scholarly journals The Protection of Crocin Against Ulcerative Colitis and Colorectal Cancer via Suppression of NF-κB-Mediated Inflammation

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shanshan Teng ◽  
Jie Hao ◽  
Hui Bi ◽  
Congcong Li ◽  
Yongfeng Zhang ◽  
...  

Background: In China, the incidence of ulcerative colitis (UC) is increasing every year, but the etiology of UC remains unclear. UC is known to increase the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of crocin against UC and CRC in mouse models.Methods: Crocin was used to treat the dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced UC mice for 3 weeks, and ApcMinC/Gpt mice with colorectal cancer for 8 weeks. Proteomics screening was used to detect changes in the protein profiles of colon tissues of UC mice. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and western blot were used to verify these changes.Results: Crocin strongly reduced the disease activity index scores of UC mice, and improved the pathological symptoms of the colonic epithelium. The anti-inflammatory effects of crocin were indicated by its regulation of the activity of various cytokines, such as interleukins, via the modulation of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) signaling. Crocin significantly suppressed tumor growth in ApcMinC/Gpt mice and ameliorated pathological alterations in the colon and liver, but had no effects on spleen and kidney. Additionally, crocin significantly decreased the concentrations of interleukins and tumor necrosis factor-α in the sera and colon tissues, suggesting its anti-inflammatory effects related to NF-κB signaling. Finally, 12-h incubation of SW480 cells with crocin caused cell cycle arrest, enhanced the apoptotic rate, promoted the dissipation of mitochondrial membrane potential, and the over-accumulation of reactive oxygen species. From the theoretical analyses, phosphorylated residues on S536 may enhance the protein-protein interactions which may influence the conformational changes in the secondary structure of NF-κB.Conclusion: The protective effects of crocin on UC and CRC were due to its suppression of NF-κB-mediated inflammation.

2018 ◽  
Vol 96 (5) ◽  
pp. 636-645 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenyan Gao ◽  
Luding Zhang ◽  
Xiaoqian Wang ◽  
Li Yu ◽  
Changhong Wang ◽  
...  

Indirubin and isatin have been used in the treatment of inflammatory diseases due to their anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to evaluate the combined effect of indirubin and isatin on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC). UC was induced by the administration of 3% (w/v) DSS solution, and then the model mice were administered indirubin (10 mg/kg body mass) and (or) isatin (10 mg/kg body mass) by gavage once daily for 7 days. The results showed that indirubin and isatin, individually or combined, significantly inhibited weight loss, lowered disease activity index (DAI), ameliorated pathological changes, decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory mediators and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, increased the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines and Foxp3, suppressed CD4+ T cell infiltration, and inhibited oxidative stress and epithelial cell apoptosis. Additionally, indirubin and isatin, both individually and combined, can also inhibit activation of the NF-κB and MAPK pathways induced by DSS. The protective effect of combination therapy against UC was superior to that of single-agent treatment. These results suggest that indirubin combined with isatin attenuates DSS-induced UC, and changes to the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways may mediate the protective effects of indirubin and isatin in UC.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 358-358
Author(s):  
Qiyu Tian ◽  
Xhixin Xu ◽  
Xiaofei Sun ◽  
Jeanene Deavila ◽  
Min Du ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives Grape pomace (GP), a by-product of the wine and juice industry, is rich in bioflavonoids and dietary fibers. We hypothesized that grape pomace has protective effects against colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods Nine-week-old female mice were fed a control diet (CON) or CON with 5% grape pomace (GP) for 2 weeks, when mice were subjected to azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) for colorectal cancer (CRC) induction. All animals were received 1% DSS in drinking water for 7 days followed by a 21-day recovery in a 3-cycle experimental period, while receiving their respective diet. Results GP supplementation ameliorated the disease activity index (DAI) score, reduced tumor number, tumor size and pathological scores in AOM/DSS treated mice. Furthermore, dietary GP suppressed colonic expression of inflammatory cytokines, IL-1β and TNF-α, and inhibited NF-κB inflammatory signaling. Colorectal inflammation is known to enhance Wnt signaling and cell proliferation. In agreement, the content of β-catenin, a key downstream mediator of Wnt signaling, was reduced so for the expression of Cyclin D1 phosphorylation and content of p53 and PCNA level in GP-fed mice.  In addition, GP reduced the expression of ALDH1, a marker of cell stemness, and increased the expression of Cdx2, a key transcription factor initiating epithelial cell differentiation. Consistently, DNA methylation of the promoter region of Cdx2 gene and hypermethylation of GpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP), which commonly occurs during CRC carcinogenesis, was alleviated in GP group. Conclusions GP supplementation suppressed colitis-associated CRC carcinogenesis associated with the suppression of inflammation and cell proliferation and the enhancement of DNA demethylation in Cdx2 and CIMP genes in the colon. Funding Sources USDA-NIFA 2018–67,017-27,517.


