Fallopia japonica Root Extract Ameliorates Ovalbumin-Induced Airway Inflammation in a CARAS Mouse Model by Modulating the IL-33/TSLP/NF-κB Signaling Pathway.

Fallopia japonica (Asian knotweed) is a medicinal herb traditionally used to treat inflammation, among other conditions. However, the effects of F. japonica root extract (FJE) on airway inflammation associated with combined allergic rhinitis and asthma (CARAS) and the related mechanisms have not been investigated. This study examined the effect of FJE against CARAS in an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced CARAS mouse model. Six-week-old male BALB/c mice were randomly segregated into six groups. Mice were sensitized intraperitoneally with OVA on days 1, 8, and 15, and administered saline, Dexamethasone (1.5 mg/kg), or FJE (50, 100, or 200 mg/kg) once a day for 16 days. Nasal symptoms, inflammatory cells, OVA-specific immunoglobulins, cytokine production, mast cell activation, and nasal histopathology were assessed. Administration of FJE down-regulated OVA-specific IgE and up-regulated OVA-specific IgG2a in serum. FJE reduced the production of T helper (Th) type 2 cytokines, and the Th1 cytokine levels were enhanced in nasal and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Moreover, FJE positively regulated allergic responses by reducing the accumulation of inflammatory cells, improving nasal and lung histopathological characteristics, and inhibiting inflammation-associated cytokines. FJE positively modulated the IL-33/TSLP/NF-B signaling pathway, which is involved in regulating inflammatory cells, immunoglobulin levels, and pro-inflammatory cytokines at the molecular level.

Fibulin-3 promoter methylation alters the invasive behavior of non-small cell lung cancer cell lines via MMP-7 and MMP-2 regulation.

Fibulin-3, an extracellular glycoprotein, has been suggested as having functions in tissue regeneration and organogenesis. However, its role in cancer remains unclear. We show here that fibulin-3 was silenced by hypermethylation of the promoter region in the relatively invasive A549 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells compared with less invasive H460 NSCLC cells. Enforced expression of fibulin-3 in A549 cells down-regulated cellular MMP-7 and MMP-2, which was followed by inhibition of cell invasiveness. Conversely, suppression of fibulin-3 expression with siRNA in H460 cells showed the opposite effect. These results indicate that fibulin-3 is a negative regulator of invasiveness in NSCLC and further studies are needed for its therapeutic applications in treatment of NSCLC.

SM22α-induced activation of p16INK4a/retinoblastoma pathway promotes cellular senescence caused by a subclinical dose of γ-radiation and doxorubicin in HepG2 cells.

Smooth muscle protein 22-alpha (SM22α) is known as a transformation- and shape change-sensitive actin cross-linking protein found in smooth muscle tissue and fibroblasts; however, its functional role remains uncertain. We reported previously that SM22α overexpression confers resistance against anti-cancer drugs or radiation via induction of metallothionein (MT) isozymes in HepG2 cells. In this study, we demonstrate that SM22α overexpression leads cells to a growth arrest state and promotes cellular senescence caused by treatment with a subclinical dose of γ-radiation (0.05 and 0.1 Gy) or doxorubicin (0.01 and 0.05 µg/ml), compared to control cells. Senescence growth arrest is known to be controlled by p53 phosphorylation/p21(WAF1/Cip1) induction or p16(INK4a)/retinoblastoma protein (pRB) activation. SM22α overexpression in HepG2 cells elevated p16(INK4a) followed by pRB activation, but did not activate the p53/p21(WAF1/Cip1) pathway. Moreover, MT-1G, which is induced by SM22α overexpression, was involved in the activation of the p16(INK4a)/pRB pathway, which led to a growth arrest state and promoted cellular senescence caused by damaging agents. Our findings provide the first demonstration that SM22α modulates cellular senescence caused by damaging agents via regulation of the p16(INK4a)/pRB pathway in HepG2 cells and that these effects of SM22α are partially mediated by MT-1G.

Combination of ginsenoside Rg3 with docetaxel enhances the susceptibility of prostate cancer cells via inhibition of NF-kappaB.

Ginsenoside Rg3 has been a subject of interest for use as a cancer preventive or therapeutic agent. Nuclear factor-kappa (NF-kappaB) is constitutively activated in prostate cancer, and gives cancer cells resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. To investigate whether Rg3 can suppress the activation of NF-kappaB, and thus increase susceptibility of prostate (LNCaP and PC-3, DU145) cells against chemotherapeutics, prostate cancer cell growth as well as activation of NF-kappaB was examined. We found that a combination treatment of Rg3 (50 microM) with a conventional agent docetaxel (5 nM) was more effective in the inhibition of prostate cancer cell growth and induction of apoptosis as well as G(0)/G(1) arrest accompanied with the significant inhibition of NF-kappaB activity than those by treatment of Rg3 or docetaxel alone. It was also found that NF-kappaB target gene expression of Bax, caspase-3, and caspase-9 was much more significantly enhanced, but the expression of Bcl-2, inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP-1) and X chromosome IAP (XIAP), and the expression of cell cycle regulatory proteins cyclin B, D1 and E, and cyclin dependent kinases 2 and 4 was also much more significantly inhibited by the combination treatment. The combination of Rg3 (50 microM) with cisplatin (10 microM) and doxorubicin (2 microM) was also more effective in the inhibition of prostate cancer cell growth and NF-kappaB activity than those by the treatment of Rg3 or chemotherapeutics alone. These results indicate that ginsenoside Rg3 inhibits NF-kappaB, and enhances the susceptibility of prostate cancer cells to docetaxel and other chemotherapeutics. Thus, ginsenoside Rg3 could be useful as an anti-cancer agent.

