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Based on the Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(JAK2/STAT3) signaling pathway, this study investigated the effect of medicated serum of Sparganii Rhizoma(SR) and Curcumae Rhizoma(CR) on the proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and secretion of inflammatory factors of ectopic endometrial stromal cells(ESCs). Specifically, human ESCs were primary-cultured. The effect of different concentration(5%, 10%, 20%) of SR-, CR-, and SR-CR combination-medicated serum, and AG490 solution(50 μmol·L~(-1)) on the proliferation of ESCs was detected by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium(MTT) assay, and the optimal dose was selected accordingly for further experiment. The cells were classified into normal serum(NS) group, SR group(10%), CR group(10%), combination(CM) group(10%), and AG490 group. The apoptosis level of ESCs was detected by flow cytometry, and the migration ability was examined by wound healing assay. The secretion of interleukin(IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). The protein levels of cysteinyl aspartate specific protei-nase-3(caspase-3), B-cell lymphoma(Bcl-2), and Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax) and the levels of phosphorylated(p)-JAK2 and p-STAT3 were detected by Western blot. The results showed that the viability of ESCs cells was lowered in the administration groups compared with the blank serum group(P<0.01), especially the 10% drug-medicated serum, which was selected for further experiment. The 10% SR-medicated serum, 10% CR-medicated serum, and 10% CM-medicated serum could increase the apoptosis rate(P<0.01), up-regulate the protein expression of caspase-3 and Bax in cells(P<0.05 or P<0.01), down-regulate the expression of Bcl-2(P<0.01), decrease the cell migration rate(P<0.05 or P<0.01), and reduce the secretion levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α(P<0.05 or P<0.01), and levels of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3(P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with the SR and CR groups, CM group showed low cell viability(P<0.01), high protein expression of caspase-3 and Bax(P<0.05 or P<0.01), and low protein expression of Bcl-2 and p-JAK2(P<0.05). After incubation with CM, the apoptosis rate was higher(P<0.05) and the migration rate was lower(P<0.01) than that of the CR group. The p-STAT3 protein level of CM group was lower than that of the RS group(P<0.05). The mechanism of SR, CR, and the combination underlying the improvement of endometriosis may be that they blocked JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway, inhibited ESC proliferation, promoted apoptosis, weakened cell migration, and reduced the secretion of inflammatory factors. The effect of the combination was better than that of RS alone and CR alone.
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Female , Humans , Janus Kinase 2 , Caspase 3 , bcl-2-Associated X Protein , Interleukin-6/genetics , Apoptosis , Signal Transduction , Cell Proliferation , STAT3 Transcription Factor/geneticsABSTRACT
Aim To investigate the molecular mechanisms of alcohol extracts of Euphorbia fischeriana steud. against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) through a combination of network pharmacology analysis and experimental validation. Methods The active ingredients and targets of alcohol extracts of Euphorbia fischeriana steud. were determined through TCMSP, Swiss ADME, Swiss Target Prediction database and references. The databases DisGeNET and GeneCards were employed to screen potential HCC-related genes. Venny platform, STRING platform and Cytoscape software were applied to construct active ingredient-target-disease and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network maps. Gene ontology (GO) and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were performed using the DAVID database. To assess the effects of Euphorbia fischeriana steud. alcohol extracts on BEL-7402 cells, the proliferation and apoptosis were detected by CCK-8, EdU and flow cytometry assays, and the related protein levels of JAK2/STAT3 pathway were analyzed by Western blot. Additionally, H22 hepatocellular carcinoma mouse model was used to evaluate the in vivo efficacy of Euphorbia fischeriana steud. alcohol extracts. Results A total of 916 HCC targeted genes, 30 active ingredients containing the related 567 potential targeted genes, and 115 intersection targets of disease and compounds were obtained. KEGG enrichment analysis identified JAK2/STAT3 signaling as a critical pathway. In vitro experiments showed the alcohol extracts of Euphorbia fischeriana steud. could inhibit proliferation, promote apoptosis and suppress JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway in a dose-dependent manner in BEL-7402 cells. In addition, the alcohol extracts of Euphorbia fischeriana steud., either alone or in combination with sorafenib, dramatically blocked tumor growth in in vivo tests. Conclusions Euphorbia fischeriana steud. alcohol extracts have anti-cancer effects in HCC, and the molecular mechanisms may be connected to the regulation of JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.
