Project description:BackgroundSternbergia clusiana belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family and is recognized for the valuable biological activity of its major bioactive compounds. The aim of the current is to evaluate the anticancer effects of the ethanolic bulb extract of Sternbergia clusiana (ScBEE) on breast cancer cells in vitro and to further reveal the underlying cellular mechanism.MethodsAn MTS cell viability assay was performed on MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells, along with cell cycle analysis, cell death ELISA, Western blot analysis and an ROS production assay to decipher the mechanism of death. LC-MS/MS was also performed to identify the chemical composition of this ethanolic extract.ResultsThe results show a selective antiproliferative effect on both cell lines with no effect on normal mesenchymal stem cells. Further analysis suggested the activation of the apoptotic pathway as reflected by the increase in cellular and DNA fragmentation and alterations in apoptotic proteins such as Bax, Bcl-2 and c-PARP. ScBEE was also found to exhibit antioxidant effect, as shown by a decrease in ROS production. The underlying mechanism of action was explained by the presence of several bioactive compounds identified by LC-MS/MS, including alkaloids, terpenoids and phenols, which are elaborated in the manuscript.ConclusionThis study highlights the antioxidant and anticancerous properties of S.clusiana for breast cancer treatment.
Project description:Natural products have long been utilized in traditional medicine as remedies to improve health and treat illnesses, and have had a key role in modern drug discovery. Recently, there has been a revived interest in the search for bioactives from natural sources as alternative or complementary modalities to synthetic medicines; especially for cancer treatment, which incidence and mortality rates are on the rise worldwide. Ziziphus nummularia has been widely used in traditional medicine for the treatment of various diseases. Its traditional uses and numerous ethnopharmacological properties may be attributed to its richness in bioactive metabolites. However, its phytochemical composition or chemopreventive effects against the aggressive triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) are still poorly explored. Here, phytochemical composition of an ethanolic extract of Z. nummularia leaves (ZNE) and its chromatographically isolated fractions was identified both qualitatively by spectrophotometric assays and analytically by HPLC-PDA-MS/MS. The anti-proliferative effects of ZNE were tested in several cancer cell lines, but we focused on its anti-TNBC effects since they were not explored yet. The anti-cancerous potential of ZNE and its fractions was tested in vitro in MDA-MB-231, a TNBC cell line. Results showed that ZNE and its Fraction 6 (F6) reduced the viability of MDA-MB-231 cells. F6 decreased MDA-MB-231 viability more than crude ZNE or its other fractions. ZNE and F6 are rich in phytochemicals and HPLC-PDA-MS/MS analysis identified several metabolites that were previously reported to have anti-cancerous effects. Both ZNE and F6 showed potent antioxidant capacity in the DPPH assay, but promoted reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in MDA-MB-231 cells; an effect which was blunted by the antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine (NAC). NAC also blunted ZNE- and F6-induced reduction in TNBC cell viability. We also demonstrated that ZNE and F6 induced an arrest of the cell cycle, and triggered apoptosis- and autophagy-mediated cell death. ZNE and F6 inhibited metastasis-related cellular processes by modifying cell migration, invasion, and adhesion. Taken together, our findings reveal that Z. nummularia is rich in phytochemicals that can attenuate the malignant phenotype of TNBC and may offer innovative avenues for the discovery of new drug leads for treatment of TNBC and other cancers.
Project description:Background/Objectives: Averrhoa carambola, or star fruit, is a shrub known for its medicinal properties, especially due to bioactive metabolites identified in its roots and fruit with anti-cancer activity. However, the biological effects of its leaves remain unexplored. This study aimed to assess the effects of ethanolic extract from A. carambola leaves on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), an aggressive subtype lacking specific therapy. Methods: Phytochemical analysis and HPLC profile and additional cell line evaluation employing MDA-MB-231 were carried out. Results: Phytochemical screening revealed that the ethanolic extract was rich in flavonoids, saponins, and steroids, demonstrating an antioxidant capacity of 45%. 1H NMR analysis indicated the presence of flavonoids, terpenes, and glycoside-like compounds. Cell viability assays showed a concentration-dependent decrease in viability, with an IC50 value of 20.89 μg/mL at 48 h. Clonogenic assays indicated significant inhibition of replicative immortality, with only 2.63% survival at 15 μg/mL. Migration, assessed through a wound healing assay, was reduced to 3.06% at 100 μg/mL, with only 16.23% of cells remaining attached. An additive effect was observed when combining lower concentrations of the extract with doxorubicin, indicating potential synergy. Conclusions: These results suggest that the ethanolic extract of A. carambola leaves contains metabolites with anti-cancer activity against TNBC cells, supporting further research into their bioactive compounds and therapeutic potential.
