Targeting CXC motif chemokine receptor 4 inhibits the proliferation, migration and angiogenesis of lung cancer cells.

An increasing volume of data indicates that disrupting the interaction between CXC motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) and its specific ligand, CXC motif chemokine 12 (CXCL12), may reduce tumor growth and metastasis. However, the translation from bench to bedside must be performed with extreme caution, as the CXCR4/CXCL12 axis is crucial for the normal development and maintenance of tissues and organs. In the present study, Cell Counting Kit-8 and Transwell migration assays were used to detect in vitro proliferation and chemotaxis of CXCR4-expressing A549 cells, a cell strain originating from human non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with or without the presence of AMD3100, a small-molecule inhibitor specific to CXCR4 signaling. In a xenograft model established by injecting nude mice with A549 cells, tumor growth, CXCR4 expression and microvessel density (MVD) in the tumor mass were determined through tumor size measurements and immunohistochemical staining following intraperitoneal administration of AMD3100 or vehicle. The results demonstrated that CXCR4 blockade inhibited the proliferation of A549 cells and their migration towards CXCL12 in vitro. Tumor growth, CXCR4 expression and MVD were markedly reduced in nude mice treated with AMD3100 compared with mice treated with the vehicle. In conclusion, the present data demonstrated that CXCR4 targeting impaired NSCLC cell growth, angiogenesis and metastatic spread, indicating that it may represent a novel treatment strategy for NSCLC.

Dihydromyricetin prevents obesity-induced slow-twitch-fiber reduction partially via FLCN/FNIP1/AMPK pathway.

Obesity is often accompanied by decreases in the proportion of skeletal muscle slow-twitch fibers and insulin sensitivity. Increased plasma non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) levels are responsible for obesity-associated insulin resistance. Palmitate, one of the most elevated plasma NEFA in obesity, has been recognized as the principle inducer of insulin resistance. The present study showed that increased plasma NEFA levels were negatively linked to slow-twitch fiber proportion and insulin sensitivity, while slow-twitch fiber proportion was positively correlated to insulin sensitivity in high fat diet (HFD)-fed and ob/ob mice. Dihydromyricetin (DHM) intervention increased slow-twitch fiber proportion and improved insulin resistance. In cultured C2C12 myotubes, palmitate treatment resulted in decrease of slow-twitch fiber specific Myh7 expression and insulin resistance, concomitant with folliculin (FLCN) and folliculin-interacting protein 1 (FNIP1) expression increase, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) inactivation and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) expression decrease. Those palmitate-induced effects could be blocked by knock-down of FLCN expression or DHM intervention. Meanwhile, the protective effects of DHM were alleviated by over-expression of FLCN. In addition, the changes in AMPK activity and expression of FLCN and FNIP1 in vivo were consistent with those occurring in vitro. These findings suggest that DHM treatment prevents palmitate-induced slow-twitch fibers decrease partially via FLCN-FNIP1-AMPK pathway thereby improving insulin resistance in obesity.