An SGLT2 inhibitor modulates SHH expression by activating AMPK to inhibit the migration and induce the apoptosis of cervical carcinoma cells.

In addition to their hypoglycemic effect, sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have many other benefits. In the present study, we examine the anticancer effect of the SGLT2 inhibitor empagliflozin using cervical carcinoma models. In vivo antitumor activities of empagliflozin were observed in a nude mouse model. Empagliflozin intervention and downregulation of Sonic Hedgehog Signaling Molecule (Shh) inhibited the migration and promoted the apoptosis of cervical cancer cells in nude mice. Compared with the control group, the empagliflozin treatment group had an increased level of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and decreased levels of Forkhead Box A1 (FOXA1) and SHH in tumor tissue. In vitro experiments also showed that empagliflozin (50 µM) inhibited the migration of cervical cancer cells and induced their apoptosis by activating the AMPK/FOXA1 pathway and inhibiting the expression of SHH. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to determine the relationship between SHH expression and total survival time. The results showed that in cervical cancer patients, high SHH expression resulted in unfavorable overall survival. The downregulation of SHH with small interfering RNA (siRNA) inhibited the migration and invasion and promoted the apoptosis of HeLa cells. These findings show that empagliflozin has a potential therapeutic effect on cervical cancer. This effect was related to the activation of the AMPK pathway and the inhibition of SHH expression.

Efficient degradation of atrazine by magnetic porous copper ferrite catalyzed peroxymonosulfate oxidation via the formation of hydroxyl and sulfate radicals.

Magnetic porous copper ferrite (CuFe2O4) showed a notable catalytic activity to peroxymonosulfate (PMS). More than 98% of atrazine was degraded within 15 min at 1 mM PMS and 0.1 g/L CuFe2O4. In contrast, CuFe2O4 exhibited no obvious catalytic activity to peroxodisulfate or H2O2. Several factors affecting the catalytic performance of PMS/CuFe2O4 were investigated. Results showed that the catalytic degradation efficiency of atrazine increased with PMS and CuFe2O4 doses, but decreased with the increase of natural organic matters concentration. The catalytic oxidation also showed a dependence on initial pH. The presence of bicarbonate stimulated atrazine degradation by PMS/CuFe2O4 at low concentrations but inhibited the degradation at high concentrations. Furthermore, the reactive species for atrazine degradation in PMS/CuFe2O4 system were identified as hydroxyl radical (HO) and sulfate radical (SO4(·-)) through competition reactions of atrazine and nitrobenzene, instead of commonly used alcohol scavenging, which was not a reliable method in metal oxide catalyzed oxidation. Surface hydroxyl groups of CuFe2O4 were a critical part in radical generation and the copper on CuFe2O4 surface was an active site to catalyze PMS. The catalytic degradation of atrazine by PMS/CuFe2O4 was also effective under the background of actual waters.