Exosomal delivery of miR-200b-3p suppresses the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by targeting ERG- and VEGF-mediated angiogenesis.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a lethal malignancy with limited treatment options. Recent discoveries have highlighted the pivotal role of miRNAs in HCC progression. We previously reported that the expression of miR-200b-3p was decreased in HCC cells and exosomal miR-200b-3p from hepatocytes inhibited angiogenesis by suppressing the expression of the endothelial transcription factor ERG (erythroblast transformation-specific (ETS)-related gene), leading to the hypothesis that the delivery of this miRNA may inhibit angiogenesis and suppress HCC growth in vivo. Here, we tested this hypothesis by using human HCC inoculation models. First, we transfected the human HepG2 HCC cells and established a stable cell line that overexpressed a high level of miR-200b-3p. When miR-200b-3p-overexpressing cells were injected into severe combined immunedeficiency (SCID)-beige mice, tumor growth was significantly reduced compared to tumors of control cells, with a reduction in the expression of ERG and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and subsequent angiogenesis. Intra-tumoral injection of exosomes containing high levels of miR-200b-3p also reduced the growth of parental HepG2 tumors with reduced ERG and VEGF expression and angiogenesis. These results validate the inhibitory role of miR-200b-3p in tumor angiogenesis, thereby suppressing HCC tumor growth, and provide a novel insight into its potential therapeutic application.

Chlorpyrifos induces cytotoxicity via oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in HepG2 cells.

Chlorpyrifos (CPF), a widely used broad-spectrum organophosphate pesticide, has been associated with various adverse health effects in animals and humans. While its primary mechanism of action involves the irreversible inhibition of acetylcholinesterase, secondary mechanisms have also been suggested. The aim of the present study was to explore the secondary mechanisms of action involved in CPF-induced acute cytotoxicity using human hepatocarcinoma HepG2 cells. In particular, we investigated oxidative stress and mitochondrial function by assessing reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, lipid peroxidation (LPO) and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) alteration. Results showed that 24-h exposure to CPF (78.125-2500 µM) decreased cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner (IC50 = 280.87 ± 26.63 µM). Sub-toxic CPF concentrations (17.5, 35 and 70 µM) induced increases in ROS generation (by 83%), mitochondrial superoxide (by 7.1%), LPO (by 11%), and decreased ΔΨm (by 20%). CPF also upregulated Nrf2 protein expression, indicating the role of the latter in modulating the cellular response to oxidative insults. Overall, our findings suggest that CPF caused hepatotoxicity through oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. Given the re-emerging use of CPF, this study emphasizes the need for comprehensive analysis to elucidate its toxicity on non-target organs and associated mechanisms.

Ferritin-based disruptor nanoparticles: A novel strategy to enhance LDL cholesterol clearance via multivalent inhibition of PCSK9-LDL receptor interaction.

Hypercholesterolemia, characterized by elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) plays a crucial role in cholesterol metabolism by regulating LDL receptor degradation, making it a therapeutic target for mitigating hypercholesterolemia-associated risks. In this context, we aimed to engineer human H ferritin as a scaffold to present 24 copies of a PCSK9-targeting domain. The rationale behind this protein nanoparticle design was to disrupt the PCSK9-LDL receptor interaction, thereby attenuating the PCSK9-mediated impairment of LDL cholesterol clearance. The N-terminal sequence of human H ferritin was engineered to incorporate a 13-amino acid linear peptide (Pep2-8), which was previously identified as the smallest PCSK9 inhibitor. Exploiting the quaternary structure of ferritin, engineered nanoparticles were designed to display 24 copies of the targeting peptide on their surface, enabling a multivalent binding effect. Extensive biochemical characterization confirmed precise control over nanoparticle size and morphology, alongside robust PCSK9-binding affinity (KD in the high picomolar range). Subsequent efficacy assessments employing the HepG2 liver cell line demonstrated the ability of engineered ferritin's ability to disrupt PCSK9-LDL receptor interaction, thereby promoting LDL receptor recycling on cell surfaces and consequently enhancing LDL uptake. Our findings highlight the potential of ferritin-based platforms as versatile tools for targeting PCSK9 in the management of hypercholesterolemia. This study not only contributes to the advancement of ferritin-based therapeutics but also offers valuable insights into novel strategies for treating cardiovascular diseases.

