Systematic establishment of the relationship between skin absorption and toxicity of furanoids via in silico, in vitro, and in vivo assessments.

Furanoids are a class of contaminants prevalent in both airborne and occupational environments, with potential health implications through inhalation, oral ingestion, and skin penetration. Given their diminutive molecular size, there is a presumption that furanoids can readily permeate the skin. To systematically explore this presumption, we investigated the skin absorption and toxicity of a series of furans (furfuryl alcohol, furfuryl acetate, furfural, methyl 2-furoate, and 5-methylfurfural) using in silico, in vitro, and in vivo models. The in vitro permeation test (IVPT) from neat and aqueous suspension (5 mM) of furans demonstrated a facile absorption through pig and nude mouse skins. The lipophilicity of furans significantly influenced skin deposition, with higher lipophilicity displaying greater deposition. However, an opposing trend emerged in the receptor compartment accumulation. In barrier-defective skin simulating atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis, enhanced deposition occurred with more hydrophilic furans but not with the more lipophilic ones. In the cell-based study, furanoids induced the proliferation of keratinocytes and skin fibroblasts except for the compounds with the aldehyde group (furfural and 5-methylfurfural). Both furfuryl acetate and 5-methylfurfural activated keratinocytes via the overexpression of COX-2 and PGE2 by 1.5‒2-fold. This stimulation involved the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. For the in vivo mouse skin treatment, we selected furfuryl acetate (hydrophilic) and 5-methylfurfural (lipophilic). Both furans showed different patterns of skin lesions, where repeated application of furfuryl acetate caused epidermal hyperplasia and scaling, while 5-methylfurfural predominantly evoked skin inflammation and barrier disintegration. Toxicokinetics analysis revealed a higher plasma concentration of topically applied furfuryl acetate than that of the 5-methylfurfural (5.04 versus 2.34 nmol/ml), resulting in the mild injury of furfuryl acetate-treated peripheral organs. Conversely, no notable adverse effects on organs were observed for the 5-methylfurfural. This study established the relationship between cutaneous absorption and the toxicity of furans following skin exposure.

E7050 Suppresses the Growth of Multidrug-Resistant Human Uterine Sarcoma by Inhibiting Angiogenesis via Targeting of VEGFR2-Mediated Signaling Pathways.

E7050 is an inhibitor of VEGFR2 with anti-tumor activity; however, its therapeutic mechanism remains incompletely understood. In the present study, we aim to evaluate the anti-angiogenic activity of E7050 in vitro and in vivo and define the underlying molecular mechanism. It was observed that treatment with E7050 markedly inhibited proliferation, migration, and capillary-like tube formation in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). E7050 exposure in the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) also reduced the amount of neovessel formation in chick embryos. To understand the molecular basis, E7050 was found to suppress the phosphorylation of VEGFR2 and its downstream signaling pathway components, including PLCγ1, FAK, Src, Akt, JNK, and p38 MAPK in VEGF-stimulated HUVECs. Moreover, E7050 suppressed the phosphorylation of VEGFR2, FAK, Src, Akt, JNK, and p38 MAPK in HUVECs exposed to MES-SA/Dx5 cells-derived conditioned medium (CM). The multidrug-resistant human uterine sarcoma xenograft study revealed that E7050 significantly attenuated the growth of MES-SA/Dx5 tumor xenografts, which was associated with inhibition of tumor angiogenesis. E7050 treatment also decreased the expression of CD31 and p-VEGFR2 in MES-SA/Dx5 tumor tissue sections in comparison with the vehicle control. Collectively, E7050 may serve as a potential agent for the treatment of cancer and angiogenesis-related disorders.

Comparison of Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Hospitalized Patients Infected with the D614G Strain or Alpha Variant of COVID-19 in Taiwan: A Multi-Center Cohort Study.

