scholarly journals Safety, Stability, and Therapeutic Efficacy of Long-Circulating TQ-Incorporated Liposomes: Implication in the Treatment of Lung Cancer

Pharmaceutics ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 153
Author(s):  
Arif Khan ◽  
Mohammed A. Alsahli ◽  
Mohammad A. Aljasir ◽  
Hamzah Maswadeh ◽  
Mugahid A. Mobark ◽  
...  

Thymoquinone (TQ), which is one of the main bioactive constituents of Nigella sativa seeds, has demonstrated its potential against various cancer models. The poor solubility of TQ in aqueous solution limits its uses in clinical application. The present study aimed to develop a novel formulation of TQ to increase its bioavailability and therapeutic potential with minimal toxicity. Polyethylene glycol (PEG)-coated DSPC/cholesterol comprising TQ liposomes (PEG-Lip-TQ) were prepared and characterized on various aspects. A computational investigation using molecular docking was used to assess the possible binding interactions of TQ with 12 prospective anticancer drug targets. The in vitro anticancer activity was assessed in A549 and H460 lung cancer cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner, while the oral acute toxicity assay was evaluated in silico as well as in vivo in mice. TQ docked to the Hsp90 target had the lowest binding energy of −6.05 kcal/mol, whereas caspase 3 was recognized as the least likely target for TQ with a binding energy of −1.19 kcal/mol. The results showed 96% EE with 120 nm size, and −10.85 mv, ζ-potential of PEG-Lip-TQ, respectively. The cell cytotoxicity data demonstrated high sensitivity of PEG-Lip-TQ and a several fold decrease in the IC50 while comparing free TQ. The cell cycle analysis showed changes in the distribution of cells with doses. The in vivo data revealed an ~9-fold increase in the LD50 of PEG-Lip-TQ on free TQ as an estimated 775 and 89.5 mg/kg b.w, respectively. This study indicates that the pharmacological and efficacy profile of PEG-lip-TQ is superior to free TQ, which will pave the way for an exploration of the effect of TQ formulation in the treatment of lung cancer in clinical settings.

Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 2093
Author(s):  
Elisa Landucci ◽  
Francesca Bonomolo ◽  
Chiara De Stefani ◽  
Costanza Mazzantini ◽  
Domenico Edoardo Pellegrini-Giampietro ◽  
...  

Thymoquinone (TQ) is the main constituent of Nigella sativa L. essential oil. In vitro studies have shown its protective effect against H2O2-induced oxidative stress in human retinal pigment epithelium cells, and in vivo experiments have demonstrated its effect in decreasing corneal neovascularization and reducing the inflammation in an experimental dry eye model in mice. Its therapeutic use is limited by poor bioavailability, low solubility, and scarce permeability. In this study, two liposomal formulations have been developed, both of which consist of phosphatidylcholine and Plurol Oleique, a liquid lipid, and one of which is coated with 0.1% w/v hyaluronic acid (HA) to increase both TQ solubility and its ocular therapeutic potential. Each formulation has a size <200 nm and an EE% around 70%, determined by scattering techniques and the HPLC-DAD analytical method, respectively, and they result in a 2-fold increase in TQ solubility. HA-coated liposomes are stable over 2 months at +4 °C, and coated and uncoated liposomes present a gradual and prolonged release of TQ. Two cell lines, human corneal epithelial cells (HCEC-2) and human conjunctival epithelial cells (HConEC) were used to investigate the safety of the liposomal formulations. Uptake studies were also performed using fluorescent liposomes. Both liposomes and, in particular, HA-coated liposomes reduce the TQ toxicity observed at high doses in both HCEC-2 and HConEC cells, and both formulations increase the absorption at the cellular level and especially at the nucleus level, with a more pronounced effect for HA-coated liposomes.


Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 420
Author(s):  
Su-Jung Hwang ◽  
Ye-Seul Song ◽  
Hyo-Jong Lee

Kushen (Radix Sophorae flavescentis) is used to treat ulcerative colitis, tumors, and pruritus. Recently, phaseolin, formononetin, matrine, luteolin, and quercetin, through a network pharmacology approach, were tentatively identified as five bioactive constituents responsible for the anti-inflammatory effects of S. flavescentis. However, the role of phaseolin (one of the primary components of S. flavescentis) in the direct regulation of inflammation and inflammatory processes is not well known. In this study, the beneficial role of phaseolin against inflammation was explored in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation models of RAW 264.7 macrophages and zebrafish larvae. Phaseolin inhibited LPS-mediated production of nitric oxide (NO) and the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), without affecting cell viability. In addition, phaseolin suppressed pro-inflammatory mediators such as cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, phaseolin reduced matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity as well as macrophage adhesion in vitro and the recruitment of leukocytes in vivo by downregulating Ninjurin 1 (Ninj1), an adhesion molecule. Finally, phaseolin inhibited the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB). In view of the above, our results suggest that phaseolin could be a potential therapeutic candidate for the management of inflammation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lijuan Li ◽  
Lixia An ◽  
Lifang Li ◽  
Yongjuan Zhao

Sphingolipids are formed via the metabolism of sphingomyelin, aconstituent of the plasma membrane, or by denovosynthesis. Enzymatic pathways result in the formation of several different lipid mediators, which are known to have important roles in many cellular processes, including proliferation, apoptosis and migration. Several studies now suggest that these sphingolipid mediators, including ceramide, ceramide 1-phosphate and sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), are likely to have an integral role in in?ammation. This can involve, for example, activation of pro-in?ammatory transcription factors in different cell types and induction of cyclooxygenase-2, leading to production of pro-in?ammatory prostaglandins. The mode of action of each sphingolipid is different. Increased ceramide production leads to the formation of ceramide-rich areas of the membrane, which may assemble signalling complexes, whereas S1P acts via high-af?nity G-protein-coupled S1P receptors on the plasma membrane. Recent studies have demonstrated that in vitro effects of sphingolipids on in?ammation can translate into in vivo models. This review will highlight the areas of research where sphingolipids are involved in in?ammation and the mechanisms of action of each mediator. In addition, the therapeutic potential of drugs that alter sphingolipid actions will be examined with reference to disease states, such as asthma and in?ammatory bowel disease, which involve important in?ammatory components. A signi?cant body of research now indicates that sphingolipids are intimately involved in the in?ammatory process and recent studies have demonstrated that these lipids, together with associated enzymes and receptors, can provide effective drug targets for the treatment of pathological in?ammation.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatrice Parma ◽  
Vignesh Ramesh ◽  
Paradesi Naidu Gollavilli ◽  
Aarif Siddiqui ◽  
Luisa Pinna ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe identification of novel targets is of paramount importance to develop more effective drugs and improve the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Since cells alter their metabolic rewiring during tumorigenesis and along cancer progression, targeting key metabolic players and metabolism-associated proteins represents a valuable approach with a high therapeutic potential. Metabolic fitness relies on the functionality of heat shock proteins (HSPs), molecular chaperones that facilitate the correct folding of metabolism enzymes and their assembly in macromolecular structures. Here, we show HSPD1 (HSP60) as a survival gene ubiquitously expressed in NSCLC and associated with poor patients’ prognosis. HSPD1 knockdown or its chemical disruption by the small molecule KHS101 induces a drastic breakdown of oxidative phosphorylation, and suppresses cell proliferation both in vitro and in vivo. By combining drug profiling with transcriptomics and through a whole-genome CRISPR/Cas9 screen, we demonstrate that HSPD1-targeted anti-cancer effects are dependent on OXPHOS and validated molecular determinants of KHS101 sensitivity, in particular, the creatine-transporter SLC6A8 and the subunit of the cytochrome c oxidase complex COX5B. These results highlight mitochondrial metabolism as an attractive target and HSPD1 as a potential theranostic marker for developing therapies to combat NCSLC.SignificanceHSPD1 elimination or disruption interferes with NSCLC metabolic activity causing a strong OXPHOS-dependent energetic breakdown, which the cancer cells fail to overcome, highlighting HSPD1 as a potential theranostic marker for improving lung cancer therapy.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huazhen Xu ◽  
Tongfei Li ◽  
Chao Wang ◽  
Yan Ma ◽  
Yan Liu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) are the most abundant stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment. Turning the TAM against their host tumor cells is an intriguing therapeutic strategy particularly attractive for patients with immunologically “cold” tumors. This concept was mechanistically demonstrated on in vitro human and murine lung cancer cells and their corresponding TAM models through combinatorial use of nanodiamond-doxorubicin conjugates (Nano-DOX) and a PD-L1 blocking agent BMS-1. Nano-DOX are an agent previously proved to be able to stimulate tumor cells’ immunogenicity and thereby reactivate the TAM into the anti-tumor M1 phenotype. Results: Nano-DOX were first shown to stimulate the tumor cells and the TAM to release the cytokine HMGB1 which, regardless of its source, acted through the RAGE/NF-κB pathway to induce PD-L1 in the tumor cells and PD-L1/PD-1 in the TAM. Interestingly, Nano-DOX also induced NF-κB-dependent RAGE expression in the tumor cells and thus reinforced HMGB1’s action thereon. Then, BMS-1 was shown to enhance Nano-DOX-stimulated M1-type activation of TAM both by blocking Nano-DOX-induced PD-L1 in the TAM and by blocking tumor cell PD-L1 ligation with TAM PD-1. The TAM with enhanced M1-type repolarization both killed the tumor cells and suppressed their growth. BMS-1 could also potentiate Nano-DOX’s action to suppress tumor cell growth via blocking of Nano-DOX-induced PD-L1 therein. Finally, Nano-DOX and BMS-1 achieved synergistic therapeutic efficacy against in vivo tumor grafts in a TAM-dependent manner. Conclusions: PD-L1/PD-1 upregulation mediated by autocrine and paracrine activation of the HMGB1/RAGE/NF-κB signaling is a key response of lung cancer cells and their TAM to stress, which can be induced by Nano-DOX. Blockade of Nano-DOX-induced PD-L1, both in the cancer cells and the TAM, achieves enhanced activation of TAM-mediated anti-tumor response.


