The intratumor mycobiome promotes lung cancer progression via myeloid-derived suppressor cells.

Although polymorphic microbiomes have emerged as hallmarks of cancer, far less is known about the role of the intratumor mycobiome as living microorganisms in cancer progression. Here, using fungi-enriched DNA extraction and deep shotgun metagenomic sequencing, we have identified enriched tumor-resident Aspergillus sydowii in patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). By three different syngeneic lung cancer mice models, we find that A. sydowii promotes lung tumor progression via IL-1ß-mediated expansion and activation of MDSCs, resulting in suppressed activity of cytotoxic T lymphocyte cells and accumulation of PD-1+ CD8+ T cells. This is mediated by IL-1ß secretion via ß-glucan/Dectin-1/CARD9 pathway. Analysis of human samples confirms that enriched A. sydowii is associated with immunosuppression and poor patient outcome. Our findings suggest that intratumor mycobiome, albeit at low biomass, promotes lung cancer progression and could be targeted at the strain level to improve patients with LUAD outcome.

Hypoxia-induced lncRNA STEAP3-AS1 activates Wnt/ß-catenin signaling to promote colorectal cancer progression by preventing m6A-mediated degradation of STEAP3 mRNA.

BACKGROUND: Hypoxia, a typical hallmark of solid tumors, exhibits an essential role in the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC), in which the dysregulation of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) is frequently observed. However, the underlying mechanisms are not clearly defined. METHODS: The TCGA database was analyzed to identify differential lncRNA expression involved in hypoxia-induced CRC progression. qRT-PCR was conducted to validate the upregulation of lncRNA STEAP3-AS1 in CRC cell lines and tumor-bearing mouse and zebrafish models under hypoxia. ChIP-qRT-PCR was used to detect the transcriptional activation of STEAP3-AS1 mediated by HIF-1α. RNA-seq, fluorescent in situ hybridization, RNA pulldown, RNA immunoprecipitation, co-immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence and immunoblot experiments were used to ascertain the involved mechanisms. Functional assays were performed in both in vitro and in vivo models to investigate the regulatory role of STEAP3-AS1/STEAP3/Wnt/ß-catenin axis in CRC proliferation and metastasis. RESULTS: Here, we identified a hypoxia-induced antisense lncRNA STEAP3-AS1 that was highly expressed in clinical CRC tissues and positively correlated with poor prognosis of CRC patients. Upregulation of lncRNA STEAP3-AS1, which was induced by HIF-1α-mediated transcriptional activation, facilitated the proliferation and metastasis of CRC cells both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, STEAP3-AS1 interacted competitively with the YTH domain-containing family protein 2 (YTHDF2), a N6-methyladenosine (m6A) reader, leading to the disassociation of YTHDF2 with STEAP3 mRNA. This effect protected STEAP3 mRNA from m6A-mediated degradation, enabling the high expression of STEAP3 protein and subsequent production of cellular ferrous iron (Fe2+). Increased Fe2+ levels elevated Ser 9 phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3ß) and inhibited its kinase activity, thus releasing ß-catenin for nuclear translocation and subsequent activation of Wnt signaling to support CRC progression. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our study highlights the mechanisms of lncRNA STEAP3-AS1 in facilitating CRC progression involving the STEAP3-AS1/STEAP3/Wnt/ß-catenin axis, which may provide novel diagnostic biomarkers or therapeutic targets to benefit CRC treatment. Hypoxia-induced HIF-1α transcriptionally upregulates the expression of lncRNA STEAP3-AS1, which interacts competitively with YTHDF2, thus upregulating mRNA stability of STEAP3 and consequent STEAP3 protein expression. The enhanced STEAP3 expression results in production of cellular ferrous iron (Fe2+), which induces the Ser 9 phosphorylation and inactivation of GSK3ß, releasing ß-catenin for nuclear translocation and contributing to subsequent activation of Wnt signaling to promote CRC progression.

A Novel Anti-Cancer Therapy: CRISPR/Cas9 Gene Editing.

