A Biomimetic Multifunctional Nanoframework for Symptom Relief and Restorative Treatment of Acute Liver Failure.

Acute liver failure (ALF) is a rare and serious condition characterized by major hepatocyte death and liver dysfunction. Owing to the limited therapeutic options, this disease generally has a poor prognosis and a high mortality rate. When ALF cannot be reversed by medications, liver transplantation is often needed. However, transplant rejection and the shortage of donor organs still remain major challenges. Most recently, stem cell therapy has emerged as a promising alternative for the treatment of liver diseases. However, the limited cell delivery routes and poor stability of live cell products have greatly hindered the feasibility and therapeutic efficacy of stem cell therapy. Inspired by the functions of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) primarily through the secretion of several factors, we developed an MSC-inspired biomimetic multifunctional nanoframework (MBN) that encapsulates the growth-promoting factors secreted by MSCs via combination with hydrophilic or hydrophobic drugs. The red blood cell (RBC) membrane was coated with the MBN to enhance its immunological tolerance and prolong its circulation time in blood. Importantly, the MBN can respond to the oxidative microenvironment, where it accumulates and degrades to release the payload. In this work, two biomimetic nanoparticles, namely, rhein-encapsulated MBN (RMBN) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC)-encapsulated MBN (NMBN), were designed and synthesized. In lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/d-galactosamine (D-GalN)-induced and acetaminophen (APAP)-induced ALF mouse models, RMBN and NMBN could effectively target liver lesions, relieve the acute symptoms of ALF, and promote liver cell regeneration by virtue of their strong antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and regenerative activities. This study demonstrated the feasibility of the use of an MSC-inspired biomimetic nanoframework for treating ALF.

Novel Anti-Cancer Products Targeting AMPK: Natural Herbal Medicine against Breast Cancer.

Breast cancer is a common cancer in women worldwide. The existing clinical treatment strategies have been able to limit the progression of breast cancer and cancer metastasis, but abnormal metabolism, immunosuppression, and multidrug resistance involving multiple regulators remain the major challenges for the treatment of breast cancer. Adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-Activated Protein Kinase (AMPK) can regulate metabolic reprogramming and reverse the "Warburg effect" via multiple metabolic signaling pathways in breast cancer. Previous studies suggest that the activation of AMPK suppresses the growth and metastasis of breast cancer cells, as well as stimulating the responses of immune cells. However, some other reports claim that the development and poor prognosis of breast cancer are related to the overexpression and aberrant activation of AMPK. Thus, the role of AMPK in the progression of breast cancer is still controversial. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of AMPK, particularly the comprehensive bidirectional functions of AMPK in cancer progression; discuss the pharmacological activators of AMPK and some specific molecules, including the natural products (including berberine, curcumin, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate, ginsenosides, and paclitaxel) that influence the efficacy of these activators in cancer therapy; and elaborate the role of AMPK as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of breast cancer.

Neuroendocrine-Immune Regulatory Network of Eucommia ulmoides Oliver.

Eucommia ulmoides Oliver (E. ulmoides) is a popular medicinal herb and health supplement in China, Japan, and Korea, and has a variety of pharmaceutical properties. The neuroendocrine-immune (NEI) network is crucial in maintaining homeostasis and physical or psychological functions at a holistic level, consistent with the regulatory theory of natural medicine. This review aims to systematically summarize the chemical compositions, biological roles, and pharmacological properties of E. ulmoides to build a bridge between it and NEI-associated diseases and to provide a perspective for the development of its new clinical applications. After a review of the literature, we found that E. ulmoides has effects on NEI-related diseases including cancer, neurodegenerative disease, hyperlipidemia, osteoporosis, insomnia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and obesity. However, clinical studies on E. ulmoides were scarce. In addition, E. ulmoides derivatives are diverse in China, and they are mainly used to enhance immunity, improve hepatic damage, strengthen bones, and lower blood pressure. Through network pharmacological analysis, we uncovered the possibility that E. ulmoides is involved in functional interactions with cancer development, insulin resistance, NAFLD, and various inflammatory pathways associated with NEI diseases. Overall, this review suggests that E. ulmoides has a wide range of applications for NEI-related diseases and provides a direction for its future research and development.

