scholarly journals Ginseng Berry Extract Prevents Atherogenesis via Anti-Inflammatory Action by Upregulating Phase II Gene Expression

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chun-Ki Kim ◽  
Dong Hui Cho ◽  
Kyu-Sun Lee ◽  
Dong-Keon Lee ◽  
Chan-Woong Park ◽  
...  

Ginseng berry possesses higher ginsenoside content than its root, which has been traditionally used in herbal medicine for many human diseases, including atherosclerosis. We here examined the antiatherogenic effects of the Korean ginseng berry extract (KGBE) and investigated its underlying mechanism of actionin vitroandin vivo. Administration of KGBE decreased atherosclerotic lesions, which was inversely correlated with the expression levels of phase II genes to include heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and glutamine-cysteine ligase (GCL). Furthermore, KGBE administration suppressed NF-κB-mediated expression of atherogenic inflammatory genes (TNF-α, IL-1β, iNOS, COX-2, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1), without altering serum cholesterol levels, in ApoE-/-mice fed a high fat-diet. Treatment with KGBE increased phase II gene expression and suppressed lipopolysaccharide-induced reactive oxygen species production, NF-κB activation, and inflammatory gene expression in primary macrophages. Importantly, these cellular events were blocked by selective inhibitors of HO-1 and GCL. In addition, these inhibitors reversed the suppressive effect of KGBE on TNF-α-mediated induction of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1, resulting in decreased interaction between endothelial cells and monocytes. These results suggest that KGBE ameliorates atherosclerosis by inhibiting NF-κB-mediated expression of atherogenic genes via upregulation of phase II enzymes and thus has therapeutic or preventive potential for atherosclerosis.

Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 4496-4496
Author(s):  
Debabrata Banerjee ◽  
Guray Saydam ◽  
Lata G. Menon ◽  
Giuseppe S.A. Longo ◽  
Daniel Medina ◽  
...  

Abstract Aplidin (dehydrodidemnin B, C57H89N7O15) (APLD) is a novel antitumor agent isolated from the Mediterranean tunicate (seasquirt) Aplidium albicans. APLD has shown impressive in vitro and in vivo activity against different human cancer cells and has recently entered Phase II clinical trials in a variety of solid tumors following promising toxicity and pharmacological properties seen in Phase I studies. Fatigue and muscular pain were the most prevalent toxicities at 5 mg/m2 iv 3 h every other week or 3.4 mg/m2/wk with little or no bone marrow toxicity. APLD inhibits protein synthesis via GTP-dependent elongation factors 1-alpha and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity, induces rapid p53-independent apoptosis in vitro, cell cycle perturbation and alteration of gene expression at early times after treatment. APLD inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion and vascular endothelial growth factor-receptor 1 (VEGF-R1/flt-1), preventing autocrine stimulation in the human lymphoid leukemic cell line MOLT-4 cells and in AML blasts. APLD is a potent inhibitor of human myeloid leukemia cell lines (K-562, HEL and HL60), as well as fresh blast cells obtained from patients with both ALL and AML and is more potent than Idarubicin. Cytototoxic doses effective against multiple myeloma cells and fresh pediatric and adult ALL/AML blasts are achievable in plasma and are well below the recommended dose, thus a positive therapeutic index is anticipated. Moreover, the lack of cross resistance with conventional agents against fresh pediatric and adult AML/ALL blasts except fludarabine and Gemcitabine makes APLD an attractive therapeutic choice. Characterization of gene expression profile is currently underway in an attempt to generate a molecular fingerprint of sensitivity/resistance to APLD that will be validated in phase II clinical studies. Based on in vitro antileukemic effect of APLD as well as early results of clinical trials, a systematic study of drug combinations with Aplidin (APLD), for use possible in hematologic malignancies was undertaken. Three cell lines viz. K562 (acute myeloid leukemia), CCRF-CEM (acute lymphocytic leukemia), and SKI-DLCL (diffuse large cell lymphoma) were used for combination studies. Cytarabine and mitoxantrone were found to be synergistic in combination with APLD in all 3 cell lines as assessed by the Chou-Talalay combination index analysis. Since cytarabine and APLD produced impressive synergistic cell kill in all three cell culture models, the combination was further tested in the CCRF-CEM ALL xenograft model in SCID mice. APLD (0.7 mg/Kg) potentiated the antitumoral effect of cytarabine (50mg/Kg) in vivo. Addition of APLD to cytarabine treatment in xenograft model resulted in greater than 50% reduction in tumor size as compared to the untreated group. T/C ratios indicated that the effect of the combination was maximal at day 5 but was still maintained on day 8 (T/C on day 3 = 0.614; day 5= 0.403 and day 8= 0.703). The preclinical results with APLD in leukemias and lymphomas, as a single agent and in combination with cytarabine provide the basis for implementation of a phase II program in resistant relapsed leukemias and lymphomas.