Cancer becomes one of the main causes of human deaths in the world due to the high incidence and mortality rate and produces serious economic burdens. With more and more attention is paid on cancer, its therapies are getting more of a concern. Previous research has shown that the occurrence, progression, and treatment prognosis of malignant tumors are closely related to genetic and gene mutation. CRISPR/Cas9 has emerged as a powerful method for making changes to the genome, which has extensively been applied in various cell lines. Establishing the cell and animal models by CRISPR/Cas9 laid the foundation for the clinical trials which possibly treated the tumor. CRISPR-Cas9-mediated genome editing technology brings a great promise for inhibiting migration, invasion, and even treatment of tumor. However, the potential off-target effect limits its clinical application, and the effective ethical review is necessary. The article reviews the molecular mechanisms of CRISPR/Cas9 and discusses the research and the limitation related to cancer clinical trials.

Advances in Research on the Effects and Mechanisms of Chemokines and Their Receptors in Cancer.

Cancer is a common and intractable disease that seriously affects quality of life of patients and imposes heavy economic burden on families and the entire society. Current medications and intervention strategies for cancer have respective shortcomings. In recent years, it has been increasingly spotlighted that chemokines and their receptors play vital roles in the pathophysiology of cancer. Chemokines are a class of structurally similar short-chain secreted proteins that initiate intracellular signaling pathways through the activation of corresponding G protein-coupled receptors and participate in physiological and pathological processes such as cell migration and proliferation. Studies have shown that chemokines and their receptors have close relationships with cancer epigenetic regulation, growth, progression, invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis. Chemokines and their receptors may also serve as potential targets for cancer treatment. We herein summarize recent research progresses on anti-tumor effects and mechanisms of chemokines and their receptors, suggesting avenues for future studies. Perspectives for upcoming explorations, such as development of multi-targeted chemokine-based anti-tumor drugs, are also discussed in the present review.

Scan of the endogenous retrovirus sequences across the swine genome and survey of their copy number variation and sequence diversity among various Chinese and Western pig breeds.

In pig-to-human xenotransplantation, the transmission risk of porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs) is of great concern. However, the distribution of PERVs in pig genomes, their genetic variation among Eurasian pigs, and their evolutionary history remain unclear. We scanned PERVs in the current pig reference genome (assembly Build 11.1), and identified 36 long complete or near-complete PERVs (lcPERVs) and 23 short incomplete PERVs (siPERVs). Besides three known PERVs (PERV-A, -B, and -C), four novel types (PERV-JX1, -JX2, -JX3, and -JX4) were detected in this study. According to evolutionary analyses, the newly discovered PERVs were more ancient, and PERV-Bs probably experienced a bottleneck ~0.5 million years ago (Ma). By analyzing 63 high-quality porcine whole-genome resequencing data, we found that the PERV copy numbers in Chinese pigs were lower (32.0±4.0) than in Western pigs (49.1±6.5). Additionally, the PERV sequence diversity was lower in Chinese pigs than in Western pigs. Regarding the lcPERV copy numbers, PERV-A and -JX2 in Western pigs were higher than in Chinese pigs. Notably, Bama Xiang (BMX) pigs had the lowest PERV copy number (27.8±5.1), and a BMX individual had no PERV-C and the lowest PERV copy number (23), suggesting that BMX pigs were more suitable for screening and/or modification as xenograft donors. Furthermore, we identified 451 PERV transposon insertion polymorphisms (TIPs), of which 86 were shared by all 10 Chinese and Western pig breeds. Our findings provide systematic insights into the genomic distribution, variation, evolution, and possible biological function of PERVs.

Herbal medications and natural products for patients with covid-19 and diabetes mellitus: Potentials and challenges.

Background: The presence of diabetes mellitus (DM) among COVID-19 patients is associated with increased hospitalization, morbidity, and mortality. Evidence has shown that hyperglycemia potentiates SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) infection and plays a central role in severe COVID-19 and diabetes comorbidity. In this review, we explore the therapeutic potentials of herbal medications and natural products in the management of COVID-19 and DM comorbidity and the challenges associated with the preexisting or concurrent use of these substances. Methods: Research papers that were published from January 2016 to December 2021 were retrieved from PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar databases. Papers reporting clinical evidence of antidiabetic activities and any available evidence of the anti-COVID-19 potential of ten selected natural products were retrieved and analyzed for discussion in this review. Results: A total of 548 papers (73 clinical trials on the antidiabetic activities of the selected natural products and 475 research and review articles on their anti-COVID-19 potential) were retrieved from the literature search for further analysis. A total of 517 articles (reviews and less relevant research papers) were excluded. A cumulative sum of thirty-one (31) research papers (20 clinical trials and 10 others) met the criteria and have been discussed in this review. Conclusion: The findings of this review suggest that phenolic compounds are the most promising phytochemicals in the management of COVID-19 and DM comorbidity. Curcumin and propolis have shown substantial evidence against COVID-19 and DM in humans and are thus, considered the best potential therapeutic options.

