ß,ß-Dimethylacrylalkannin, a Natural Naphthoquinone, Inhibits the Growth of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Modulating Tumor-Associated Macrophages.

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are pivotal in the tumor microenvironment (TME) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), influencing various stages from initiation to metastasis. Understanding the role of TAMs in HCC is crucial for developing novel therapeutic strategies. Macrophages exhibit plasticity, resulting in M1 and M2 phenotypes, with M1 macrophages displaying antitumor properties and M2 macrophages promoting tumor progression. Targeting TAMs to alter their polarization could offer new avenues for HCC treatment. ß,ß-dimethylacrylalkannin (DMAKN), a natural naphthoquinone, has gained attention for its antitumor properties. However, its impact on TAMs modulation remains unclear. This study investigates DMAKN's modulation of TAMs and its anti-HCC activity. Using an in vitro model with THP-1 cells, we induced M1 macrophages with LPS/IFN-γ and M2 macrophages with IL-4/IL-13, confirming polarization with specific markers. Co-culturing these macrophages with HCC cells showed that M1 cells inhibited HCC growth, while M2 cells promoted it. Screening for non-toxic DMAKN concentrations revealed its ability to induce M1 polarization and enhance LPS/IFN-γ-induced M1 macrophages, both showing anti-HCC effects. Conversely, DMAKN suppressed IL-4/IL-13-induced M2 polarization, inhibiting M2 macrophages' promotion of HCC cell viability. In summary, DMAKN induces and enhances M1 polarization while inhibiting M2 polarization of macrophages, thereby inhibiting HCC cell growth. These findings suggest that DMAKN has the potential to regulate TAMs in HCC, offering promise for future therapeutic development.

In Vitro and In Vivo Anti-Cancer Activity of Lasiokaurin in a Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Model.

Due to its intricate heterogeneity, high invasiveness, and poor prognosis, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) stands out as the most formidable subtype of breast cancer. At present, chemotherapy remains the prevailing treatment modality for TNBC, primarily due to its lack of estrogen receptors (ERs), progesterone receptors (PRs), and human epidermal growth receptor 2 (HER2). However, clinical chemotherapy for TNBC is marked by its limited efficacy and a pronounced incidence of adverse effects. Consequently, there is a pressing need for novel drugs to treat TNBC. Given the rich repository of diverse natural compounds in traditional Chinese medicine, identifying potential anti-TNBC agents is a viable strategy. This study investigated lasiokaurin (LAS), a natural diterpenoid abundantly present in Isodon plants, revealing its significant anti-TNBC activity both in vitro and in vivo. Notably, LAS treatment induced cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and DNA damage in TNBC cells, while concurrently inhibiting cell metastasis. In addition, LAS effectively inhibited the activation of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/Akt/mTOR) pathway and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), thus establishing its potential for multitarget therapy against TNBC. Furthermore, LAS demonstrated its ability to reduce tumor growth in a xenograft mouse model without exerting detrimental effects on the body weight or vital organs, confirming its safe applicability for TNBC treatment. Overall, this study shows that LAS is a potent candidate for treating TNBC.

Combination of artesunate and WNT974 induces KRAS protein degradation by upregulating E3 ligase ANACP2 and ß-TrCP in the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway.

BACKGROUND: KRAS mutation is one of the dominant gene mutations in colorectal cancer (CRC). Up to present, targeting KRAS for CRC treatment remains a clinical challenge. WNT974 (LGK974) is a porcupine inhibitor that interferes Wnt signaling pathway. Artesunate (ART) is a water-soluble semi-synthetic derivative of artemisinin. METHODS: The synergistic effect of ART and WNT974 combination in reducing CRC cell viability was determined by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. RT-PCR was utilized for the mRNA levels of KRAS, CUL7, ANAPC2, UBE2M, RNF123, SYVN1, or ß-TrCP. Western blot assay was utilized for the protein levels of NRAS, HRAS, KRAS, ANAPC2, ß-TrCP, GSK-3ß, p-Akt (Ser473), t-Akt, p-PI3K (Tyr458), t-PI3K, p-mTOR (Ser2448), t-mTOR. Xenograft mouse model assay was performed for the anti-CRC effect of combination of ART and WNT974 in vivo. IHC assay was utilized for the levels of KRAS, ß-TrCP, GSK-3ß or ANAPC2 in tumor tissues. RESULTS: Our study shows that the combination of WNT974 and ART exhibits synergistic effect in reducing CRC growth. The combination treatment significantly reduces KRAS protein level and activity in CRC cells. Interestingly, the combination treatment increases E3 ligases ANAPC2 expression. Our data show that overexpression of ANAPC2 significantly reduces KRAS protein levels, which is reversed by MG132. Knockdown of ANAPC2 in CRC abolishes the combination treatment-reduce KRAS expression. Besides, the treatment also increases the expressions of GSK-3ß and E3 ligase ß-TrCP that is known to degrade GSK-3ß-phosphorylated KRAS protein. Knockdown of ß-TrCP- and inhibition of GSK-3ß abolish the combination treatment-induce KRAS ubiquitination and reduction in expression. Last but not least, combination treatment suppresses PI3K/Akt/m-TOR signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Our data clearly show that the combination treatment significantly enhances KRAS protein degradation via the ubiquitination ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, which is also demonstrated in xenograft mouse model. The study provides strong scientific evidence for the development of the combination of WNT974 and ART as KRAS-targeting therapeutics for CRC treatment. Video Abstract.

