Synthesis of bioactive evodiamine and rutaecarpine analogues under ball milling conditions.

Mechanochemical reactions achieved by processes such as milling and grinding are promising alternatives to traditional solution-based chemistry. This approach not only eliminates the need for large amounts of solvents, thereby reducing waste generation, but also finds applications in chemical and materials synthesis. The focus of this study is on the synthesis of quinazolinone derivatives by ball milling, in particular evodiamine and rutaecarpine analogues. These compounds are of interest due to their diverse bioactivities, including potential anticancer properties. The study examines the reactions carried out under ball milling conditions, emphasizing their efficiency in terms of shorter reaction times and reduced environmental impact compared to conventional methods. The ball milling reaction of evodiamine and rutaecarpine analogues resulted in yields of 63-78% and 22-61%, respectively. In addition, these compounds were tested for their cytotoxic activity, and evodiamine exhibited an IC50 of 0.75 ± 0.04 µg mL-1 against the Ca9-22 cell line. At its core, this research represents a new means to synthesise these compounds, providing a more environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative to traditional approaches.

Indigofera suffruticosa aerial parts extract induce G2/M arrest and ATR/CHK1 pathway in Jurkat cells.

BACKGROUND: Indigofera suffruticosa Mill. is used as a folk medicine for treating patients with leukemia, however very little is known regarding the molecular mechanism of its anti-leukemic activity and the chemical profile of the active extract. The present study aimed to reveal the molecular effect of I. suffruticosa aerial parts extract (ISAE) on leukemia cells and its chemical constituents. METHODS: Cytotoxicity of ISAE were determined by resazurin viability assay, multitox - Glo multiplex cytotoxicity assay, and Annexin V staining assay. Cell cycle profiles were revealed by propidium iodide staining assay. The effects of ISAE on G2/M arrest signaling and DNA damage were evaluated by Western blot assay and phospho-H2A.X staining assay. The chemical profile of ISAE were determined by tandem mass spectroscopy and molecular networking approach. RESULTS: We showed that the acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell line Jurkat cell was more responsive to ISAE treatment than other leukemia cell lines. In contrast, ISAE did not induce cytotoxic effects in normal fibroblast cells. Cell cycle analysis revealed that ISAE triggered G2/M arrest in Jurkat cells in dose- and time-dependent manners. Elevation of annexin V-stained cells and caspase 3/7 activity suggested ISAE-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, ISAE alone could increase the phosphorylation of CDK1 at Y15 and activate the ATR/CHK1/Wee1/CDC25C signaling pathway. However, the addition of caffeine, a widely used ATR inhibitor to ISAE, reduced the phosphorylation of ATR, CHK1, and CDK1, as well as G2/M arrest in Jurkat cells. Moreover, increased phospho-H2A.X stained cells indicated the involvement of DNA damage in the anti-leukemic effect of ISAE. Finally, qualitative analysis using UPLC-tandem mass spectroscopy and molecular networking revealed that tryptanthrin was the most abundant organoheterocyclic metabolite in ISAE. At equivalent concentrations to ISAE, tryptanthrin induced G2/M arrest of Jurkat cells, which can be prevented by caffeine. CONCLUSIONS: ISAE causes G2/M arrest via activating ATR/CHK1/CDK1 pathway and tryptanthrin is one of the active components of ISAE. Our findings provide subtle support to the traditional use of I. suffruitcosa in leukemia management in folk medicine.

Hybrid molecules of protoflavones and spirooxindole derivatives with selective cytotoxicity against triple-negative breast cancer cells.

The combination of compounds with complementary bioactivities into hybrid molecules is an emerging concept in drug discovery. In this study, we aimed to synthesize new hybrid compounds based on p53-MDM2/X protein-protein interaction spiropyrazoline oxindole-based inhibitors and ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) protoflavone-based inhibitors through copper(i) catalysed azide-alkyne cycloaddition. Five new hybrids were prepared along with three representative reference fragments. The compounds were tested against human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 (hormone-dependent, wild-type p53) and MDA-MB-231 (triple-negative, mutant p53). Most of the new hybrids were more cytotoxic than their reference fragments and several showed 2-4 times selective toxicity against MDA-MB-231 cells. Relevant pharmacological benefit gained from the hybrid coupling was further confirmed by virtual combination index calculations using the Chou method. Compound 13 modulated doxorubicin-induced DNA damage response through inhibiting the ATR-dependent activation of Chk-1, while increasing the activation of Chk-2. Our results suggest that the new hybrids may serve as new leads against triple negative breast cancer.

