than UA at inhibiting tumor development. All of these compounds significantly inhibited epidermal proliferation induced by TPA, however, CA, 3-epiCA and MA were more effective than UA. All compounds also reduced skin inflammation (assessed by infiltration of mast cells and T-cells) and inflammatory gene expression induced by TPA, however, 3-epiCA and MA were again more effective than UA. The greater ability of 3-epiCA and MA to inhibit skin tumor promotion was associated with greater reduction of Cox-2 and Twist1 proteins and inhibition of activation (i.e., phosphorylation) of IGF-1R, STAT3 and Src. Further study of these compounds, especially 3-epiCA and MA, for chemopreventive activity in other cancer model systems is warranted.