Project description:Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive breast cancer accounting for around 15% of identified breast cancer cases. TNBC lacks human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) amplification, is hormone independent estrogen (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR) negative, and is not reactive to current targeted therapies. Existing treatment relies on chemotherapeutic treatment, but in spite of an initial response to chemotherapy, the inception of resistance and relapse is unfortunately common. Dasatinib is an approved second-generation inhibitor of multiple tyrosine kinases, and literature data strongly support its use in the management of TNBC. However, dasatinib binds to plasma proteins and undergoes extensive metabolism through oxidation and conjugation. To protect dasatinib from fast pharmacokinetic degradation and to prolong its activity, it was encapsulated on poly(styrene-co-maleic acid) (SMA) micelles. The obtained SMA-dasatinib nanoparticles (NPs) were evaluated for their physicochemical properties, in vitro antiproliferative activity in different TNBC cell lines, and in vivo anticancer activity in a syngeneic model of breast cancer. Obtained results showed that SMA-dasatinib is more potent against 4T1 TNBC tumor growth in vivo compared to free drug. This enhanced effect was ascribed to the encapsulation of the drug protecting it from a rapid metabolism. Our finding highlights the often-overlooked value of nanoformulations in protecting its cargo from degradation. Overall, results may provide an alternative therapeutic strategy for TNBC management.
Project description:Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an allergic and chronic inflammatory skin disease. The present study investigates the anti-allergic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities of the ethanolic extract of Cornus officinalis (COFE) for possible applications in the treatment of AD. COFE inhibits the release of β-hexosaminidase from RBL-2H3 cells sensitized with the dinitrophenyl-immunoglobulin E (IgE-DNP) antibody after stimulation with dinitrophenyl-human serum albumin (DNP-HSA) in a concentration-dependent manner (IC50 = 0.178 mg/mL). Antioxidant activity determined using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power assay, and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) scavenging activity, result in EC50 values of 1.82, 10.76, and 0.6 mg/mL, respectively. Moreover, the extract significantly inhibits lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production and the mRNA expression of iNOS and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) through attenuation of NF-κB activation in RAW 264.7 cells. COFE significantly inhibits TNF-α-induced apoptosis in HaCaT cells without cytotoxic effects (p < 0.05). Furthermore, 2-furancarboxaldehyde and loganin are identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis, respectively, as the major compounds. Molecular docking analysis shows that loganin, cornuside, and naringenin 7-O-β-D-glucoside could potentially disrupt the binding of IgE to human high-affinity IgE receptors (FceRI). Our results suggest that COFE might possess potential inhibitory effects on allergic responses, oxidative stress, and inflammatory responses.
Project description:Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are the most aggressive and hard-to-treat breast tumors with poor prognosis, and exploration for novel therapeutic drugs is impending. Arctigenin (Atn), a bioactive lignan isolated from seeds of Arctium lappa L, has been reported to inhibit many cancer types; however, the effect of Atn on TNBC remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that Atn decreased proliferation, and induced apoptosis in TNBC cells. Furthermore, we explored the underlying mechanism of Atn inhibition on TNBC cells. Computational docking and affinity assay showed that Atn bound to the SH2 domain of STAT3. Atn inhibited STAT3 binding to genomic DNA by disrupting hydrogen bond linking between DNA and STAT3. In addition, Atn augmented Taxotere®-induced TNBC cell cytotoxicity. TNBC xenograft tests also confirmed the antitumor effect of Atn in vivo. These characteristics render Atn as a promising candidate drug for further development and for designing new effective STAT3 inhibitors.
Project description:Background/aimTriple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype, predominant in African American women. In this study, the antioxidant/anticancer activity of muscadine grape extracts and the role of their phenolic and flavonoid contents in exerting these properties were investigated in TNBC cells.Materials and methodsBerry extracts from muscadine genotypes were investigated for total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant capacity, and anticancer effects using breast cancer cell lines, representing Caucasians and African Americans.ResultsThe antioxidant activity was associated with high TPC content. Extracts showed cytotoxicity up to 78.6% in Caucasians and 90.7% in African American cells, with an association with high antioxidant capacity. There was a strong correlation between TPC and anticancer/antioxidant activities.ConclusionThe anticancer and antioxidant effects of muscadine grapes are attributed to the TPC of extracts, which showed a stronger positive correlation with growth inhibition of African American breast cancer cells compared to Caucasians.