Effects of undescribed iridoids in Patrinia punctiflora on insulin resistance in HepG2 cells.

Patrinia punctiflora is a medical and edible Chinese herb with high nutritional and medicinal value. The continuing study of its chemical constituents led to the isolation of six iridoids, which were previously unreported compounds, patriscabioins PU (1-6). Their structures were characterized and confirmed with NMR (1D & 2D), HRMS, IR and UV. Among them, compound 5 was screened to evaluate its insulin resistance activity on an IR-HepG-2 cell model. Compound 5 had no cytotoxicity compared with the control group and could promote glucose uptake in IR-HepG-2 cells. Through further mechanism studies, the undescribed compound 5 could increase the expression levels of PI-3 K, p-AKT, GLUT4 and p-GSK3ß proteins. Moreover, the expression of PEPCK and G6Pase proteins, which are key gluconeogenic enzymes, was also inhibited. Thus, compound 5 promotes the transfer of GLUT4 to the plasma membrane by activating the PI-3 K/AKT signaling pathway, at the same time, promotes glycogen synthesis and inhibits the onset of gluconeogenesis, which in turn ameliorates insulin resistance.

Oncolytic Virus Senecavirus A Inhibits Hepatocellular Carcinoma Proliferation and Growth by Inducing Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis.

Background and Aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly aggressive tumor with limited treatment options and high mortality. Senecavirus A (SVA) has shown potential in selectively targeting tumors while sparing healthy tissues. This study aimed to investigate the effects of SVA on HCC cells in vitro and in vivo and to elucidate its mechanisms of action. Methods: The cell counting kit-8 assay and colony formation assay were conducted to examine cell proliferation. Flow cytometry and nuclear staining were employed to analyze cell cycle distribution and apoptosis occurrence. A subcutaneous tumor xenograft HCC mouse model was created in vivo using HepG2 cells, and Ki67 expression in the tumor tissues was assessed. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assay and hematoxylin and eosin staining were employed to evaluate HCC apoptosis and the toxicity of SVA on mouse organs. Results: In vitro, SVA effectively suppressed the growth of tumor cells by inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. However, it did not have a notable effect on normal hepatocytes (MIHA cells). In an in vivo setting, SVA effectively suppressed the growth of HCC in a mouse model. SVA treatment resulted in a significant decrease in Ki67 expression and an increase in apoptosis of tumor cells. No notable histopathological alterations were observed in the organs of mice during SVA administration. Conclusions: SVA inhibits the growth of HCC cells by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. It does not cause any noticeable toxicity to vital organs.

Comparative in silico and in vitro evaluation of possible toxic effects of bisphenol derivatives in HepG2 cells.

Introduction: Bisphenols are widely used in the production of polycarbonate plastics and resin coatings. Bisphenol A (BPA) is suggested to cause a wide range of unwanted effects and "low dose toxicity". With the search for alternative substances to BPA, the use of other bisphenol derivatives namely bisphenol F (BPF) and bisphenol S (BPS) has increased. Methods: In the current study, we aimed to evaluate the in silico predicted inhibitory concentration 50s (pIC50s) of bisphenol derivatives on immune and apoptotic markers and DNA damage on HepG2 cells. Moreover, apoptotic, genotoxic and immunotoxic effects of BPA, BPF and BPS were determined comparatively. Effects of bisphenols on apoptosis were evaluated by detecting different caspase activities. The genotoxic effects of bisphenols were evaluated by measuring the levels of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and 8-oxoguanine glycosylase (OGG1). To determine the immunotoxic effect of bisphenol derivatives, the levels of interleukin 4 (IL-4) and interleukin 10 (IL-10), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), which are known to be expressed by HepG2 cells, were measured. Results: In silico data indicate that all of the bisphenols may cause alterations in immune and apoptotic markers as well as DNA damage at low doses. In vitro data revealed that all bisphenol derivatives could affect immune markers at inhibitory concentration 30s (IC30s). In addition, BPF and BPS may also have apoptotic immunotoxic effects. Conclusion: Both in silico and in vivo research are needed further to examine the toxic effects of alternative bisphenol derivatives.