Author(s):  
Faraza Javed ◽  
Naveed Aslam ◽  
Hafiza Maida Arshad ◽  
Ambreen Mehmood Awan ◽  
Wafa Majeed ◽  
...  

Background: Gisekia pharnaceoides Linn. (Aizoaceae), traditionally known as baluka saag or sareli is commonly found in the deep Cholistan region of Pakistan. It is used by native community for the mitigation of a range of diseases, including inflammatory disorders and gastric ulcers. Objective: This study is designed to evaluate the defensive impact of G. pharnaceoides in acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis in mice and to discover the mechanism for anti-inflammatory action. Method: The ethanolic crude extract of G. pharnaceoides (Gp.Cr) was prepared and evaluated for phytochemical substances by preliminary screening and HPLC analysis. Anti-inflammatory activity of Gp.Cr (300 and 500 mg/kg) was examined by administration of 200 µl of 7.5% acetic acid intra-rectally to induce ulcerative colitis and colonic mucosal injury, while mucosal homeostasis was evaluated by disease activity index, colonic ulcer score and hematological parameters. Anti-inflammatory potential was quantified by assessing antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GPX-1), lipid peroxides, nitric oxide and cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α) immunoassays and further analyzed by histological analysis of colon tissues. Results: Phytochemical screening of Gp.Cr revealed the presence of alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids, steroids, tannins and saponins, while HPLC analysis confirmed the presence of quercetin, gallic acid, coumaric and sinapic acid. In acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis model, Gp.Cr (300 and 500 mg/kg) along with sulphasalazine (500 mg/kg) decreased disease activity index, ulcer scores and hematological parameters. Gp.Cr showed a significant anti-inflammatory potential by increasing antioxidant enzymes and decreasing lipid peroxides, nitric oxide and cytokines levels. Histopathological examination showed significant decline in ulceration and tissue disruption. Conclusion: Hence, the findings confirmed the effectiveness of G. pharnaceoides crude extract in the treatment of ulcerative colitis and might be a promising remedy to manage inflammatory disorders.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiping Li ◽  
Yanjiao Xu ◽  
Chengliang Zhang ◽  
Li Deng ◽  
Mujun Chang ◽  
...  

Calculus Bovis Sativus(CBS) is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine, which has been reported to exhibit antispasmodic, fever-reducing, anti-inflammatory, and gallbladder-repairing effects. The present study aims to investigate the protective effect of CBS on dextran sulphate sodium- (DSS-) induced ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice. C57BL/6 male mice were exposed to 5% DSS in drinking water. CBS was given orally at 50 and 150 mg/kg once per day for 7 days. Body weight, disease activity index (DAI), colon length, colonic myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) levels were measured. Administration of CBS significantly reserved these changes, decreased the MPO activity and MDA and NO level, and increased the SOD activity in the colon tissue. Histological observation suggested that CBS alleviated edema, mucosal damage, and inflammatory cells infiltration induced by DSS in the colon. Moreover, CBS significantly downregulated the mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin- (IL-) 1βand IL-6 in the colon tissue. Our data suggested that CBS exerted protective effect on DSS-induced UC partially through the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 857 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soonjae Hwang ◽  
Minjeong Jo ◽  
Ju Eun Hong ◽  
Chan Oh Park ◽  
Chang Gun Lee ◽  
...  