HIF-1: structure, biology and natural modulators.

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1), as a main transcriptional regulator of metabolic adaptation to changes in the oxygen environment, participates in many physiological and pathological processes in the body, and is closely related to the pathogenesis of many diseases. This review outlines the mechanisms of HIF-1 activation, its signaling pathways, natural inhibitors, and its roles in diseases. This article can provide new insights in the diagnosis and treatment of human diseases, and recent progress on the development of HIF-1 inhibitors.

Antithrombotic effect and action mechanism of Salvia miltiorrhiza and Panax notoginseng herbal pair on the zebrafish.

BACKGROUND: Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen, DS) and Panax notoginseng (Sanqi, SQ) are famous traditional Chinese herbs, and their herbal pair (DS-SQ) has been popular used as anti-thrombotic medicines. However, there is still a lack of sufficient scientific evidence to illustrate the optimum combination ratio of these two herbs as well as its action mechanisms. The purpose of this study is to investigate the anti-thrombotic effects of DS-SQ on zebrafish and explore its possible action mechanism. METHODS: Firstly, the chemical components in DS-SQ extract were analyzed by LC-ESI-MS/MS. Then, a phenylhydrazine (PHZ)-induced zebrafish thrombosis model was developed for evaluating the anti-thrombotic effects of DS-SQ extracts with different combination ratios and their nine pure compounds. Followed, Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) assays were performed to investigate the potential antithrombotic mechanisms of DS-SQ. RESULTS: Thirty-three components were tentatively identified by LC-MS analysis. DS-SQ at the ratio of 10:1 presented the best anti-thrombotic effect, and rosmarinic acid, lithospermic acid and salvianolic acid B of DS showed good anti-thrombotic activity on zebrafish thrombosis model. The RT-qPCR assays indicated that DS-SQ (10:1) could cure the PHZ-induced thrombosis by downregulating the expression of PKCα, PKCß, fga, fgb, fgg and vWF in zebrafish. CONCLUSIONS: DS-SQ with the combination ratio of 10:1 showed optimum anti-thrombotic effect on PHZ-induced zebrafish thrombosis model, which provided a reference for reasonable clinical applications of DS-SQ herbal pair.

Ultra-rapid, enhanced and eco-friendly extraction of four main flavonoids from the seeds of Oroxylum indicum by deep eutectic solvents combined with tissue-smashing extraction.

Rapid, green and efficient extraction of active compounds followed by fast analysis is always pursued in the field of food analysis and/or industry. Herein, a green and highly efficient extraction of four active flavonoids from the seeds of Oroxylum indicum using a combination of natural deep eutectic solvents (DESs) and tissue-smashing extraction (TSE) technique was applied and a UPLC method was developed for their sensitive and selective quantification. RSM coupled with BBD procedure was used to optimize the extraction conditions based on single factors, such as liquid-solid ratios, extraction speed and extraction time. Compared with other conventional methods, the TSE greatly shortens extraction time, obviously raises the extraction production, and decreases energy consumption. By combination of the DES-based TSE and UPLC, the analysis of flavonoids was accomplished within only 6 min, providing an ultra-rapid, environmentally friendly and promising choice for extraction and analysis of active compounds in natural products.

