Optimization of parameters for stir-frying of Kansui Radix with vinegar based on conversion of toxic components / 中国中药杂志

This study aims to optimize the parameters for stir-frying of Kansui Radix with vinegar based on the conversion of representative toxic diterpenes, which is expected to serve as a reference for the standardized production of Kansui Radix stir-fried with vinegar. To be specific, the toxic components [3-O-(2'E,4'Z-decadienoyl)-20-O-acetylingenol(3-O-EZ), kansuiphorin C(KPC)] in Kansui Radix and the products(ingenol, 20-deoxyingenol) after the stir-frying with vinegar were selected. The toxicity to intestine and water-draining activity were evaluated with NCM460(normal human colon mucosal epithelial cell line) and HT-29(a human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line). An HPLC method was then developed to assess the conversion of toxic components. On this basis, temperature, time, and amount of vinegar for the processing of Kansui Radix were optimized with the Box-Behnken design and the content of ingenol and 20-deoxyingenol as evaluation index. The results showed that after the stir-frying of Kansui Radix with vinegar, 3-O-EZ and KPC were first converted to monoester 3-O-(2'E,4'Z-decadienoyl)ingenol(3-EZ) and 5-O-benzoyl-20-deoxyingenol(5-O-Ben) and finally to almost non-toxic ingenol and 20-deoxyingenol, respectively. Meanwhile, the water-draining activity was retained. Six compounds had a good linear relationship with the peak area in the corresponding concentration ranges(R~2≥0.999 8), and the average recovery fell in the range of 98.20%-102.3%(RSD≤2.4%). The content of representative diterpenes and intermediate products was 14.78%-24.67% lower in the Kansui Radix stir-fried with vinegar than in the Kansui Radix, while the content of the conversed products was 14.37%-71.37% higher. Among the process parameters, temperature had significant influence on the total content of products, followed by time. The optimal parameters were 210 ℃, 15 min, and 30% vinegar. The relative error between the experimental results and the predicted values was 1.68%, indicating that the process was stable and reproducible. The strategy of screening optimal parameters for stir-frying of Kansui Radix with vinegar based on the transformation of toxic components can help improve the production stability, reduce the toxicity, and ensure the efficacy of Kansui Radix stir-fried with vinegar, which can serve as a reference for the process optimization of similar toxic Chinese medicinals.

Astragali Radix-Curcumae Rhizoma combination inhibits proliferation, migration, and invasion of colon cancer HT-29 cells by regulating EMT / 中国中药杂志

This study aims to investigate the effect of Astragali Radix-Curcumae Rhizoma(AC) combination on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of colon cancer HT-29 cells based on epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT). HT-29 cells were respectively treated with 0, 3, 6 and 12 g·kg~(-1) AC-containing serum for 48 h. The survival and growth of cells were measured by thiazole blue(MTT) colorimetry, and the proliferation, migration, and invasion of cells were detected by 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine(EdU) test and Transwell assay. Cell apoptosis was examined by flow cytometry. The BALB/c nude mouse model of subcutaneous colon cancer xenograft was established, and then model mice were classified into blank control group, 6 g·kg~(-1) AC group, and 12 g·kg~(-1) AC group. The tumor weight and volume of mice were recorded, and the histopathological morphology of the tumor was observed based on hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining. The expression of apoptosis-associated proteins B-cell lymphoma-2-associated X protein(Bax), cysteine-aspartic acid protease-3(caspase-3), and cleaved caspase-3, and EMT-associated proteins E-cadherin, MMP9, MMP2 and vimentin in HT-29 cells and mouse tumor tissues after the treatment of AC was determined by Western blot. The results showed that cell survival rate and the number of cells at proliferation stage decreased compared with those in the blank control group. The number of migrating and invading cells reduced and the number of apoptotic cells increased in the administration groups compared with those in the blank control group. As for the in vivo experiment, compared with the blank control group, the administration groups had small tumors with low mass and shrinkage of cells and karyopycnosis in the tumor tissue, indicating that the AC combination may improve EMT. In addition, the expression of Bcl2 and E-cadherin increased and the expression of Bax, caspase-3, cleaved caspase-3, MMP9, MMP2, and vimentin decreased in HT-29 cells and tumor tissues in each administration group. In summary, the AC combination can significantly inhibit the proliferation, invasion, migration, and EMT of HT-29 cells in vivo and in vitro and promote the apoptosis of colon cancer cells.