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Aim To predict the targets of Modified Danggui Shaoyao San ( MDSS) in the treatment of chronic atrophic gastritis ( CAG) based on network pharmacology and vertify the results based on experim-ention. Methods TCMSP, SWISS TARGETS, GENE CARDS and OMIM databases were used to screen the therapeutic targets of MDSS for CAG. STRING database and Cytoscape software were used to construct the protein interaction network and screen the core targets. Metascape database was used for GO analysis and KEGG enrichment pathways. And molecular docking was used for target validation. CAG rat model was pre¬pared by N-methyl-N'-nitroso-N-nitroguanidine free drink combined with sodium salicylate gastric lavage. The pathology of rat gastric mucosa was observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining,and the ultrastructure of ep¬ithelial cells was observed by transmission electron mi-croscopy. The serum IL-6 and IL-10 content was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the expression of JAK2, STAT3 , p-STAT3 , c-MYC mRNA and protein in rats was detected by qPCR and Western blot. Results MDSS acted on 189 targets, mainly involved in response to oxidative stress and apoptotic signaling pathway. KEGG analysis related to pathways in cancer and JAK-STAT signaling pathway. The experimental results showed that the MDSS could improve the degree of atrophy of gastric mucosa in CAG rats and improve the status of epithelial cells, down-regulate the serum IL-6 content of CAG rats, up-regulate the IL-10 content, and reduce the expression of JAK2, STAT3 , p-STAT3 , c-MYC mRNA and protein in gastric mucosa with statistical significance. Conclusions MDSS treats CAG through multiple active ingredients, targets, and pathways, the mechanism of which may be related to the inhibition of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.
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Aim To investigate the mechanism of action of paeonol based on JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway to ameliorate liver inflammation and oxidative stress injury induced by acute alcohol stimulation in mice. Methods C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into normal group, model group, silibinin group (36. 8 mg • kg
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【Objective】 To investigate the regulatory effect of JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway inhibitor AG490 on the functional phenotype of M2-like macrophages and its effects on proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells. 【Methods】 Human mononuclear cell line THP-1 was induced to differentiate into M0 macrophages by PMA in vitro. The M1-like phenotype was induced by LPS and IFN-γ, and M2-like phenotype was induced by IL-4 and IL-13, respectively, and identified by immunofluorescence labeling CD68, CD86 and CD206. The mRNA expressions of CD163, Arg1, CCL22, PPARγ, IL-10, IL-20 and TNF-α were determined by RT-qPCR. The expressions of key proteins in JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway were detected by Western blotting. M2-like macrophages were treated with JAK2/STAT3 inhibitor (AG490) to observe the expression level of marker genes for M2 like phenotype. Macrophages were co-cultured with gastric cancer cells, and the effects of the macrophages on proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of gastric cancer cells were detected by CCK-8 method, healing assay, transwell intracellular Matrigel invasion assay, and flow cytometry. The xenograft tumor model of MKN45 gastric cancer in nude mice was prepared, and the tumor size and quality were observed for 20 days after the model was established. 【Results】 THP-1 cells were induced into M1-like macrophages and M2-like macrophages. M1-like marker (CD86) and M2-like marker (CD206) were identified by flow cytometry. The P38MAPK, JAK2, p-STAT3/STAT3 protein levels of M2-like macrophages treated with AG490 were significantly reduced. The mRNA expression levels of Arg1, CCL22, PPARγ and IL-10 were significantly reduced in the group of M2-like macrophages treated with AG490. Co-culture of M2-like macrophages with gastric cancer cells could promote gastric cancer cell viability, increase migration and invasion ability, and inhibit apoptosis. When the group of M2-like macrophages treated with AG490 was co-cultured with gastric cancer cells, the proliferation activity of MKN-45 cells and MGC823 was significantly lower than that in M2 group (1.047±0.062 vs. 1.426±0.076, 1.149±0.006 vs. 1.301±0.015). Compared to M2 group, the migration (100.0%±5.73% vs. 72%±3.85%) and invasion ability (100.0%±7.40% vs. 60%±6.54%) of MGC823 gastric cancer cells in AG490 treatment group were significantly reduced. The apoptosis rate of MGC823 cells in the AG490 treated group was significantly higher than that in M2 group (27.51%±0.70% vs. 20.82%±0.92%). In the nude mouse xenograft tumor model, the volume and weight of the transplanted tumor collected at day 20 were significantly lower in AG490 treated group than in M2 group (736.04±182.34 vs. 1 080.5±250.57)mm3, (0.64±0.11 vs. 0.87±0.17)g. 【Conclusion】 AG490 downregulates the activation level of JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway in M2-like macrophages, inhibits M2-type polarization, partially reverses the cancer-promoting function of M2-like macrophages, inhibits proliferation, migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells, and induces apoptosis. The JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway can be further studied as a potential therapeutic target for gastric cancer.