New Verticillene Diterpenoids, Eudesmane Sesquiterpenoids, and Hydroperoxysteroids from the Further Chemical Investigation of a Taiwanese Soft Coral Cespitularia sp.

An investigation of the chemical composition of a Formosan soft coral Cespitularia sp. led to the discovery of one new verticillene-type diterpenoid, cespitulactam M (1); one new eudesmane sesquiterpenoid, cespilamide F (2); and three new hydroperoxysteroids (3-5) along with twelve known analogous metabolites (6-17). In addition, one new derivative, cespitulactam M-6,2'-diacetate (1a), was prepared from compound 1. The structures were determined by detailed spectroscopic analyses, particularly HRESIMS and NMR techniques. Moreover, the in vitro cytotoxicity, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial activity of 1-17 and 1a were evaluated.

Severinia buxifolia-isolated acridones inhibit lung cancer invasion and decrease HIFα protein synthesis involving 5'UTR-mediated translation inhibition.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide and is by far the leading cause of cancer death attributed to its rapid metastasis and poor prognosis. Given that hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) are associated with cancer metastasis, discovering agents to inhibit HIF-mediated invasive cancer is highly desired. PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the natural acridone compounds isolated from Severinia buxifolia for the potential to delay hypoxia-induced lung cancer invasiveness by HIF inhibition. METHODS: Using a hypoxia-responsive element (HRE) luciferase reporter, cell migration and invasion assays, real-time PCR, Western blot, and DNA recombinant clones, compound effect on HIF activity, cancer metastasis, HIF-1α mRNA transcription, HIFs protein stability, and HIF-1α translation were observed under hypoxia conditions. RESULTS: Atalaphyllidine (Sbs-A) and atalaphyllinine (Sbs-B) were found to show the most potent effects on HIF transcriptional activity and HIF-1α protein expression in NSCLC cell line A549, although Sbs-A and Sbs-B might not attribute decreasing HIF-1α mRNA expression to potent inhibition of HIF activity. HIF-1α protein stability was not affected by Sbs-A; also, prolyl hydroxylase and proteasome inhibitors could not reverse the inhibitory effect from compounds. Furthermore, 3 - 10 µM low concentrations of Sbs-A inhibited HIF target gene expression, gelatin zymography activity, and A549 cancer invasion. Ultimately, Sbs-A inhibited HIF-1α 5'UTR-mediated translation independent of oxygen concentration, underlying the mechanism of compounds inhibiting HIF-1α protein expression. CONCLUSION: Our study proposed Severinia buxifolia-isolated acridone compounds inhibited 5'-mRNA HIFA-mediated translation and provided evidence supporting the ability of acridone compounds in targeting HIFα for delayed lung cancer metastasis.

3,5,2',4'-Tetramethoxystilbene, a fully methylated resveratrol analog, prevents platelet aggregation and thrombus formation by targeting the protease-activated receptor 4 pathway.

Thrombin is a potent platelet activator and a key mediator of blood coagulation, thereby playing a crucial role in cardiovascular disease. Recently, protease-activated receptor 4 (PAR4), one of thrombin receptors in human platelets, is emerging as a promising target for antiplatelet therapy. 3,5,2',4'-Tetramethoxystilbene (TMS), a resveratrol analog, have demonstrated promising effects on preventing atherosclerosis and hypertension, whereas its antiplatelet effect has never been investigated. Herein we show that TMS at concentrations of a few micromolar selectively inhibits PAR4-mediated human platelet aggregation, ATP secretion, integrin αIIbß3 activation, and signaling pathways. In a whole-blood model of arterial flow, TMS also significantly reduced in vitro thrombus formation. Analysis of the structure-activity relationships of TMS and a panel of stilbene analogs reveal that full methylation of hydroxy groups of the stilbenes is the critical structural determinant for the anti-PAR4 activity. Our results suggest that fully methylated resveratrol analogs with anti-PAR4 activity are potential candidates for development of novel antiplatelet agents.