Dano fotoinduzido no sistema endolisossomal: modulação da autofagia e metabolismo de lipídios em células de câncer colorretal / Endo-lysosomal system photodamage: modulation of autophagy and lipid metabolism in colorectal cancer cells

O câncer colorretal (CCR) é o terceiro câncer mais diagnosticado em humanos. O CCR causou mais de 900.000 mortes em 2020 e foi estimado, para o período entre 2020 - 2025, um incremento de 13.5 % no número de casos novos de acordo com a plataforma Web Global Cancer Observatory. A Terapia Fotodinâmica (PDT) é uma alternativa terapêutica promissora. Conhecer as vias de sinalização de morte celular, assim como, as respostas associadas com a resistência ao dano foto-oxidativo, são relevantes para incrementar a eficiência da PDT. Neste trabalho, investigamos como as células de adenocarcinoma colorretal HT 29 respondem ao dano fotoinduzido gerado pelo fotossensibilizador (FS) meso-tetrafenilporfirina dissulfônado (TPPS2a), uma molécula que é ativada pela irradiação com luz em 522 nm. Como esperado, após irradiação (2.1 J cm-2) foi verificado que com o incremento do TPPS2a houve diminuição da viabilidade celular. A concentração do FS escolhida para darmos seguimento ao estudo foi a necessária para reduzir em 30 % a sobrevida celular (DL30; 148 nM). Abordagens moleculares nos permitiram identificar que nas células fotossensibilizadas a redução na maturação da catepsina D (CTSD, 55 %) e da catepsina B (CTSB, 52 %) contribuem com a disfunção endolisossomal. Além disso, comprovamos que as células fotossensibilizadas tiveram, pela menor quantidade de CTSD ativa, o processamento da prosaposina (PSAP) significativamente afetado. Células coletadas após 24 horas de irradiação expressaram 7 vezes mais PSAP do que as amostras dos grupos controle, sugerindo que as reações de oxidação causadas pelo TPPS2a podem ocasionar o acúmulo de glicoesfingolipídios nos endossomos e nos lisossomos, mimetizando o fenótipo observado em doenças de armazenamento lisossomal. Imagens de células HT 29 com expressão estável da proteína LGALS3 fusionada ao marcador EFGP mostraram que, após 24 horas de irradiação, as células não ativaram a lisofagia para remover os endossomos e os lisossomos danificados. A ausência do recrutamento da LGALS3 também apontou que as membranas dos endossomos e dos lisossomos não apresentam rupturas permanentes que permitam a passagem de uma molécula de 26 kDa. Experimentos complementares de análise da expressão proteica dos marcadores autofágicos LC3-II e p62/SQSTM1 (referida como p62) confirmaram o bloqueio do fluxo autofágico nas células fotosenssibilizadas. Pelo envolvimento do sistema endolisossomal no tráfego de membranas e no fluxo de lipídios, o aumento da transcrição da Hidroximetilglutaril-CoA reductase (HMGCR) (≈ 1.6 vezes) uma enzima envolvida na síntese de novo do colesterol - sugeriu que a disfunção dos endossomos e dos lisossomos altera a distribuição de colesterol. Não obstante, para manter a homeostase lipídica nas células fotossensibilizadas este não foi o único mecanismocompensatório acionado, uma vez que houve um incremento sutil; porém, significativo (1.2 vezes) na transcrição da ceramidase ácida (ASAH1). Em conjunto, nossos dados apontam que a fotossensibilização com TPPS2a constitui uma ferramenta promissora para causar dano no sistema endolisossomal, inibindo a autofagia e permitindo o estudo das respostas metabólicas em células expostas a estresse oxidativo