Chronic inflammation has been linked to colitis-associated colorectal cancer in humans. The human symbiont enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis (ETBF), a pro-carcinogenic bacterium, has the potential to initiate and/or promote colorectal cancer. Antibiotic treatment of ETBF has shown promise in decreasing colonic polyp formation in murine models of colon cancer. However, there are no reported natural products that have shown efficacy in decreasing polyp burden. In this study, we investigated the chemopreventive effects of oral administration of zerumbone in ETBF-colonized mice with azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced tumorigenesis. Zerumbone significantly reduced the severity of disease activity index (DAI) scores as well as several parameters of colonic inflammation (i.e., colon weight, colon length, cecum weight and spleen weight). In addition, inflammation of the colon and cecum as well as hyperplasia was reduced. Zerumbone treatment significantly inhibited colonic polyp numbers and prevented macroadenoma progression. Taken together, these findings suggest that oral treatment with zerumbone inhibited ETBF-promoted colon carcinogenesis in mice indicating that zerumbone could be employed as a promising protective agent against ETBF-mediated colorectal cancer.


2018 ◽  
Vol 132 (9) ◽  
pp. 985-1001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Prieto-Vicente ◽  
Ana I. Sánchez-Garrido ◽  
Víctor Blanco-Gozalo ◽  
Miguel Arévalo ◽  
Enrique García-Sánchez ◽  
...  

Cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1) holds potent anti-inflammatory, cytoprotective, and anti-apoptotic effects in the liver, kidneys, and heart. In the present study, the role of endogenous CT-1 and the effect of exogenous CT-1 were evaluated in experimental ulcerative colitis. Colitis was induced in CT-1 knockout and wild-type (WT) mice by administration of dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) in the drinking water during 7 days. CT-1 knockout mice showed higher colon damage and disease severity than WT mice. In addition, CT-1 (200 µg/kg/day, iv) or vehicle (as control) was administered during 3 days to WT, colitic mice, starting on day 4 after initiation of DSS. Disease activity index (DAI), inflammatory markers (tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), INFγ, IL-17, IL-10, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)), colon damage, apoptosis (cleaved caspase 3), nuclear factor κB (NFκB) and STAT-3 activation, and bacterial translocation were measured. Compared with mice treated with DSS, mice also treated with exogenous CT-1 showed lower colon damage, DAI, plasma levels of TNFα, colon expression of TNF-α, INFγ, IL-17, iNOS and cleaved caspase 3, higher NFκB and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathways activation, and absence of bacterial translocation. We conclude that endogenous CT-1 plays a role in the defense and repair response of the colon against ulcerative lesions through an anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effect. Supplementation with exogenous CT-1 ameliorates disease symptoms, which opens a potentially new therapeutic strategy for ulcerative colitis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahmoud Youssef ◽  
Eslam Abd El-Fattah ◽  
Amir Abdelhamid ◽  
Hanan Eissa ◽  
Eman El-Ahwany ◽  
...  

Empagliflozin and metformin are widely used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. These drugs showed marked anti-inflammatory effects in different animal models via enhancing AMPK activity. Yet, the protective anti-inflammatory effects of their combination against ulcerative colitis have not been previously investigated. The current study aimed to explore the potential of empagliflozin/metformin combination to mitigate the DSS-induced rat colitis model. The modulating effects of empagliflozin and metformin on the AMPK/mTOR/NLRP3 axis and T cell polarization were delineated. In this study, distal colons were examined for macroscopic and microscopic pathological alterations. ELISA, qRT-PCR, and immunohistochemistry techniques were applied to detect proteins and cytokines involved in AMPK/mTOR/NLRP3 axis and T Cell polarization. Oral administration of empagliflozin (10 mg/kg/day) and metformin (200 mg/kg/day) combination alleviated colitis as revealed by the reduced disease activity index, macroscopic damage index, colon weight/length ratio, and histopathologic scoring values. Interestingly, empagliflozin/metformin combination significantly enhanced AMPK phosphorylation and depressed mTOR and NLRP3 expression leading to a subsequent reduction in caspase-1 cleavage and inhibition of several inflammatory cytokines, including IL-1β, and IL-18. Reduced mTOR expression and reduced IL-6 levels led to a reduction in Th17 cell polarization and maintenance. Together, the current study reveals that the protective effects of empagliflozin and metformin against DSS-induced colitis are fundamentally mediated via enhancing AMPK phosphorylation. Since adult humans with diabetes mellitus are at greater risk for developing inflammatory bowel diseases, clinical application of empagliflozin/metformin combination represents a novel therapeutic approach for treating diabetic patients with ulcerative colitis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Guosheng Lin ◽  
Minyao Li ◽  
Nan Xu ◽  
Xiaoli Wu ◽  
Jingjing Liu ◽  
...  