The effectiveness of Fuzi in combination with routine heart failure treatment on chronic heart failure patients.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Fuzi, Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata, is widely used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for the treatment of acute heart failure (HF) for 2000 years. However, the clinical evidence of Fuzi in the treatment of chronic HF is limited, especially when used in combination with Western medications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This population-based propensity score (PS)-matched cohort study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Fuzi on the chronic HF. From 4753 chronic HF patients who had used TCM herbal medicine, we performed 1:1 PS matching and selected target patients with (n = 921) and without (n = 921) Fuzi use for further analysis. The primary outcomes were all-cause mortality and composite cardiovascular (CV) outcomes. Hazard ratio (HR) was calculated by Cox proportional hazard regression and the competing risk analysis. The dose-response relationship and the association between the initiation of TCM herbal medicine and the primary outcomes were evaluated by restricted cubic spline (RCS) functions. RESULTS: There was no difference in all-cause mortality (HR, 0.99; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.76-1.27) and composite CV outcomes (HR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.84-1.11) between the Fuzi user and non-user groups. For CV safety issue, the result showed that Fuzi use was not associated with a higher risk of cardiac arrhythmias (HR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.83-1.29). The dose-response relationship showed that Fuzi cumulative dose (≥150g) was associated with lower composite CV risk (HR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.59-0.99). In addition, the RCS model showed that late initiation (≥2.5 years) of TCM herbal drugs in chronic HF patients had a higher risk of all-cause mortality (HR, 1.81; 95%CI, 1.07-3.08). CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first real-world evidence to demonstrate the effect of Fuzi combined with routine HF treatment. Importantly, the result indicated that long-term Fuzi use had a significant benefit in preventing cardiovascular events. The late initiation of TCM herbal drugs was associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality. Further clinical trials are needed to support or undermine the assumption of using Fuzi and current Western medications to treat chronic HF.

Different Cell Responses to Hinokitiol Treatment Result in Senescence or Apoptosis in Human Osteosarcoma Cell Lines.

Hinokitiol is a tropolone-related compound isolated from the heartwood of cupressaceous plants. It is known to exhibit various biological functions including antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant activities. In the study, we investigated the antitumor activities of hinokitiol against human osteosarcoma cells. The results revealed that hinokitiol treatment inhibited cell viability of human osteosarcoma U-2 OS and MG-63 cells in the MTT assay. Further study revealed that hinokitiol exposure caused cell cycle arrest at the S phase and a DNA damage response with the induction of γ-H2AX foci in both osteosarcoma cell lines. In U-2 OS cells with wild-type tumor suppressor p53, we found that hinokitiol exposure induced p53 expression and cellular senescence, and knockdown of p53 suppressed the senescence. However, in MG-63 cells with mutated p53, a high percentage of cells underwent apoptosis with cleaved-PARP expression and Annexin V staining after hinokitiol treatment. In addition, up-regulated autophagy was observed both in hinokitiol-exposed U-2 OS and MG-63 cells. As the autophagy was suppressed through the autophagy inhibitor chloroquine, hinokitiol-induced senescence in U-2 OS cells was significantly enhanced accompanying more abundant p53 expression. In MG-63 cells, co-treatment of chloroquine increased hinokitiol-induced apoptosis and decreased cell viability of the treated cells. Our data revealed that hinokitiol treatment could result in different cell responses, senescence or apoptosis in osteosarcoma cell lines, and suppression of autophagy could promote these effects. We hypothesize that the analysis of p53 status and co-administration of autophagy inhibitors might provide more precise and efficacious therapies in hinokitiol-related trials for treating osteosarcoma.

The Impact of Urate-Lowering Therapy in Post-Myocardial Infarction Patients: Insights From a Population-Based, Propensity Score-Matched Analysis.

The role of urate-lowering therapy (ULT) for the primary prevention of cardiovascular (CV) events has been widely discussed, but its evidence for the secondary prevention of myocardial infarction (MI) is limited. Therefore, we conduct a population-based, propensity score-matched cohort study to investigate the CV outcomes among patients with post-MI with and without ULT. A total of 19,042 newly diagnosed in-hospital patients with MI were selected using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2016. After 1:1 propensity score matching with covariates, patients with MI with (n = 963) and without (n = 963) ULT were selected for further analysis. The primary outcome was the all-cause mortality and the secondary outcomes were composite CV outcomes, including hospitalization for recurrent MI, stroke, heart failure, and cardiac arrhythmias. ULT users were associated with lower all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio (adjHR), 0.67; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.51-0.87) compared to the ULT nonusers. In addition, ULT users had a significantly lower risk of recurrent MI, which needed revascularization by percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting (adjHR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.53-0.86) than the ULT nonusers. The primary and secondary outcomes were not different between patients with post-MI who received uricosuric agents and xanthine oxidase inhibitors. The anti-inflammatory effect of ULT plays an essential role in MI management. From a real-world setting, this study shows that ULT is associated with the lower risk of all-cause mortality in patients with post-MI. In addition, the result shows the possible lower incidence of repeat revascularization procedures in the ULT users.

