RESUMO
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been paid considerable attention owing to their broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and have great potential as novel antimicrobials. In this study, a novel hybrid peptide LF15-CA8 was designed on the basis of bovine lactoferricin (LfcinB) and cecropin A. The gene segment encoding LF15-CA8 was synthesized and cloned into pGEX-4T-BH to form pGEX-4T-LC1 containing one copy of the LF15-CA8 coding region. A series of recombinant vectors containing up to six multiple-copy LF15-CA8 coding regions, i.e., pGEX-4T-LCn (n = 1-6), were subsequently constructed, and used for transformation in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). After induction with IPTG, pGEX-4T-LC1 and pGEX-4T-LC2 transformants successfully expressed fusion proteins GST-LF15-CA8 and GST-(LF15-CA8)2 in the form of inclusion bodies, respectively. The inclusion bodies were dissolved and the peptide was successfully released in 70 % formic acid in a single step. After purification, about 10.0 mg of the recombinant peptide LF15-CA8 with purity more than 97 % was obtained from 1 l of bacteria culture of pGEX-4T-LC2 transformants. LF15-CA8 caused an increase in antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacterium (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923) compared with the parent peptides and did not show obvious hemolytic activity against human erythrocytes in the range of effective antibacterial concentration. These results suggest that the peptide LF15-CA8 could be a promising candidate for therapeutic applications, and may lead to a cost-effective solution for the large-scale production of AMPs.
Assuntos
Antibacterianos/biossíntese , Peptídeos Catiônicos Antimicrobianos/biossíntese , Animais , Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Peptídeos Catiônicos Antimicrobianos/genética , Peptídeos Catiônicos Antimicrobianos/farmacologia , Bovinos , Escherichia coli/genética , Vetores Genéticos , Humanos , Lactoferrina/genética , Proteínas Recombinantes de Fusão/biossíntese , Proteínas Recombinantes de Fusão/genética , Proteínas Recombinantes de Fusão/farmacologia , Staphylococcus aureus/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
Furanodiene (FUR) is a natural terpenoid isolated from Rhizoma Curcumae, a well-known Chinese medicinal herb that presents anti-proliferative activities in several cancer cell lines. Recently, we found that the combined treatment of FUR with paclitaxel (TAX) showed synergetic anti-proliferative activities in 95-D lung cancer cells. Herein, we showed that FUR reduced the cell numbers distributed in mitosis phase induced by TAX while increased those in G1 phase. The protein levels of cyclin D1, cyclin B1, CDK6 and c-Myc were all down-regulated in the group of combined treatment. The dramatically down-regulated expression of integrin ß4, focal adhesion kinase and paxillin might partially contribute to the synergic effect. Though FUR alone obviously induced endoplasmic reticulum stress, this signaling pathway may not contribute to the synergetic anti-proliferative effect as the protein expression of CHOP and BIP was similar in FUR alone and combined treatment group.
Assuntos
Ciclo Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Furanos/farmacologia , Compostos Heterocíclicos com 2 Anéis/farmacologia , Integrina beta4/metabolismo , Neoplasias Pulmonares/metabolismo , Paclitaxel/farmacologia , Transdução de Sinais/efeitos dos fármacos , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Curcuma/química , Ciclina B1/metabolismo , Ciclina D1/metabolismo , Quinase 6 Dependente de Ciclina/metabolismo , Sinergismo Farmacológico , Medicamentos de Ervas Chinesas/farmacologia , Estresse do Retículo Endoplasmático , Quinase 1 de Adesão Focal/metabolismo , Humanos , Paxilina/metabolismo , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-myc/metabolismoRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Studies have shown that electroacupuncture (EA) can alleviate cognitive impairments from Alzheimer's disease (AD) by regulating the expression of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), but the specific mechanism involved remains to be elucidated. Therefore, this study explores the potential mechanism by which EA improves cognitive function from the perspective of mitochondrial dynamics. METHODS: The four-month-old transgenic mice with amyloid precursor protein (APP)/presenilin 1 (PS1) and AMPKα1-subunit conditional knockout (AMPKα1-cKO) were used for experiments. To evaluate the effects of EA treatment on cognitive function, the T-maze and Morris water maze were used. In addition, chemical exchange saturation transfer, thioflavin staining, transmission electron microscopy, mitochondrial membrane potential, and Western blotting were used to examine the potential mechanisms underlying the effects of EA on APP/PS1 mice. RESULTS: Both APP/PS1 mice and AMPKα1-cKO mice exhibited dysfunction in mitochondrial dynamics accompanied by learning and memory impairment. Inactivation of the AMPK/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) pathway increased pathological amyloid-ß (Aß) deposition and aggravated the dysfunction in mitochondrial dynamics. In addition, EA rescued learning and memory deficits in APP/PS1 mice by activating the AMPK/PGC-1α pathway, specifically by reducing pathological Aß deposition, normalizing energy metabolism, protecting the structure and function of mitochondria, increasing the levels of mitochondrial fusion proteins, and downregulating the expression of fission proteins. However, the therapeutic effect of EA on cognition in APP/PS1 mice was hindered by AMPKα1 knockout. CONCLUSION: The regulation of hippocampal mitochondrial dynamics and reduction in Aß deposition via the AMPK/PGC-1α pathway are critical for the ability of EA to ameliorate cognitive impairment in APP/PS1 mice. Please cite this article as: Jia WW, Lin HW, Yang MG, Dai YL, Ding YY, Xu WS, Wang SN, Cao YJ, Liang SX, Wang ZF, Chen C, Liu WL. Electroacupuncture activates AMPKα1 to improve learning and memory in the APP/PS1 mouse model of early Alzheimer's disease by regulating hippocampal mitochondrial dynamics. J Integr Med. 2024; Epub ahead of print.