Lactucopicrin promotes fatty acid ß-oxidation and attenuates lipid accumulation through adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase activation in free fatty acid-induced human hepatoblastoma cancer cells.

With its annually increasing prevalence, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a serious threat to people's life and health. After a preliminary research, we found that Lactucopicrin has pharmacological effects, such as lowering blood lipids and protecting the liver. Further research showed its significant activation for fatty acid ß-oxidase hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A (CoA) dehydrogenase trifunctional multienzyme complex subunit alpha (HADHA), so we hypothesized that Lactucopicrin could ameliorate lipid accumulation in hepatocytes by promoting fatty acid ß-oxidation. In this study, free fatty acid (FFA)-induced human hepatoblastoma cancer cells (HepG2) were used to establish an in vitro NAFLD model to investigate the molecular basis of Lactucopicrin in regulating lipid metabolism. Staining with Oil red O and measurements of triglyceride (TG) content, fatty acid ß-oxidase (FaßO) activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) content, mitochondrial membrane potential, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content were used to assess the extent to which Lactucopicrin ameliorates lipid accumulation and promotes fatty acid ß-oxidation. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot methods were used to explore the regulatory effects of Lactucopicrin on factors related to fatty acid ß-oxidation. Results showed that Lactucopicrin downregulated phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin (P-mTOR) by activating the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway and upregulated the messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression levels of coactivators (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC1α)), transcription factors (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ)), and oxidative factors (carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A) and HADHA). This phenomenon resulted in a significant increase in FaßO activity, ATP content, and JC-1 and a significant decrease in ROS level, TG content, and intracellular lipid droplets. With the addition of Dorsomorphin, all the effects of Lactucopicrin intervention were suppressed. In summary, Lactucopicrin promotes fatty acid ß-oxidation by activating the AMPK pathway, thereby ameliorating FFA-induced intracellular lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells.

Hepatoprotective effect of date fruit extract against ethanol-induced apoptosis in human hepatoma (HepG2) cells.

Ethanol is a well-known hepatotoxic agent and date fruits have been associated with their biological actions. In current study, we have investigated the hepatoprotective potential of DFE on ethanol-induced cellular damages in human hepatoma (HepG2) cells. The hepatoprotective potential was assessed by exposing the HepG2 cells to non-toxic concentrations (15, 30, and 60 µg/mL) of DFE for 24 h; then toxic concentration (500 µM) of ethanol. Our results demonstrated that pretreatment with DFE significantly prohibited ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity in HepG2 cells. We observed that DFE treatment increased cell viability, reduced LDH leakage, restored cellular morphology, and inhibited caspase-3 enzyme activity in a dose dependent way, induced by ethanol. Further DFE was also effective in restoring the LPO, GSH, and catalase levels towards normal altered by ethanol. Our results also revealed that ethanol-induced ROS generation was significantly inhibited by DFE. The ethanol-induced mRNA expression of apoptotic related genes (p53, caspase-3, caspase-7, Bax, and Bcl-2) were also normalized by pretreatment with DFE. The findings from this study indicated that DFE can significantly protect HepG2 cells against ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity. Our study also provides scientific validation for the traditional use of DFE, aiming to understand its hepatoprotective potential. Altogether, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrated that ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity can be prohibited by the DFE. Thus, DFE has a potential application in nutraceuticals as a therapeutic agent to prevent liver diseases.