Fingolimod Potentiates the Antifungal Activity of Amphotericin B.

Candida albicans (C. albicans) is an opportunistic human fungal pathogen that can cause severe infection in clinic. Its incidence and mortality rate has been increasing rapidly. Amphotericin B (AMB), the clinical golden standard antifungal agent, has severe side effects that limit its clinical application. Thus, lowering the concentration and increasing the efficacy of AMB in a combinatorial antifungal therapy have been pursued by both industry and academia. Here we identify that fingolimod (FTY720), an immunomodulatory drug used for oral treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, can potentiate the efficacy of AMB against C. albicans growth synergistically. Furthermore, we observe an antifungal efficacy of FTY720 in combination with AMB against diverse fungal pathogens. Intriguingly, cells treated with both drugs are hypersensitive to endothelial endocytosis and macrophage killing. This is later found to be due to the hyperaccumulation of reactive oxygen species and the corresponding increase in activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase in the cells that received combinatorial treatment. Therefore, the combination of AMB and FTY720 provides a promising antifungal strategy.

Current status of extended 'D2 plus' lymphadenectomy in advanced gastric cancer.

The extent of lymph node (LN) dissection has been a topic of interest in gastric cancer (GC) surgery. D2 lymphadenectomy is considered the standard surgical procedure for most resectable advanced GC cases. The value and indications of more extended lymphadenectomy than D2 remain unclear. Currently, the controversial stations beyond the D2 range are mainly focused on no. 14v, no. 16a2/b1 and no. 13 LN stations. The metastatic rate of no. 14v LN is relatively high in advanced distal GC, particularly in patients with suspicious no. 6 LN metastasis. D2 plus no. 14v LN dissection may be attributed to improved survival outcomes for patients with obvious no. 6 LN metastasis. Although GC with para-aortic lymph node (PALN) metastases is considered an M1 disease beyond surgical cure, patients with limited PALN metastases may benefit from the treatment strategy of adjuvant chemotherapy followed by D2 plus no. 16a2-b1 LN dissection. In addition, D2 plus no. 13 LN dissection may be an option in a potentially curative gastrectomy for GC with duodenal invasion. The present review discusses the current status and future perspectives of D2 plus lymphadenectomy.

Cell-Free DNA: Hope and Potential Application in Cancer.

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is easily accessible in peripheral blood and can be used as biomarkers for cancer diagnostics, prognostics, and therapeutics. The applications of cfDNA in various areas of cancer management are attracting attention. In this review article, we discuss the potential relevance of using cfDNA analysis in clinical oncology, particularly in cancer screening, early diagnosis, therapeutic evaluation, monitoring disease progression; and determining disease prognosis.

Multifunctional microfluidic chip for cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Microfluidic chip is not a chip in the traditional sense. It is technologies that control fluids at the micro level. As a burgeoning biochip, microfluidic chips integrate multiple disciplines, including physiology, pathology, cell biology, biophysics, engineering mechanics, mechanical design, materials science, and so on. The application of microfluidic chip has shown tremendous promise in the field of cancer therapy in the past three decades. Various types of cell and tissue cultures, including 2D cell culture, 3D cell culture and tissue organoid culture could be performed on microfluidic chips. Patient-derived cancer cells and tissues can be cultured on microfluidic chips in a visible, controllable, and high-throughput manner, which greatly advances the process of personalized medicine. Moreover, the functionality of microfluidic chip is greatly expanding due to the customizable nature. In this review, we introduce its application in developing cancer preclinical models, detecting cancer biomarkers, screening anti-cancer drugs, exploring tumor heterogeneity and producing nano-drugs. We highlight the functions and recent development of microfluidic chip to provide references for advancing cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Microbiome dysbiosis in lung cancer: from composition to therapy.