Anti-Inflammatory Azaphilones from the Edible Alga-Derived Fungus Penicillium sclerotiorum.

To discover the new medical entity from edible marine algae, our continuously natural product investigation focused on endophytes from marine macroalgae Grateloupia sp. Two new azaphilones, 8a-epi-hypocrellone A (1), 8a-epi-eupenicilazaphilone C (2), together with five known azaphilones, hypocrellone A (3), eupenicilazaphilone C (4), ((1E,3E)-3,5-dimethylhepta-1,3-dien-1-yl)-2,4-dihydroxy-3-methylbenzaldehyde (5), sclerotiorin (6), and isochromophilone IV (7) were isolated from the alga-derived fungus Penicillium sclerotiorum. The structures of isolated azaphilones (1-7) were elucidated by spectrometric identification, especially HRESIMS, CD, and NMR data analyses. Concerning bioactivity, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fibrosis activities of those isolates were evaluated. As a result, compound 1 showed selective toxicity toward neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y among seven cancer and one fibroblast cell lines. 20 µM of compounds 1, 3, and 7 inhibited the TNF-α-induced NFκB phosphorylation but did not change the NFκB activity. Compounds 2 and 6 respectively promoted and inhibited SMAD-mediated transcriptional activities stimulated by TGF-ß.

Pterostilbene Attenuates Particulate Matter-Induced Oxidative Stress, Inflammation and Aging in Keratinocytes.

Particulate matter (PM) is the main indicator of air pollutants, and it may increase the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in keratinocytes, leading to skin inflammation, aging, and decreased moisturizing ability. Pterostilbene (PTS) is a dimethylated analog of resveratrol that has antioxidant effects. However, the molecular mechanisms of PTS in preventing PM-induced keratinocyte inflammation and aging have not been investigated yet. Therefore, we used PM-induced human keratinocytes to investigate the protective mechanisms of PTS. The results showed that 20 µM PTS had no toxicity to HaCaT keratinocytes and significantly reduced PM-induced intracellular ROS production. In addition, nuclear translocation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) was inhibited by PTS, leading to reduced expression of its downstream CYP1A1. PTS further inhibited PM-induced MAPKs, inflammation (COX-2), and aging (MMP-9) protein cascades, and rescued moisturizing (AQP-3) protein expression. We analyzed the PTS content in cells at different time points and compared the concentration required for PTS to inhibit the target proteins. Finally, we used the skin penetration assay to show that the PTS essence mainly exists in the epidermal layer and did not enter the system circulation. In conclusion, PTS could protect HaCaT keratinocytes from PM-induced damage and has the potential to become a cosmetic ingredient.

Genetic diversity and structure of the endemic and endangered species Aristolochia delavayi growing along the Jinsha River.

The traditional medicinal plant, and endangered species Aristolochia delavayi (Aristolochiaceae) is an endemic species in China and occurs in the warm and dry areas along the Jinsha river. It is also a specific host of the larvae of Byasa daemonius, a vulnerable butterfly. In this study, 15 pairs of polymorphic microsatellite primers of A. delavayi were designed and screened based on the Simple Sequence Repeats (SSR) loci found by using the results of genome skimming. Based on these 15 SSR markers, the genetic diversity and structure of 193 individuals from ten natural populations were analyzed in detail. In comparison to other endemic and endangered plants in the region, the population of A. delavayi possess a relatively high genetic diversity (He = 0.550, I = 1.112). AMOVA analysis showed that 68.4% of the total genetic diversity was within populations and 31.6% of the variation occurred among populations. There was a significant genetic differentiation among natural populations of A. delavayi detectable, with low gene flow (Nm = 0.591). This might be attributed to geographical barriers and limited seed dispersal. To test the isolation by distance (IBD), we performed Mantel test, which showed a significant correlation between the geographic and genetic distances. In order to cope with the possible biases caused by IBD, we additionally performed Bayesian genetic cluster analyses and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA). The final cluster analysis revealed three groups with distinct geographical distribution. Habitat fragmentation and limited gene flow between these populations may be the main reasons for the current genetic structure. For conservation of this species, we suggest to divide its populations into three protection management units, with subsequent focus on the Yongsheng and Luquan populations which experienced a genetic bottleneck event in the past.

