Oligosaccharides of Polygonatum Cyrtonema Hua ameliorates dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis and regulates the gut microbiota.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is one common chronic inflammatory bowel disease that causes severe side effects, and expensive treatment limits effective and sustained treatment of UC. Fructooligosaccharide was isolated from Polygonatum Cyrtonema Hua (PFOS) and exhibits anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore, we are curious whether PFOS could be used for the treatment of UC. PFOS was introduced via intragastric gavage to C57BL/6 J mice exposed to acute colitis induced by DSS. The results showed that doses of PFOS at 2 and 5 mg/kg/day alleviated the DSS-induced histopathological damage and improved intestinal barrier function. qPCR analysis revealed that PFOS exerted a significant downregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6) and upregulation of antioxidant genes, including superoxide dismutase1 (SOD1), glutathion peroxidase2 (GPX2), and nuclear factor erythroid 2 related factor2 (Nrf2). Furthermore, PFOS suppressed the DSS-induced disruption of the mucosal barrier by downregulating MMP13. Moreover, using 16 S rRNA gene-based microbiota analysis, PFOS could selectively enhance the growth of probiotics, including Bifidobacterium, Alloprevofella, and Alistipes. Our findings indicated that PFOS attenuated DSS-induced colitis in mice, suggesting that PFOS might be used as an efficacious supplement for reducing inflammatory bowel disease.

Effect of isofebrifugine on the proliferation and invasion of human gastric cancer cells via MMP.

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common fatal cancers among gastrointestinal malignancies. At present, the treatment of gastric cancer involves a combination of surgery and chemotherapy. Isofebrifugine (IFE) is an alkaloid with many biological properties. In this study, results from MTT, scratch and invasion assays showed that IFE significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of SGC7901 gastric cancer cells. Through RT-PCR and Western blot experiments, it was revealed that IFE significantly inhibited the mRNA and protein expressions of MMP-2, MMP-9 and SDF-1 which are closely related to cancer invasion and metastasis. Thus, IFE possesses anti-gastric cancer properties.

Expression of Indian hedgehog is negatively correlated with APC gene mutation in colorectal tumors.

The regulatory mechanism of Indian hedgehog (IHH) in colorectal carcinogenesis has not been elucidated. In the current study, the expression of IHH were investigated in 7 digestive tract cancer cell lines, and in 10 normal colorectal mucosas (NCs), 30 hyperplastic polyps (HPs), 35 colorectal adenomas (ADs), and 40 colorectal adenocarcinomas (CAs) by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemical staining. Moreover, the mutational status of adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) and ß-catenin in these tumors were analyzed by direct sequencing. IHH mRNA was lost in the 4 colon cancer cell lines harboring APC mutation. IHH mRNA was significantly decreased in CAs (0.17 ± 0.22), compared with that in ADs (0.38 ± 0.35) and HPs (0.56 ± 0.38, P < 0.05). IHH protein was expressed at a very low level or absent in both ADs (7.51 ± 11.92) and CAs (5.15 ± 9.21) in comparison to that in HPs (19.47 ± 17.91) and NCs (42.40 ± 13.67, P < 0.05). Moreover, APC mutations were negatively correlated with IHH mRNA expression (Spearman's R = -0.636, P < 0.01) and IHH protein expression (Spearman's R = -0.426, P < 0.01). In conclusion, down-regulation of IHH expression might be an early event during the carcinogenesis of colorectal cancer. The activation of Wnt signaling by APC mutation might contribute to the down-regulation or loss of IHH expression in colorectal tumors.