Impacts of hyperthermic chemotherapeutic agent on cytotoxicity, chemoresistance-related proteins and PD-L1 expression in human gastric cancer cells.

Objective: Gastric cancer with peritoneal metastasis is considered to be final stage gastric cancer. One current treatment approach for this condition is combined cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). However, the therapeutic mechanisms of HIPEC remain largely undescribed. Method: In order to assess the cellular effects of HIPEC in vitro, we treated AGS human gastric adenocarcinoma cells with or without 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) at 37 °C or at 43 °C (hyperthermic temperature) for 1 h followed by incubation at 37 °C for 23 h. The impacts of hyperthermia/5-Fu on apoptosis, cell survival signals, oxidative stress, chemoresistance-related proteins and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression were measured. Results: Our results showed that hyperthermia potentiates 5-Fu-mediated cytotoxicity in AGS cells. Furthermore, the combination of 5-Fu and hyperthermia reduces levels of both phosphorylated STAT3 and STAT3, while increasing the levels of phosphorylated Akt and ERK. In addition, 5-Fu/hyperthermia enhances reactive oxygen species and suppresses superoxide dismutase 1. Chemoresistance-related proteins, such as multidrug resistance 1 and thymidylate synthase, are also suppressed by 5-Fu/hyperthermia. Interestingly, hyperthermia enhances 5-Fu-mediated induction of glycosylated PD-L1, but 5-Fu-mediated upregulation of PD-L1 surface expression is prevented by hyperthermia. Conclusion: Taken together, our findings provide insights that may aid in the development of novel therapeutic strategies and enhanced therapeutic efficacy of HIPEC.

Dietary fatty acids differentially affect secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines in human THP-1 monocytes.

Monocytes are a major population of circulating immune cells that play a crucial role in producing pro-inflammatory cytokines in the body. The actions of monocytes are known to be influenced by the combinations and concentrations of certain fatty acids (FAs) in blood and dietary fats. However, systemic comparisons of the effects of FAs on cytokine secretion by monocytes have not be performed. In this study, we compared how six saturated FAs (SFAs), two monounsaturated FAs (MUFAs), and seven polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs) modulate human THP-1 monocyte secretion of TNF, IL-1ß, and IL-6 in the absence or presence of lipopolysaccharide. SFAs generally stimulated resting THP-1 cells to secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines, with stearic acid being the most potent species. In contrast, MUFAs and PUFAs inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Interestingly, the inhibitory potentials of MUFAs and PUFAs followed U-shaped (TNF and IL-1ß) or inverted U-shaped (IL-6) dose-response curves. Among the MUFAs and PUFAs that were analyzed, docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6 n-3) exhibited the largest number of double bonds and was found to be the most potent anti-inflammatory compound. Together, our findings reveal that the chemical compositions and concentrations of dietary FAs are key factors in the intricate regulation of monocyte-mediated inflammation.

Ganoderma Triterpenoids Exert Antiatherogenic Effects in Mice by Alleviating Disturbed Flow-Induced Oxidative Stress and Inflammation.

Ganoderma mushrooms, used in traditional Chinese medicine to promote health and longevity, have become widely accepted as herbal supplements. Ganoderma lucidum (GL), a commonly seen ganoderma species, is commercially cultivated under controlled conditions for more consistent chemical composition. The medicinal properties of GL are attributable to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. We intended to assess the effect of GL in atherosclerosis, an arterial condition associated with chronic oxidative stress and inflammation, using a carotid-artery-ligation mouse model. Flow turbulence created in the ligated artery induces oxidative stress and neointimal hyperplasia, a feature of early atherogenesis. Daily oral GL prevented neointimal thickening 2 weeks after ligation. Moreover, the ganoderma triterpenoid (GT) crude extract isolated from GL abolished ligation-induced neointima formation. Mechanistically, endothelial dysfunction was observed 3 days after ligation before any structural changes could be detected. GTs alleviated the oxidative stress and restored the atheroresistent status of endothelium by inhibiting the induction of a series of atherogenic factors, including endothelin-1, von Willebrand factor, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 after 3-day ligation. The anti-inflammatory activity of GTs was tested in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) exposed to disturbed flow in an in vitro perfusion system. GTs abolished the induction of proinflammatory VCAM-1, TNF-α, and IL-6 by oscillatory shear stress. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of GTs was tested in HUVECs against the insult of H2O2. GTs dissipated the cellular superoxide accumulation imposed by H2O2, thereby mitigating H2O2-induced cell damage and proatherogenic response. Our results revealed the atheroprotective properties of ganoderma mushrooms and identified triterpenoids as the critical constituents for those effects. GTs prevent atherogenesis by eliminating disturbed flow-induced oxidative stress and inflammation.