Objective: Direct comparison of the clinical traits of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in strain D614G, which originated from Wuhan, China, and the Alpha variant, which contains 17 mutations, infected patients could help physicians distinguish between strains and make clinical decisions accordingly. This study sought to compare the clinical characteristics and outcomes of the D614G strain and Alpha variant of SARS-COV-2 and identify the predictors for viral RNA clearance and in-hospital mortality in patients with COVID-19. Methods: This study recruited consecutive patients from four hospitals between March 1, 2020, and July 31, 2021. Demographic characteristics, laboratory results, and clinical outcomes were determined. Results: Among the 239 enrolled patients, 11.2% (27/239) were infected with strain D614G and 88.7% (212/239) were infected with the Alpha variant. There were no significant differences in disease progression, rate of respiratory failure, subsequent development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), acute kidney injury, cardiac injury, duration of stay in the intensive care unit or hospital, discharge rate, mortality rate, or viral RNA clearance time between the two groups. Multivariate Cox regression revealed that antibiotic therapy reduced the risk of delayed viral RNA clearance (hazard ratio [HR], 0.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.13-0.55), while autoimmune disease increased the risk of delayed viral RNA clearance (HR, 3.98; 95% CI, 1.21-13.04). Elderly patients (age > 65 years) and patients with a history of cerebrovascular accident (CVA) were at increased risk of in-hospital mortality (HR, 5.14; 95% CI, 1.06-24.72 and HR, 3.62; 95% CI, 1.25-10.42, respectively). Conclusions: There were no significant differences between the D614G strain and Alpha variant of COVID-19 in terms of clinical characteristics and outcomes. However, factors affecting viral RNA clearance and the risk of in-hospital mortality were identified. These results could help to inform the future prioritization of resource allocation and identify patients in need of intense monitoring.

The Effects of Freshwater Clam (Corbicula fluminea) Extract on Serum Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha (TNF-α) in Prediabetic Patients in Taiwan.

Freshwater clam extract (FCE) is a functional food that regulates the immune system and has been demonstrated in numerous studies to display desirable anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) responses. In addition, excess TNF-α production is positively associated with type 2 diabetes. However, few longitudinal clinical studies evaluating the efficiency and toxicity of FCE are available. This article reports that patients with prediabetes who received FCE had a desirable outcome of a reduction in serum TNF-α for a long period. This was a double-blind, randomized, parallel clinical trial conducted using FCE intervention and placebo groups, and 36 patients with prediabetes were enrolled. Two grams of FCE or placebo was consumed daily for 180 consecutive days. The serum of the participants was collected at four time points (0M: before the intervention; 3M: after 3 months of intervention; 6M: after 6 months of intervention; 12M: 6 months after cessation of intervention at 6M). A serum TNF-α concentration higher than 4.05 pg/mL was defined as a cut-off value. FCE reduced serum TNF-α in all participants at 6M and 12M. Moreover, FCE significantly suppressed serum TNF-α concentrations at 6M and 12M and inhibited TNF-α release with time series in subjects with elevated TNF-α values. FCE intervention effectively reduced serum TNF-α and persistently sustained the effects for half a year in patients with prediabetes. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GS-MS) analysis revealed that the major components of FCE were phytosterols and fatty acids, which exerted anti-inflammatory and anti-TNF-α abilities. Hence, FCE has the potential to be developed as a natural treatment for prediabetic patients in Taiwan.

Hypoglycemic peptide-enriched hydrolysates of Corbicula fluminea and Chlorella sorokiniana possess synergistic hypoglycemic activity through inhibiting α-glucosidase and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 activity.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus worldwide has increased in recent decades. Maintaining the level of blood glucose is the most basic and important issue for diabetics. This study aimed to investigate the hypoglycemic activity of a combination of hypoglycemic peptide-enriched hydrolysates of Corbicula fluminea (ACH) and Chlorella sorokiniana (PCH). RESULTS: Combined supplementation of ACH and PCH synergistically inhibited α-glucosidase and DPP4 activities in vitro. After 4 weeks of treatment with ACH and/or PCH, the plasma glucose concentration and insulin, homeostasis model assessment-estimated insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) levels significantly decreased. The hypoglycemic peptides in ACH and PCH were purified and assayed for α-glucosidase and DPP4 activity. The hypoglycemic peptides in ACH and PCH effectively decreased α-glucosidase and DPP4 activities. In silico assays showed that these two peptide types have different docking poses, which determined their inhibitory effect against α-glucosidase and DPP4 activity. CONCLUSION: Combined treatment with hypoglycemic peptide-enriched ACH and PCH could modulate blood glucose by synergistically inhibiting α-glucosidase and DPP4 activities. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Losartan Attenuates Insulin Resistance and Regulates Browning Phenomenon of White Adipose Tissue in ob/ob Mice.