Improvement of glucolipid metabolism and oxidative stress via modulating PI3K/Akt pathway in insulin resistance HepG2 cells by chickpea flavonoids.

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is a significant dietary source of flavonoids and the hypoglycemic activity were investigated in this study. Firstly, total twenty nine chickpea flavonoids were identified by UPLC-MS/MS with ononin, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, astragalin, cynaroside, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, biochanin A, and daidzin being the most abundant among them. Our results demonstrated that chickpea flavonoids regulated glucose metabolism and lipid metabolism, and reduced oxidative stress in insulin resistance HepG2 cells. Furthermore, insulin resistance was ameliorated by chickpea flavonoids through the activation of insulin receptor substrate1 (IRS1), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), and phosphorylated protein kinase B (Akt) in HepG2 cells. More importantly, key differential metabolites include L-tryptophan, L-tyrosine, l-glutamine and linoleic acid were reserved by chickpea flavonoids and correlated with glucolipid metabolism and oxidative stress in IR-HepG2 cells. In conclusion, these results indicated that chickpea flavonoids might act as potential natural products regulating insulin resistance in HepG2 cells.

Coffee pulp simulated digestion enhances its in vitro ability to decrease emulsification and digestion of fats, and attenuates lipid accumulation in HepG2 cell model.

The coffee industry produces a considerable quantity of coffee pulp (CP), a by-product with high levels of caffeine, phenolic compounds, and dietary fiber, which are reportedly involved in the lipid homeostasis regulation required to maintain human health. This work's objective was to evaluate the hypolipidemic activity of coffee pulp flour (CPF) and aqueous extract (CPE) after static simulated digestion by the assessment of their in vitro capacity to decrease emulsification and digestion of fats, and lipid-lowering capacity in HepG2 cells after the induction of intracellular fat accumulation. The CPF and CPE digested fractions displayed in vitro hypolipidemic properties by preserving the reduction of micellar cholesterol solubility (27-34%) and the secondary bile acid-binding capacity (22-30%), increasing their primary bile acid-binding ability (2.7-fold and 2.4-fold, respectively), and inhibiting the lipase and the HMGCR (77-79% and 36-85%, respectively) activities. Moreover, the hypolipidemic properties of non-digested fractions enhanced the CPF potential to decrease lipid absorption. Both ingredients (CPF and CPE) demonstrated lipid-lowering effects since they effectively counteract the accumulation of intracellular triglycerides and cholesterol triggered by palmitic acid in hepatic cells after the simulated digestion. This study suggests that phenolic compounds, caffeine, and dietary fiber may be responsible for the lipid-lowering properties exhibited by the CP ingredients and their composition differences affect the above-mentioned properties exhibited in the simulated digestion. These results contribute to demonstrating that the CPF and the CPE may act as modulators of pathways involved in hepatic lipid accumulation and could be a key element in its prevention.

Refining Hepatocyte Models to Capture the Impact of CYP2D6*10 Utilizing a PITCh System.

CYP2D6 variants contain various single nucleotide polymorphisms as well as differing levels of metabolic activity. Among these, one of the less active variants CYP2D6*10 (100C > T) is the most prevalent mutation in East Asians, including Japanese. This mutation leads to an amino acid substitution from proline to serine, which reduces the stability of CYP2D6 and consequently decreases its metabolic activity. In this study, we used a genome editing technology called the Precise Integration into Target Chromosome (PITCh) system to stably express six drug-metabolizing enzymes (CYP3A4, POR, uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1), CYP1A2, CYP2C19, CYP2C9, and CYP2D6*10) in HepG2 (CYP2D6*10 KI-HepG2) cells to examine the effect of CYP2D6*10 on drug metabolism prediction. The protein expression levels of CYP2D6 in CYP2D6*10 KI-HepG2 cells were reduced relative to those in the CYP3A4-POR-UGT1A1-CYP1A2-CYP2C19-CYP2C9-CYP2D6 knock-in-HepG2 (CYPs-UGT1A1 KI-HepG2) cells. Consistent with the CYP2D6 protein expression results, CYP2D6 metabolic activity in CYP2D6*10 KI-HepG2 cells was reduced relative to CYPs-UGT1A1 KI-HepG2 cells. We successfully generated CYP2D6*10 KI-HepG2 cells with highly expressed, functional CYP2D6*10, as well as CYP1A2, 2C9, 2C19 and 3A4. CYP2D6*10 KI-HepG2 cells could be an invaluable model for hepatic metabolism and hepatotoxicity studies in East Asians, including Japanese.