The correlations between microbiota dysbiosis and cancer have gained extensive attention and been widely explored. As a leading cancer diagnosis worldwide, lung cancer poses a great threat to human health. The healthy human lungs are consistently exposed to external environment and harbor a specific pattern of microbiota, sharing many key pathological and physiological characteristics with the intestinal tract. Although previous findings uncovered the critical roles of microbiota in tumorigenesis and response to anticancer therapy, most of them were focused on the intestinal microbiota rather than lung microbiota. Notably, the considerable functions of microbiota in maintaining lung homeostasis should not be neglected as the microbiome dysbiosis may promote tumor development and progression through production of cytokines and toxins and multiple other pathways. Despite the fact that increasing studies have revealed the effect of microbiome on the induction of lung cancer and different disease status, the underlying mechanisms and potential therapeutic strategies remained unclear. Herein, we summarized the recent progresses about microbiome in lung cancer and further discussed the role of microbial communities in promoting lung cancer progression and the current status of therapeutic approaches targeting microbiome to alleviate and even cure lung cancer.

The Biological Functions and Clinical Applications of Integrins in Cancers.

Integrins are the adhesion molecules and receptors of extracellular matrix (ECM). They mediate the interactions between cells-cells and cells-ECM. The crosstalk between cancer cells and their microenvironment triggers a variety of critical signaling cues and promotes the malignant phenotype of cancer. As a type of transmembrane protein, integrin-mediated cell adhesion is essential in regulating various biological functions of cancer cells. Recent evidence has shown that integrins present on tumor cells or tumor-associated stromal cells are involved in ECM remodeling, and as mechanotransducers sensing changes in the biophysical properties of the ECM, which contribute to cancer metastasis, stemness and drug resistance. In this review, we outline the mechanism of integrin-mediated effects on biological changes of cancers and highlight the current status of clinical treatments by targeting integrins.

PDRG1 gene silencing contributes to inhibit the growth and induce apoptosis of gastric cancer cells.

OBJECTIVE: This paper aims to provide some experimental basis for unveiling the role of PDRG1 (P53 And DNA Damage-Regulated Gene 1) gene silencing in the growth and development of gastric cancer. METHODS: PDRG1 levels in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines were measured by Western blotting. Then, gastric cancer BGC-823 cells, divided into Control, PDRG1 siRNA, NC siRNA and PDRG1 siRNA + KU55933 (ATM inhibitor) groups, were used to conduct a series of in vitro experiments including MTT, Flow cytometry, Wound-healing and Transwell assays. Expression of PDRG1 and ATM/p53 pathway-related proteins were determined by Western blot. Eventually, experiment in vivo was carried out to verify the control of PDRG1 on gastric cancer cells after establishing the tumor xenograft model in nude mice. RESULTS: PDRG1 was significantly elevated in gastric cancer tissues and was associated with lower cell differentiation degree, more severe lymph node metastasis and higher tumor stage of gastric cancer patients. The growth of BGC-823 cells were significantly retarded and the cell apoptosis was increased in the PDRG1 siRNA group; besides, cell cycle was arrested in G2/M phase, and the expressions of p-ATM, p53, p21, p-cdc2 and cleaved caspase-3 were up-regulated with the reduced PDRG1. However, KU55933 could reverse the anti-tumor effect of PDRG1 siRNA on BGC-823 cells. The in-vivo experiment confirmed PDRG1 siRNA can inhibit tumor xenograft growth in nude mice. CONCLUSION: Specific PDRG1 gene silencing may inhibit the growth and metastasis of gastric cancer cells through the activation of ATM/p53 pathway.

Electrospun LiFePO4/C Composite Fiber Membrane as a Binder-Free, Self-Standing Cathode for Power Lithium-Ion Battery.

A LiFePO4/C composite fiber membrane was fabricated by the electrospinning method and subsequent thermal treatment. The thermal decomposition process was analyzed by TG/DSC, the morphology, microstructure and composition were studied using SEM, TEM, XRD, Raman, respectively. The results indicated that the prepared LiFePO4/C composite fibers were composed of nanosized LiFePO4 crystals and amorphous carbon coatings, which formed a three dimensional (3D) long-range networks, greatly enhanced the electronic conductivity of LiFePO4 electrode up to 3.59× 10-2 S · cm-2. The 3D LiFePO4/C fiber membrane could be directly used as a binder-free, self-standing cathode for lithium-ion battery, and exhibited an improved capacity and rate performance. The LiFePO4/C composite electrode delivered a discharge capacity of 116 mAh·g-1, 109 mAh·g-1, 103 mAh·g-1, 91 mAh·g-1, 80 mAh·g-1 at 0.1 C, 0.5 C, 1 C, 3 C, 5 C, respectively. And a stable cycling performance was also achieved that the specific capacity could retain 75 mA·g-1 after 500 cycles at 5 C. Therefore, this LiFePO4/C composite fiber membrane was promising to be used as a cathode for power lithium ion battery.