Insulin resistance (IR) is a villain role to the pathology of fatty liver diseases implicated in adipose tissue dysfunction, which is characterized by lipid droplets (LDs) accumulation and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) related macrophage infiltration. HIF1α is required for its lipogenic actions in adipocytes, while and it regulates M1 and M2 polarization features of macrophages. Losartan has been shown to be an insulin sensitizer in obese states, actions involving in HIF1α signaling. However, the exact mechanisms accounting for these effects have not been fully elucidated. Therefore, GTT, ITT, and HOMA-IR were identified losartan alleviated IR signaling in obese mice. This alleviation may through inhibits HIF1α by suppressing STAT3-NF-κB signaling, which, in turn, revealed HIF1α-dependent decreases the angiogenesis pathway in adipose tissue, including regulation of VEGF and TGFßR2 levels. In white adipose tissue, a set of lipogenesis-related genes, Srebp1, Fas, and Scd-1 were markedly downregulated after losartan intervention, as well as reduced LDs size and LD-associated proteins, perilipin family proteins (PLINs) compared with obese mice. Losartan abolished macrophage infiltration with upregulation of M2 and inhibition of M1 macrophage markers in obese mice. Our data suggest that losartan attenuated obese-induced fatty liver, linked to alleviating inflammation in adipose tissues and a shift in M1/M2 macrophage balance. Furthermore, losartan might improve mitochondria biogenesis by upregulating SIRT1, PGC1α, UCP1, and mRNA of Tfam, Cd137, Tmem26, Ucp1 expression in white adipose tissue compared with the obese group. Taken together, losartan may improve IR and adipose dysfunction by inhibiting lipotoxicity and HIF1α pathways.

The Chang Gung Research Database: Multi-institutional real-world data source for traditional Chinese medicine in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: The Chang Gung Research Database (CGRD), the largest multi-institutional electronic medical records collection in Taiwan, has been used to establish real-world evidence related to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). We aimed to evaluate patient characteristics and representativeness of TCM patients in CGRD. METHODS: We identified a cohort of patients who had TCM records both from CGRD and from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Database (NHIRD) during 2010-2015 to investigate the representativeness of CGRD for TCM uses. The NHIRD was considered as reference because it covers all medical claims from 99.9% of the entire Taiwanese population. We investigated the coverage rates of TCM patients within CGRD compared to NHIRD, and compared the characteristics of patients between CGRD and NHIRD including age, sex, and 15 health conditions. RESULTS: We identified 71 002 average annual patients within the CGRD, which accounted for 1.1% of the patients from the NHIRD. The patients from CGRD were older than those from NHIRD (≥65: 16.6% vs. 9.9% for CGRD vs. NHIRD). The ratios of female over male patients were 1.7 vs. 1.5 for CGRD vs. NHIRD. We found higher patient coverage rates for patients with major comorbidities in CGRD, specifically for neoplasm (9.2%) and mental disorders (6.0%). The most frequently prescribed Chinese herbal medicines in CGRD included Jia-Wei-Xiao-Yao-San, Xiang-Sha-Liu-Jun-Zi-Tang and Gui-Lu-Er-Xian-Jiao. CONCLUSION: Higher patient coverage rates were found in CGRD for TCM patients with major comorbidities. Investigators should note possible selection bias since TCM patient disorders may be more severe in CGRD than in the NHIRD.

Losartan Prevents Hepatic Steatosis and Macrophage Polarization by Inhibiting HIF-1α in a Murine Model of NAFLD.