Cell death mechanisms induced by synergistic effects of halofuginone and artemisinin in colorectal cancer cells.

Our previous study found that the combination of halofuginone (HF) and artemisinin (ATS) synergistically arrest colorectal cancer (CRC) cells at the G1/G0 phase of the cell cycle; however, it remains unclear whether HF-ATS induces cell death. Here we report that HF-ATS synergistically induced caspase-dependent apoptosis in CRC cells. Specifically, both in vitro and in vivo experiments showed that HF or HF-ATS induces apoptosis via activation of caspase-9 and caspase-8 while only caspase-9 is involved in ATS-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, we found HF or HF-ATS induces autophagy; ATS can't induce autophagy until caspase-9 is blocked. Further analyzing the crosstalk between autophagic and caspase activation in CRC cells, we found autophagy is essential for activation of caspase-8, and ATS switches to activate capase-8 via induction of autophagy when caspase-9 is inhibited. When apoptosis is totally blocked, HF-ATS switches to induce autophagic cell death. This scenario was then confirmed in studies of chemoresistance CRC cells with defective apoptosis. Our results indicate that HF-ATS induces cell death via interaction between apoptosis and autophagy in CRC cells. These results highlight the value of continued investigation into the potential use of this combination in cancer therapy.

Palmitic acid is an intracellular signaling molecule involved in disease development.

Emerging evidence shows that palmitic acid (PA), a common fatty acid in the human diet, serves as a signaling molecule regulating the progression and development of many diseases at the molecular level. In this review, we focus on its regulatory roles in the development of five pathological conditions, namely, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and inflammation. We summarize the clinical and epidemiological studies; and also the mechanistic studies which have identified the molecular targets for PA in these pathological conditions. Activation or inactivation of these molecular targets by PA controls disease development. Therefore, identifying the specific targets and signaling pathways that are regulated by PA can give us a better understanding of how these diseases develop for the design of effective targeted therapeutics.

Arnicolide D induces endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated oncosis via ATF4 and CHOP in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress can trigger various cell death mechanisms beyond apoptosis, providing promise in cancer treatment. Oncosis, characterized by cellular swelling and increased membrane permeability, represents a non-apoptotic form of cell death. In our study, we discovered that Arnicolide D (AD), a natural sesquiterpene lactone compound, induces ER stress-mediated oncosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, and this process is reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent. Furthermore, we identified the activation of the PERK-eIF2α-ATF4-CHOP pathway during ER stress as a pivotal factor in AD-induced oncosis. Notably, the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide (CHX) was found to effectively reverse AD-induced oncosis, suggesting ATF4 and CHOP may hold crucial roles in the induction of oncosis by AD. These proteins play a vital part in promoting protein synthesis during ER stress, ultimately leading to cell death. Subsequent studies, in where we individually or simultaneously knocked down ATF4 and CHOP in HCC cells, provided further confirmation of their indispensable roles in AD-induced oncosis. Moreover, additional animal experiments not only substantiated AD's ability to inhibit HCC tumor growth but also solidified the essential role of ER stress-mediated and ROS-dependent oncosis in AD's therapeutic potential. In summary, our research findings strongly indicate that AD holds promise as a therapeutic agent for HCC by its ability to induce oncosis.