Comparative comprehension on the anti-rheumatic Chinese herbal medicine Siegesbeckiae Herba: Combined computational predictions and experimental investigations.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Siegesbeckiae Herba (SH) is a traditional anti-rheumatic herbal medicine in China. The SH-derived product is the first licensed traditional herbal medicinal product for the management of rheumatism-induced joint and muscle pain in United Kingdom. The authenticated plant origins listed in the official Chinese Pharmacopeia for SH include Siegesbeckia orientalis L. (SO), S. pubescens Markino (SP) and S. glabrescens Markino (SG). Although the therapeutic effects of these SH species in treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are similar, their difference in chemical profiles suggested their anti-rheumatisms mechanisms and effects may be different. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study was designed to comparatively comprehend the chemical and biological similarity and difference of SO, SP and SG for treating rheumatoid arthritis based on the combination of computational predictions and biological experiment investigations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The reported compounds for SO, SP and SG were obtained from four chemical databases (SciFinder, Combined Chemical Dictionary v2009, Dictionary of Natural Products and Chinese academy of sciences Chemistry Database). The RA-relevant proteins involved in nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), oxidative stress and autophagy signaling pathways were collected from the databases of Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes and Biocarta. The comparative comprehension of SH plants was performed using similarity analysis, molecular docking and compounds-protein network analysis. The chemical characterization of different SH extracts were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed, and their effects on specific RA-relevant protein expressions were investigated using Western blotting analysis. RESULTS: Chemical analysis revealed that SO contains mainly sequiterpenes and pimarenoids; SP contains mainly pimarenoids, sequiterpenes, and kaurenoids; and SG contains mainly pimarenoids, flavonoids and alkaloids. Moreover, coincided with the predicted results from computational analysis, different SH species were observed to present different chemical constituents, and diverse effects on RA-relevant proteins at the biological level. CONCLUSIONS: The chemical and biological properties of SO, SP and SG were different and distinctive. The systematic comparison between these three confusing Chinese herbs provides reliable characterization profiles to clarify the pharmacological substances in SH for the precise management of rheumatism/-related diseases in clinics.

Dual-functional Brij-S20-modified nanocrystal formulation enhances the intestinal transport and oral bioavailability of berberine.

INTRODUCTION: Berberine (BBR) is a plant-derived benzylisoquinoline alkaloid and has been demonstrated to be a potential treatment for various chronic diseases. The poor water solubility and P-glycoprotein (Pgp)-mediated drug efflux are the main challenges for its further application in a clinical setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, a Brij-S20 (BS20)-modified nanocrystal formulation (BBR-BS20-NCs) has been developed and investigated with the purpose of improving the intestinal absorption of BBR. The physicochemical properties of the developed BBR-BS20-NCs were characterized and the enhancement of the BBR-BS20-NCs on BBR absorption were investigated both in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: The results indicated that BS20 could significantly enhance the intracellular uptake of BBR in MDCK-MDR1 cells via a short-term and reversible modulation on the Pgp function, accompanied by a marked increase in Pgp mRNA expression but without significant influence on the Pgp protein expression. Moreover, the morphology of the prepared BBR-BS20-NCs was observed to be prism-like, with a smooth surface and an average diameter of 148.0 ± 3.2 nm. Compared to raw BBR and physical mixture, BBR-BS20-NCs facilitated the dissolution rate and extent of release of BBR in aqueous solution, and further increased the absorption of BBR in MDCK-MDR1 monolayer by overcoming the Pgp-mediated secretory transport (Papp[BL-AP] values of 2.85 ± 0.04 × 10-6 cm/s, 2.21 ± 0.14 × 10-6 cm/s, and 2.00 ± 0.07 × 10-6 cm/s for pure BBR, physical mixture, and BBR-BS20-NCs, respectively). Significant improvements in the maximum concentration observed (Cmax) and area under drug concentration-time curve (AUC0-t) of BBR-BS20-NCs were obtained in pharmacokinetic studies compared to pure BBR, and the relative bioavailability of BBR-BS20-NCs to pure BBR was 404.1%. CONCLUSION: The developed BBR-BS20-NCs combine the advantages of nanocrystal formulation and functional excipient. The novel pharmaceutical design provides a new strategy to improve the oral bioavailability of those drugs with both poor water solubility and Pgp-mediated efflux.

Effects of Danshen capsules on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of clopidogrel in healthy volunteers.