Hypoxia and hepatosteatosis microenvironments are fundamental traits of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is a transcription factor that controls the cellular response to hypoxia and is activated in hepatocytes of patients with NAFLD, whereas the route and regulation of lipid droplets (LDs) and macrophage polarization related to systemic inflammation in NAFLD is unknown. Losartan is an angiotensin II receptor antagonist, that approved portal hypertension and related HIF-1α pathways in hepatic injury models. Here, we show that losartan in a murine model of NAFLD significantly decreased hepatic de novo lipogenesis (DNL) as well as suppressed lipid droplets (LDs), LD-associated proteins, perilipins (PLINs), and cell-death-inducing DNA-fragmentation-factor (DFF45)-like effector (CIDE) family in liver and epididymal white adipose tissues (EWAT) of ob/ob mice. Obesity-mediated macrophage M1 activation was also required for HIF-1α expression in the liver and EWAT of ob/ob mice. Administration of losartan significantly diminishes obesity-enhanced macrophage M1 activation and suppresses hepatosteatosis. Moreover, HIF-1α-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction was reversed in ob/ob mice treated with losartan. Together, the regulation of HIF-1α controls LDs protein expression and macrophage polarization, which highlights a potential target for losartan in NAFLD.

In silico identification of thiostrepton as an inhibitor of cancer stem cell growth and an enhancer for chemotherapy in non-small-cell lung cancer.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play an important role in cancer treatment resistance and disease progression. Identifying an effective anti-CSC agent may lead to improved disease control. We used CSC-associated gene signatures to identify drug candidates that may inhibit CSC growth by reversing the CSC gene signature. Thiostrepton, a natural cyclic oligopeptide antibiotic, was the top-ranked candidate. In non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells, thiostrepton inhibited CSC growth in vitro and reduced protein expression of cancer stemness markers, including CD133, Nanog and Oct4A. In addition, metastasis-associated Src tyrosine kinase signalling, cell migration and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were all inhibited by thiostrepton. Mechanistically, thiostrepton treatment led to elevated levels of tumour suppressor miR-98. Thiostrepton combined with gemcitabine synergistically suppressed NSCLC cell growth and induced apoptosis. The inhibition of NSCLC tumours and CSC growth by thiostrepton was also demonstrated in vivo. Our findings indicate that thiostrepton, an established drug identified in silico, is an inhibitor of CSC growth and a potential enhancer of chemotherapy in NSCLC.

Protective mechanisms of resveratrol derivatives against TNF-α-induced inflammatory responses in rat mesangial cells.

INTRODUCTION: Resveratrol has been reported to alleviate inflammatory responses and oxidative stress in mesangial cells and in several types of renal injury in animal models. Previously, the active resveratrol derivatives from the roots of Vitis thunbergii Sieb. & Zucc. (Vitaceae) were shown to have significant anti-platelet and anti-oxidative activities. However, the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of these resveratrol derivatives in rat mesangial cells (RMCs) have not been clarified fully. METHODS: The protective mechanisms of resveratrol derivatives involved in tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-induced inflammatory responses were assessed by Western blot analysis, real-time PCR, and RT-PCR. The involvement of various signaling molecules in these responses was investigated using selective pharmacological inhibitors. RESULTS: Nontoxic concentrations of the resveratrol derivatives significantly attenuated cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) expression in RMCs challenged by TNF-α. These resveratrol derivatives inhibited TNF-α-activated ERK1/2 and JNK1/2 without affecting p38 phosphorylation. Next, we demonstrated that TNF-α induced NF-κB activation, translocation, and promoter activity, which was inhibited by pretreatment with resveratrol derivatives in RMCs. CONCLUSION: The protective mechanisms of resveratrol derivatives against TNF-α-stimulated inflammatory responses via cPLA2/COX-2/PGE2 inhibition was caused by the attenuation of the JNK1/2, ERK1/2, and NF-κB signaling pathways in RMCs.