Potential (co-)contamination of dairy milk with AFM1 and MC-LR and their synergistic interaction in inducing mitochondrial dysfunction in HepG2 cells.

Several toxic metabolites, such as aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), are known to contaminate dairy milk. However, as mentioned in an external EFSA report, there is a knowledge gap regarding the carry-over of certain emerging toxins such as microcystin-LR (MC-LR). Therefore, this work aimed to develop an LC-MS/MS method for MC-LR quantification in dairy milk. Also, the method included AFM1 as a common fungal metabolite and applied to analyze 113 dairy milk samples collected directly after the end of the summer peak. Both toxins were below their LODs, keeping the question on MC-LR carry-over still unanswered. Moreover, an in silico analysis, using a 3D molecular modeling was performed, pointing to a possible interaction between MC-LR and milk proteins, especially ß-lactoglobulin. Since AFM1 and MC-LR are hepatotoxic, their interaction in inducing mitochondrial dysfunction in HepG2 cells was investigated at low (subcytotoxic) concentrations. Live cell imaging-based assays showed an inhibition in cell viability, without involvement of caspase-3/7, and a hyperpolarization in the mitochondrial membrane potential after the exposure to a mixture of 100 ng mL-1 AFM1 and 1000 ng mL-1 MC-LR for 48h. Extracellular flux analysis revealed inhibitions of several key parameters of mitochondrial function (basal respiration, ATP-linked respiration, and spare respiratory capacity).

Assessing anticancer, antidiabetic, and antioxidant capacities in green-synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles and solvent-based plant extracts.

Cancer and diabetes represent significant challenges in the field of biomedicine, with major and global impacts on public health. Acacia nilotica, commonly called 'gum arabic tree,' is recognized for its unique biomedical properties. The current study aimed to investigate the pharmacological potential of A. nilotica-based zinc-oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) in comparison to the ethanol and methanol-based extracts against cancer, diabetes, and oxidative stress. Green synthesis of ZnO-NPs was performed using barks of Acacia nilotica. Different techniques for the characterization of ZnO-NPs, including UV-Visible spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Fourier Transmission Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and X-ray Diffraction (XRD), were utilized. The morphological analysis of ZnO-NPs revealed that the fine NPs have mean particle sizes of 15 ± 1.5 nm. For the solvent based-extraction, leaves and barks were utilized and dissolved into ethanol and methanol for further processing. The MTT assay revealed that the optimum concentration of ZnO-NPs to inhibit the proliferation of liver cancer cell line HepG2 was 100 µg/mL where 67.0 % inhibition was observed; and both ethanol- and methanol-based extracts showed optimum inhibition at 100 µg/mL. The DPPH assay further demonstrated that 250 µg/mL of ZnO-NPs and 1000 µg/mL of both ethanol- and methanol-based extracts, as the optimum concentration for antioxidant activity (with 73.1 %, 68.9 % and 68.2 % inhibition respectively). The α-Glucosidase inhibition assay revealed that 250 µg/mL of ZnO-NPs and 10 µg/mL of both ethanol- and methanol-based extracts as the optimum concentration for antidiabetic activity (with 95 %, 93.7 % and 93.4 % inhibition respectively). The study provided interesting insights into the efficacy and reliability of ZnO-NPs for potential pharmacological application. Further research should be focused on examining specific pathways and the safety of ZnO-NPs in comparison to solvent-based extracts.