RESUMO
The solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) with lithium fluoride (LiF) is critical to the performance of lithium metal batteries (LMBs) due to its high stability and mechanical properties. However, the low Li ion conductivity of LiF impedes the rapid diffusion of Li ions in the SEI, which leads to localized Li ion oversaturation dendritic deposition and hinders the practical applications of LMBs at high-current regions (>3 C). To address this issue, a fluorophosphated SEI rich with fast ion-diffusing inorganic grain boundaries (LiF/Li3P) is introduced. By utilizing a sol electrolyte that contains highly dispersed porous LiF nanoparticles modified with phosphorus-containing functional groups, a fluorophosphated SEI is constructed and the presence of electrochemically active Li within these fast ion-diffusing grain boundaries (GBs-Li) that are non-nucleated is demonstrated, ensuring the stability of the Li || NCM811 cell for over 1000 cycles at fast-charging rates of 5 C (11 mA cm-2). Additionally, a practical, long cycling, and intrinsically safe LMB pouch cell with high energy density (400 Wh kg-1) is fabricated. The work reveals how SEI components and structure design can enable fast-charging LMBs.
RESUMO
Furanodiene (FUR) is a natural terpenoid isolated from Curcumae Rhizoma, a well-known Chinese medicinal herb that presents antiproliferation activities in several cancer cell lines. In this study, we demonstrated that FUR concentration dependently inhibits the cell proliferation of A549, NIH-H1299, and 95-D lung cancer cells. ß-elemene, another terpenoid isolated from Curcumae Rhizoma, exhibited weaker antiproliferative effects in A549 and NIH-H1299 cells and activities similar to FUR in 95-D cells. FUR significantly inhibited colony formation in A549 and 95-D cells and upregulated both the mRNA and protein expression levels of binding immunoglobulin protein (BIP) and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), indicating that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is induced. FUR treatment led to the accumulation of CHOP in the nucleus, which further confirms induction of ER stress. Furthermore, combined treatment of FUR with paclitaxel showed significant synergetic activities in NIH-H1299 and 95-D cells, suggesting its potential roles in combination therapy. These findings provide a basis for the further study of the anticancer effects in vivo and the internal mechanisms of FUR.
RESUMO
Natural product is an important source of new drug research and development (R&D). Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) innovation is the key step for its modernization and internationalization. However, due to the complexity of TCM, there are many difficulties and confusions in this process. Target-based drug discovery is the mainstream model and method of R&D. TTD, short for therapeutic target database, is developed by National University of Singapore. Besides a large amount of information on drug targets, the database also contains considerable information related to natural products. This paper briefly introduces the TTD, analyzes the natural products derived drugs/compounds recorded in TTD, which we think might provide some inspiration for the innovation of TCM.