Nowadays, the Herb-drug combination is becoming increasingly popular in China. However, the possible interaction induced by their combination was examined rarely. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of multi-dose administration of Danshen capsules on clopidogrel pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in healthy volunteers. A sequential, open-label, and two-period pharmacokinetic drug interaction study was designed to compare clopidogrel pharmacokinetic parameters before and after 7 days of administration of Danshen capsules in twenty healthy male volunteers. Co-administration of multiple doses of Danshen capsules caused increases in apparent oral clearance of clopidogrel and its metabolite by 96.5% and 73.7% and apparent volume of distribution by 94.2% and 75.1%, corresponding declines in Cmax by 41.7% and 32.9%, AUC0-t by 50.3% and 41.8%, and AUC0-∞ by 49.3% and 41.5% in human volunteers, respectively. Corresponding pharmacokinetic findings, co-administration of Danshen capsules with clopidogrel decreased the antiplatelet activity compared with individual agents. The results suggested that multiple dose administration of Danshen capsules could induce cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoenzymes, thereby increasing the clearance of clopidogrel. Therefore, caution should be taken when Danshen products containing lipophilic components are used in combination with therapeutic drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.

Discrimination of three Siegesbeckiae Herba species using UPLC-QTOF/MS-based metabolomics approach.

The plant origin is one of the most important factors for the quality control of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) and highly affected on their safety and effectiveness in clinical applications. Multi-origin has been widely observed for many TCMs. Siegesbeckiae Herba (SH) is a traditional anti-rheumatic TCM which is originated from the plants of Siegesbeckia pubescens Makino (SP), S. orientalis L. (SO), and S. glabrescens Makino (SG). In the present study, an UPLC-QTOF/MS method were validated and successfully applied for the determination of the chemical profiles in the three SH species. The data were statistical analyzed with the OPLS-DA analysis and One-Way ANOVA F-test. Obvious differences in chemistry were observed in different SH species and 40 components were identified. Finally, 6 components were selected as potential chemical markers for the discrimination of SP, SO and SG based on the characteristic distribution in individual SH species.

Comparative study on chemical components and anti-inflammatory effects of Panax notoginseng flower extracted by water and methanol.

Methanol and water are commonly used solvents for chemical analysis and traditional decoction, respectively. In the present study, a high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection method was developed to quantify 11 saponins in Panax notoginseng flower extracted by aqueous solution and methanol, and chemical components and anti-inflammatory effects of these two extracts were compared. The separation of 11 saponins, including notoginsenoside Fc and ginsenoside Rc, was well achieved on a Zorbax SB C18 column. This developed method provides an adequate linearity (r2  > 0.999), repeatability (RSD < 4.26%), inter- and intraday variations (RSD < 3.20%) with recovery (94.7-104.1%) of 11 saponins concerned. Our data indicated that ginsenoside biotransformation in PNF was found, when water was used as the extraction solvent, but not methanol. Specifically, the major components of Panax notoginseng flower, ginsenosides Rb1, Rc, Rb2, Rb3, and Rd, can be near completely transformed to the minor components, gypenoside XVII, notoginsenoside Fe, ginsenoside Rd2, notoginsenoside Fd, and ginsenoside F2, respectively. Total protein isolated from Panax notoginseng flower is responsible for this ginsenoside biotransformation. Additionally, methanol extract exerted the stronger anti-inflammatory effects than water extract in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 cells. This difference in anti-inflammatory action might be attributed to their chemical difference of saponins.

Furanodiene Induces Extrinsic and Intrinsic Apoptosis in Doxorubicin-Resistant MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells via NF-κB-Independent Mechanism.