Uncovering Modern Clinical Applications of Fuzi and Fuzi-Based Formulas: A Nationwide Descriptive Study With Market Basket Analysis.

Background: As time evolved, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) became integrated into the global medical system as complementary treatments. Some essential TCM herbs started to play a limited role in clinical practices because of Western medication development. For example, Fuzi (Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata) is a toxic but indispensable TCM herb. Fuzi was mainly used in poor circulation and life-threatening conditions by history records. However, with various Western medication options for treating critical conditions currently, how is Fuzi used clinically and its indications in modern TCM are unclear. This study aimed to evaluate Fuzi and Fuzi-based formulas in modern clinical practices using artificial intelligence and data mining methods. Methods: This nationwide descriptive study with market basket analysis used a cohort selected from the Taiwan National Health Insurance database that contained one million national representatives between 2003 and 2010 used for our analysis. Descriptive statistics were performed to demonstrate the modern clinical indications of Fuzi. Market basket analysis was calculated by the Apriori algorithm to discover the association rules between Fuzi and other TCM herbs. Results: A total of 104,281 patients using 405,837 prescriptions of Fuzi and Fuzi-based formulas were identified. TCM doctors were found to use Fuzi in pulmonary (21.5%), gastrointestinal (17.3%), and rheumatologic (11.0%) diseases, but not commonly in cardiovascular diseases (7.4%). Long-term users of Fuzi and Fuzi-based formulas often had the following comorbidities diagnosed by Western doctors: osteoarthritis (31.0%), peptic ulcers (29.5%), hypertension (19.9%), and COPD (19.7%). Patients also used concurrent medications such as H2-receptor antagonists, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, ß-blockers, calcium channel blockers, and aspirin. Through market basket analysis, for the first time, we noticed many practical Fuzi-related herbal pairs such as Fuzi-Hsihsin (Asari Radix et Rhizoma)-Dahuang (Rhei Radix et Rhizoma) for neurologic diseases and headache. Conclusion: For the first time, big data analysis was applied to uncover the modern clinical indications of Fuzi in addition to traditional use. We provided necessary evidence on the scientific use of Fuzi in current TCM practices, and the Fuzi-related herbal pairs discovered in this study are helpful to the development of new botanical drugs.

Association Between Digoxin Use and Cancer Incidence: A Propensity Score-Matched Cohort Study With Competing Risk Analysis.

Background: Previous studies neglected death as a critical competing risk while estimating the cancer risk for digoxin users. Therefore, the current study aims to assess the effectiveness of digoxin on cancer prevention by competing risk analysis. Methods: We performed a population-based retrospective cohort study using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research database between 1998 and 2010. After one-to-one propensity score-matching from 36,160 patients with defined criteria, we enrolled 758 patients both in digoxin and ß-blocker group for further analysis. Results: The results showed that the digoxin group had higher all-cause mortality than the ß-blocker group in the 4- year (10.4 vs. 4.9%) and 8 years (13.6 vs. 7.0%) follow-up. The subdistribution HR of cancer incidence in the digoxin group compared to the ß-blocker group was 1.99 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.22-3.01) and 1.46 (95% CI: 1.01-2.15) in the 4 years and 8 years follow-up, respectively. Conclusions: The result of our study showed the usage of digoxin has no benefit in cancer prevention compared with ß-blocker. The possibility of ß-blocker as a new drug candidate for cancer prevention needs further clinical evaluation. The current study also emphasized the necessity of competing risk analysis applying to similar clinical researches.

Golden berry 4ß-hydroxywithanolide E prevents tumor necrosis factor α-induced procoagulant activity with enhanced cytotoxicity against human lung cancer cells.

Inflammation in the tumor microenvironment is positively correlated with cancer progression and metastasis as well as the risk of thromboembolism in lung cancer patients. Here we show, in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines, the master inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) induced tissue factor expression and procoagulant activity, and these effects were potently inhibited by 4ß-hydroxywithanolide E (4HW), a natural compound isolated from Physalis peruviana. Furthermore, combination of 4HW and TNF-α caused synergistic cytotoxicity against NSCLC cells by inducing caspase-dependent apoptosis. The underlying mechanism by which 4HW reverses the procoagulant effect of TNF-α but enhances its cytotoxic effect appears to be due to inhibition of NF-κB, which is a key switch for both inflammation-induced coagulation and cell survival. Our results suggest that 4HW may have a potential application for treating inflammation-derived cancer progression and cancer-associated hypercoagulable state.