HepG2 PMM2-CDG knockout model: A versatile platform for variant and therapeutic evaluation.

Phosphomannomutase 2 deficiency (PMM2-CDG), the most frequent congenital disorder of glycosylation, is an autosomal recessive disease caused by biallelic pathogenic variants in the PMM2 gene. There is no cure for this multisystemic syndrome. Some of the therapeutic approaches that are currently in development include mannose-1-phosphate replacement therapy, drug repurposing, and the use of small chemical molecules to correct folding defects. Preclinical models are needed to evaluate the efficacy of treatments to overcome the high lethality of the available animal model. In addition, the number of variants with unknown significance is increasing in clinical settings. This study presents the generation of a cellular disease model by knocking out the PMM2 gene in the hepatoma HepG2 cell line using CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing. The HepG2 knockout model accurately replicates the PMM2-CDG phenotype, exhibiting a complete absence of PMM2 protein and mRNA, a 90% decrease in PMM enzymatic activity, and altered ICAM-1, LAMP1 and A1AT glycoprotein patterns. The evaluation of PMM2 disease-causing variants validates the model's utility for studying new PMM2 clinical variants, providing insights for diagnosis and potentially for evaluating therapies. A CRISPR-Cas9-generated HepG2 knockout model accurately recapitulates the PMM2-CDG phenotype, providing a valuable tool for assessing disease-causing variants and advancing therapeutic strategies.

Schisandra chinensis Bee Pollen Extract Inhibits Proliferation and Migration of Hepatocellular Carcinoma HepG2 Cells via Ferroptosis-, Wnt-, and Focal Adhesion-Signaling Pathways.

Purpose: Bee pollen possesses favorable anticancer activities. As a medicinal plant source, Schisandra chinensis bee pollen (SCBP) possesses potential pharmacological properties, such as reducing cisplatin-induced liver injury, but its anti-liver cancer effect is still rarely reported. This paper aims to investigate the effect and mechanism of SCBP extract (SCBPE) on hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells. Methods: The effect of SCBPE on cell proliferation and migration of HepG2 cells was evaluated based on MTT assay, morphology observation, or scratching assay. Furthermore, tandem mass tag-based quantitative proteomics was used to study the effect mechanisms. The mRNA expression levels of identified proteins were verified by RT-qPCR. Results: Tandem mass tag-based quantitative proteomics showed that 61 differentially expressed proteins were obtained in the SCBPE group compared with the negative-control group: 18 significantly downregulated and 43 significantly upregulated proteins. Bioinformatic analysis showed the significantly enriched KEGG pathways were predominantly ferroptosis-, Wnt-, and hepatocellular carcinoma-signaling ones. Protein-protein interaction network analysis and RT-qPCR validation revealed SCBPE also downregulated the focal adhesion-signaling pathway, which is abrogated by PF-562271, a well-known inhibitor of FAK. Conclusion: This study confirmed SCBPE suppressed the cell proliferation and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells, mainly through modulation of ferroptosis-, Wnt-, hepatocellular carcinoma-, and focal adhesion-signaling pathways, providing scientific data supporting adjuvant treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma using SCBP.

Stearidonic acid improves eicosapentaenoic acid status: studies in humans and cultured hepatocytes.