Electrospinning preparation of oxygen-deficient nano TiO2-x/carbon fibre membrane as a self-standing high performance anode for Li-ion batteries.

Improving the specific capacity and electronic conductivity of TiO2 can boost its practical application as a promising anode material for lithium ion batteries. In this work, a three-dimensional networking oxygen-deficient nano TiO2-x/carbon fibre membrane was achieved by combining the electrospinning process with a hot-press sintering method and directly used as a self-standing anode. With the synergistic effects of three-dimensional conductive networks, surface oxygen deficiency, high specific surface area and high porosity, binder-free and self-standing structure, etc., the nano TiO2-x/carbon fibre membrane electrode displays a high electrochemical reaction kinetics and a high specific capacity. The reversible capacity could be jointly generated from porous carbon, full-lithiation of TiO2 and interfacial lithium storage. At a current density of 100 mA g-1, the reversible discharge capacity can reach 464 mA h g-1. Even at 500 mA g-1, the discharge capacity still remains at 312 mA h g-1. Compared with pure carbon fibre and TiO2 powder, the TiO2-x/C fibre membrane electrode also exhibits an excellent cycle performance with a discharge capacity of 209 mA h g-1 after 700 cycles at the current density of 300 mA g-1, and the coulombic efficiency always remains at approximately 100%.

Pharmacokinetics and effects of demographic factors on blood 25(OH)D3 levels after a single orally administered high dose of vitamin D3.

AIM: To examine the biological consequences and demographic factors that might affect the pharmacokinetics of vitamin D3 after a single high dose intervention in a young Chinese population with vitamin D insufficiency status. METHODS: A total of 28 young subjects (25 to 35 years old) with vitamin D insufficiency status [serum 25(OH)D <30 ng/mL] was recruited in Shanghai, China. The subjects were orally administered a single high dose of vitamin D3 (300 000 IU). Baseline characteristics and blood samples were collected at d 0, 1, 2, 3, 7, 28, 56, 84 and 112 after the intervention. The blood biomarker levels were determined with standardized methods. RESULTS: The intervention markedly increased the blood 25(OH)D3 levels within the first five days (mean Tmax=5.1±2.1 d) and sustained an optimal circulating level of 25(OH)D3 (≥30 ng/mL) for 56 d. After the intervention, body weight and baseline 25(OH)D3 levels were significantly correlated with circulating 25(OH)D3 levels. No adverse events and no consistently significant changes in serum calcium, creatinine, glucose, parathyroid hormone, vitamin D binding protein, or the urinary calcium/reatinine ratio were observed. However, there was a significant increase in phosphorus after the vitamin D3 intervention. Total cholesterol and triglyceride levels were decreased at the end of the trial. CONCLUSION: The pharmacokinetics of vitamin D after intervention were influenced by baseline 25(OH)D3 levels and the body weight of the subjects. The results suggest that a single high oral vitamin D3 intervention is safe and efficient for improving the vitamin D status of young Chinese people with vitamin D insufficiency.

Pharmacokinetic study and clinical evaluation of a slow-release 5-fluorouracil implant in pancreatic cancer patients.