Correlation study on 18F-FDG PET/CT metabolic characteristics of primary lesion with clinical stage in lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: 18F-FDG PET/CT metabolic characteristics provide the crucial biologic and molecular information for tumors. To explore the relationships between 18F-FDG PET/CT derived parameters such as maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), total lesion glycolysis (TLG) of primary tumor and clinical stage in different histopathologic subtypes of lung cancer. METHODS: A total of 97 newly diagnosed lung cancer patients (69 males, 28 females; average age 65.1 years) with pathologically proven were retrospectively analyzed, who had undergone 18F-FDG PET/CT scan before treatment from September 2016 to November 2017. SUVmax, MTV and TLG of primary tumor were measured. Clinical stage was mainly determined by 18F-FDG PET/CT, in conjunction with conventional imaging and endoscopic biopsy. Mann-Whitney U test, χ2 test, Spearman correlation test and ROC curve analysis were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: There were 53 adenocarcinomas (AC), 28 squamous carcinomas (SCC), 13 small cell carcinomas (SCLC), one adenosquamous carcinoma, one mucoepidermoid carcinoma, and one sarcomatoid carcinoma in 97 patients. Both AC and SCLC revealed more cases in stage IV than in stage I-III (P<0.01). There was no significant difference in four stages of SCC (P>0.05). Metabolic parameters of SCC were higher than AC including SUVmax, MTV and TLG (P<0.01). SCLC showed a higher value than AC in TLG (P<0.05). No significant differences were found between AC and SCLC in SUVmax and MTV, also between SCC and SCLC in SUVmax, MTV and TLG (P>0.05). MTV and TLG except SUVmax were positively correlated with stage in AC (P≤0.001). Only MTV showed a positive correlation with stage in SCC (P<0.05). Whereas there were no definitive relationships between metabolic parameters and stage in SCLC (P>0.05). AC with a higher MTV (MTV≥5.965 cm3) indicated a significantly higher rate of distant metastasis than those with a lower MTV (77.5% (31/40) vs. 30.8% (4/13), χ2=9.553, P<0.01), as well as AC with a higher TLG (TLG≥46.922) than those with a lower TLG (88.5% (23/26) vs. 44.4% (12/27), χ2=11.422, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Histopathologic subtypes have a significant influence on the relationships between MTV/TLG not SUVmax of primary foci and stage in lung cancer. Primary MTV/TLG is related to clinical stage closely in AC, and a higher MTV/TLG results in a higher risk of distant metastasis.

Protoflavone-Chalcone Hybrids Exhibit Enhanced Antitumor Action through Modulating Redox Balance, Depolarizing the Mitochondrial Membrane, and Inhibiting ATR-Dependent Signaling.

Hybrid compounds combine fragments with complementary targets to achieve a common pharmacological goal. This approach represents an increasingly popular strategy for drug discovery. In this work, we aimed to design antitumor hybrid compounds based on an inhibitor of ataxia-telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein (ATR)-dependent signaling, protoapigenone, and a pro-oxidant ferrocene or chalcone fragment. Four new triazole-coupled hybrids were prepared. The compounds were cytotoxic against human breast cancer cell lines in vitro, showing IC50 values in the sub-micromolar range. The nature of interactions between relevant fragments of the hybrids was evaluated by the Chou-Talalay method. Experimental combination treatment with the fragments showed additive effects or slight/moderate synergism, while strong synergism was observed when the fragments were virtually combined into their hybrids, suggesting a relevant pharmacological benefit of the coupling. All hybrids were strong inhibitors of the ATR-mediated activation of Chk1, and they interfered with the redox balance of the cells leading to mitochondrial membrane depolarization. Additionally, they induced late apoptosis and primary necrosis in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cells, respectively. Our results demonstrate that coupling the ATR-dependent signaling inhibitor protoflavone with a pro-oxidant chalcone dramatically increases the antitumor activity compared with either fragment alone. Such compounds may offer an attractive novel strategy for the treatment of various cancers.

A functional variant near XCL1 gene improves breast cancer survival via promoting cancer immunity.