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in humans. CRC caused more than 900,000 deaths in 2020 and it was estimated for the period 2020 - 2025, an increase of 13.5 % in the number of new cases according to the Global Cancer Observatory Web platform. Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is a promising therapeutic alternative. Understandings of cell death signaling pathways as well as the adaptive responses associated with resistance to photo-oxidative damage are relevant to optimize the effectiveness of PDT. For this purpose, in this research, we investigated how HT-29 colorectal adenocarcinoma cells respond to photosensitization reactions generated by TPPS2a, a molecule activated by irradiation with light at 522 nm. PS concentrations displayed increased inhibitory effect on cell viability after irradiation (2.1 J cm-2). The lethal dose selected to photosensibilize cells was the TPPS2a concentration able to reduce 30 % of cell survival (LD30; 148 nM). By molecular methods, we observed a reduction in cathepsin D (CTSD, 55 %) and cathepsin B (CTSB, 52 %) maturation, depletion that may contribute to endo-lysosomal dysfunction in photosensitized cells. It is widely known that endo-lysosomal cathepsins are crucial in protein turnover and degradation. Thus, we focused on the consequence of CTSD reduction. Literature data indicate that CTSD plays a key role in prosaposin (PSAP) processing to the four saposins (SAPs) that are required in glycosphingolipids breakdown. In fact, our results in photosensitized cells showed that, due to the lower amount of active CTSD, PSAP processing was significantly affected. Cells collected after irradiation expressed 7 times more PSAP than cells from the control groups. This data suggest that oxidative photodamage induced by TPPS2a may result in glycosphingolipid-accumulating endosomes and lysosomes, phenotype which mimics lysosomal storage diseases. Furthermore, we monitored by fluorescence microscopy a form of selective autophagy which detects and removes damaged endosomes and lysosomes known as lysophagy. Images of HT-29 cells expressing Galectin 3/LGALS3 fused to EFGP showed that photosensitized cells did not activate lysophagy. The absence of LGALS3 recruitment also indicated that the membranes of endosomes and lysosomes do not present ruptures which allow the passage of proteins with a molecular weight up to at least 26 kDa. Protein expression analysis of the autophagic markers LC3-II and p62/SQSTM1 (referred as p62) confirmed autophagic flux blockade in cells challenged with photoactivated TPPS2a. The endo-lysosomal system plays a key role in membrane trafficking and lipid flux. At the transcriptional level, 1.6-fold increase in gene expression of Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR) - an enzyme involved in the synthesis de novo of cholesterol - indicated that endosomes and lysosomes dysfunction alters the distribution of cholesterol in cellschallenged with photoactivated TPPS2a. However, to maintain lipid homeostasis in photosensitized cells, this was not the only compensatory mechanism triggered, since there was a slightly increase (1.2-fold) in the transcription of acid ceramidase (ASAH1). Taken together, our data showed that photosensitization with TPPS2a constitutes a promising tool to damage the endolysosomal system, to inhibit autophagy and to study metabolic responses in cells exposed to oxidative stress

Oligomycin A promotes radioresistance in HT29 colorectal cancer cells and its mechanisms / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVES@#Radiotherapy is one of the main therapies for colorectal cancer, but radioresistance often leads to radiotherapy failure. To improve the radioresistance, we explore the effect of oligomycin A, the H@*METHODS@#The effects of different concentrations of oligomycin A on the survival rate and glycolysis of HT29 colorectal cancer cells at different time points were investigated via MTT and glycolysis assay. siRNA-PFK1 was synthesized in vitro and transfected into HT29 cells. The effects of oligomycin A on radiosensitivity of HT29 colorectal cancer cells were measured via MTT and colony formation assay. Western blotting was used to detect the effect of oligomycin A on the expression of glycolytic enzyme PFK1. We compared difference between the effects of siRNA-PFK1 group and oligomycin A combined with siRNA-PFK1 group on cell survival and glycolysis. After 4 Gy X-ray irradiation, the effects of cell survival and glycolysis between the siRNA-PFK1 group and the oligomycin A combined with siRNA-PFK1 group were compared.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the 0 μmol/L oligomycin A group, the cell survival rate of HT29 cells treated with 4 μmol/L oligomycin A was significantly increased (@*CONCLUSIONS@#Oligomycin A can promote the radioresistance of HT29 colorectal cancer cells, which may be related to up-regulation of the PFK1 expression and increase of cell glycolysis.

Efecto citotóxico y genotóxico in vitro del extracto crudo y etanólico del rizoma de Curcuma longa L / In vitro cytotoxic and genotoxic effect of the crude and ethanolic extract from the rhizome of Curcuma longa L

RESUMEN Objetivos: Determinar el efecto citotóxico y genotóxico in vitro del extracto crudo y etanólico del rizoma de Curcuma longa L. Materiales y métodos: El efecto citotóxico fue evaluado utilizando líneas celulares DU-145, HT-29, 3T3 BALB/c. Se hallaron los porcentajes de crecimiento en 48 horas y se determinó la concentración inhibitoria 50 (CI50). El efecto genotóxico en el ADN genómico humano se determinó mediante el método Tomasevich. Resultados: El extracto crudo produjo una CI50 de 12,98 ± 0,21 μg/mL para la línea celular tumoral HT-29, que es inferior a DU-145 con una CI50 de 36,77 ± 9,12 μg/mL; el extracto etanólico presentó una CI50 de 13,24 ± 0,77 y 20,54 ± 2,58 µg/mL para ambas líneas celulares, respectivamente; el compuesto estándar curcumina presentó una CI50 de 3,96 ± 0,60 y 13,94 ± 2,79 μg/mL, respectivamente. El extracto crudo a concentraciones de 50 y 100 mg/mL fragmentó entre el 40% a 95% de ADN genómico humano; mientras que, a 200 mg/mL, la fragmentación fue mayor al 95%. El extracto etanólico a todas las concentraciones no fragmentó el ADN. La curcumina a 200 mg/mL fragmentó menos del 5% de ADN genómico humano. Conclusiones: Los extractos crudo y etanólico de Curcuma longa L. demuestran efecto citotóxico in vitro diferencial para la línea celular tumoral humana DU-145 y HT29 semejante al compuesto estándar curcumina. El extracto crudo de Curcuma longa L. presenta una potente actividad genotóxica in vitro frente al ADN genómico humano, esta actividad está ausente en el extracto etanólico.