Assuntos
Bases de Dados Factuais , Sistemas de Liberação de Medicamentos , Descoberta de Drogas , Medicamentos de Ervas Chinesas , Medicina Tradicional Chinesa , SingapuraRESUMO
Electrolyte engineering via fluorinated additives is promising to improve cycling stability and safety of high-energy Li-metal batteries. Here, an electrolyte is reported in a porous lithium fluoride (LiF) strategy to enable efficient carbonate electrolyte engineering for stable and safe Li-metal batteries. Unlike traditionally engineered electrolytes, the prepared electrolyte in the porous LiF nanobox exhibits nonflammability and high electrochemical performance owing to strong interactions between the electrolyte solvent molecules and numerous exposed active LiF (111) crystal planes. Via cryogenic transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy depth analysis, it is revealed that the electrolyte in active porous LiF nanobox involves the formation of a high-fluorine-content (>30%) solid electrolyte interphase layer, which enables very stable Li-metal anode cycling over one thousand cycles under high current density (4 mA cm-2 ). More importantly, employing the porous LiF nanobox engineered electrolyte, a Li || LiNi0.8 Co0.1 Mn0.1 O2 pouch cell is achieved with a specific energy of 380 Wh kg-1 for stable cycling over 80 cycles, representing the excellent performance of the Li-metal pouch cell using practical carbonate electrolyte. This study provides a new electrolyte engineering strategy for stable and safe Li-metal batteries.
RESUMO
Platycodin D (PD), isolated from the Chinese medicinal herb named Platycodonis Radix, is a triterpenoid saponin with well-known anti-tumor effects. In this study, we provided reliable evidence that PD triggered autophagy in a number of cell lines in vitro. PD-triggered autophagy was identified by observation of cytoplasmic vacuole, up-regulation of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 II (LC3-II), and accumulation of autophagosomes. The Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway may be not involved in PD-triggered autophagy, as evidenced by the increased phosphorylation of Akt (Thr308), mTOR (Ser2448), ribosomal protein S6 kinase (Ser371), and ULK1 (Ser757). However, the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) was activated after PD treatment. The decreased ERK phosphorylation caused by pretreatment with U0126, an inhibitor of MEK, suppressed the expression of LC3-II compared with PD treatment alone, suggesting that ERK pathway may have a critical function in PD-triggered autophagy. In addition, the PD-induced proliferative inhibition and apoptosis were enhanced when pretreatment with autophagy inhibitor chloroquine (CQ) or bafilomycin A1 (BAF), indicating that PD may trigger a protective autophagy in HepG2 cells. To the best of our knowledge, this paper is the first to report that PD triggers autophagy in a series of cell lines and ERK activation is important for PD-triggered autophagy in hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells. The combined treatment with PD and CQ or BAF may be a promising regimen for hepatocellular carcinoma treatment.
Assuntos
Autofagia/efeitos dos fármacos , MAP Quinases Reguladas por Sinal Extracelular/metabolismo , Saponinas/farmacologia , Triterpenos/farmacologia , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/metabolismo , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Cloroquina/farmacologia , Humanos , Neoplasias Hepáticas/metabolismo , Macrolídeos/farmacologiaRESUMO
Furanodiene (FUR) is a natural terpenoid isolated from Rhizoma curcumae, a well-known Chinese medicinal herb that presents anti-proliferative activities in several cancer cell lines. Herein, we systematically investigated the effects of FUR on the significant processes of tumor progression with the relatively low concentrations in 95-D lung cancer cells. FUR concentration-dependently inhibited cell proliferation and blocked the cell cycle progressions in G1 phase by down-regulating the protein levels of cyclin D1 and CDK6, and up-regulating those of p21 and p27 in 95-D cells. FUR also affected the signaling molecules that regulate apoptosis in 95-D cells revealed by the down-regulation of the protein levels of full PARP, pro-caspase-7, survivin, and Bcl-2, and the up-regulation of cleaved PARP. Further studies showed that FUR enhanced the expression of light chain 3-II (LC3-II) in the protein level, indicating that autophagy is involved in this process. Besides, the adhesion ability of 95-D cells to matrigel and fibronectin was slightly inhibited after FUR treatment for 1 h in our experimental condition. FUR also slightly suppressed cell migration and invasion in 95-D cells according to the data from wound healing and Transwell assays, respectively. Taken together, FUR activated the signal molecules regulating G1 cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and autophagy, while slightly affecting the key steps of cell metastasis in 95-D lung cancer cells in the relatively low concentrations.