Anti-inflammatory property of quercetin through downregulation of ICAM-1 and MMP-9 in TNF-α-activated retinal pigment epithelial cells.

Quercetin is a flavonoid polyphenolic compound present in fruits and vegetables that has proven anti-inflammatory activity. The goal of the present investigation was to investigate the effects of quercetin on tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-induced inflammatory responses via the expression of ICAM-1 and MMP-9 in human retinal pigment epithelial cells (ARPE-19 cells). Real-time PCR, gelatin zymography, and Western blot analysis showed that TNF-α induced the expression of ICAM-1 and MMP-9 protein and mRNA in a time-dependent manner. These effects were attenuated by pretreatment of ARPE-19 cells with quercetin. Quercetin inhibited the TNF-α-induced phosphorylation of PKCδ, JNK1/2, ERK1/2. Quercetin, rottlerin, SP600125 and U0126 attenuated TNF-α-stimulated c-Jun phosphorylation and AP-1-Luc activity. Pretreatment with quercetin, rottlerin, SP600125, or Bay 11-7082 attenuated TNF-α-induced NF-κB (p65) phosphorylation, translocation and RelA/p65-Luc activity. TNF-α significantly increased MMP-9 promoter activity and THP-1 cell adherence, and these effects were attenuated by pretreatment with quercetin, rottlerin, SP600125, U0126, tanshinone IIA or Bay 11-7082. These results suggest that quercetin attenuates TNF-α-induced ICAM-1 and MMP-9 expression in ARPE-19 cells via the MEK1/2-ERK1/2 and PKCδ-JNK1/2-c-Jun or NF-κB pathways.

Development of an inflammatory tissue-selective chimeric TNF receptor.

BACKGROUND: Inhibiting TNF-α is an effective therapy for inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. However, systemic, nondiscriminatory neutralization of TNF-α is associated with considerable adverse effects. METHODS: Here, we developed a trimeric chimeric TNF receptor by linking an N-terminal mouse Acrp30 trimerization domain and an MMP-2/9 substrate sequence to the mouse extracellular domain of TNF receptor 2 followed by a C-terminal mouse tetranectin coiled-coil domain (mouse Acrp-MMP-TNFR-Tn). RESULTS: Here, we show that the Acrp30 trimerization domain inhibited the binding activity of TNFR, possibly by closing the binding site of the trimeric receptor. Cleavage of the substrate sequence by MMP-9, an enzyme highly expressed in inflammatory sites, restored the binding activity of the mouse TNF receptor. We also constructed a recombinant human chimeric TNF receptor (human Acrp-MMP-TNFR-Tn) in which an MMP-13 substrate sequence was used to link the human Acrp and the human TNF receptor 2. Human Acrp-MMP-TNFR-Tn showed reduced binding activity, and MMP-13 digestion recovered its binding activity with TNF-α. CONCLUSION: Acrp-masked chimeric TNF receptors may be able to be used for inflammatory tissue-selective neutralization of TNF-α to reduce the adverse effects associated with systemic neutralization of TNF-α.

Monospecific antibody targeting of CDH11 inhibits epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and represses cancer stem cell-like phenotype by up-regulating miR-335 in metastatic breast cancer, in vitro and in vivo.