ß,ß-Dimethylacrylalkannin, a key component of Zicao, induces cell cycle arrest and necrosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

BACKGROUND: ß,ß-Dimethylacrylalkannin (DMAKN), a natural naphthoquinone found in Zicao, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), serves as the designated quantitative marker in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Despite its established role in assessing Zicao quality, DMAKN's biological potential remains underexplored in research. METHODS: We investigated DMAKN's involvement in Zicao's anti-hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) properties using a combination of HPLC content analysis and comprehensive bioinformatics. Subsequently, both in vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted to evaluate DMAKN's efficacy against HCC. Mechanistic investigations focused on elucidating DMAKN's impact on cell cycle regulation and induction of cell death. RESULTS: Integrated HPLC analysis and bioinformatics identified DMAKN as the primary active compound responsible for Zicao's anti-HCC activity. In vitro and in vivo studies confirmed DMAKN's potent efficacy against HCC. Notably, DMAKN demonstrated dual effects on HCC cells: inhibiting proliferation at lower doses and inducing rapid cell death at higher doses. Mechanistic insights revealed that low-dose DMAKN induced G2/M phase cell cycle arrest through modulation of CDK1 and Cdc25C phosphorylation, while high-dose DMAKN triggered necrosis. Importantly, high-dose DMAKN caused a sharp increase in intracellular ROS levels in a short time, while low-dose DMAKN gradually increased ROS levels over a long period. Additionally, low-dose DMAKN-induced ROS activated the JNK pathway, crucial for cell cycle arrest, whereas high-dose DMAKN-induced necrosis was ROS-dependent but JNK-independent. CONCLUSION: This study underscores DMAKN's pivotal role as the principal anti-HCC compound in Zicao, delineating its differential effects and underlying mechanisms. These results demonstrate the potential of DMAKN as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of HCC, providing important information for further study and advancement in cancer therapy.

Combination of Wogonin and Artesunate Exhibits Synergistic anti-Hepatocellular Carcinoma Effect by Increasing DNA-Damage-Inducible Alpha, Tumor Necrosis Factor α and Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor-Associated Factor 3-mediated Apoptosis.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is difficult to treat, and is the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. This study aimed to examine whether combination of wogonin and artesunate exhibits synergistic anti-HCC effect. Our data show that the combination treatment exhibits synergistic effect in reducing HCC cell viability by increasing apoptosis as indicated by the elevated cleavage of caspase 8, 3 and PARP. Interestingly, PCR array and the subsequent studies indicate that the combination treatment significantly increases the expression of DNA-damage-inducible, alpha (GADD45A), tumor necrosis factor (TNFα) and TNF receptor-associated factor 3 (TRAF3). Knockdown of GADD45A, TNFα or TRAF3 abolishes the combination treatment-enhanced apoptosis and the synergistic effect in reducing HCC cell viability. In the HCC-bearing xenograft mouse models, although the combination treatment increases the activity of NFκB in the tumor tissues, it exhibits a more potent anti-HCC effect than the mono-treatment, which may due to the enhanced apoptosis as indicated by the increased expression of GADD45A, TNFα, TRAF3 and apoptotic markers. Our study clearly demonstrates that the combination of artesunate and wogonin exhibits synergistic anti-HCC effect, and support the further development of this combination as alternative therapeutics for HCC management.

Toll-like receptor 4 is a master regulator for colorectal cancer growth under high-fat diet by programming cancer metabolism.

Although high-fat diet (HFD) has been implicated in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC), the critical signaling molecule that mediates the cancer growth is not well-defined. Identifying the master regulator that controls CRC growth under HFD can facilitate the development of effective therapeutics for the cancer treatment. In this study, the global lipidomics and RNA sequencing data show that, in the tumor tissues of CRC-bearing mouse models, HFD not only increases tumor weight, but also the palmitic acid level and TLR4 expression, which are reduced when HFD is replaced by control diet. These concomitant changes suggest the roles of palmitic acid and TLR4 in CRC growth. Subsequent studies show that palmitic acid regulates TLR4 expression in PU.1-dependent manner. Knockdown of PU.1 or mutations of PU.1-binding site on TLR4 promoter abolish the palmitic acid-increased TLR4 expression. The role of palmitic acid/PU.1/TLR4 axis in CRC growth is further examined in cell model and animal models that are fed either HFD or palmitic acid-rich diet. More importantly, iTRAQ proteomics data show that knockdown of TLR4 changes the metabolic enzyme profiles in the tumor tissues, which completely abolish the HFD-enhanced ATP production and cancer growth. Our data clearly demonstrate that TLR4 is a master regulator for CRC growth under HFD by programming cancer metabolism.