ABSTRACT Objectives: To determine the in vitro cytotoxic and genotoxic effect of the crude and ethanolic extract from the Curcuma longa L. rhizome. Materials and methods: The cytotoxic effect was evaluated using DU-145, HT-29, 3T3 BALB/c cell lines. The growth percentages in 48 hours; and the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) were determined. The genotoxic effect on human genomic DNA was determined using the Tomasevich method. Results: Crude extract produced an IC50 of 12.98 ± 0.21 μg/mL for the HT-29 tumor cell line, which is lower than the value obtained for DU-145, with an IC50 of 36.77 ± 9.12 μg/mL. The ethanolic extract presented an IC50 of 13.24 ± 0.77 and 20.54 ± 2.58 μg/mL for both cell lines, respectively; the curcumin standard compound presented an IC50 of 3.96 ± 0.60 and 13.94 ± 2.79 μg/mL, respectively. Crude extract concentrations of 50 and 100 mg/mL fragmented between 40% to 95% of human genomic DNA; while at 200 mg/mL, fragmentation was greater than 95%. The ethanolic extract at all concentrations did not fragment the DNA. Curcumin at 200 mg/mL fragmented less than 5% of human genomic DNA. Conclusions: The crude and ethanolic extracts of Curcuma longa L. demonstrate different in vitro cytotoxic effects for the human tumor cell lines DU-145 and HT-29; similar to the standard curcumin compound. The crude extract of Curcuma longa L. shows a potent genotoxic in vitro activity against human genomic DNA; this type of effect is not produced by the ethanolic extract.

Anti-migratory effects of Piper betle leaf aqueous extract on cancer cells and its microtubule targeting properties / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Piper betle (PB), also known as "betel" in Malay language, is a tropical Asian vine. PB leaves are commonly chewed by Asians along with betel quid. It contains phenols such as eugenol and hydroxychavicol along with chlorophyll, β-carotene, and vitamin C (Salehi et al., 2019). Extracts from PB leaves have various medicinal properties including anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effects (Salehi et al., 2019). Previous research has shown that PB induces cell cycle arrest at late S or G2/M phase and causes apoptosis at higher doses (Wu et al., 2014; Guha Majumdar and Subramanian, 2019). A combination of PB leaf extract has also been shown to enhance the cytotoxicity of the anticancer drug, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), in cancer cells (Ng et al., 2014).

The α -Tomatine Exhibits Antiproliferative Activity, Rupture of Cell Membranes and Induces the Expression of APC Gene in the Human Colorectal Adenocarcinoma Cell Line (Ht-29)

Abstract The α-tomatine is a steroidal glycoalkaloid found in immature tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) that has important biological functions including the inhibition of cancer cell growth and preventing metastasis. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of α-tomatine on cytotoxicity, cellular proliferation, apoptosis, and mRNA expression of APC, CCNA2, β-catenin, CASP9, BAK, BAX and BCL-XL in colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line HT-29. HT29 cells were treated with three concentrations of α-tomatine (0.1, 1 and 10 µg/mL), although only the 1 µg/mL concentration of α-tomatine was used to evaluate genetic expression patterns by real time-PCR. Results showed that α-tomatine was cytotoxic only at the 10 µg/mL concentration. Cell proliferation was significantly inhibited after the first 24 hours of treatment only with concentrations of 10 µg/mL. In contrast, there were no significant differences in apoptosis for any treatment. In the gene expression studies, only APC expression was significantly altered by α-tomatine treatment. In conclusion, α-tomatine has antiproliferative activity in the first 24h of treatment, does not induce apoptosis in this cell line and causes disruption of cell membranes, thereby increasing the expression of APC gene related to cell cycle.

Diterpenoids as PPARγ agonists from Siegesbeckia pubescens and their anti-inflammatory effects in vitro / 中国中药杂志