Chemotherapy is used as a primary approach in cancer treatment after routine surgery. However, chemo-resistance tends to occur when chemotherapy is used clinically, resulting in poor prognosis and recurrence. Currently, Chinese medicine may provide insight into the design of new therapies to overcome chemo-resistance. Furanodiene, as a heat-sensitive sesquiterpene, is isolated from the essential oil of Rhizoma Curcumae. Even though mounting evidence claiming that furanodiene possesses anti-cancer activities in various types of cancers, the underlying mechanisms against chemo-resistant cancer are not fully clear. Our study found that furanodiene could display anti-cancer effects by inhibiting cell viability, inducing cell cytotoxicity, and suppressing cell proliferation in doxorubicin-resistant MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Furthermore, furanodiene preferentially causes apoptosis by interfering with intrinsic/extrinsic-dependent and NF-κB-independent pathways in doxorubicin-resistant MCF-7 cells. These observations also prompt that furanodiene may be developed as a promising natural product for multidrug-resistant cancer therapy in the future.

Combined effects of furanodiene and doxorubicin on the migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells in vitro.

Furanodiene is one of the major bioactive components isolated from the natural product of the plant, Curcuma wenyujin Y.H. Chen et C. Ling. Furanodiene has been found to exert anticancer effects in various types of cancer cell lines, as well as exhibit antimetastatic activities. However, the antimetastatic capacity of furanodiene in combination with the common chemotherapy drug doxorubicin has not been investigated. We found that doxorubicin at a non-toxic concentration induced cell migration and cell invasion in highly metastatic breast cancer cells. Combinational treatments with furanodiene and doxorubicin blocked the invasion and migration of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells in vitro. We also clarified the effects of the combination on the signaling pathways involved in migration, invasion, and cytoskeletal organization. When combined with doxorubicin, furanodiene downregulated the expression of integrin αV and ß-catenin and inhibited the phosphorylation of paxillin, Src, focal adhesion kinase (FAK), p85, and Akt. Moreover, combinational treatments also resulted in a decrease in matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). Further study demonstrated that the co-treatments with furanodiene did not significantly alter the effects of doxorubicin on the tubulin cytoskeleton, represented by no influence on the expression levels of RhoA, Cdc42, N-WASP, and α/ß tubulin. These observations indicate that furanodiene is a potential agent that may be utilized to improve the anticancer efficacy of doxorubicin and overcome the risk of chemotherapy in highly metastatic breast cancer.

Corrigendum: Furanodiene Induces Extrinsic and Intrinsic Apoptosis in Doxorubicin-Resistant MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells via NF-κB-Independent Mechanism.

[This corrects the article on p. 648 in vol. 8, PMID: 28959205.].

Furanodiene alters mitochondrial function in doxorubicin-resistant MCF-7 human breast cancer cells in an AMPK-dependent manner.

Furanodiene is a bioactive sesquiterpene isolated from the spice-producing Curcuma wenyujin plant (Y. H. Chen and C. Ling) (C. wenyujin), which is a commonly prescribed herb used in clinical cancer therapy by modern practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine. Previously, we have shown that furanodiene inhibits breast cancer cell growth both in vitro and in vivo, however, the mechanism for this effect is not yet known. In this study, therefore, we asked (1) whether cultured breast cancer cells made resistant to the chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin (DOX) via serial selection protocols are susceptible to furanodiene's anticancer effect, and (2) whether AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which is a regulator of cellular energy homeostasis in eukaryotic cells, participates in this effect. We show here (1) that doxorubicin-resistant MCF-7 (MCF-7/DOX(R)) cells treated with furanodiene exhibit altered mitochondrial function and reduced levels of ATP, resulting in apoptotic cell death, and (2) that AMPK is central to this effect. In these cells, furanodiene (as opposed to doxorubicin) noticeably affects the phosphorylation of AMPK and AMPK pathway intermediates, ACLY and GSK-3ß, suggesting that furanodiene reduces mitochondrial function and cellular ATP levels by way of AMPK activation. Finally, we find that the cell permeable agent and AMPK inhibitor compound C (CC), abolishes furanodiene-induced anticancer activity in these MCF-7/DOX(R) cells, with regard to cell growth inhibition and AMPK activation; in contrast, AICAR (5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-ß-4-ribofuranoside, acadesine), an AMPK activator, augments furanodiene-induced anticancer activity. Furthermore, specific knockdown of AMPK in MCF-7/DOX(R) cells protects these cells from furanodiene-induced cell death. Taken together, these findings suggest that AMPK and its pathway intermediates are promising therapeutic targets for treating chemoresistant breast cancer, and that furanodiene may be an important chemical agent incorporated in next-generation chemotherapy protocols.