Background: Ahiflower oil from the seeds of Buglossoides arvensis is rich in α-linolenic acid (ALA) and stearidonic acid (SDA). ALA and SDA are potential precursor fatty acids for the endogenous synthesis of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are n3-long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n3-LC-PUFAS), in humans. Since taurine, an amino sulfonic acid, is often associated with tissues rich in n3-LC-PUFAS (e.g., in fatty fish, human retina), taurine may play a role in EPA- and DHA-metabolism. Objective: To examine the capacity of the plant-derived precursor fatty acids (ALA and SDA) and of the potential fatty acid metabolism modulator taurine to increase n3-LC-PUFAS and their respective oxylipins in human plasma and cultivated hepatocytes (HepG2 cells). Methods: In a monocentric, randomized crossover study 29 healthy male volunteers received three sequential interventions, namely ahiflower oil (9 g/day), taurine (1.5 g/day) and ahiflower oil (9 g/day) + taurine (1.5 g/day) for 20 days. In addition, cultivated HepG2 cells were treated with isolated fatty acids ALA, SDA, EPA, DHA as well as taurine alone or together with SDA. Results: Oral ahiflower oil intake significantly improved plasma EPA levels (0.2 vs. 0.6% of total fatty acid methyl esters (FAMES)) in humans, whereas DHA levels were unaffected by treatments. EPA-levels in SDA-treated HepG2 cells were 65% higher (5.1 vs. 3.0% of total FAMES) than those in ALA-treated cells. Taurine did not affect fatty acid profiles in human plasma in vivo or in HepG2 cells in vitro. SDA-rich ahiflower oil and isolated SDA led to an increase in EPA-derived oxylipins in humans and in HepG2 cells, respectively. Conclusion: The consumption of ahiflower oil improves the circulating levels of EPA and EPA-derived oxylipins in humans. In cultivated hepatocytes, EPA and EPA-derived oxylipins are more effectively increased by SDA than ALA.

Synthesis and characterization of chromium aluminum carbide MAX phases (CrxAlCx-1) for potential biomedical applications.

MAX phases, characterized as nanolaminates of ternary carbides/nitrides structure, possess a unique combination of ceramic and metallic properties, rendering them pivotal in materials research. In this study, chromium aluminum carbide ternary compounds, Cr2AlC (211), Cr3AlC2 (312), and Cr4AlC3 (413) were successfully synthesized with high purity using a facile and cost-effective sol-gel method. Structural, morphological, and chemical characterization of the synthesized phases was conducted to understand the effects of composition changes and explore potential applications. Comprehensive characterization techniques including XRD for crystalline structure elucidations, SEM for morphological analysis, EDX for chemical composition, Raman spectroscopy for elucidation of vibrational modes, XPS to analyze elemental composition and surface chemistry, and FTIR spectroscopy to ensure the functional groups analysis, were performed. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated the high purity of the synthesized Cr2AlC phase as well as other ternary compounds Cr3AlC2 and Cr4AlC3, suggesting its suitability as a precursor for MXenes production. Additionally, the antimicrobial activity against Candida albicans and biocompatibility assessments against Escherichia coli (E. coli), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), and HepG2 cell line were investigated. The results demonstrated significant antifungal activity of the synthesized phases against Candida albicans and negligible impact on the viability of E. coli and S. aureus. Interestingly, lower concentrations of Cr2AlC MAX phase induced cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells by triggering intercellular oxidative stress, while Cr3AlC2 and Cr4AlC3 exhibited lower cytotoxicity compared to Cr2AlC, highlighting their potential in biomedical applications.

Effects of multi-walled carbon nanotubes on gene and microRNA expression in human hepatocarcinoma HepG2 cells.

The usage of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) has increased exponentially in the past years, but, potential toxicity mechanisms are not clear. We studied the transcriptomic alterations induced by one multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) and its -OH and -COOH functionalized derivatives in human HepG2 cells. We showed that all three MWCNT treatments induced alterations in stress-related signaling pathways, inflammation-related signaling pathways, cholesterol synthesis pathways, proliferation-related pathways, senescence-related pathways and cancer-related pathways. In stress-related pathways, the acute phase response was induced in all three MWCNTs and all doses treated and ranked high. Other stress-related pathways were also related to the oxidative-induced signaling pathways, such as NRF-2 mediated oxidative stress response, hepatic fibrosis/Stella cell activation, iNOS signaling, and Hif1α signaling. Many inflammation-related pathways were altered, such as IL-8, IL-6, TNFR1, TNFR2, and NF-κB signaling pathways. These results were consistent with our previous results with exposures to the same three multi-walled carbon nanotubes in human lung BEAS-2B and also with results in mice and rats. From the microRNA target filter analysis, TXNIP & miR-128-3p interaction was present in all three MWCNT treatments, and maybe important for the induction of oxidative stress. CXCL-8 & miR-146-5p and Wee1 & miR-128-3p were only present in the cells treated with the parent and the OH-functionalized MWCNTs. These mRNA-miRNA interactions were involved in oxidative stress, inflammation, cell cycle, cholesterol biosynthesis and cancer related pathways. Target filter analysis also showed altered liver hyperplasia/hyperproliferation and hepatic cancer pathways. In short, target filter analysis complemented the transcriptomic analysis and pointed to specific gene/microRNA interactions that can help inform mechanism of action. Moreover, our study showed that the signaling pathways altered in HepG2 cells correlated well with the toxicity and carcinogenicity observed in vivo, indicating that HepG2 may be a good in vitro predictive model for MWCNT toxicity studies.

