scholarly journals Antitumor Effects of N-Butylidenephthalide Encapsulated in Lipopolyplexs in Colorectal Cancer Cells

Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (10) ◽  
pp. 2394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kai-Fu Chang ◽  
Jinghua Tsai Chang ◽  
Xiao-Fan Huang ◽  
Yu-Ling Lin ◽  
Kuang-Wen Liao ◽  
...  

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common type of cancer and the second most common cause of cancer-related death in the world. N-Butylidenephthalide (BP), a natural compound, inhibits several cancers, such as hepatoma, brain tumor and colon cancer. However, due to the unstable structure, the activity of BP is quickly lost after dissolution in an aqueous solution. A polycationic liposomal polyethylenimine and polyethylene glycol complex (LPPC), a new drug carrier, encapsulates both hydrophobic and hydrophilic compounds, maintains the activity of the compound, and increases uptake of cancer cells. The purpose of this study is to investigate the antitumor effects and protection of BP encapsulated in LPPC in CRC cells. The LPPC encapsulation protected BP activity, increased the cytotoxicity of BP and enhanced cell uptake through clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Moreover, the BP/LPPC-regulated the expression of the p21 protein and cell cycle-related proteins (CDK4, Cyclin B1 and Cyclin D1), resulting in an increase in the population of cells in the G0/G1 and subG1 phases. BP/LPPC induced cell apoptosis by activating the extrinsic (Fas, Fas-L and Caspase-8) and intrinsic (Bax and Caspase-9) apoptosis pathways. Additionally, BP/LPPC combined with 5-FU synergistically inhibited the growth of HT-29 cells. In conclusion, LPPC enhanced the antitumor activity and cellular uptake of BP, and the BP/LPPC complex induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, thereby causing death. These findings suggest the putative use of BP/LPPC as an adjuvant cytotoxic agent for colorectal cancer.

2016 ◽  
Vol 71 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 29-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Abdel-Lateff ◽  
Ahmed M. Al-Abd ◽  
Abdulrahman M. Alahdal ◽  
Walied M. Alarif ◽  
Seif-Eldin N. Ayyad ◽  
...  

Abstract Three triterpenoidal derivatives [Sipholenol A (1), sipholenol L (2) and sipholenone A (3)] were isolated from the Red Sea sponge Siphonochalina sp. The structures were determined based on spectroscopic measurements (NMR, UV, IR and MS). The isolated compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against three cancer cell lines; HepG2, Caco-2 and HT-29. Moreover, the effects of these metabolites on cell cycle progression as well as cell cycle regulating proteins were assessed. Compounds 1, 2 and 3 showed moderate activity against HepG2 cells with IC50 values of 17.18 ± 1.18, 24.01 ± 0.59 and 35.06 ± 1.10 μM, respectively. Compounds 1 and 2 exerted a considerable antiproliferative effect with IC50 values of 4.80 ± 0.18 and 26.64 ± 0.30 μM, respectively, against Caco-2 cells. Finally, 1 and 2 exhibited antiproliferative activity against colorectal cancer cells (HT-29) with IC50 values of 24.65 ± 0.80 and 4.48 ± 0.1 μM, respectively. Cell cycle analysis indicated that these compounds induced cell cycle arrest particularly in G0/G1 and S phases. Furthermore, the triterpenoids increased the expression of cyclin-B1, cyclin-D1 and cleaved caspase-3, as determined by immunofluorescence, indicating an important role of apoptosis in cell death induced by these compounds.


2019 ◽  
Vol 244 (16) ◽  
pp. 1409-1418
Author(s):  
Wen Song ◽  
Cuiping Guo ◽  
Jianxiong Chen ◽  
Shiyu Duan ◽  
Yukun Hu ◽  
...  

Resistance to radiotherapy remains a severe obstacle in the treatment of high-risk colorectal cancer patients. Recent studies have indicated that proteasome activator complex subunit 3 (PSME3) participates in the development and progression of various human malignancies and is proposed to play a role in tumor radioresistance. However, the impact of PSME3 on radioresistance of colorectal cancer has been largely unknown. In the present study, the enhanced expression of PSME3 was observed in colorectal cancer cells and tissue. Upregulation of PSME3 was significantly implicated in lymph node state, lymphovascular invasion, and Dukes' stage. Furthermore, high PSME3 expression was closely linked to poorer overall and progression-free survival in patients with colorectal cancer. The study further demonstrated that the proliferative, invasive and migratory potential of colorectal cancer cells was effectively inhibited in vitro after silencing PSME3. Our results verified that knockdown of PSME3 probably triggered cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase by downregulation of cyclinB1 and CDK1, thereby enhancing the radiosensitivity of colorectal cancer cells. These data illustrated that PSME3 is a promising biomarker predictive of colorectal cancer prognosis and silencing of PSME3 may provide with a new approach for sensitizing the radiotherapy in colorectal cancer. Impact statement It is reported that colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death. At present, the main treatment method of colorectal cancer is surgery, supplemented by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Among them, radiotherapy plays an important role in the treatment of locally advanced colorectal cancer, surgery, and chemotherapy. Our study found that down-regulation of PSME3 may enhance the radiosensitivity of CRC cells by triggering cell cycle arrest, which suggests that silence PSME3 may provide a new method for improving the radiosensitivity of CRC. What’more, our research also demonstrated that PSME3 may promote proliferation, invasive and migratory potential of CRC cells, which implies that PSME3 might be a biomarker of CRC for early diagnosis and treatment.