Endocrinology ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 150 (7) ◽  
pp. 3197-3206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agatha Kokot ◽  
Dieter Metze ◽  
Nicolas Mouchet ◽  
Marie-Dominique Galibert ◽  
Meinhard Schiller ◽  
...  

Human skin is constantly exposed to UV light, the most ubiquitous environmental stressor. Here, we investigated the expression and regulation of Nrf1-3, transcription factors crucially involved in protection against oxidative stress in human skin cells in vitro, ex vivo, and in situ. In particular, we examined whether α-MSH, a UV-induced peptide, is capable of modulating Nrf2 and Nrf-dependent gene expression. Nrf1, -2, and -3 were found to be expressed in various cutaneous cell types in vitro. Surprisingly, UVB irradiation at physiological doses (10 mJ/cm2) reduced Nrf2 and Nrf-dependent gene expression in normal keratinocytes and melanocytes in vitro as well as ex vivo in skin organ cultures. α-MSH alone significantly increased Nrf2 as well as Nrf-dependent heme oxygenase-1, γ-glutamylcysteine-synthetase, and glutathione-S-transferase Pi gene expression in both keratinocytes and melanocytes. This effect of α-MSH occurred at physiological doses and was due to transcriptional induction, mimicked by the artificial cAMP inducer forskolin, and blocked by protein kinase A pathway inhibition. In silico promoter analysis of Nrf2 further identified several putative binding sites for activator protein 1 and cAMP response element-binding protein, transcription factors typically activated by α-MSH. Importantly, α-MSH prevented or even overcompensated the UVB-induced suppression of Nrf2 and Nrf-dependent genes not only in normal keratinocytes and melanocytes in vitro but also in skin organ cultures. These findings, for the first time, show regulation of Nrf2 and Nrf-dependent genes by α-MSH. Our data also highlight a novel facet in the cytoprotective and antioxidative effector mechanisms of α-MSH and perhaps of related melanocortin peptides.


PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e8970 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Xia ◽  
Xiao-Tao He ◽  
Xin-Yue Xu ◽  
Bei-Min Tian ◽  
Ying An ◽  
...  

Background Different phenotypes of macrophages (M0, M1 and M2 Mφs) have been demonstrated to play distinct roles in regulating mesenchymal stem cells in various in vitro and in vivo systems. Our previous study also found that cell-conditioned medium (CM) derived from M1 Mφs supported the proliferation and adipogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs), whereas CM derived from either M0 or M2 Mφs showed an enhanced effect on cell osteogenic differentiation. However, the underlying mechanism remains incompletely elucidated. Exosomes, as key components of Mφ-derived CM, have received increasing attention. Therefore, it is possible that exosomes may modulate the effect of Mφ-derived CM on the property of BMMSCs. This hypothesis was tested in the present study. Methods In this study, RAW264.7 cells were induced toward M1 or M2 polarization with different cytokines, and exosomes were isolated from the unpolarized (M0) and polarized (M1 and M2) Mφs. Mouse BMMSCs were then cultured with normal complete medium or inductive medium supplemented with M0-Exos, M1-Exos or M2-Exos. Finally, the proliferation ability and the osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic differentiation capacity of the BMMSCs were measured and analyzed. Results We found that only the medium containing M1-Exos, rather than M0-Exos or M2-Exos, supported cell proliferation and osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation. This was inconsistent with CM-based incubation. In addition, all three types of exosomes had a suppressive effect on chondrogenic differentiation. Conclusion Although our data demonstrated that exosomes and CM derived from the same phenotype of Mφs didn’t exert exactly the same cellular influences on the cocultured stem cells, it still confirmed the hypothesis that exosomes are key regulators during the modulation effect of Mφ-derived CM on BMMSC property.