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Objective To investigate the influence of limonin on the malignant biological behavior of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells by regulating the protein tyrosine kinase 2 (JAK2)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathway. Methods CCK-8 method was applied to detect the survival rate of A549 cells treated with different concentrations of limonin (0, 5, 10, 25, 50, 75, 100 μmol/L). A549 cells were separated into normal culture (NC) group, low-dose limonin group (treatment with 10 μmol/L limonin for 24 h), medium-dose limonin group (treatment with 25 μmol/L limonin for 24 h), high-dose limonin group (treatment with 50 μmol/L limonin for 24 h), coumermycin A1 group (treatment with 10 μmol/L JAK2 activator coumermycin A1+50 μmol/L limonin for 24 h), and AG490 group (treatment with 10 μmol/L JAK2 inhibitor AG490+50 μmol/L limonin for 24 h). Clone formation assay was applied to detect the clones of each group of cells. Transwell assay was applied to detect cell migration and invasion, and flow cytometry was applied to detect apoptosis. Western blot analysis was applied to detect the protein expression levels of JAK2, p-JAK2, STAT3, p-STAT3, E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and vimentin in each group. Results The viability of A549 cells decreased significantly in a limonin concentration-dependent manner (P < 0.05), with IC50 of 45.16±1.66 μmol/L. Concentrations of 10, 25, and 50 μmol/L were selected for subsequent experiments. The numbers of clones, migration, and invasion of A549 cells and the protein expression levels of IL-6, p-JAK2, p-STAT3, N-cadherin, and vimentin in the low-, medium-, and high-dose limonin groups significantly decreased, compared with those in the NC group, and the apoptosis rate and E-cadherin protein expression significantly increased (P < 0.05). The JAK2 activator coumermycin A1 attenuated the ability of limonin to inhibit the proliferation, migration, invasion, and other malignant biological behavior of A549 cells and attenuated the apoptosis ability. The JAK2 inhibitor AG490 enhanced the ability of limonin to inhibit the proliferation, migration, invasion, and other malignant biological behavior of A549 cells and enhanced the apoptosis ability. Conclusion Limonin can inhibit the malignant biological behavior of NSCLC cells, such as proliferation, migration, and invasion, by inhibiting the JAK2/STAT3 pathway.
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This study aimed to investigate the effect and molecular mechanism of sinomenine on proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, and combination with inhibitors in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells and SK-HEP-1 cells. The effect of sinomenine on the growth ability of HepG2 and SK-HEP-1 cells were investigated by CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, and BeyoClick~(TM) EdU-488 staining. The effect of sinomenine on DNA damage was detected by immunofluorescence assay, and the effect of sinomenine on apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells was clarified by Hoechst 33258 staining and CellEvent~(TM) Cystein-3/7Green ReadyProbes~(TM) reagent assay. Cell invasion assay and 3D tumor cell spheroid invasion assay were performed to investigate the effect of sinomenine on the invasion ability of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro. The effect of sinomenine on the regulation of protein expression related to the protein kinase B(Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3) signaling pathway in HepG2 and SK-HEP-1 cells was examined by Western blot. Molecular docking was used to evaluate the strength of affinity of sinomenine to the target cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-3(caspase-3) and STAT3, and combined with CCK-8 assay to detect the changes in cell viability after combination with STAT3 inhibitor JSI-124 in combination with CCK-8 assay. The results showed that sinomenine could significantly reduce the cell viability of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in a concentration-and time-dependent manner, significantly inhibit the clonogenic ability of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells, and weaken the invasive ability of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro. In addition, sinomenine could up-regulate the cleaved level of poly ADP-ribose polymerase(PARP), a marker of apoptosis, and down-regulate the protein levels of p-Akt, p-mTOR, and p-STAT3 in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Molecular docking results showed that sinomenine had good affinity with the targets caspase-3 and STAT3, and the sensitivity of sinomenine to hepatocellular carcinoma cells was diminished after STAT3 was inhibited. Therefore, sinomenine can inhibit the proliferation and invasion of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells and induce apoptosis, and the mechanism may be attributed to the activation of caspase-3 signaling and inhibition of the Akt/mTOR/STAT3 pathway. This study can provide a new reference for the in-depth research and clinical application of sinomenine and is of great significance to further promote the scientific development and utilization of sinomenine.