Assessing genotoxic effects of chemotherapy agents by a robust in vitro assay based on mass spectrometric quantification of γ-H2AX in HepG2 cells.

Chemotherapy has already proven widely effective in treating cancer. Chemotherapeutic agents usually include DNA damaging agents and non-DNA damaging agents. Assessing genotoxic effect is significant during chemotherapy drug development, since the ability to attack DNA is the major concern for DNA damaging agents which relates to the therapeutic effect, meanwhile genotoxicity should also be evaluated for chemotherapy agents' safety especially for non-DNA damaging agents. However, currently applicability of in vitro genotoxicity assays is hampered by the fact that genotoxicity results have comparatively high false positive rates. γ-H2AX has been shown to be a bifunctional biomarker reflecting both DNA damage response and repair. Previously, we developed an in vitro genotoxicity assay based on γ-H2AX quantification using mass spectrometry. Here, we employed the assay to quantitatively assess the genotoxic effects of 34 classic chemotherapy agents in HepG2 cells. Results demonstrated that the evaluation of cellular γ-H2AX could be an effective approach to screen and distinguish types of action of different classes of chemotherapy agents. In addition, two crucial indexes of DNA repair kinetic curve, i.e., k (speed of γ-H2AX descending) and t50 (time required for γ-H2AX to drop to half of the maximum value) estimated by our developed online tools were employed to further evaluate nine representative chemotherapy agents, which showed a close association with therapeutic index or carcinogenic level. The present study demonstrated that mass spectrometric quantification of γ-H2AX may be an appropriate tool to preliminarily evaluate genotoxic effects of chemotherapy agents.

Inhibitory Activity of Compounds Isolated from Ligustrum robustum (Roxb.) against HepG2 Liver Cancer Cells: Isocubein and 4-(2-Acetoxyethyl)phenol as Potential Candidates.

Many herbal species in the genus Ligustrum have been shown to contain compounds with anti-cancer biological activity. This study aimed to isolate some compounds from the leaves of Ligustrum robustum (Roxb.) Blume (L. robustum) and evaluate their effects against liver cancer cells. As a result, seven previously reported compounds (1-7) were isolated, including four lignans (1-4) and three phenolic derivatives (5-7). The structures of these compounds were determined using spectroscopic methods and comparison with reported data. All isolates were assessed for their inhibitory effects on HepG2 liver cancer cells. Screening results revealed that two compounds, isocubein (3) and 4-(2-acetoxyethyl)phenol (7), exhibited strong inhibitory activity against cell proliferation, with IC50 values of 3.1±0.9 and 4.5±14 µM, respectively. Further analyses demonstrated that both compounds could suppress the formation and development of 3D tumorspheres in terms of quantity and size. Additionally, isocubein (3) and 4-(2-acetoxyethyl)phenol (7) exhibited the ability to inhibit the migration of HepG2 cells. This study represents the first report on the inhibitory activity against HepG2 liver cancer cells of extracts and isolated compounds from L. robustum, providing valuable information for future research aiming to develop products for liver cancer treatment.