Aim of the Study. This study is aimed at exploring the effects and pharmacological mechanisms of the extracts from the Heritiera littoralis fruit (EFH) on dextran sulfate sodium- (DSS-) induced ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice. Materials and Methods. The chemical compositions of EFH were identified using LC-ESI-MS. The mice with 3% DSS-induced UC were administered EFH (200, 400, and 800 mg/kg), sulfasalazine (SASP, 200 mg/kg), and azathioprine (AZA, 13 mg/kg) for 10 days via daily gavage. The colonic inflammation was evaluated by the disease activity index (DAI), colonic length, histological scores, and levels of inflammatory mediators. The gut microbiota was characterized by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and analysis. Results. LC-ESI-MS analysis showed that EFH was rich in alkaloids and flavones. The results indicated that EFH significantly improved the DAI score, relieved colon shortening, and repaired pathological colonic variations in colitis. In addition, proteins in the NF-κB pathway were significantly inhibited by EFH. Furthermore, EFH recovered the diversity and balance of the gut microbiota. Conclusions. EFH has protective effects against DSS-induced colitis by keeping the balance of the gut microbiota and suppressing the NF-κB pathway.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1545
Author(s):  
Sa-Haeng Kang ◽  
Young-Jae Song ◽  
Yong-Deok Jeon ◽  
Dong-Keun Kim ◽  
Jeong-Hyang Park ◽  
...  

Glycyrrhizae radix (GR), a plant commonly referred to as licorice, is used as a medicine and food worldwide. However, the utilization of GR from wild areas has caused desertification and a depletion of natural resources. Environmental restrictions and low productivity have limited plant cultivation. For this reason, an improved Glycyrrhiza variety, Wongam (WG), in cultivation and quality has been developed by Korea Rural Development Administration. To evaluate the equivalence of efficacy, several comparative studies between already-registered species and new cultivars have been conducted. This study evaluated the anti-inflammatory effect of WG extracts in a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis model, in comparison to that of GR extracts. WG extract significantly improved the clinical signs of DSS-induced ulcerative colitis, including disease activity index, body weight loss, and colon length shortening, which was equivalent to the effect of GR. Furthermore, the fecal microbiota was analyzed by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism. The composition of the fecal microbiota did not show a specific pattern based on experimental groups; however, a tendency toward an increase in the proportion of Lactobacillales was observed. These findings showed an equivalence of efficacy and the possible utilization of WG as a medicinal resource with already-registered species.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Mbiantcha Marius ◽  
Dawe Amadou ◽  
Atsamo Albert Donatien ◽  
Ateufack Gilbert ◽  
Yousseu Nana William ◽  
...  

Combretum fragrans (Combretaceae) is a Cameroonian medicinal plant containing various secondary metabolites and traditionally used for the treatment of several pathologies. Two cycloartane-type triterpenes, Combretin A and Combretin B, were isolated from this plant. This study was aimed at evaluating the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticolitis effects of these compounds. In vitro anti-inflammatory properties were evaluated by inhibition of cyclooxygenase, 5-lipoxygenase, and denaturation of the protein; antioxidant properties were assessed by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), (2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid)) ABTS•+, capacity tests ferric reducing antioxidant (FRAP), and trapping nitric oxide. For in vivo analysis, we used the model of ulcerative colitis induced by Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS). Studies of the anti-inflammatory activity showed that Combretin A and Combretin B had maximal inhibitory activity on cyclooxygenase (71.92% and 89.59%), 5-lipoxygenase (76.68% and 91.21%), and protein denaturation (63.93% and 87.78%). Antioxidant activity on DPPH, ABTS•+, ferric reducing antioxidant capacity (FRAP), and nitric oxide scavenging showed that Combretin A and Combretin B showed good antioxidant activities. These compounds significantly reduced the signs of DSS-induced colitis in the treated animals by preventing the weight loss of the animals, by significantly reducing the disease activity index, improving the condition of the stool, preventing the reduction of the length of the colon, and preventing the degradation of the colon. This study revealed that Combretin A and Combretin B have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and curative properties against colitis experimentally induced by DSS in rats.


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