TSPYL5 is involved in cell growth and the resistance to radiation in A549 cells via the regulation of p21(WAF1/Cip1) and PTEN/AKT pathway.

TSPYL5, encoding testis-specific Y-like protein, has been postulated to be a tumor suppressor gene, and its hypermethylation is often associated with human disease, especially cancer. In this study, we report that the TSPYL5 gene was less methylated (30%) in A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells, which are relatively resistant to gamma-radiation, than in H460 lung cancer cells, in which the TSPYL5 gene was hypermethylated (95%); thus, the expression level of TSPYL5 is much higher in A549 cells than in H460 cells. We showed that TSPYL5 suppression with silencing RNA in A549 cells up-regulated cellular PTEN, followed by down-regulation of AKT activation. Therefore, blockage of TSPYL5 sensitized A549 cells to cytotoxic agents such as gamma-radiation. In addition, TSPYL5 suppression also showed an increased level of p21(WAF1/Cip1) and subsequently induced inhibition of cell growth in A549 cells. The overexpression of TSPYL5 in H460 cells showed the opposite effects. This study provides the first demonstration that TSPYL5 modulates cell growth and sensitization of cells to the detrimental effects of damaging agents via regulation of p21(WAF1/Cip1) and PTEN/AKT pathway.

Obovatol enhances docetaxel-induced prostate and colon cancer cell death through inactivation of nuclear transcription factor-kappaB.

Nuclear transcription factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) is constitutively activated in prostate and colon cancers and is related with the resistance of cancer cells against chemotherapeutics. Previously, we found that obovatol, an active compound isolated from Magnolia obovata, inhibited cancer cell growth through inhibition of NF-kappaB activity. We investigated here whether obovatol could sensitize cancer cells against docetaxel through inhibition of NF-kappaB activity in prostate cancer (LNCaP and PC-3) and colon cancer (SW620 and HCT116) cells. The combination treatment with each drug at one half the respective IC(50) dose (5 microM obovatol + 5 nM docetaxel) was more effective and significant (60%-70%) in the inhibition of cancer cell growth than single treatment by each drug (20%-40%); inhibition was exerted through a significant increase of apoptosis induction (60%-80%) by the combination treatment compared to the single treatment (10%-30%). Correlating well with the synergistic inhibition (combination indices are less than 1 in all cell types), the combination significantly inhibited NF-kappaB activities as well as expression of NF-kappaB target apoptotic cell death proteins, but decreased anti-apoptotic cell death proteins. Similar combination effects of obovatol with other chemotherapeutic agents (paclitaxel, cisplatin, and doxorubicin) on the inhibition of cell growth and NF-kappaB activity were also found. These results indicate that obovatol augments cell growth inhibition by chemotherapeutics through inactivation of NF-kappaB and suggest that obovatol may have therapeutic advantages in the combination treatment with other chemotherapeutics. [Supplementary Figure: available only at http://dx.doi.org/10.1254/jphs.09048FP].

Inhibition of NF-kappaB by ginsenoside Rg3 enhances the susceptibility of colon cancer cells to docetaxel.

Ginsenoside Rg3, the main constituent isolated from Panax ginseng, has been of interest for use as a cancer preventive or therapeutic agent. We investigated here whether Rg3 can inhibit the activity of NF-kappaB, a key transcriptional factor constitutively activated in colon cancer that confers cancer cell resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. To investigate whether RG3 can suppress activation of NF-kappaB, and thus inhibit cancer cell growth, we examined the susceptibility of colon cancer cells (SW620 and HCT116) to treatment with Rg3 (25, 50, 75, 100 microM) and RG3-induced activation of NF-kappaB. RG3 dose-dependently inhibited cancer cell growth through induction of apoptosis and decreased NF-kappaB activity. In a further study of compounds in colon cancer, we used half of the IC(50) dose, values in combined treatments of Rg3 (50 microM) with conventional agents - docetaxel (5 nM), paclitaxel (10 nM) cisplatin (10 microM) and doxorubicin (2 microM). Compared to treatment with Rg3 or chemotherapy alone, combined treatment was more effective (i.e., there were synergistic effects) in the inhibition of cancer cell growth and induction of apoptosis and these effects were accompanied by significant inhibition of NF-kappaB activity. NF-kappaB target gene expression of apoptotic cell death proteins (Bax, caspase-3, caspase-9) was significantly enhanced, but the expression of anti-apoptotic genes and cell proliferation marker genes (Bcl-2, inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP-1) and X chromosome IAP (XIAP), Cox-2, c-Fos, c-Jun and cyclin D1) was significantly inhibited by the combined treatment compared to Rg3 or docetaxel alone. These results indicate that ginsenoside Rg3 inhibits NF-kappaB, and enhances the susceptibility of colon cancer cells to docetaxel and other chemotherapeutics. Thus, ginsenoside Rg3 could be useful as an anti-cancer or adjuvant anti-cancer agent.