Furanodiene enhances the anti-cancer effects of doxorubicin on ERα-negative breast cancer cells in vitro.

Furanodiene is a natural product isolated from Rhizoma curcumae, and exhibits broad-spectrum anti-cancer activities in vitro and in vivo. Our previous study proved that furanodiene could increase growth inhibition of steroidal agent in ERα-positive breast cancer cells, but whether furanodiene can influence ER status is not clear. In this study, we confirmed that furanodiene down-regulated the ERα protein expression level and inhibited E2-induced estrogen response element (ERE)-driven reporter plasmid activity in ERα-positive MCF-7 cells. Actually, ERα-knockdown cells were more sensitive than ERα positive cells to furanodiene on the cytotoxicity effect. So the anti-cancer effects of furanodiene and non-steroidal agent in breast cancer cells still requires further investigation. Our results showed that furanodiene exposure could enhance growth inhibitory effects of doxorubicin in ERα-negative MDA-MB-231 cells and ERα-low expression 4T1 cells. However, furanodiene did not increase the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin in ERα-positive breast cancer cells, non-tumorigenic breast epithelial cells, macrophage cells, hepatocytes cells, pheochromocytoma cells and cardiac myoblasts cells. Furanodiene enhances the anti-cancer effects of doxorubicin in ERα-negative breast cancer cells through suppressing cell viability via inducing apoptosis in mitochondria-caspases-dependent and reactive oxygen species-independent manners. These results indicate that furanodiene may be a promising and safety natural agent for cancer adjuvant therapy in the future.

Anti-proliferative activity and cell cycle arrest induced by evodiamine on paclitaxel-sensitive and -resistant human ovarian cancer cells.

Chemo-resistance is the main factor for poor prognosis in human ovarian epithelial cancer. Active constituents derived from Chinese medicine with anti-cancer potential might circumvent this obstacle. In our present study, evodiamine (EVO) derived from Evodia rutaecarpa (Juss.) Benth suppressed the proliferation of human epithelial ovarian cancer, A2780 and the related paclitaxel-resistant cell lines and did not cause cytotoxicity, as confirmed by the significant decline of clone formation and the representative alterations of CFDA-SE fluorescence. Meanwhile, EVO induced cell cycle arrest in a dose- and time-dependent manner. This disturbance might be mediated by the cooperation of Cyclin B1 and Cdc2, including the up-regulation of Cyclin B1, p27, and p21, and activation failure of Cdc2 and pRb. MAPK signaling pathway regulation also assisted in this process. Furthermore, chemo-sensitivity potential was enhanced as indicated in A2780/PTX(R) cells by the down-regulation of MDR-1 expression, accompanied by MDR-1 function suppression. Taken together, we confirmed initially that EVO exerted an anti-proliferative effect on human epithelial ovarian cancer cells, A2780/WT and A2780/PTX(R), induced G2/M phase cell cycle arrest, and improved chemo-resistance. Overall, we found that EVO significantly suppressed malignant proliferation in human epithelial ovarian cancer, thus proving to be a potential anti-cancer agent in the future.

Bisdemethoxycurcumin Increases Sirt1 to Antagonize t-BHP-Induced Premature Senescence in WI38 Fibroblast Cells.