Most genome-wide association studies (GWASs) identify genetic variants for breast cancer occurrence. In contrast, few are for recurrence and mortality. We conducted a GWAS on breast cancer survival after diagnosis in estrogen receptor-positive patients, including 953 Taiwanese patients with 159 events. Through Cox proportional hazard models estimation, we identified 24 risk SNPs with p < 1 × 10-5 . Based on imputation and integrated analysis, one SNP, rs1024176 (located in 1q24.2, p = 2.43 × 10-5 ) was found to be a functional variant associated with breast cancer survival and XCL1 gene expression. A series of experimental approaches, including cell-based analyses and CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing system, were then used and identified the transcription factor MYBL2 was able to discriminately bind to the A allele of rs1024176, the protective variant for breast cancer survival, which promoted XCL1 expression, but not to the G allele of rs1024176. The chemokine XCL1 attracts type 1 dendritic cells (DC1s) to the tumor microenvironment. In breast cancer tissues, we applied a two-step Mendelian randomization analysis, using expression quantitative trait loci as instrumental variables, to confirm higher XCL1 expression was correlated with higher DC1 signatures and favorable disease progression, through the causal effect of rs1024176-A allele. Our study supports the genetic effect on preventing breast cancer survival through XCL1-induced DC1 recruitment in tumor microenvironment.

Ethanol Extracts of Dietary Herb, Alpinia nantoensis, Exhibit Anticancer Potential in Human Breast Cancer Cells.

Recent advances in mammography screening, chemotherapy, and adjuvant treatment modalities have improved the survival rate of women with breast cancer. Nevertheless, the breast tumor with metastatic progression is still life-threatening. Indeed, combination therapy with Ras-ERK and PI3K inhibitors is clinically effective in malignant breast cancer treatment. Constituents from genus Alpinia plants have been implicated as potent anticancer agents in terms of their efficacy of inhibiting tumor cell metastasis. In this study, we tested the effects of ethanol extracts of Alpinia nantoensis (rhizome, stem, and leaf extracts) in cultured human breast cancer cells and particularly focused on the Ras-ERK and PI3K/AKT pathways. We found that the rhizome and leaf extracts from A nantoensis inhibited cell migration, invasion, and sphere formation in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. The potency was extended with the inhibition of serum-induced PI3K/AKT and Ras-ERK activation and epidermal growth factor (EGF)-mediated EGFR activation in MDA-MB-231 cells. These results indicate that extracts of A nantoensis could inhibit signal transduction at least involved in EGFR as well as the PI3K/AKT and Ras-ERK pathways, which are crucial players of tumor cell migration and invasion. Our study strongly supports that the extracts of A nantoensis could be a novel botanical drug lead for the development of an antimetastatic agent for the treatment of human malignant breast cancer.

Investigation of natural phenanthrenes and the antiproliferative potential of juncusol in cervical cancer cell lines.

BACKGROUND: Phenanthrenes isolated from Juncus species possess different biological activities, including antiproliferative and antimigratory effects. PURPOSE: In this study, nine phenanthrenes isolated from the roots of Juncus inflexus were investigated for their antiproliferative activity on several gynecological cancer cell lines, using non-cancerous cells as controls. METHODS: Antiproliferative activities of the compounds were determined by means of MTT assay. Flow cytometry was used for cell cycle analysis and determination of mitotic cells. Activities of caspase-3, -8, and -9 were detected by colorimetric kits. Tubulin polymerization was followed by kinetic absorbance determination. Action on tumor cell migration was described using wound healing assay. Western blot assays were used to determine apoptosis-related factors at protein level. RESULTS: Among the compounds tested, juncusol exhibited the most substantial antiproliferative effect against cervical cancer HeLa cells. It was also revealed that juncusol has a distinct growth inhibitory effect in cervical cancer cell lines of various HPV status: it was highly active in HPV type 18-positive HeLa cells, while it was inactive in HPV type 16-positive SiHa and CaSki cells. Cell cycle analysis showed an increase in G2/M and subG1 cell populations after juncusol treatment. Caspase-3, -8, and -9 were detected to be activated by juncusol in HeLa cells, indicating that juncusol induces apoptotic cell death. Moreover, juncusol inhibited tubulin polymerization, as well as EGFR activation, suggesting two possible additional mechanisms that may account for juncusol's inducing a G2/M-phase cell cycle arrest and inhibiting cell migration. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that juncusol is a potent antiproliferative agent against HPV-18 related cervical cancer and may be considered as a lead compound for the development of innovative anticancer agents.