BACKGROUND: Metastasis is a leading cause of breast cancer mortality. The induction of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and complex oncogenic signaling is a vital step in the evolution of highly metastatic and therapeutically-intractable breast cancer; necessitating novel target discovery or development of therapeutics that target metastatic breast cells (MBCs). METHODS: To achieve this, this study employs a combination of in silico bioinformatics analyses, protein and transcript analyses, drug sensitivity assays, functional assays and animal studies. RESULTS: The present study identified CDH11 as an inductor and/or facilitator of metastatic signaling, and biomarker of poor prognosis in MBCs. Furthermore, we showed that in the presence of CDH11-rich cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 MBC cell lines acquired enhanced metastatic phenotype with increased CDH11, ß-catenin, vimentin, and fibronectin (FN) expression. We also demonstrated, for the first time to the best of our knowledge that exposure to anti-CDH11 antibody suppresses metastasis, reduces CDH11, FN and ß-catenin expression, and abrogate the cancer stem cell (CSC)-like traits of MBC cells. Interestingly, ectopic expression of miR-335 suppressed CDH11, ß-catenin and vimentin expression, in concert with attenuated metastatic and CSC potentials of the MBC cells; conversely, inhibition of miR-335 resulted in increased metastatic potential. Finally, corroborating the in silica and in vitro findings, in vivo assays showed that the administration of anti-CDH11 antibody or miR-335 mimic suppressed tumorigenesis and inhibited cancer metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: These findings validate our hypotheses that miR-335 mediates anti-CDH11 antibody therapy response and that an enhanced miR-335/CDH11 ratio elicits marked suppression of the MBC CSC-like and metastatic phenotypes, thus revealing a therapeutically-exploitable inverse correlation between CDH11-enhanced CSC-like and metastatic phenotype and miR-335 expression in MBCs. Thus, we highlight the therapeutic promise of humanized anti-CDH11 antibodies or miR-335-mimic, making a case for their clinical application as efficacious therapeutic option in patients with MBC.

Specific drug delivery efficiently induced human breast tumor regression using a lipoplex by non-covalent association with anti-tumor antibodies.

BACKGROUND: A cationic liposome-PEG-PEI complex (LPPC) was employed as a carrier for achieving targeted delivery of drug to human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2/neu)-expressing breast cancer cells. LPPC can be easily loaded with an anti-tumor drug and non-covalently associated with an anti-tumor antibody such as Herceptin that is clinically used to rapidly form immunoparticles within 1 h. RESULTS: Drug-loaded LPPC have an average size about 250 nm and a zeta potential of about 40 mV. Herceptin was complexed onto surface of the LPPC to form the drug/LPPC/Herceptin complexes. The size of curcumin/LPPC/Herceptin complexes were 280 nm and the zeta potentials were about 23 mV. Targeting ability of this delivery system was demonstrated through specific binding on surface of cells and IVIS images in vivo, which showed specific binding in HER2-positive SKBR3 cells as compared to HER2-negative Hs578T cells. Only the drug/LPPC/Herceptin complexes displayed dramatically increased the cytotoxic activity in cancer cells. Both in vitro and in vivo results indicated that Herceptin adsorbed on LPPC directed the immunocomplex towards HER2/neu-positive cells but not HER2/neu-negative cells. The complexes with either component (curcumin or doxorubicin) used in the LPPC-delivery system provided a better therapeutic efficacy compared to the drug treatment alone and other treatment groups, including clinical dosages of Herceptin and LipoDox, in a xenografted model. CONCLUSIONS: LPPC displays important clinical implications by easily introducing a specific targeting characteristic to drugs utilized for breast cancer therapy.

Apoptotic or Antiproliferative Activity of Natural Products against Keratinocytes for the Treatment of Psoriasis.

Natural products or herbs can be used as an effective therapy for treating psoriasis, an autoimmune skin disease that involves keratinocyte overproliferation. It has been demonstrated that phytomedicine, which is used for psoriasis patients, provides some advantages, including natural sources, a lower risk of adverse effects, and the avoidance of dissatisfaction with conventional therapy. The herbal products' structural diversity and multiple mechanisms of action have enabled the synergistic activity to mitigate psoriasis. In recent years, the concept of using natural products as antiproliferative agents in psoriasis treatment has attracted increasing attention in basic and clinical investigations. This review highlights the development of an apoptotic or antiproliferatic strategy for natural-product management in the treatment of psoriasis. We systematically introduce the concepts and molecular mechanisms of keratinocyte-proliferation inhibition by crude extracts or natural compounds that were isolated from natural resources, especially plants. Most of these studies focus on evaluation through an in vitro keratinocyte model and an in vivo psoriasis-like animal model. Topical delivery is the major route for the in vivo or clinical administration of these natural products. The potential use of antiproliferative phytomedicine on hyperproliferative keratinocytes suggests a way forward for generating advances in the field of psoriasis therapy.

