Liposomal formulation of HIF-1α inhibitor echinomycin eliminates established metastases of triple-negative breast cancer.

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) is recognized as a prime molecular target for metastatic cancer. However, no specific HIF-1α inhibitor has been approved for clinical use. Here, we demonstrated that in vivo efficacy of echinomycin in solid tumors with HIF-1α overexpression is formulation-dependent. Compared to previously-used Cremophor-formulated echinomycin, which was toxic and ineffective in clinical trials, liposomal-echinomycin provides significantly more inhibition of primary tumor growth and only liposome-formulated echinomycin can eliminate established triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) metastases, which are the leading cause of death from breast cancer, as available therapies remain minimally effective at this stage. Pharmacodynamic analyses reveal liposomal-echinomycin more potently inhibits HIF-1α transcriptional activity in primary and metastasized TNBC cells in vivo, the latter of which are HIF-1α enriched. The data suggest that nanoliposomal-echinomycin can provide safe and effective therapeutic HIF-1α inhibition and could represent the most potent HIF-1α inhibitor in prospective trials for metastatic cancer.

[Effects of chitosan oligosaccharide on bone metabolism and IKK/NF-κB pathway in rats with osteoporosis and periodontitis].

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of chitosan oligosaccharide on bone metabolism and IKK/NF-κB pathway in mice with osteoporosis and periodontitis. METHODS: Thirty rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, with 10 rats in each group. They were divided into control group, ovariectomized periodontitis group and chitosan oligosaccharide treatment group. Except for the control group, the other two groups were ovariectomized and smeared with Porphyromonas gingivalis fluid to establish the model of osteoporosis with periodontitis. Four weeks after ligation, the rats in chitosan oligosaccharide treatment group were gavaged with 200 mg/kg chitosan oligosaccharide, and the other two groups were gavaged with equal volume of normal saline once a day for 90 days. The periodontal tissues of each group were observed before administration, and the bone mineral density of rats was detected by dual energy X-ray animal bone mineral density and body composition analysis system. After 90 days of administration, the bone mineral density was detected again. After administration, blood was collected from tail vein, and the contents of serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bone Gla protein (BGP) and tartrate resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRACP5b) were measured by enzyme-linked immunodeficient assay. The gingival index and periodontal attachment loss of rats in each group were obtained by visual examination and exploratory examination. The maxilla was removed, and the distance from the enamel cementum boundary to the alveolar crest was measured to obtain alveolar bone absorption value. H-E staining was used to observe the pathology of maxilla in each group. RT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the nuclear factors in periodontal tissue of rats in each group. SPSS 22.0 software package was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Before administration, the gums of the control group were pink without bleeding, and the gums of the other two groups were red and swollen with slight bleeding. After administration, compared with the control group, the bone mineral density, serum ALP, BGP of ovariectomized periodontitis group decreased significantly(P＜0.05); while TRACP5b, gingival index, loss of periodontal attachment and alveolar bone resorption, NF-κB and IKK mRNA and protein expression in periodontal tissue increased significantly(P＜0.05). Compared with the ovariectomized periodontitis group, the bone mineral density, serum ALP, BGP were significantly increased(P＜0.05); while TRACP5b, gingival index, periodontal attachment loss and alveolar bone resorption, NF-κB and IKK mRNA and protein expression in periodontal tissue were significantly decreased (P＜0.05). In the ovariectomized periodontitis group, the periodontal tissue combined with epithelium was separated from the tooth surface, the dental pocket was obvious and deep, and the height of alveolar bone decreased. Although dental pocket could be observed in the periodontal tissue of rats treated with chitosan oligosaccharide, it was not obvious, and new bone appeared around the alveolar bone. CONCLUSIONS: Chitosan oligosaccharide can induce biochemical indexes of bone metabolism to become normal, alleviate the symptoms of periodontitis, this may be related to the inhibition of IKK/NF-κB pathway by chitosan oligosaccharide.

[Regulation mechanism of resveratrol on odontogenic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells].

PURPOSE: To investigate whether resveratrol promotes odontogenic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells(DPSCs) by up-regulating the expression of silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) and activating ß-catenin signaling pathway. METHODS: Different concentrations of resveratrol(0, 10, 15, 20 and 50 µmol/L) were used to treat DPSCs for 7 days and 14 days, and cell proliferative activity was detected by CCK-8. After odontogenic differentiation induced by 15 µmol/L resveratrol for 7 days, alkaline phosphatase(ALP) staining was performed and real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR(qRT-PCR) was used to detect the mRNA expression of Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), dentin sialophosphoprotein(DSPP) and dentin matrix protein-1(DMP-1) in DPSCs. Western blot was used to detect the expression of SIRT1 in DPSCs on a specific day (0, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 14th) after differentiation induction. Western blot was also used to detect the expression of SIRT1 and activated ß-catenin during odontogenic differentiation of DPSCs treated by 15 µmol/L resveratrol for 7 days. The experimental data was analyzed with GraphPad Prism 9 software package. RESULTS: 15 µmol/L resveratrol had no significant effect on proliferation of DPSCs on the 7th and 14th day; 15 µmol/L resveratrol promoted odontogenic differentiation of DPSCs and up-regulated mRNA expression of RUNX2, DSPP, and DMP-1 in DPSCs; the expression of SIRT1 was the highest on the 7th day during odontogenic differentiation induction. Resveratrol resulted in the increasing protein expressions of SIRT1 and activated ß-catenin when DPSCs was induced to odontogenic differentiation for 7 days. CONCLUSIONS: Resveratrol promotes odontogenic differentiation of human DPSCs by up-regulating the expression of SIRT1 protein and activating ß-catenin signaling pathway.

[Resveratrol suppressed the expression of MIP-2 induced by lipopolysaccharide in osteoblasts via up-regulating SOCS-3].

PURPOSE: To explore whether resveratrol dependents on the production of suppressor of cytokine signaling suppressor 3 (SOCS-3) in inhibiting mRNA production of macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) in osteoblasts induced by lipopolysaccharides(LPS) extracted from Porphyromonas endodontalis(P.e). METHODS: MC3T3-E1 cells were treated with different concentrations of resveratrol (0, 5, 10 and 20 µmol/L) and 20 µmol/L resveratrol for different time( 0, 10, 30, 60, 120 and 180 min). The expression of SOCS-3 protein was detected by Western blot. MC3T3-E1 cells were transfected with mouse SOCS3 siRNA (si-SOCS-3) and control siRNA(si-control). Reverse transcription real-time PCR(real-time RT-PCR) and Western blot was used to detect the silencing efficiency of SOCS-3. Cells were stimulated by 20 µg/mL P.e-LPS for 24 h after transfection, in the absence or presence of 20 µmol/L resveratrol for 1 h , and the changes of MIP-2 mRNA were determined by real-time RT-PCR. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA and Dunnett t test with SPSS 13.0 software package. RESULTS: Treatment of MC3T3-El cells with different concentrations of resveratrol caused a significant increase in SOCS-3 protein expression in a dose-dependent manner. During the observation time of 180 min, SOCS-3 protein expression was the highest at 20 µmol/L resveratrol-treated osteoblasts for 60 min. The silencing efficiency of SOCS-3 mRNA was 63.7%. Transfection with SOCS-3 siRNA increased MIP-2 mRNA expression in LPS-stimulated MC3T3-E1 cells and negated the inhibitory effects of resveratrol on LPS-induced MIP-2 mRNA expression(P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Resveratrol inhibits the expression of MIP-2 mRNA in osteoblasts induced by P.e-LPS by up-regulating the expression of SOCS-3 protein.