This study aims to investigate the PPARγ agonists isolated from the aqueous extract of Siegesbeckia pubescens( SPA) and their anti-inflammatory activities in vitro. The 293 T cells transfected transiently with PPARγ recombinant plasmid were used as a screening model to guide the isolation of PPARγ activitating components,and then PPARγ activities were measured by double luciferase reporter gene assay. The chemical structures were identified by chromatography or spectroscopic techniques. Furthermore,a UC inflammatory model in vitro was established on HT-29 cells by stimulating with TNF-α． The mRNA levels and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines on HT-29 cells,such as IL-1β,TNF-α,IL-8,were detected by RT-PCR and ELISA. The results showed that five diterpenoids were obtained from the fraction D_(50) with the strongest PPARγ activity among others in SPA,and determined as kirenol( 1),darutigenol( 2),enantiomeric-2-ketone-15,16,19-three hydroxypinomane-8( 14)-ene-19-O-β-D-glucoside( 3),darutoside( 4),enantiomeric-2-β,15,16,19-four hydroxypinomane-8( 14)-ene-19-O-β-D-glucoside( 5),respectively. All the compounds exhibited active effects on PPARγ in a concentration-dependent manner( P<0. 01). In addition,compound 1 significantly inhibited the expression of IL-1β mRNA and secretion of IL-8 on HT-29 cells inflammation model( P<0. 001); both compounds 2 and 3 effectively inhibited the expression of IL-1β,TNF-α,IL-8 mRNA and secretion of IL-8( P<0. 01 or P<0. 001),although at different extent; compound 4 significantly inhibited the expression of IL-1β and TNF-α mRNA( P<0. 01 or P<0. 001),while compound 5 inhibited the expression of IL-1β mRNA obviously( P<0. 001). In conclusion,the diterpenoids 1-5 isolated from S. pubescens have the PPARγ activation activities and potential effects of anti-UC in vitro.

Chemical constituents from green walnut husks and their antitumor activity in vitro / 中国中药杂志

Fourteen chemical constituents, including 5-hydroxy-4-methoxy-1-tetralone(1), 4,8-dihydroxy-1-tetralone(2), 4,5-dihydroxy-α-tetralone(3), blumenol B(4), dehydrovomifoliol(5), megastigm-5-ene-3,9-diol(6), juglanin B(7), blumenol C(8), loliolide(9), oleracone B(10), syringarsinol(11), pinoresinol(12), methyl 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoate(13), and isovanillic acid(14), were isolated from the dichloromethane fraction of 95% methanol extract of green walnut husks by silica gel and MCI column chromatography, and Pre-HPLC. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic methods, such as NMR, MS and so on. Among them, compounds 1, 4-6, 8-13 were isolated from the green walnut husks for the first time, and compounds 4-6, 8, 10, 12, 13 were isolated from the Juglans genus for the first time. All of isolates were detected their inhibitory activities against HeLa, HGC-27 and Ht-29 cell lines by the MTT assay. The result showed that compounds 2, 3, 7, 9 and 11 exhibited inhibitory activity against the tested cell line. The IC_(50) of 7 were 26.5, 9.0, 25.4 μmol·L~(-1), respectively.

Inhibitory effects of petasin on human colon carcinoma cells mediated by inactivation of Akt/mTOR pathway / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide and still lack of effective therapy so far. Petasin, a natural product found in plants of the genus Petasites, has been reported to possess anticancer activity. The present study aimed to investigate the anticolon cancer activity of petasin both in vitro and in vivo. The molecular mechanism of petasin was also further explored.@*METHODS@#Caco-2, LoVo, SW-620, and HT-29 cell lines were used to detect the inhibitory effect of petasin on colon cancer proliferation. Cell viability was determined using the MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. Cell apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry. Hoechst 33258 staining was used to visualize morphological changes. Cell migration was assessed using a wound-healing migration assay, and cell invasion was investigated using Transwell chambers. Western blotting assays were employed to evaluate the expression levels of proteins in the protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (Akt/mTOR) signaling pathway. Finally, in vivo activity of petasin was evaluated using the SW-620 subcutaneous tumor model established in Balb/c nude mice. Twelve rats were randomly divided into control group and 10 mg/kg petasin group. The tumor volume was calculated every 7 days for 28 days. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay was performed to assess the apoptotic effect of petasin. Differences between two groups were assessed by analysis of independent-sample t tests.@*RESULTS@#Petasin significantly inhibited the proliferation of human colon carcinoma cell lines, induced apoptosis, and suppressed migration and invasion in SW-620 cells. Western blotting results showed that petasin decreased the phosphorylation of Akt (1.01 ± 0.16 vs. 0.74 ± 0.06, P = 0.042), mTOR (0.71 ± 0.12 vs. 0.32 ± 0.11, P = 0.013), and P70S6K (1.23 ± 0.21 vs. 0.85 ± 0.14, P = 0.008), elevated the expression of caspase-3 (0.41 ± 0.09 vs. 0.74 ± 0.12, P = 0.018) and caspase-9 (1.10 ± 0.27 vs. 1.98 ± 0.22, P = 0.009), decreased the Bcl-2 protein (2.75 ± 0.47 vs. 1.51 ± 0.36, P = 0.008), downregulated the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-3 (1.51 ± 0.31 vs. 0.82 ± 0.11, P = 0.021) and MMP-9 (1.56 ± 0.32 vs. 0.94 ± 0.15, P = 0.039) in SW-620 cell. In vivo, 10 mg/kg petasin inhibited tumor growth in Balb/c nude mice (924.18 ± 101.23 vs. 577.67 ± 75.12 mm at day 28, P = 0.001) and induced apoptosis (3.6 ± 0.7% vs. 36.0 ± 4.9%, P = 0.001) in tumor tissues.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Petasin inhibits the proliferation of colon cancer SW-620 cells via inactivating the Akt/mTOR pathway. Our findings suggest petasin as a potential candidate for colon cancer therapy.