Mechanism of action of cytotoxic compounds from the seeds of Euphorbia lathyris.

BACKGROUND: The seeds of Euphorbia lathyris are used in traditional Chinese medicines for the treatment of various medical conditions. E. lathyris contains many natural diterpenes with a lathyrane skeleton. PURPOSE AND STUDY DESIGN: Five lathyrane-type diterpenoids named Euphorbia factors L1, L2, L3, L8, and L9 (1-5), were investigated for cytotoxicity against A549, MDA-MB-231, KB, and MCF-7 cancer cell lines and the KB-VIN multidrug resistant (MDR) cancer cell line. Also, a tetraol derivative (6) of Euphorbia factor L2 (2) was synthesized to assess the effect of hydroxy moieties. METHODS: An ethanolic extract of seeds of Euphorbia lathyris was prepared and separated into petroleum ether, EtOAc, n-butanol, and n-hexane extracts. The natural diterpenes were isolated by using silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography as well as preparative thin-layer chromatography. Saponification of 2 gave tetraol derivative 6. Cytotoxic activity was determined by the sulforhodamine B (SRB) colorimetric assay. Mechanism of action studies focused on the impact of compounds on the cell cycle progression as well as cell morphology. RESULTS: Compound 5 exhibited the strongest cytotoxicity against all cell lines, while compound 2 showed selectivity against KB-VIN. In cells treated with 3 and 5, accumulation of G1 to early S phase cells was obvious, while no effect was seen on G2/M phase. CONCLUSION: Analysis of the screening data compared with compound structures suggested that the substitutions at C-3, C-5, C-7, and C-15 are critical for cytotoxicity, as well as cell type-selectivity. Furthermore, results of cytotoxic mechanism analysis demonstrated for the first time that compounds 3 and 5 disrupted normal cell cycle progression, whereas compounds 2‒5 induced obvious actin filament aggregation, as well as partial interference of the microtubule network.

The triterpenoids of Ganoderma tsugae prevent stress-induced myocardial injury in mice.

Ganoderma mushrooms (Lingzhi in Chinese) have well-documented health benefits. Ganoderma tsugae (G. tsugae), one of the ganoderma species, has been commercially cultivated as a dietary supplement. Because G. tsugae has high antioxidant activity and because oxidative stress is often associated with cardiac injury, we hypothesized that G. tsugae protects against cardiac injury by alleviating oxidative stress. We tested the hypothesis using a work-overload-induced myocardial injury model created by challenging mice with isoproterenol (ISO). Remarkably, oral G. tsugae protected the mice from ISO-induced myocardial injury. Moreover, the triterpenoid fraction of G. tsugae, composed of a mixture of nine structurally related ganoderic acids (GAs), provided cardioprotection by inhibiting the ISO-induced expression of Fas/Fas ligand, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. The antioxidant activity of GAs was tested in cultured cardio-myoblast H9c2 cells against the insult of H2O2. GAs dissipated the cellular reactive oxygen species imposed by H2O2 and prevented cell death. Our findings uncovered the cardioprotective activity of G. tsugae and identified GAs as the bioactive components against cardiac insults.