Curcuminoids are well known for their capabilities to combat risk factors that are associated with ageing and cellular senescence. Recent reports have demonstrated that curcuminoids can extend the lifespan of model organisms. However, the underlying mechanisms by which these polyphenic compounds exert these beneficial effects remain unknown. In this study, t-BHP-induced premature senescence model in human fibroblasts was chosen to explore the protective effects of a curcuminoid, bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC), on cellular senescence. The results demonstrated that BDMC attenuated oxidative stress-induced senescence-like features which include the induction of an enlarged cellular appearance, higher frequency of senescence-associated ß -galactosidase staining activity, appearance of senescence-associated heterochromatic foci in nuclei, decrease in proliferation capability, and alteration in related molecules such as p16 and retinoblastoma protein. Notably, we found that BDMC treatment activated Sirt1/AMPK signaling pathway. Moreover, downregulating Sirt1 by the pharmacological inhibitor nicotianamine or small interfering RNA blocked BDMC-mediated protection against t-BHP-mediated decrease in proliferation. These results suggested that BDMC prevented t-BHP-induced cellular senescence, and BDMC-induced Sirt1 may be a mechanism mediating its beneficial effects.

Bisdemethoxycurcumin suppresses MCF-7 cells proliferation by inducing ROS accumulation and modulating senescence-related pathways.

BACKGROUND: Bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC) is a natural derivative of curcumin present in the phenolic components extracted from the dried rhizome of Curcuma longa L. BDMC demonstrated potential chemotherapeutic activities but the underlying mechanisms have not been fully clarified. In the present study, the role of reactive oxidative species (ROS) in the anti-cancer effects of BDMC was investigated. METHODS: MCF-7 cells were exposed to BDMC, and then the cell proliferation, colony formation ability and cell cycle profile were analyzed. Cellular ROS level was determined by flow cytometry and fluorescent microscope observation using specific fluorescent probes. Mitochondrial membrane potential (ψm) was assessed using JC-1. In addition, effects of BDMC on senescence-related molecules were analyzed by western blot assay. RESULTS: BDMC significantly inhibited MCF-7 breast cancer cell proliferation, while a rapid rise of the intracellular ROS level accompanied with a reduction of Dym were observed. In addition, BDMC activated the pro-apoptotic protein p53 and its downstream effector p21 as well as the cell cycle regulatory proteins p16 and its downstream effector retinoblastoma protein (Rb). All of these BDMC-induced effects were counteracted with the pre-incubation of the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that BDMC-induced ROS accumulation may contribute to its inhibitory effect on MCF-7 cell viability through regulation of p53/p21 and p16/Rb pathways.

Furanodiene enhances tamoxifen-induced growth inhibitory activity of ERa-positive breast cancer cells in a PPARγ independent manner.

Herbal plants are enriched with compounds with a wide range of biological activities. Furanodiene is a sesquiterpene isolated from Rhizoma Curcumae. Growing evidence shows furanodiene exhibits diversified activities of hepatoprotection, anti-inflammation, anti-angiogenesis, and anti-tumor. However, its biological activities against breast cancer have not been deeply understood, and its potential as an anti-breast cancer agent combined with tamoxifen (TAM) has not been evaluated so far. This study describes the combined effects of furanodiene and TAM in human breast cancer cells in vitro. The results showed that ERa-negative MDA-MB-231 cells were much more sensitive than ERa-positive MCF-7 cells to the growth inhibition due to furanodiene. Combined administration of furanodiene and TAM led to marked increase in growth inhibition, cell cycle arrest and pro-apoptotic activity in ERa-positive cells compared to individual agent, and enhanced the down-regulation of p-cyclin D1, cyclin D1, CDK2, CDK6, p-Rb, Rb and p-p44, and the up-regulation of p27, Bax and Bad, but did not show increased cytotoxicity in ERa-negative MCF-10A non-tumorigenic breast epithelial cells. Co-incubation induced the typical PARP cleavage or caspase 9 cleavages compared to individual agent. In addition, PPARγ activity inhibition by its antagonist T0070907 did not significantly reverse the enhanced effect of furanodiene and TAM suggesting that anti-cancer properties of combination were PPARγ independent. Our data indicated that furanodiene could enhance the growth inhibitory and pro-apoptotic activity of TAM by inducing cell cycle arrest and cell apoptosis via CDKs-cyclins and mitochondria-caspases-dependent, and PPARγ-independent signaling pathways in breast cancer cells, without contributions to the cytotoxicity of TAM.