Positive Effects of Ger-Gen-Chyn-Lian-Tang on Cholestatic Liver Fibrosis in Bile Duct Ligation-Challenged Mice.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether Ger-Gen-Chyn-Lian-Tang (GGCLT) suppresses oxidative stress, inflammation, and angiogenesis during experimental liver fibrosis through the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α)-mediated pathway. Male C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to a sham-control or bile duct ligation (BDL) group with or without treatment with GGCLT at 30, 100, and 300 mg/kg. Plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were analyzed using a diagnostic kit. Liver histopathology and hepatic status parameters were measured. Compared to control mice, the BDL mice exhibited an enlargement in liver HIF-1α levels, which was suppressed by 100 and 300 mg/kg GGCLT treatments (control: BDL: BDL + GGCLT-100: BDL + GGCLT-300 = 0.95 ± 0.07: 1.95 ± 0.12: 1.43 ± 0.05: 1.12 ± 0.10 fold; p < 0.05). GGCLT restrained the induction of hepatic hydroxyproline and malondialdehyde levels in the mice challenged with BDL, further increasing the hepatic glutathione levels. Furthermore, in response to increased hepatic inflammation and fibrogenesis, significant levels of ALT, nuclear factor kappa B, transforming growth factor-ß, α-smooth muscle actin, matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), MMP-9, and procollagen-III were found in BDL mice, which were attenuated with GGCLT. In addition, GGCLT reduced the induction of angiogenesis in the liver after BDL by inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and VEGF receptors 1 and 2. In conclusion, the anti-liver fibrosis effect of GGCLT, which suppresses hepatic oxidative stress and angiogenesis, may be dependent on an HIF-1α-mediated pathway.

Blockade of ITGA2 Induces Apoptosis and Inhibits Cell Migration in Gastric Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer is currently the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Gastric cancer is often diagnosed at advanced stages and the outcome of the treatment is often poor. Therefore, identifying new therapeutic targets for this cancer is urgently needed. Integrin alpha 2 (ITGA2) subunit and the beta 1 subunit form a heterodimer for a transmembrane receptor for extracellular matrix, is an important molecule involved in tumor cell proliferation, survival and migration. Integrin α2ß1 is over-expressed on a variety of cancer cells, but is low or absent in most normal organs and resting endothelial cells. RESULTS: In this report, we assessed the ITGA2 as the potential therapeutic target with the bioinformatics tools from the TCGA dataset in which composed of 375 gastric cancer tissues and 32 gastric normal tissues. According to the information from the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) database, the AGS cell line with ITGA2 high expression and the SUN-1 cell line with low expression were chosen for the further investigation. Interestingly, the anti-ITGA2 antibody (at 3 µg/ml) inhibited approximately 50% survival of the AGS cells (over-expressed ITGA2), but had no effect in SNU-1 cells (ITGA2 negative). The extents of antibody-mediated cancer inhibition positively correlated with the expression levels of the ITGA2. We further showed that the anti-ITGA2 antibody induced apoptosis by up-regulating the RhoA-p38 MAPK signaling to promote the expressions of Bim, Apaf-1 and Caspase-9, whereas the expressions of Ras and Bax/Bcl-2 were not affected. Moreover, blocking ITGA2 by the specific antibody at lower doses also inhibited cell migration of gastric cancer cells. Blockade of ITGA2 by a specific antibody down-regulated the expression of N-WASP, PAK and LIMK to impede actin organization and cell migration of gastric cancer cells. CONCLUSIONS: Here, we showed that the mRNA expression levels of ITGA2 comparing to normal tissues significantly increased. In addition, the results revealed that targeting integrin alpha 2 subunit by antibodies did not only inhibit cell migration, but also induce apoptosis effect on gastric cancer cells. Interestingly, higher expression level of ITGA2 led to significant effects on apoptosis progression during anti-ITGA2 antibody treatment, which indicated that ITGA2 expression levels directly correlate with their functionality. Our findings suggest that ITGA2 is a potential therapeutic target for gastric cancer.