Project description:Microtubules are one of the major targets for anticancer drugs because of their role in cell proliferation and migration. However, as anticancer drugs targeting microtubules have side effects, including the death of normal cells, it is necessary to develop anticancer agents that can target microtubules by specifically acting on cancer cells only. In this study, we identified chemicals that can act as anticancer agents by specifically binding to acetylated microtubules, which are predominant in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The chemical compounds disrupted acetylated microtubule lattices by interfering with microtubule access to alpha-tubulin acetyltransferase 1 (αTAT1), a major acetyltransferase of microtubules, resulting in the increased apoptotic cell death of MDA-MB-231 cells (a TNBC cell line) compared with other cells, such as MCF-10A and MCF-7, which lack microtubule acetylation. Moreover, mouse xenograft experiments showed that treatment with the chemical compounds markedly reduced tumor growth progression. Taken together, the newly identified chemical compounds can be selective for acetylated microtubules and act as potential therapeutic agents against microtubule acetylation enrichment in TNBC.
Project description:Capsicum annuum (L.) is one of the essential spices most frequently used in our daily routine and has remarkable ethnobotanical and pharmacological properties. Its fruits are rich in vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, and numerous other phenolic metabolites with a well-known antioxidant activity. Regular consumption of chili fruits may have a positive influence on human health. Therefore, we investigated a commercially available chili fruit powder in the present study, extracting it with 50% ethanol. The dried hydro-ethanolic extract (CAE) was thoroughly analyzed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS/MS), and 79 bioactive phenolic constituents were identified. Then, we quantified the main phenolic compounds and found a polyphenol content of 4.725 ± 1.361 mg Eq tannic acid/100 g extract and a flavonoid amount of 1.154 ± 0.044 mg Eq rutin/100 g extract. Phenolic secondary metabolites are known for their dual redox behavior as antioxidants/pro-oxidants, underlying their numerous benefits in health and disease. Thus, the antioxidant potential of CAE was evaluated using three methods; our results could explain the protective effects of chili fruits: IC50DPPH = 1.669 mg/mL, IC50ABTS = 0.200 mg/mL, and EC50FRAP = 0.561 mg/mL. The pro-oxidant potential of phenolic compounds could be a basis for CAE cytotoxicity, investigated in vitro on tumor cell lines and in vivo on Daphnia sp. Results demonstrated the dose- and time-dependent CAE's cytotoxic activity; the highest antiproliferative activity was recorded on colon (LoVo) and breast (MDA-MB-231) cancer cell lines after 48 h of exposure (IC50 values < 200 µg/mL). In vivo testing on Daphnia sp. reported a potent CAE cytotoxicity after 48 h and embryonic developmental delays. Extensive data analyses support our results, showing a significant correlation between the CAE's concentration, phenolic compound content, antioxidant activity, exposure time, and the viability rate of different tested cell lines.
Project description:Garlic peels are frequently disposed of as agro-waste; their bioactivity and physiological activity for health benefits and disease protection are neglected. This study aims to examine the potential inhibitory effects of garlic peel extract as an antioxidant on 4 T1 triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) tumors in mice. The bioactive constituents of garlic peel were identified through HPLC-MS/MS analysis, while the antioxidant properties of garlic peel extract were assessed using peroxyl radical scavenging capacity (PSC) and cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) assays. Subsequently, the inhibitory effects of garlic peel extract on 4T1 tumor growth were evaluated using a 4T1 model. The results showed that 433 polyphenol compounds were found in garlic peel extract; among them, flavonoids and phenolic acid are the primary polyphenols with natural antioxidant activity, and both high and low concentrations of the extract exhibited tumor-suppressive effects. Immunohistochemistry was employed to assess the expression levels of COX-2, CD31, VEGFA, MMP2, and MMP9 in tumor tissues in order to investigate the antioxidant properties of garlic peel extract, specifically its ability to suppress COX-2 expression. The findings of this study offer a foundation for the advancement of garlic peel-based functional products and contribute to the identification of potential anti-cancer agents and therapeutic targets.