Parthenolide inhibits transforming growth factor β1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in colorectal cancer cells

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is one of the mechanisms by which colorectal cancer (CRC) cells acquire migratory and invasive capacities, and subsequently metastasize. Parthenolide (PT) expresses multiple anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory activities that inhibit nuclear factor κB by targeting the IκB kinase complex. In the present study, we aimed to investigate whether PT can inhibit TGF-β1-induced EMT in CRC cell lines.METHODS: HT-29 and SW480 cell lines were used in the experiment. Cell viability was detected by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and sub-G1 analysis was measured by flow cytometry. The induction of EMT by TGF-β1 and inhibition of the process by PT was analyzed by phase contrast microscopy, wounding healing, cellular migration and invasion assays, and Western blotting.RESULTS: TGF-β1 inhibits HT-29 cell proliferation, but has no effect on SW480 cell proliferation; different concentrations of TGF-β1 did not induce apoptosis in HT-29 and SW480 cells. PT attenuates TGF-β1-induced elongated, fibroblast-like shape changing in cells. PT inhibits TGF-β1-induced cell migration and cell invasion. In addition, other EMT markers such as β-catenin, Vimentin, Snail, and Slug were suppressed by PT, while E-cadherin was increased by PT.CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that PT inhibits TGF-β1-induced EMT by suppressing the expression of the mesenchymal protein and increasing expression of the epithelial protein. These findings suggest a novel approach for CRC treatment by suppression of TGF-β1-induced EMT.

Growth suppression of colorectal cancer expressing S492R EGFR by monoclonal antibody CH12 / 医学前沿

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignant tumor in the digestive tract, and 30%-85% of CRCs express epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFRs). Recently, treatments using cetuximab, also named C225, an anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody, for CRC have been demonstrated to cause an S492R mutation in EGFR. However, little is known about the biological function of S492R EGFR. Therefore, we attempted to elucidate its biological function in CRC cells and explore new treatment strategies for this mutant form. Our study indicated that EGFR and S492R EGFR accelerate the growth of CRC cells in vitro and in vivo and monoclonal antibody CH12, which specifically recognizes an EGFR tumor-specific epitope, can bind efficiently to S492R EGFR. Furthermore, mAb CH12 showed significantly stronger growth suppression activities and induced a more potent antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity effect on CRC cells bearing S492R EGFR than mAb C225. mAb CH12 obviously suppressed the growth of CRC xenografts with S492R EGFR mutations in vivo. Thus, mAb CH12 may be a promising therapeutic agent in treating patients with CRC bearing an S492R EGFR mutation.

The Nedd8-activating enzyme inhibitor MLN4924 suppresses colon cancer cell growth via triggering autophagy

Neddylation is a post-translational protein modification process. MLN4924 is a newly discovered pharmaceutical neddylation inhibitor that suppresses cancer growth with several cancer types. In our study, we first investigated the effect of MLN4924 on colon cancer cells (HCT116 and HT29). MLN4924 significantly inhibited the neddylation of cullin-1 and colon cancer cell growth in a time and dose-dependent manner. MLN4924 induced G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in HCT116 and HT29 cells. Moreover, MLN4924 also triggered autophagy in HCT116 and HT29 cells via suppressing the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Inhibiting autophagy by autophagy inhibitor 3-MA or ATG5 knockdown reversed the function of MLN4924 in suppressing colon cancer cell growth and cell death. Interestingly, MLN4924 suppresses colon cell growth in a xenograft model. Together, our finding revealed that blocking neddylation is an attractive colon cancer therapy strategy, and autophagy might act as a novel anti-cancer mechanism for the treatment of colon cancer by MLN4924.