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Humans , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/genetics , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism , Caspase 3/metabolism , Liver Neoplasms/genetics , Molecular Docking Simulation , Sincalide/pharmacology , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell Proliferation , Hep G2 Cells , TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism , ApoptosisABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo explore the role of interleukin-6 （IL-6）/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （STAT3） pathway in the balance of T helper 17 （Th17）/regulatory T （Treg） cells in ulcerative colitis （UC） with internal dampness-heat accumulation syndrome and the intervention mechanism of Shaoyaotang. MethodA total of 60 SD rats were randomized into blank group （equivalent volume of normal saline）， model group （equivalent volume of normal saline）， western medicine control group （0.42 g·kg-1 mesalazine）， and low-dose （11.1 g·kg-1）， medium-dose （22.2 g·kg-1）， and high-dose （44.4 g·kg-1） Shaoyaotang groups. UC with internal dampness-heat accumulation syndrome was induced in rats with the compound method except for the blank group. The administration lasted 14 days for each group. At 24 h after the last administration， rats were killed and the spleen and colon tissues were separated. The histopathological changes of colon were observed based on hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining and the levels of interleukin-17 （IL-17） and transforming growth factor-β1 （TGF-β1） in colon tissue were detected by immunohistochemistry （IHC）. Flow cytometry was employed to determine the levels of Th17/Treg cells in the spleen， and Western blot to measure the levels of IL-6 and STAT3 proteins in colon tissue. ResultCompared with the blank group， the model group had lesions such as congestion and erosion， low percentage of spleen Treg cells （P<0.01）， high percentage of Th17 cells （P<0.01）， and high levels of IL-6 and STAT3 proteins in colon tissue （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the administration groups showed alleviation of colon injury， high percentage of spleen Treg cells （P<0.05， P<0.01）， low percentage of Th17 cells （P<0.01）， and low levels of IL-6 and STAT3 proteins in colon tissue （P<0.01）. ConclusionShaoyaotang regulates the balance of Th17/Treg by inhibiting the IL-6/STAT3 pathway， thereby relieving the pathological damage of UC rats with internal dampness-heat accumulation syndrome and affecting their immune function.
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OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effect of scutellarin (SCU) on proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells and its related molecular mechanism.@*METHODS@#Human AML HL-60 cells were cultured in vitro. The cells were treated with SCU at the concentration of 0, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 μmol/L, and the inhibition rate of cell proliferation was detected by CCK-8 method. Then HL-60 cells were treated with SCU at the concentration of 4, 8, 16 μmol/L, and the negative control group (NC group) was set. The cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry, and the expression of cell cycle, apoptosis and JAK2/STAT3 pathway related proteins were detected by Western blot.@*RESULTS@#SCU significantly inhibited the proliferation of HL-60 cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner(r =0.958,r =0.971). Compared with NC group, the proportion of cells in G0/G1 phase and apoptosis rate of HL-60 cells in 4, 8, 16 μmol/L SCU group were significantly increased, and the proportion of cells in S phase was significantly decreased (P <0.05). The relative protein expression levels of p21, p53, caspase-3 and Bax were significantly increased, while the relative protein expression levels of CDK2, cyclin E and Bcl-2 were significantly decreased (P <0.05). The ratio of p-JAK2/JAK2 and p-STAT3/STAT3 were significantly decreased (P <0.05). The changes of above-mentioned indexes were concentration dependent.@*CONCLUSION@#SCU can inhibit the proliferation of AML cells, induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.
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Humans , Apoptosis , Signal Transduction , Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute , HL-60 Cells , Cell Proliferation , Cell Line, TumorABSTRACT
Synaptotagmin 1 (Sytl) is a member of the Synaptotagmin family and plays a role in neurotransmitter vesicle transport and exoeytosis. It has been reported that Sytl appears to be expressed in the intestinal epithelium, but the biological function of Sytl in colitis remains poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Sytl in the inflammatory response and intestinal epithelial regeneration in colitis using Sytl transgenic mice and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis mode. qRT-PCR and Western blotting were employed to analyze the dynamic changes of Sytl in colitis. H&E staining, immunostaining and Western blotting were used to explore the roles of Sytl in the inflammatory response and in the regeneration and repair of intestinal epithelium in colitis. The results showed that the expression level of Sytl was indeed high in the colonic epithelium of wild-type mice and the intestinal epithelial cells of the adjacent tissues of colorectal cancer patients. Consistently, DSS-induced inflammation progressively resulted in marked upregulation of Sytl in the colon (P<0.01). In DSS-induced colitis, both the body weight loss and colonic shortening were dampened in Sytl loss-of-function mice compared with the control group (P < 0.05), while the number of regenerated crypts and Ki67 proliferating cells were also increased (P<0.01). Additionally, there were less infiltration of CD45 immune cells and F 4/80 macrophages and the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, TNFα and I L l-β, which were related with the severity of inflammation in the inflammatory bowel disease (I B D), were significantly decreased after Sytl deletion (P<0.05). Immunohistochemistry staining and Western blotting results further showed that IL-6 and p-STAT3 was significantly downregulated in Sytl knockdown mice (P<0.05). Taken together, these results suggested that knocking-down of Sytl may improve colitis by inhibiting the IL6/STAT3 signaling pathway.