High-fat diet feeding and palmitic acid increase CRC growth in ß2AR-dependent manner.

Epidemiology studies indicate that consumption of high-fat diet (HFD) is directly associated with the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the exact component in HFD and the mechanism underlying its effect on CRC growth remained unclear. Our study shows that HFD feeding increases ß2AR expression in the xenograft tissues of CRC-bearing mouse model; the elevated ß2AR expression is reduced when HFD is replaced by control diet, which strongly suggests an association between HFD feeding and ß2AR expression in CRC. HFD feeding increases palmitic acid and stearic acid levels in CRC; however, only palmitic acid increases ß2AR expression, which is dependent upon Sp1. ß2AR plays the dominant role in promoting CRC cell proliferation among all the ß-AR subtypes. More importantly, knockout of ß2AR or knockdown of Sp1 abolishes the palmitic acid increased CRC cell proliferation, suggesting palmitic acid increases CRC cell proliferation in ß2AR-dependent manner. HFD or palmitic acid-rich diet (PAD) also fails to increase the tumor growth in xenograft mouse models bearing ß2AR-knockout CRC cells. ß2AR promotes CRC growth by increasing the phosphorylation of HSL at the residue S552. The phosphorylated and activated HSL (S552) changes the metabolic phenotype of CRC and increases energy production, which promotes CRC growth. Our study has revealed the unique tumorigenic properties of palmitic acid in promoting CRC growth, and have delineated the underlying mechanism of action. We are also the first to report the linkage between HFD feeding and ß-adrenergic signaling pathway in relation to CRC growth.

Signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 drives the high-fat diet-associated prostate cancer growth.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second leading cause of cancer death in men. PCa progression can be associated with obesity. Signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3) plays a crucial role in PCa growth. However, whether STAT3 plays a role in high-fat diet (HFD)-associated PCa growth is unknown. Our data show that HFD feeding increases tumor size, STAT3 phosphorylation, and palmitic acid (PA) level in the xenograft tissues of the PCa-bearing xenograft mouse model. In vitro studies show that PA increases STAT3 expression and phosphorylation (STAT3-Y705) in PCa. Computational modeling suggests strong and stable binding between PA and unphosphorylated STAT3 at R593 and N538. The binding changes STAT3 structure and activity. Functional studies show that both STAT3 mutants (R583A and N538A) and STAT3 dominant negative significantly reduce PA-enhanced STAT3 phosphorylation, PA-increased PCa cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. In the xenograft mouse models, the HFD-increased tumor growth and STAT3 phosphorylation in tumors are reversed by STAT3 inhibition. Our study not only demonstrates the regulatory role of PA/STAT3 axis in HFD-associated PCa growth but also suggests a novel mechanism of how STAT3 is activated by PA. Our data suggest STAT3 as a therapeutic target for the treatment of HFD-associated PCa.

Halofuginone dually regulates autophagic flux through nutrient-sensing pathways in colorectal cancer.

Autophagy has a key role in metabolism and impacts on tumorigenesis. Our previous study found that halofuginone (HF) exerts anticancer activity in colorectal cancer (CRC) by downregulating Akt/mTORC1 (mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1) signaling pathway. But whether and how HF regulates autophagy and metabolism to inhibit cancer growth remains an open question. Here, we unveil that HF activates ULK1 by downregulation of its phosphorylation site at Ser757 through Akt/mTORC1 signaling pathway, resulting in induction of autophagic flux under nutrient-rich condition. On the other hand, HF inactivates ULK1 by downregulation of its phosphorylation sites at Ser317 and Ser777 through LKB1/AMPK signaling pathway, resulting in autophagic inhibition under nutrient-poor condition. Furthermore, Atg7-dependent autophagosome formation is also induced under nutrient-rich condition or blocked in nutrient-poor environment, respectively, upon HF treatment. More interestingly, we also found that HF inhibits glycolysis under nutrient-rich condition, whereas inhibits gluconeogenesis under nutrient-poor condition in an Atg7-dependent manner, suggesting that autophagy has a pivotal role of glucose metabolism upon HF treatment. Subsequent studies showed that HF treatment retarded tumor growth in xenograft mice fed with either standard chow diet or caloric restriction through dual regulation of autophagy in vivo. Together, HF has a dual role in autophagic modulation depending on nutritional conditions for anti-CRC.