Author(s):  
Kon-Young Ji ◽  
Ki Mo Kim ◽  
Yun Hee Kim ◽  
Ki-Shuk Shim ◽  
Joo Young Lee ◽  
...  

The molecular mechanism underlying the anticancer effects of Anemarrhena asphodeloides (A. asphodeloides) on colon cancer is unknown. This is the first study evaluating the anticancer effect of A. asphodeloides extract (AA-Ex) in serum-starved colorectal cancer cells. Changes in cell proliferation and morphology in serum-starved MC38 and HCT116 colorectal cancer cells were investigated using MTS assay. Cell cycle and apoptosis were investigated using flow cytometry, and cell cycle regulator expression was determined using qRT-PCR. Apoptosis regulator protein levels and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation were assessed using western blotting. AA-Ex sensitively suppressed proliferation of serum-starved colorectal cancer cells, with MC38 and HCT116 cells showing greater changes in proliferation after treatment with AA-Ex under serum starvation than HaCaT and RAW 264.7 cells. AA-Ex inhibited cell cycle progression in serum-starved MC38 and HCT116 cells and increased the expression of cell cycle inhibitors (p53, p21, and p27). Furthermore, AA-Ex induced apoptosis in serum-starved MC38 and HCT116 cells. Consistently, AA-Ex suppressed the expression of the anti-apoptotic molecule Bcl-2 and upregulated pro-apoptotic molecules (cytochrome c, cleaved caspase-9, cleaved caspase-3, and cleaved-PARP) in serum-starved cells. AA-Ex treatment under serum starvation decreased AKT and ERK1/2 phosphorylation in the cell survival signaling pathway but increased p38 and JNK phosphorylation. Furthermore, AA-Ex treatment with serum starvation increased the levels of the transcription factors of the p38 and JNK pathway. Serum starvation sensitizes colorectal cancer cells to the anticancer effect of A. asphodeloidesvia p38/JNK-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Hence, AA-Ex possesses therapeutic potential for colon cancer treatment.


2015 ◽  
Vol 117 (5) ◽  
pp. 1262-1272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadia Mustapha ◽  
Aline Pinon ◽  
Youness Limami ◽  
Alain Simon ◽  
Kamel Ghedira ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 243 (14) ◽  
pp. 1133-1140
Author(s):  
Ling Chen ◽  
Ting Zhang ◽  
Qiuli Liu ◽  
Mei Tang ◽  
Yu’e Yang ◽  
...  

Buformin is a commonly used hypoglycemic agent, and numerous studies have shown that buformin has potent antitumor effects in several malignancies. In this study, we aimed to assess the cytotoxic effect of buformin combined with ionizing radiation (IR) on two human cervical cancer cell lines (Hela and Siha). Cytotoxicity was detected by colony formation assays; impacts on the cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometric analyses. Changes in histone H2AX (γ-H2AX) phosphorylation and impacts on the AMPK/S6 pathway were also explored. Our data show that the combination of buformin and IR had a much stronger antiproliferative effect and resulted in more apoptosis than did buformin or IR alone. Combination treatment with a low dose of buformin (10 µM) and IR (4 Gy) caused G2/M-phase cell cycle arrest. Consistent with these findings, Western blotting showed that the combination of buformin and IR activated AMPK and suppressed S6. In addition, delayed disappearance of γ-H2AX was detected by immunofluorescence in cervical cancer cells treated with buformin plus IR. Taken together, the data indicate that the combination of a low concentration of buformin and IR increases the radiosensitivity of cervical cancer cells via cell cycle arrest and inhibition of DNA repair. Based on these results, we strongly support the use of buformin as an effective agent for improving IR treatment efficiency in the context of cervical cancer. Impact statement Our idea originated in the thought of discovering new effects of old drugs. Although this study is a basic research, it is very close to clinical treatment. Flow cytometry and immunofluorescence were used to verify that buformin increases radiosensitivity. We aimed to address one of the thorniest problems in treatment process. Based on discovering new effects of old drugs, it is feasible to use buformin as an anticancer drug in clinical application. This will provide new ideas for clinical treatment.


Tumor Biology ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 2461-2471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meiying Li ◽  
Xuejun Yu ◽  
Hui Guo ◽  
Limei Sun ◽  
Aijun Wang ◽  
...  

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