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Aim To explore the effects of cinnamaldehyde on the proliferation and stemness of pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells, and its possible mechanism of action.Methods CCK8 assay was used to detect the effect of cinnamaldehyde treatment on cell viability at different concentrations(0, 5, 15, 20, 30, 50, 70, 100, 150 μmol·L-1)and different intervention time(24, 48, 72 h).CFSE proliferation assay was used to detect the inhibitory effects of cinnamaldehyde on PANC-1 cells.Colony formation assay was employed to determine the colony-forming ability of PANC-1 cells after cinnamaldehyde treatment.The sphere formation assay was employed to detect the effects of cinnamaldehyde on sphere-forming ability in PANC-1 cells.Western blot analysis and qRT-PCR analysis were applied to determine the expression levels of Nanog, Sox-2 and Oct-4.Flow cytometry was used to detect the percentage of CD44+CD24+ cells and ALDH+ cells in cinnamaldehyde treated and untreated PANC-1 cells.Western blot analysis was used to detect the effects of cinnamaldehyde on the expression of CD44s, p-STAT3 and STAT3 in PANC-1 cells.Results Cinnamaldehyde suppressed cell viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and inhibited tumor-cell proliferation and colony forming ability significantly in a dose-dependent manner in PANC-1 cells.Sphere-forming assay showed that cinnamaldehyde could significantly inhibit sphere-forming ability in suspension culture of PANC-1 cells.The mRNA and protein expression levels of three stemness-related genes were down-regulated after cinnamaldehyde treatment.In addition, cinnamaldehyde treatment significantly decreased the proportion of CD44+CD24+ cells and ALDH+ cells.Western blotting showed that cinnamaldehyde inhibited the expression of CD44s and p-STAT3, while it had no effect on the expression of STAT3.With the addition of STAT3 activator(Colivelin TFA), the inhibition of cinnamaldehyde on proliferation and tumor-cell stemness in PANC-1 cells was partially rescued.Conclusions Cinnamaldehyde significantly inhibits the proliferation and tumor-cell stemness of pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells, and the mechanism could be related to the modulation of CD44s/STAT3 signaling pathway.
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Objective:To investigate the effects of anemoside B4 on proliferation, apoptosis and migration of ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells through a variety of biological methods, and further to explore its mechanism.Methods:Ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells were cultured in vitro. CCK-8 method was used to detect the proliferation of SKOV3 cells treated with different concentrations of anemoside B4, and IC50 value was calculated. Flow cytometry was employed to detect the apoptosis of cells treated with IC50 concentration of anemoside B4 for different time length; Transwell method was used to detect the migration and invasion of cells treated with IC50 concentration of anemoside B4 for different time length. Western blot was used to detect changes in the expression of related proteins.Results:Anemoside B4 can effectively inhibit the proliferation of SKOV3 cells, showing a concentration-dependent IC50 value of 6.08±0.56 μM, and the inhibitory effect is stronger than the positive control drug cisplatin, with statistically significant difference (P<0.05) . Flow cytometry showed that anemoside B4 could induce SKOV3 cells apoptosis, reduce Bcl-xl expression, and up-regulate the expression of Bax, cleaved-caspase-3 and PARP. Compared with the group of 0 h, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05) . Crocetin could down-regulate the expression of N-cadherin and up-regulate the expression of E-cadherin, thereby inhibiting the migration of SKOV3 cells. Anemoside B4 could inhibit the expression of JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway proteins.Conclusion:Anemoside B4 can effectively inhibit the proliferation of cervical cancer cells, and induce SKOV3 cell apoptosis by regulating the JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway to inhibit their migration. Crocetin has great potential in the research and development of ovarian cancer therapy.
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Dexmedetomidine (DEX) is known to provide neuroprotection against cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury (CIRI), but the exact mechanisms remain unclear. This study was conducted to investigate whether DEX pretreatment conferred neuroprotection against CIRI by inhibiting neuroinflammation through the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was performed to establish a cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) model. Specific-pathogen-free male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into Sham, I/R, DEX, DEX+IL-6, and AG490 (a selective inhibitor of JAK2) groups. The Longa score, TTC staining, and HE staining were used to evaluate brain damage. ELISA was used to exam levels of TNF-α. Western blotting was used to assess the levels of JAK2, phosphorylated-JAK2 (p-JAK2), STAT3, and phosphorylated-STAT3 (p-STAT3). Our results suggested that both pretreatment with DEX and AG490 decreased the Longa score and cerebral infarct areas following cerebral I/R. After treatment with IL-6, the effects of DEX on abrogating these pathological changes were reduced. HE staining revealed that I/R-induced neuronal pathological changes were attenuated by DEX application, consistent with the AG490 group. However, these effects of DEX were abolished by IL-6. Furthermore, TNF-α levels were significantly increased in the I/R group, accompanied by an increase in the levels of the p-JAK2 and p-STAT3. DEX and AG490 pretreatment down-regulated the expressions of TNF-α, p-JAK2, and p-STAT3. In contrast, the down-regulation of TNF-α, p-JAK2, and p-STAT3 induced by DEX was reversed by IL-6. Collectively, our results indicated that DEX pretreatment conferred neuroprotection against CIRI by inhibiting neuroinflammation via negatively regulating the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.