Growth inhibitory effects of obovatol through induction of apoptotic cell death in prostate and colon cancer by blocking of NF-kappaB.

Biphenolic components in Magnolia obovata including magnolol and honokiol have shown several pharmacological activities such as anti-tumor, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Previously in cultured macrophage Raw264.7 cells and fibroblast, we found that obovatol, an active compound isolated from M. obovata inhibited NF-kappaB activity which has been known to be a significant transcriptional factor to control of cancer cell growth. We investigated here whether obovatol could inhibit NF-kappaB activity, and thereby inhibit cancer cell growth in prostate (LNCaP and PC-3) and colon cancer (SW620 and HCT116) cells. Treatment of obovatol (10, 15, 20, 25 microM) inhibits cancer cell growth in the absence or the presence of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha , 10 ng/ml) and tetradecanoyl phorbol acetate (TPA 10 or 50 nM) in a concentration-dependent manner through induction of apoptotic cell death. Cytotoxic activity was not observed in normal cells with up to 50 muM obovatol. It was also found that obovatol inhibited TNF-alpha and TPA-induced transcriptional and DNA binding activities of NF-kappaB. In further study, obovatol decreased translocation p65 and p50 into nucleus via decrease of phosphorylation of IkappaB. Correlated well with the induction of apoptosis, obovatol increased the expression of the apoptotic genes; Bax, caspase-3, caspase-9, whereas inhibited expression of anti-apoptotic genes; Bcl-2, inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP-1) and X chromosome IAP (XIAP) as well as the cell proliferation marker genes; Cox-2, c-Fos, c-Jun and cyclin D1. These results suggest that obovatol inhibits prostate and colon cancer cell growth via induction of apoptotic cell death, and that inhibition of NF-kappaB may be a significant as its action mechanism.

Anti-oxidative and photo-protective effects of coumarins isolated from Fraxinus chinensis.

Free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are generated by UV irradiation, may cause serious injury to skin cell membranes, DNA and functional proteins. In addition, these agents stimulate the expressions of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which can degrade most components of the extracellular matrix (ECM), including collagen. In order to develop new anti-photoaging agents, five major components from the extract of Fraxinus chinensis extract (FCE) were identified. Two of the major components of FCE were found to be esculin (11.2%) and esculetin (1.9%). FCE (IC50: 50.0 microg/mL 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH); 19.8 microg/mL, superoxide anion radical) and esculetin (IC50: 2.1 microg/mL DPPH; 0.6 microg/mL, superoxide anion radical) showed strong antioxidative activities. Of the compounds tested, esculetin showed the strongest scavenging activity against DPPH radicals, followed by superoxide anions from the xanthine/xanthine oxidase system. The intracellular ROS scavenging activity showed that oxidation of 5-(6-)-chloromethyl-2', 7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (CM-H2DCFDA) was effectively inhibited by esculetin, with potent free radical scavenging activity was also shown in UVB-irradiated human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs). Moreover, treatment of UVA-irradiated HDFs with esculetin resulted in dose-dependent decreases in the expression levels of MMP-1 mRNA and protein. From these results, FCE and one of its components, esculetin, were predicted to be potentially useful as ingredients in cosmetics for protecting against photoaging.

2-hydroxycinnamaldehyde inhibits SW620 colon cancer cell growth through AP-1 inactivation.

Cinnamaldehyde derivatives isolated from Cinnamomum cassia have been widely used for treating dyspepsia, gastritis, and inflammatory disease as well as cancer. To investigate the anti-tumor activities of several cinnamaldehyde derivatives, we compared the inhibitory effect of cinnamaldehyde derivatives on cell growth and AP-1 transcriptional activity in SW620 human colon cancer cells since AP-1 is a transcriptional factor implicated to control cancer cell growth. Among the derivatives, 2'-hydroxycinnamaldehyde (HCA) most significantly inhibited cancer cell growth and AP-1 transcriptional activity in a dose-dependent manner with an IC50 value of 12.5 and 9 microg/ml, respectively. In further studies on the mechanism, we found that consistent with the inhibitory effect on cell growth, HCA dose-dependently (0-20 microg/ml) inhibited DNA binding activity of AP-1 accompanied with down regulation of c-Jun and c-Fos expressions. HCA also induced apoptotic cell death as well as expression of the apoptosis-regulating gene caspase-3, but inhibited the anti-apoptosis regulating gene bcl-2 in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggested that HCA has the most potent inhibitory effect against human colon cancer cell growth, and AP-1 may be an important target of HCA.