The aim of this research was to study the pharmacokinetic characteristics of a slow-release 5-fluorouracil implant as well as to evaluate the clinical drug activity of this preparation in pancreatic cancer patients. Pharmacokinetic characteristics of the slow-release 5-fluorouracil implant were evaluated by examining the half-life time (T1/2) and apparent volume of distribution (Vd) in pancreatic cancer patients; the slow-release 5-fluorouracil implant was administered through interstitial chemotherapy (tumor interstitium implantation). In the drug activity study, 36 locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer patients were divided randomly into an experimental treatment group (n=18) and a standard treatment group (n=18). The experimental treatment group was treated with interstitial chemotherapy of a slow-release 5-fluorouracil implant combined with systemic chemotherapy of gemcitabine; the standard treatment group was treated with systemic chemotherapy of gemcitabine. An internal drainage procedure was used when biliary and/or gastrointestinal tract obstruction occurred in the two groups. Clinical benefit response, including pain (visual analogue scale), analgesic drug use, general conditions (Karnofsky performance score), weight changes, and survival status, was observed. T1/2 of the slow-release 5-fluorouracil implant was 5475.8±136.4 min, whereas Vd was 45275.0±1028.6 l. Clinical benefit response in the experimental treatment group was better than that in the standard treatment group. The experimental treatment group had longer median survival time compared with the standard treatment group. The slow-release 5-fluorouracil implant could deliver drugs mainly in the regional area of the tumor and prolong the drug action time; interstitial chemotherapy of a 5-fluorouracil implant combined with systemic chemotherapy of gemcitabine could improve the quality of life and survival status of pancreatic cancer patients. The method was promising and worthy of in-depth investigations.

Tumor-targeting dual peptides-modified cationic liposomes for delivery of siRNA and docetaxel to gliomas.

Combinations of drugs promoting anti-angiogenesis and apoptosis effects are meaningful for cancer therapy. In the present study, dual peptides-modified liposomes were designed by attaching two receptor-specific peptides, specifically low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein receptor (Angiopep-2) and neuropilin-1 receptor (tLyP-1) for brain tumor targeting and tumor penetration. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) siRNA and chemotherapeutic docetaxel (DTX) were chosen as the two payloads because VEGF is closely associated with angiogenesis, and DTX can kill tumor cells efficiently. Binding to glioma cells, co-delivery of siRNA and DTX in human glioblastoma cells (U87 MG) and murine brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMVEC), VEGF gene silencing, antiproliferation and anti-tumor effects of the dual peptides-modified liposomes were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. The dual peptides-modified liposomes persisted the binding ability to glioma cells, enhanced the internalization via specific receptor mediated endocytosis and tissue penetration, thus the dual peptides-modified liposomes loading VEGF siRNA and DTX possessed stimulative gene silencing and antiproliferation activity compared with non-modified and single peptide-modified liposomes. The co-delivery research revealed different intracellular behavior of hydrophilic large molecular and lipophilic small molecule, the former involves endocytosis and subsequent escape of endosome/lysosomes, while the latter experiences passive diffusion of lipophilic small drugs after its release. Furthermore, the dual peptides-modified liposomes showed superiority in anti-tumor efficacy, combination of anti-angiogenesis by VEGF siRNA and apoptosis effects by DTX, after both intratumor and system application against mice with U87 MG tumors, and the treatment did not activate system-associated toxicity or the innate immune response. Combination with the dual peptides-guided tumor homing and penetration, the dual peptides-modified liposomes provide a strategy for effective targeting delivery of siRNA and DTX into the glioma cell and inhibition of tumor growth in a synergistic manner.

Pungent ginger components modulates human cytochrome P450 enzymes in vitro.

AIM: Ginger rhizome is used worldwide as a spicy flavor agent. This study was designed to explore the potential effects of pungent ginger components, 6-, 8-, and 10-gingerol, on human cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes that are responsible for the metabolism of many prescription drugs. METHODS: The activities of human CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, and CYP3A4 were analyzed using Vivid P450 assay kits. The mRNA expression of CYP3A4 in human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2 was measured using quantitative real-time PCR assay. RESULTS: All three gingerols potently inhibited CYP2C9 activity, exerted moderate inhibition on CYP2C19 and CYP3A4, and weak inhibion on CYP2D6. 8-Gingerol was the most potent in inhibition of P450 enzymes with IC50 values of 6.8, 12.5, 8.7, and 42.7 µmol/L for CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP3A4, and CYP2D6, respectively. By comparing the effects of gingerols on CYP3A4 with three different fluorescent substrate probes, it was demonstrated that the inhibition of gingerols on CYP3A4 had no substrate-dependence. In HepG2 cells, 8-gingerol and 10-gingerol inhibited, but 6-gingerol induced mRNA expression of CYP3A4. CONCLUSION: 6-, 8-, and 10-gingerol suppress human cytochrome P450 activity, while 8- and 10-gingerol inhibit CYP3A4 expression. The results may have an implication for the use of ginger or ginger products when combined with therapeutic drugs that are metabolized by cytochrome P450 enzymes.