Endocrinology ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 145 (1) ◽  
pp. 311-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. Ansell ◽  
C. Espinosa-Nicholas ◽  
E. M. Curran ◽  
B. M. Judy ◽  
B. J. Philips ◽  
...  

Abstract Understanding estrogen’s regulation of phase II detoxification enzymes is important in explaining how estrogen exposure increases the risk of developing certain cancers. Phase II enzymes such as glutathione-S-transferases (GST) and quinone reductase protect against developing chemically induced cancers by metabolizing reactive oxygen species. Phase II enzyme expression is regulated by a cis-acting DNA sequence, the antioxidant response element (ARE). It has previously been reported that several antiestrogens, but not 17β-estradiol, could regulate ARE-mediated gene transcription. Our goal was to determine whether additional estrogenic compounds could regulate ARE-mediated gene expression both in vitro and in vivo. We discovered that physiological concentrations (10 nm) of 17β-estradiol repressed GST Ya ARE-dependent gene expression in vitro. Treatment with other endogenous and anti-, xeno-, and phytoestrogens showed that estrogen receptor/ARE signaling is ligand, receptor subtype, and cell type specific. Additionally, GST and quinone reductase activities were significantly lowered in a dose-dependent manner after 17β-estradiol exposure in the uteri of mice. In conclusion, we have shown that 17β-estradiol, and other estrogens, down-regulate phase II enzyme activities. We propose estrogen-mediated repression of phase II enzyme activities may increase cellular oxidative DNA damage that ultimately can result in the formation of cancer in some estrogen-responsive tissues.


2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (11) ◽  
pp. 3649 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sakuka Tsukamoto ◽  
Ayako Shibasaki ◽  
Ayano Naka ◽  
Hazuki Saito ◽  
Kaoruko Iida

Lactate is a metabolic substrate mainly produced in muscles, especially during exercise. Recently, it was reported that lactate affects myoblast differentiation; however, the obtained results are inconsistent and the in vivo effect of lactate remains unclear. Our study thus aimed to evaluate the effects of lactate on myogenic differentiation and its underlying mechanism. The differentiation of C2C12 murine myogenic cells was accelerated in the presence of lactate and, consequently, myotube hypertrophy was achieved. Gene expression analysis of myogenic regulatory factors showed significantly increased myogenic determination protein (MyoD) gene expression in lactate-treated cells compared with that in untreated ones. Moreover, lactate enhanced gene and protein expression of myosin heavy chain (MHC). In particular, lactate increased gene expression of specific MHC isotypes, MHCIIb and IId/x, in a dose-dependent manner. Using a reporter assay, we showed that lactate increased promoter activity of the MHCIIb gene and that a MyoD binding site in the promoter region was necessary for the lactate-induced increase in activity. Finally, peritoneal injection of lactate in mice resulted in enhanced regeneration and fiber hypertrophy in glycerol-induced regenerating muscles. In conclusion, physiologically high lactate concentrations modulated muscle differentiation by regulating MyoD-associated networks, thereby enhancing MHC expression and myotube hypertrophy in vitro and, potentially, in vivo.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chuan-jian Shi ◽  
Yan-biao Zheng ◽  
Fei-fei Pan ◽  
Feng-wei Zhang ◽  
Peng Zhuang ◽  
...  

Gallic acid (3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid; GA), a natural phenolic acid, is abundantly found in numerous natural products. Increasing evidence have demonstrated that GA plays anti-cancer roles in multiple cancers. However, its anti-tumor effects on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the underlying mechanism remain obscure. In the present study, we found that GA suppressed the in vitro cell viability and metastasis and inhibited the in vivo tumor growth of HCC cells. The underlying mechanism was further to investigate and it was showed that GA suppressed the expression of β-catenin and led to the functional inactivation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. As a kind of significant regulators, the long noncoding RNA molecules (lncRNAs) have attracted widespread attentions for their critical roles in diverse biological process and human diseases. To further identify which lncRNA participated this GA-mediated process, several lncRNAs related to Wnt/β-catenin signaling were chosen for examination of their expression profiling in the GA-treated HCC cells. Of which, Metastasis-Associated Lung Adenocarcinoma Transcript 1 (MALAT1) was the most promising candidate. And moreover, MALAT1 was significantly down-regulated by GA. Its overexpression partially reversed the GA-induced the inhibitory effects on cell proliferation and metastasis; and successfully abolished the suppressive effect of GA on Wnt/β-catenin signaling. In conclusion, our results indicated that GA suppressed tumorigenesis in vitro and in vivo by the MALAT1-Wnt/β-catenin signaling axis, suggesting that GA has great potential to be developed as a chemo-prevention and chemotherapy agent for HCC patients.


Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (21) ◽  
pp. 2598-2598
Author(s):  
Janine M Lamonica ◽  
Stephan Kadauke ◽  
Wulan Deng ◽  
Gerd Blobel

Abstract Abstract 2598 Acetylation of the transcription factor GATA-1 facilitates its ability to drive erythroid differentiation by enhancing its association with in vivo target sites. However, the underlying mechanism through which GATA-1 acetylation functions has remained elusive. To test whether GATA-1 acetylation serves to recruit essential cofactors, we performed a peptide affinity screen and identified Brd3 as an acetylated GATA-1 interacting partner. Brd3 belongs to the BET protein family that also includes Brd2, Brd4, and Brdt, and is characterized by tandem bromodomains (BD1 and BD2) and an extraterminal (ET) domain. We show that Brd3 and GATA-1 physically interact in an acetylation-dependent manner in vitro and in vivo. Mapping studies revealed that the interaction depends on BD1 of Brd3 and one of the two major acetylation sites that resides near the C terminal zinc finger of GATA-1. By ChIP-seq and ChIP-qPCR, endogenous Brd3 is recruited to virtually all GATA-1-occupied regulatory elements in erythroid cells, including both GATA-1activated and repressed genes. Although Brd3 has been reported to associate with acetylated histones along the entire length of transcribed genes, we found that Brd3 recruitment correlates poorly with histone acetylation along gene bodies. In agreement with our biochemical data, an intact BD1 is essential for the in vivo recruitment of Brd3 to GATA-1-occupied elements, further demonstrating that acetylation of GATA-1 is essential for Brd3 association in vivo. Notably, a pharmacological compound that targets acetyl lysine binding sites in BD1 and BD2 disrupts the Brd3/GATA-1 interaction in vitro, diminishes Brd3 and GATA-1 association at key erythroid genes in vivo, and impairs GATA-1 target gene expression and erythroid maturation. In concert, these findings suggest a mechanism by which the first bromodomain of Brd3 recognizes acetyl-lysines on GATA-1 to facilitate GATA-1 chromatin occupancy. These studies raise an interesting question: In contrast to the great majority of transcription factors, BET family proteins bind to chromatin during mitosis and might serve an epigenetic memory function to properly reactivate gene transcription upon exit of mitosis. We are currently investigating whether Brd3 functions by bookmarking GATA-1-bound sites throughout mitosis to aid in transcriptional memory and stability of lineage specific gene expression. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


2019 ◽  
Vol 220 (10) ◽  
pp. 1688-1699
Author(s):  
Siqi Ming ◽  
Musheng Li ◽  
Minhao Wu ◽  
Jianhui Zhang ◽  
Haibo Zhong ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Immunosuppression contributes to the mortality of sepsis. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Methods In the present study, we investigated the role of inhibitory receptor immunoglobulin-like transcript 5 (ILT5) in sepsis. We first screened the expression of ILT family members, and we found that ILT5 was dramatically up-regulated in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells from sepsis patients versus healthy donors. Results Knockdown of ILT5 by small interfering ribonucleic acid increased bacterial killing and reactive oxygen species production in THP-1 and RAW264.7 cells. Moreover, ILT5-expressing monocytes/macrophages exhibited lower expression of antigen-presenting molecules including major histocompatibility complex-II and CD80. In the in vitro coculture system with monocytes/macrophages, blockage of ILT5 facilitated Th1 proliferation and differentiation of CD4+ T cells. Furthermore, in vivo experiments demonstrated that pretreatment with ILT5 blocking peptide improved the survival and pulmonary pathology of septic mice. Conclusions Together, our study identified ILT5 as an immunosuppressive regulator during sepsis, which may provide potential therapeutic strategy for sepsis.


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