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@#BACKGROUND: Exosomes and exosomal microRNAs have been implicated in tumor occurrence and metastasis. Our previous study showed that microRNA-761 (miR-761) is overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues and that its inhibition affects mitochondrial function and inhibits HCC metastasis. The mechanism by which exosomal miR-761 modulates the tumor microenvironment has not been elucidated. METHODS: Exosomal miR-761 was detected in six cell lines. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and transwell migration assays were performed to determine the function of exosomal miR-761 in HCC cells. The luciferase reporter assay was used to analyze miR-761 target genes in normal fibroblasts (NFs). The inhibitors AZD1480 and C188-9 were employed to determine the role of the Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (JAK2/STAT3) signaling pathway in the transformation of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). RESULTS: In this study, we characterized the mechanism by which miR-761 reprogrammed the tumor microenvironment. We found that HCC-derived exosomal miR-761 was taken up by NFs. Moreover, HCC exosomes affected the tumor microenvironment by activating NFs via suppressor of cytokine signaling 2 (SOCS2) and the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrated that exosomal miR-761 modulated the tumor microenvironment via SOCS2/JAK2/STAT3 pathway-dependent activation of CAFs. Our findings may inspire new strategies for HCC prevention and therapy.
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ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism of Xueniao capsule in the treatment of acute pyelonephritis （APN） by network pharmacology and experimental verification. MethodThe effect of Xueniao capsule on APN was investigated based on the APN model in rats. The Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform （TCMSP）， Chemistryl Database， and SymMap were searched for the chemical components of Smilacis Chinae Rhizoma，Coicis Semen， and Trachycarpi Petiolus. The target information of the components was collected from PharmMapper and SwissTargetPrediction， and disease target information from Therapeutic Target Database （TTD）， DrugBank， DisGeNET， GeneCards， and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man（OMIM）. The key genes of Xueniao capsule for APN underwent Gene Ontology（GO） and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes（KEGG） pathway enrichment analyses by Metascap. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （PCR） and Western blot were employed to verify the prediction results. ResultCompared with the blank group and the sham operation group， the model group showed an increased ratio of the left kidney to the right kidney and organ index（P<0.05， P<0.01），up-regulated white blood cells （WBC），neutrophils （NEUT），monocytes （MONO）， and lymphocytes （LY）（P<0.05， P<0.01）， and elevated levels of nuclear factor-κB（NF-κB）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）（P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the norfloxacin group， the low- and high-dose Xueniao capsule groups showed a decreased ratio of the left kidney to the right kidney and organ index（P<0.05， P<0.01）， dwindled levels of WBC， NEUT， MONO， and LY（P<0.05， P<0.01）， and reduced levels of NF-κB， IL-6， and TNF-α（P<0.05， P<0.01）. The medium-dose Xueniao capsule group showed a decreased ratio of the left kidney to the right kidney and organ index（P<0.05， P<0.01）， reduced levels of WBC， NEUT， MONO， and LY（P<0.05， P<0.01）， and dwindled levels of IL-6 and TNF-α（P<0.05， P<0.01）. Network pharmacological analysis revealed 17 active compounds from Smilacis Chinae Rhizoma， 18 active compounds from Coicis Semen， six active compounds from Trachycarpi Petiolus， and 39 key genes for the treatment of APN in Xueniao capsule. GO enrichment analysis demonstrated 704 biological processes， 22 cellular components， and 59 molecular functions. Sixty-two pathways were enriched in KEGG enrichment analysis. The experimental verification results showed that compared with the blank group， the model group showed increased mRNA expression of prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 （PTGS2）， mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 （MAPK1）/extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 2 （ERK2），phosphoinositide 3 kinase （PI3K），protein kinase B2（Akt2），Janus kinase 2 （JAK2），and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （STAT3）and protein expression of PI3K， Akt2， JAK2， and STAT3 （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the low-dose Xueniao capsule group showed decreased mRNA expression of MAPK1， PI3K， JAK2， and STAT3 and protein expression of PI3K， JAK2， and STAT3 （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The medium-dose Xueniao capsule group showed decreased mRNA expression of MAPK1， PTGS2， PI3K， JAK2， and STAT3， and protein expression of PI3K， JAK2， and STAT3 （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The high-dose Xueniao capsule group showed reduced mRNA expression of PTGS2， MAPK1， PI3K， Akt2， JAK2， and STAT3 and protein expression of PI3K， Akt2， JAK2， and STAT3 （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionXueniao capsule has a certain curative effect on APN via multiple targets and multiple pathways. The mechanism may be related to the inhibition of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.