The Effect of Lactobacillus acidophilus PTCC 1643 on Cultured Intestinal Epithelial Cells Infected with Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis

OBJECTIVES: Gastrointestinal disorders caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (SesE) are a significant health problem around the globe. Probiotic bacteria have been shown to have positive effects on the immune responses. Lactobacillus acidophilus was examined for its capability to influence the innate immune response of HT29 intestinal epithelial cells towards SesE. The purpose of this work was to assess the effect of L. acidophilus PTCC 1643 on cultured intestinal epithelial cells infected with SesE. METHODS: HT29 cells were cultured in Roswell Park Memorial Institute medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum and 1% penicillin/streptomycin. The cells were treated with L. acidophilus PTCC 1643 after or before challenge with SesE. At 2 and 4 hours post-infection, we measured changes in the expression levels of TLR2 and TLR4 via real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Treatment with L. acidophilus inhibited SesE-induced increases in TLR2 and TLR4 expression in the infected HT29 cells. Moreover, the expression of TLR2 and TLR4 in cells that were pretreated with L. acidophilus and then infected with SesE was significantly higher than that in cells infected with SesE without pretreatment. Taken together, the results indicated that L. acidophilus had an anti-inflammatory effect and modulated the innate immune response to SesE by influencing TLR2 and TLR4 expression. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggested that L. acidophilus PTCC 1643 was able to suppress inflammation caused by SesE infection in HT29 cells and reduce TLR2 and TLR4 expression. Additional in vivo and in vitro studies are required to further elucidate the mechanisms underlying this anti-inflammatory effect.

Characterization of the Indirubin Derivative LDD970 as a Small Molecule Aurora Kinase A Inhibitor in Human Colorectal Cancer Cells

Aurora kinase A plays an essential role in mitosis including chromosome separation and cytokinesis. Aberrant expression and activity of Aurora kinase A is associated with numerous malignancies including colorectal cancer followed by poor prognosis. The aim of this study is to determine the inhibitory effects of LDD970, an indirubin derivative, on Aurora kinase A in HT29 colorectal cancer cells. In vitro kinase assay revealed that, LDD970 inhibited levels of activated Aurora kinase A (IC₅₀=0.37 mM). The inhibitory effects of LDD970 on Aurora kinase A, autophosphorylation and phosphorylation of histone H3 (Ser10), were confirmed by immunoblot analysis. Moreover, LDD970 inhibited migration of HT29 cells and upregulated apoptosis-related protein cleaved PARP. In cell viability assay, LDD970 was observed to suppress HT29 cell growth (GI₅₀=4.22 µM). Although further studies are required, results of the present study suggest that LDD970 provide a valuable insight into small molecule indirubin derivative for therapeutic potential in human colorectal cancer.

Bitter Melon Powder Protects against Obesity-associated Fatty Liver Disease by Improving Colonic Microenvironment in Rats with High-fat Diet-induced Obesity / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

This study explored how bitter melon powder (BMP) alters the colonic microenvironment during the development of obesity-associated fatty liver in rats. We observed that BMP effectively inhibited the body weight gain and lipid accumulation in the liver, ameliorated glucose intolerance, and increased the colon weight after an 8-week treatment compared to that in the high-fat diet (HFD) group. BMP significantly decreased fecal water toxicity towards HT-29 cells, as revealed by the cell counting kit (CCK)-8 assay results, and the mRNA expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in colon mucosa. Additionally, gut permeability in the BMP group was restored to normal levels. Finally, BMP alleviated the inflammatory state of the rat colon mucosa and liver tissues as well as the systemic inflammation.

Antitumor Activities and Apoptosis-regulated Mechanisms of Fermented Barley Extract in the Transplantation Tumor Model of Human HT-29 Cells in Nude Mice / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>A subcutaneous transplantation tumor model of human HT-29 cells was established in nude mice to study the anticarcinogenic activities and apoptosis-regulatory mechanistic effect of aqueous extract of fermented barley with Lactobacillus plantarum dy-1 (LFBE).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>HT-29 cells were transplanted via subcutaneous injection of 1 × 107cells into the right flank of each nude mouse. Then, nude mice were treated for 30 days with LFBE (high-dose 2 g·kg-1·d-1; low-dose 1 g·kg-1·d-1) and for 7 days with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU, 25 g·kg-1·d-1) by gavage and intraperitoneal injection, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Tumor volume and weight decreased significantly in both groups of nude mice treated with LFBE. In addition, the cell apoptosis rate of the LFBE group was significantly higher than that of the control group and 5-FU groups as measured by the TUNEL assay. Moreover, the real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR and Western blot methods further confirmed these apoptosis-enhancing and growth-inhibiting effects. The involvement of LFBE in inducing apoptosis was confirmed by the expression of Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-3, and cyclinD1.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The results showed that LFBE could induce subcutaneous transplantation tumor apoptosis in nude mice and could be used as a natural nutrient supplement or chemopreventive agent in the treatment of human colon cancer.</p>

Association of the Serotonin Receptor 3E Gene as a Functional Variant in the MicroRNA-510 Target Site with Diarrhea Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Chinese Women