Cosmetic and Therapeutic Applications of Fish Oil's Fatty Acids on the Skin.

Fish oil has been broadly reported as a potential supplement to ameliorate the severity of some skin disorders such as photoaging, skin cancer, allergy, dermatitis, cutaneous wounds, and melanogenesis. There has been increasing interest in the relationship of fish oil with skin protection and homeostasis, especially with respect to the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). The other PUFAs, such as α-linolenic acid (ALA) and linoleic acid (LA), also show a beneficial effect on the skin. The major mechanisms of PUFAs for attenuating cutaneous inflammation are the competition with the inflammatory arachidonic acid and the inhibition of proinflammatory eicosanoid production. On the other hand, PUFAs in fish oil can be the regulators that affect the synthesis and activity of cytokines for promoting wound healing. A systemic review was conducted to demonstrate the association between fish oil supplementation and the benefits to the skin. The following describes the different cosmetic and therapeutic approaches using fatty acids derived from fish oil, especially ALA, LA, DHA, and EPA. This review summarizes the cutaneous application of fish oil and the related fatty acids in the cell-based, animal-based, and clinical models. The research data relating to fish oil treatment of skin disorders suggest a way forward for generating advances in cosmetic and dermatological uses.

Prophylactic administration of fucoidan represses cancer metastasis by inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in Lewis tumor-bearing mice.

Fucoidan, a heparin-like sulfated polysaccharide, is rich in brown algae. It has a wide assortment of protective activities against cancer, for example, induction of hepatocellular carcinoma senescence, induction of human breast and colon carcinoma apoptosis, and impediment of lung cancer cells migration and invasion. However, the anti-metastatic mechanism that fucoidan exploits remains elusive. In this report, we explored the effects of fucoidan on cachectic symptoms, tumor development, lung carcinoma cell spreading and proliferation, as well as expression of metastasis-associated proteins in the Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cells-inoculated mice model. We discovered that administration of fucoidan has prophylactic effects on mitigation of cachectic body weight loss and improvement of lung masses in tumor-inoculated mice. These desired effects are attributed to inhibition of LLC spreading and proliferation in lung tissues. Fucoidan also down-regulates expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Moreover, the tumor-bearing mice supplemented with fucoidan indeed benefit from an ensemble of the chemo-phylacticity. The fact is that fucoidan significantly decreases viability, migration, invasion, and MMPs activities of LLC cells. In summary, fucoidan is suitable to act as a chemo-preventative agent for minimizing cachectic symptoms as well as inhibiting lung carcinoma metastasis through down-regulating metastatic factors VEGF and MMPs.

The effect of abdominal massage in reducing malignant ascites symptoms.

As many as 50% of end-stage cancer patients will develop ascites and associated symptoms, including pain, tiredness, nausea, depression, anxiety, drowsiness, loss of appetite, dyspnea, perceived abdominal bloating, and immobility. Abdominal massage may stimulate lymph return to the venous system and reduce ascites-related symptoms. The purpose of this study was to test the effect of abdominal massage in reducing these symptoms and reducing ascites itself as reflected in body weight. For a randomized controlled design using repeated measures, a sample of 80 patients with malignant ascites was recruited from gastroenterology and oncology units of a medical center in northern Taiwan and randomly assigned to the intervention or the control group. A 15-minute gentle abdominal massage, using straight rubbing, point rubbing, and kneading, was administered twice daily for 3 days. The control group received a twice-daily 15-minute social interaction contact with the same nurse. Symptoms and body weight were measured in the morning for 4 consecutive days from pre- to post-test. In generalized estimation equation modeling, a significant group-by-time interaction on depression, anxiety, poor wellbeing, and perceived abdominal bloating, indicated that abdominal massage improved these four symptoms, with the greatest effect on perceived bloating. The intervention had no effect on pain, tiredness, nausea, drowsiness, poor appetite, shortness of breath, mobility limitation, or body weight. Abdominal massage appears useful for managing selected symptoms of malignant ascites.