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ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of pulsatilla saponin A （PSA） on proliferation and apoptosis of human Burkitt lymphoma （BL） cell line Raji cells and expression of related pathway proteins. MethodWith Raji cells as the research object， the cell proliferation was detected by cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） method， and the half-maximal inhibitory concentration （IC50） values of 24 h， 48 h and 72 h were calculated to be 19.77， 18.31， 16.70 μmol·L-1， respectively. In subsequent related experiments， 0， 8， 16， 32 μmol·L-1 PSA were selected according to the IC50 value of Raji cells treated with PAS for 72 h. After 0， 8， 16， 32 μmol·L-1 PSA acted on Raji cells for 24， 48， 72 h， the optical density values of cell growth curve were detected by CCK-8 method. The zymogen activities of cysteine aspartate-specific protease （Caspase）-3， Caspase-8 and Caspase-9 in Raji cells treated with 0， 8， 16 and 32 μmol·L-1 PSA for 24 h were measured by Caspase-3， Caspase-8 and Caspase-9 colorimetric assay kit. The apoptosis rate and cell cycle of Raji cells treated with different concentrations of PSA after 24 h were detected by flow cytometry. The expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 （Bcl-2）， Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax）， cleaved poly（ADP-ribose） polymerase （cleaved PARP）， cleaved cysteinyl aspartate-specific protease-3 （cleaved Caspase-3） apoptosis related protein and Janus kinase 2 （JAK2）， signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （STAT3）， phosphorylated-JAK2 （p-JAK2）， and phosphorylated- STAT3 （p-STAT3） pathway proteins in Raji cells after 24 h of treatment with 0， 8， 16 and 32 μmol·L-1 PSA were tested by Western blot. ResultCompared with control group， decreased cell survival rate， inhibited cell proliferation， activated zymogens of Caspase-3， Caspase-8 and Caspase-9 （P<0.01）， increased apoptosis （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and enhanced cell cycle arrest in Gap phase 2 （G2） were observed in 8， 16 and 32 μmol·L-1 PSA groups（P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with control group， cells treated with 8， 16 and 32 μmol·L-1 PSA had lower expression of Bcl-2， p-JAK2， p-STAT3 proteins （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and higher expression of Bax， cleaved PARP and cleaved Caspase-3 protein （P<0.01）， while no significant change was found in the expression of JAK2 and STAT3 proteins. ConclusionPSA could inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis of Raji cells， and its potential mechanism might be related to the regulation of JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.
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Objective:To investigate the apoptosis-inducing effect of baohuoside I (BI) on endometrial cancer Ishikawa cells and its related molecular mechanism.Methods:With 0 μ M and 0 h treatment were used as blank control group, and BI treatment was used as experimental group. The inhibitory effect of BI on the proliferation of Ishikawa cells was detected by CCK-8 assay. The apoptosis-inducing effect of BI on Ishikawa cells and the changes of mitochondrial membrane potential were detected by flow cytometry. The expressions of apoptosis-related proteins and signaling pathway-related proteins were detected by Western blot.Results:CCK-8 experiment showed that BI could be expressed in concentration gradient (3, 10, 20, 30, 40 μM). It could effectively inhibit the proliferation of Ishikawa cells (the survival rates were 89.56±0.96, 74.69±1.21, 60.28±1.09 and 43.51±2.17 respectively). Its toxic and side effects on normal cells were lower than that of 5-FU. The results of flow cytometry showed that BI could effectively induce the apoptosis of Ishikawa cells by reducing the level of mitochondrial membrane potential. The proportion of apoptotic cells in each group was (9.92±0.77) %, (14.01±0.83) %, (17.05±1.41) %, (28.21±1.73) % and (44.55±3.11) %. Western blot showed that BI could up-regulate the level of p-p38 and reduce the level of p-STAT3.Conclusions:BI can effectively inhibit the proliferation of Ishikawa cells, and induce apoptosis by reducing the mitochondrial membrane potential and activating the mitochondria-dependent pathway. Its regulatory mechanism is achieved by activating the p38 signaling pathway and inhibiting the STAT3 pathway.
