RESUMO
Preparations of comfrey (Symphytum officinale L.) roots are used topically to reduce inflammation. Comfrey anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties have been proven in clinical studies. However, the bioactive compounds associated with these therapeutic activities are yet to be identified. An LC-ESI-Orbitrap-MSn metabolite profile of a hydroalcoholic extract of comfrey root guided the identification of 20 compounds, including a new arylnaphthalene lignan bearing a rare δ-lactone ring, named comfreyn A. Its structure was determined using extensive 2D NMR and ESI-MS experiments. Additionally, the occurrence of malaxinic acid, caffeic acid ethyl ester, along with the lignans ternifoliuslignan D, 3-carboxy-6,7-dihydroxy-1-(3',4'-dihydroxyphenyl) -naphthalene, globoidnan A and B, and rabdosiin was reported in S. officinale for the first time. These results helped to redefine the metabolite profile of this medicinal plant. Finally, caffeic acid ethyl ester and comfreyn A were found to significantly inhibit E-selectin expression in IL-1ß stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), with EC values of 64 and 50 µM, respectively.
Assuntos
Confrei/química , Confrei/metabolismo , Anti-Inflamatórios/análise , Cromatografia Líquida , Células Endoteliais da Veia Umbilical Humana , Humanos , Estrutura Molecular , Raízes de Plantas/química , Raízes de Plantas/metabolismo , Plantas Medicinais/química , Plantas Medicinais/metabolismo , Espectrometria de Massas por Ionização por ElectrosprayRESUMO
Symphytum officinale, commonly known as comfrey, constitutes a traditional medicinal plant with a long-standing therapeutic history, and preparations thereof have been widely used for the treatment of painful muscle and joint complaints, wound and bone healing, and inflammation. Today, its topical use is based on its analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, which have been substantiated by modern clinical trials. However, the molecular basis of its action remained elusive. Here, we show that a hydroalcoholic extract of comfrey root impairs the development of a pro-inflammatory scenario in primary human endothelial cells in a dose-dependent manner. The extract, and especially its mucilage-depleted fraction, impair the interleukin-1 (IL-1) induced expression of pro-inflammatory markers including E-selectin, VCAM1, ICAM1, and COX-2. Both preparations inhibit the activation of NF-κB, a transcription factor of central importance for the expression of these and other pro-inflammatory genes. Furthermore, our biochemical studies provide evidence that comfrey inhibits NF-κB signaling at two stages: it dampens not only the activation of IKK1/2 and the subsequent IκBα degradation, but also interferes with NF-κB p65 nucleo-cytoplasmatic shuttling and transactivation. These results provide a first mechanistic insight into the mode of action of a century-old popular herbal medicine.
RESUMO
Melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer accounting for 48,000 deaths worldwide each year and an average survival rate of about 6-10 months with conventional treatment. Tumor metastasis and chemoresistance of melanoma cells are reported as the main reasons for the insufficiency of currently available treatments for late stage melanoma. The cytoskeletal linker protein α-catulin (CTNNAL1) has been shown to be important in inflammation, apoptosis and cytoskeletal reorganization. Recently, we found an elevated expression of α-catulin in melanoma cells. Ectopic expression of α-catulin promoted melanoma progression and occurred concomitantly with the downregulation of E-cadherin and the upregulation of mesenchymal genes such as N-cadherin, Snail/Slug and the matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9. In the current study we showed that α-catulin knockdown reduced NF-κB and AP-1 activity in malignant melanoma cells. Further, downregulation of α-catulin diminished ERK phosphorylation in malignant melanoma cells and sensitized them to treatment with chemotherapeutic drugs. In particular, cisplatin treatment led to decreased ERK-, JNK- and c-Jun phosphorylation in α-catulin knockdown melanoma cells, which was accompanied by enhanced apoptosis compared to control cells. Altogether, these results suggest that targeted inhibition of α-catulin may be used as a viable therapeutic strategy to chemosensitize melanoma cells to cisplatin by down-regulation of NF-κB and MAPK pathways.
Assuntos
Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos , Melanoma/metabolismo , NF-kappa B/metabolismo , Fator de Transcrição AP-1/metabolismo , alfa Catenina/metabolismo , Antineoplásicos/farmacologia , Apoptose/genética , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Proliferação de Células , Cisplatino/farmacologia , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos/genética , Ativação Enzimática , MAP Quinases Reguladas por Sinal Extracelular/metabolismo , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica , Técnicas de Silenciamento de Genes , Humanos , Proteínas Quinases JNK Ativadas por Mitógeno/metabolismo , Melanoma/genética , Fosforilação , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-jun/metabolismo , alfa Catenina/genéticaRESUMO
Binding of TNF to its receptor (TNFR1) elicits the spatiotemporal assembly of two signaling complexes that coordinate the balance between cell survival and cell death. We have shown previously that, following TNF treatment, the mRNA decay protein tristetraprolin (TTP) is Lys-63-polyubiquitinated by TNF receptor-associated factor 2 (TRAF2), suggesting a regulatory role in TNFR signaling. Here we demonstrate that TTP interacts with TNFR1 in a TRAF2-dependent manner, thereby initiating the MEKK1/MKK4-dependent activation of JNK activities. This regulatory function toward JNK activation but not NF-κB activation depends on lysine 105 of TTP, which we identified as the corresponding TRAF2 ubiquitination site. Disabling TTP polyubiquitination results in enhanced TNF-induced apoptosis in cervical cancer cells. Together, we uncover a novel aspect of TNFR1 signaling where TTP, in alliance with TRAF2, acts as a balancer of JNK-mediated cell survival versus death.
Assuntos
Apoptose/efeitos dos fármacos , Caspases/metabolismo , Tristetraprolina/metabolismo , Fator de Necrose Tumoral alfa/farmacologia , Animais , Western Blotting , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Sobrevivência Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Células Cultivadas , Ativação Enzimática/efeitos dos fármacos , Células HEK293 , Células HeLa , Humanos , Proteínas Quinases JNK Ativadas por Mitógeno/metabolismo , Lisina/metabolismo , MAP Quinase Quinase 4/metabolismo , MAP Quinase Quinase Quinase 1/metabolismo , Camundongos Knockout , Mutação , NF-kappa B/metabolismo , Poliubiquitina/metabolismo , Receptores Tipo I de Fatores de Necrose Tumoral/genética , Receptores Tipo I de Fatores de Necrose Tumoral/metabolismo , Transdução de Sinais/efeitos dos fármacos , Fator 2 Associado a Receptor de TNF/genética , Fator 2 Associado a Receptor de TNF/metabolismo , Tristetraprolina/genética , Ubiquitinação/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
The transcription factor Sox18 plays a role in angiogenesis, including lymphangiogenesis, where it is upregulated by growth factors and directs the expression of genes encoding, e.g., guidance molecules and a matrix metalloproteinase. Conversely, we found that in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) Sox18 is repressed by the pro-inflammatory mediator TNFα (as well as IL-1 and LPS). Since a common feature of these mediators is the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway, we investigated whether Sox18 downregulation is dependent on this transcription factor. Transduction of HUVEC with an adenoviral vector directing the expression of the NF-κB inhibitor IκBα prevented the downregulation of Sox18. Transient transfections of Sox18 promoter reporter genes revealed that the downregulation takes place on the level of transcription, and that the p65/RelA subunit of NF-κB was operative. Furthermore, the responsible promoter region of Sox18 is located within -1.0kb from the transcriptional start site. The repression of Sox18 and its target genes may lead to altered formation of vessels in inflamed settings.