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The functional variant (rs56109847) in the 3'-untranslated regions (3'-UTR) of the serotonin receptor 3E (HTR3E) gene is associated with female diarrhea predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) in British populations. However, the relationship of the polymorphism both to HTR3E expression in the intestine and to the occurrence of Chinese functional gastrointestinal disorders has yet to be examined. METHODS: Polymerase chain reaction amplification and restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses were employed to detect polymorphisms among Chinese Han women, particularly 107 patients with IBS-D, 99 patients with functional dyspepsia (FD), 115 patients with mixed IBS and 69 patients with IBS-D + FD. We also assessed microRNA-510 (miR-510) and HTR3E expression in human colonic mucosal tissues with immunohistochemistry and other methods. Dual-luciferase reporter assays were conducted to examine the binding ability of miR-510 and HTR3E 3'-UTR. RESULTS: Genotyping data showed the variant rs56109847 was significantly associated with IBS-D, but not with FD, mixed-IBS, or FD + IBS-D. HTR3E was abundantly expressed around the colonic mucosal glands but less expressed in the stroma. miR-510 expression decreased, whereas HTR3E expression increased in the colonic mucosal tissue of patients with IBS-D compared with those in controls. HTR3E expression was significantly higher in patients with the GA genotype than that in patients with the GG genotype. The single-nucleotide polymorphisms disrupted the binding site of miR-510 and significantly upregulated luciferase expression in HEK293 and HT-29 cells. CONCLUSIONS: The single-nucleotide polymorphisms rs56109847 led to reduced microRNA binding and overexpression of the target gene in intestinal cells, thereby increasing IBS-D risk in the Chinese Han population. The decreased expression of miR-510 might contribute to IBS-D.

Dehydroglyasperin D Inhibits the Proliferation of HT-29 Human Colorectal Cancer Cells Through Direct Interaction With Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase

BACKGROUND: Despite recent advances in therapy, colorectal cancer still has a grim prognosis. Although licorice has been used in East Asian traditional medicine, the molecular properties of its constituents including dehydroglyasperin D (DHGA-D) remain unknown. We sought to evaluate the inhibitory effect of DHGA-D on colorectal cancer cell proliferation and identify the primary signaling molecule targeted by DHGA-D. METHODS: We evaluated anchorage-dependent and -independent cell growth in HT-29 human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells. The target protein of DHGA-D was identified by Western blot analysis with a specific antibody, and direct interaction between DHGA-D and the target protein was confirmed by kinase and pull-down assays. Cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry and further Western blot analysis was performed to identify the signaling pathway involved. RESULTS: DHGA-D significantly suppressed anchorage-dependent and -independent HT-29 colorectal cancer cell proliferation. DHGA-D directly suppressed phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) activity and subsequent Akt phosphorylation and bound to the p110 subunit of PI3K. DHGA-D also significantly induced G1 cell cycle arrest, together with the suppression of glycogen synthase kinase 3β and retinoblastoma phosphorylation and cyclin D1 expression. CONCLUSIONS: DHGA-D has potent anticancer activity and targets PI3K in human colorectal adenocarcinoma HT-29 cells. To our knowledge, this is the first report to detail the molecular basis of DHGA-D in suppressing colorectal cancer cell growth.

Sorbus rufopilosa Extract Exhibits Antioxidant and Anticancer Activities by Inducing Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis in Human Colon Adenocarcinoma HT29 Cells

BACKGROUND: Sorbus rufopilosa, a tsema rowan, is a species of the small ornamental trees in the genus Sorbus and the family Rosaceae found in East Asia. The bioactivities of S. rufopilosa have not yet been fully determined. The objective of this study is to evaluate the antioxidant and anticancer effects of ethanol extract of S. rufopilosa (EESR) and to determine the molecular mechanism of its anticancer activity in human colon carcinoma HT29 cells. METHODS: To examine the antioxidant activity of EESR, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity assay was performed. Inhibitory effect of EESR on cancer cell growth and proliferation was determined by water-soluble tetrazolium salt assay. To investigate the mechanism of EESR-mediated cytotoxicity, HT29 cells were treated with various concentrations of EESR and the induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry, 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining, and Western blot analysis. RESULTS: EESR showed significant antioxidant activity and inhibitory effect on HT29 cell growth in a dose-dependent manner. EESR induced cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase in a dose-dependent manner by modulating cyclin B, cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1), and CDK inhibitor p21 expression. EESR-induced apoptosis was associated with the upregulation of p53, a death receptor Fas, and a pro-apoptotic protein Bax and the activation of caspase 3, 8, and 9, resulting in the degradation of PARP. CONCLUSIONS: EESR possessing antioxidant activity efficiently inhibits proliferation of HT29 cells by inducing both cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. EESR may be a possible candidate for the anticancer drug development.