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Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is an important regulatory factor of cell proliferation and metastasis, involved in the occurrence and development of a variety of malignant tumors, and it is one of the hot spots in the research of targeted anti-tumor drugs. Our group screened a novel benzobis (imidazole) structure small molecule compound LZJ541 through the screening model of Janus kinase (JAK)/STAT3 pathway inhibitors, which has definite STAT3 inhibitory activity. We examined the effect of LZJ541 on the proliferation of HepG2 and PC-3 cells by MTT assay in vitro, detected the effect of LZJ541 on the expression of STAT3-related proteins in HepG2 cells by Western blot, and measured the effect of LZJ541 on the apoptosis and cell cycle arrest of HepG2 cells via flow cytometry. The results indicated that LZJ541 significantly inhibited the activation of STAT3 signaling pathway and restrained the proliferation of HepG2 cells. Its half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was 13.8 μmol·L-1, which was much lower than that of PC-3 cells (with low STAT3 expression, IC50: 41.99 μmol·L-1), LZJ541 can also inhibit the phosphorylation of STAT3 in HepG2 cells, thereby inducing apoptosis and cycle arrest and then exerting anti-tumor effects. In conclusion, LZJ541 has a certain anti-tumor effect in vitro, which provides an experimental basis for the development of new STAT3-targeted anti-tumor drugs around this kind of compounds.
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@#[Abstract] Objective: To investigate the effects of fibronectin Ⅲ domain containing protein 10 (FNDC10) on the proliferation, migration and invasion of breast cancer cells, and to primarily explore the mechanism. Methods: TCGA database was used to analyze the expression of FNDC10 in breast cancer tissues. The mRNA level of FNDC10 in normal immortalized breast cells (MCF-10A) and breast cancer cells (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, BT549, MDA-MB-468, HCC1806, HCC1937) was detected by qPCR. MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were transfected with FNDC10 siRNA or NC-siRNA for functional experiments. CCK-8 assay was used to detect the effect of FNDC10 on the proliferation of breast cancer cells. Colony forming assay was used to detect the colony forming ability of breast cancer cells. Transwell assay was used to detect the effect of FNDC10 on migration and invasion of breast cancer cells. WB was used to detect the changes of metastasis-related molecules and cell signaling pathways at protein level. Results:The expression of FNDC10 in breast cancer tissues was significantly higher than that in normal tissues (P<0.01), and the expression level of FNDC10 in breast cancer MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells was higher than that in normal breast cells (P<0.01 or P<0.05). Knocking down FNDC10 expression inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of breast cancer cells (P<0.01 or P<0.05). The mechanism study showed that knockdown of FNDC10 expression inhibited STAT3 activation in breast cancer cells (P<0.01 or P<0.05) and enhanced the expression of EMT maker E-cadherin (P<0.05), leading to the suppression of EMT progression. Conclusion: FNDC10 promotes proliferation and EMT of breast cancer cells through activating STAT3 signaling pathway, thereby promoting the malignant progression of breast cancer.
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OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effect of Chaihu Guizhi Decoction (CHGZD) combined with capecitabine on growth and apoptosis of subcutaneous triple-negative breast cancer xenografts in nude mice and explore the possible mechanism.@*METHODS@#Nude mouse models bearing subcutaneous triple-negative breast cancer xenografts were randomized into 6 groups (n=10) for treatment with distilled water (model group), low (10.62 g/kg), medium (21.23 g/kg) and high (42.46 g/kg) doses of CHGZD, capecitabine (0.2 mg/kg), or the combination of CHGZD (42.46 g/kg) and capecitabine (0.2 mg/k) once daily for 21 consecutive days. The general condition of mice was observed, and after 21-day treatments, the tumors were dissected for measurement of tumor volume and weight and histopathological examination with HE staining. Serum IL-6 levels of the mice were determined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the expression levels of IL-6, STAT3, p-STAT3, Bax, Bcl-2 and cyclin D1 in the tumor tissues were detected using real-time PCR and Western blotting.@*RESULTS@#Compared with those in the model group, the tumor-bearing mice receiving treatments with CHGZD showed significantly increased food intake with good general condition, sensitive responses, increased body weight, and lower tumor mass (P < 0.01). Compared with capecitabine treatment alone, treatment with CHGZD alone at the medium and high doses and the combined treatment all resulted in significantly higher tumor inhibition rates (P < 0.01), induced obvious tumor tissue degeneration and reduced the tumor cell density. Treatments with CHGZD, both alone and in combination with capecitabine, significantly decreased serum IL-6 level, lowered the mRNA expression levels of IL-6 and STAT3, the protein expressions of IL-6, STAT3 and P-STAT3 (P < 0.05), and the mRNA and protein expressions of Bcl-2 and cyclin D1 (P < 0.05), and increased the mRNA and protein expressions of Bax in the tumor tissues (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#CHGZD combined with capecitabine can significantly inhibit tumor growth in nude mice bearing triple-negative breast cancer xenografts, the mechanism of which may involve the inhibition of IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway and regulation of Bax, Bcl-2 and cyclin D1 expressions to suppress tumor cell proliferation and differentiation and induce cell apoptosis.