Assuntos
Antineoplásicos Fitogênicos , Apoptose/efeitos dos fármacos , Autofagia/efeitos dos fármacos , Curcuma/química , Furanos/farmacologia , Pontos de Checagem da Fase G1 do Ciclo Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Compostos Heterocíclicos com 2 Anéis/farmacologia , Neoplasias Pulmonares/patologia , Apoptose/genética , Autofagia/genética , Caspase 7/metabolismo , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Furanos/isolamento & purificação , Pontos de Checagem da Fase G1 do Ciclo Celular/genética , Compostos Heterocíclicos com 2 Anéis/isolamento & purificação , Humanos , Proteínas Inibidoras de Apoptose/metabolismo , Metástase Neoplásica , Poli(ADP-Ribose) Polimerases/metabolismo , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-bcl-2/metabolismo , Rizoma , Survivina , Células Tumorais CultivadasRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Platycodin D (PD), a triterpenoid saponin isolated from the Chinese medicinal herb Platycodonis radix, possesses anti-cancer effects in several cancer cell lines. The aim of this study was to evaluate its anti- cancer activities in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MTT and colony formation assays were performed to evaluate cell proliferation, along with flow cytometry and Western blotting for apoptosis. Cell adhesion was tested by observing cellular morphology under a microscope, while the transwell assay was employed to investigate the cell migration and invasion. RESULTS: PD concentration-dependently inhibited cell proliferation in both HepG2 and Hep3B cells, and significantly suppressed colony formation and induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells. The protein levels of cleaved poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) and Bax were up-regulated while that of survivin was down-regulated after treatment with PD. Moreover, PD not only obviously suppressed the adhesion of HepG2 cells to Matrigel, but also remarkably depressed their migration and invasion induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA). CONCLUSIONS: PD presents anti-cancer potential in hepatocellular carcinoma cells via inducing apoptosis, and inhibiting cell adhesion, migration and invasion, indicating promising features as a lead compound for anti-cancer agent development.
Assuntos
Antineoplásicos/farmacologia , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias Hepáticas/tratamento farmacológico , Saponinas/farmacologia , Triterpenos/farmacologia , Apoptose/efeitos dos fármacos , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/patologia , Adesão Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Movimento Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Proliferação de Células/efeitos dos fármacos , Regulação para Baixo/efeitos dos fármacos , Células Hep G2 , Humanos , Proteínas Inibidoras de Apoptose/biossíntese , Neoplasias Hepáticas/patologia , Medicina Tradicional Chinesa , Invasividade Neoplásica , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Poli(ADP-Ribose) Polimerases/biossíntese , Survivina , Acetato de Tetradecanoilforbol , Regulação para Cima/efeitos dos fármacos , Proteína X Associada a bcl-2/biossínteseRESUMO
Quinones are plant-derived secondary metabolites that present some anti-proliferation and anti-metastasis effects in various cancer types both in vitro and in vivo. This review focuses on the anti-cancer prospects of plant-derived quinones, namely, aloe-emodin, juglone, ß-lapachol, plumbagin, shikonin, and thymoquinone. We intend to summarize their anti-cancer effects and investigate the mechanism of actions to promote the research and development of anti-cancer agents from quinones.
Assuntos
Antineoplásicos Fitogênicos/isolamento & purificação , Extratos Vegetais/química , Antraquinonas/isolamento & purificação , Antraquinonas/farmacologia , Antineoplásicos Fitogênicos/farmacologia , Benzoquinonas/isolamento & purificação , Benzoquinonas/farmacologia , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Sobrevivência Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Humanos , Naftoquinonas/isolamento & purificação , Naftoquinonas/farmacologia , Neoplasias/tratamento farmacológicoRESUMO
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Rhizoma Curcumae is a popular type of traditional Chinese medicine whose essential oils are widely used in the treatment of cancer in China. This review aims to systematically summarize and analyze the anti-cancer properties of terpenoids, the main components of essential oils in Rhizoma Curcumae, and thus enable the development of new anti-cancer drugs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Information on the recent progress of anti-cancer studies on terpenoids isolated from Rhizoma Curcumae, including ß-elemene, δ-elemene, furanodiene, furanodienone, curcumol, and germacrone, was gathered and analyzed. RESULTS: Among these terpenoids, ß-elemene is the most widely studied, whereas δ-elemene, furanodiene, furanodienone, curcumol, and germacrone have just recently attracted the attention of researchers. The anti-cancer effects of these terpenoids are related to the retardation of cell cycle arrest, the induction of apoptosis, and the inhibition of metastasis or tissue invasion, among others. CONCLUSIONS: Most studies have focused on the in vitro data, and in vivo data is urgently needed. Further insight into the anti-cancer activity and the molecular basis of these compounds, combined with efforts in pharmaceutical chemistry and/or pharmaceutics, will potentially enable the development of new anti-cancer agents.