Pharmaceutics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 397
Author(s):  
Yoo-Kyung Song ◽  
Jin-Ha Yoon ◽  
Jong Kyu Woo ◽  
Ju-Hee Kang ◽  
Kyeong-Ryoon Lee ◽  
...  

The potential inhibitory effect of quercetin, a major plant flavonol, on breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) activity was investigated in this study. The presence of quercetin significantly increased the cellular accumulation and associated cytotoxicity of the BCRP substrate mitoxantrone in human cervical cancer cells (HeLa cells) in a concentration-dependent manner. The transcellular efflux of prazosin, a stereotypical BCRP substrate, was also significantly reduced in the presence of quercetin in a bidirectional transport assay using human BCRP-overexpressing cells; further kinetic analysis revealed IC50 and Ki values of 4.22 and 3.91 μM, respectively. Moreover, pretreatment with 10 mg/kg quercetin in rats led to a 1.8-fold and 1.5-fold increase in the AUC8h (i.e., 44.5 ± 11.8 min∙μg/mL vs. 25.7 ± 9.98 min∙μg/mL, p < 0.05) and Cmax (i.e., 179 ± 23.0 ng/mL vs. 122 ± 23.2 ng/mL, p < 0.05) of orally administered sulfasalazine, respectively. Collectively, these results provide evidence that quercetin acts as an in vivo as well as in vitro inhibitor of BCRP. Considering the high dietary intake of quercetin as well as its consumption as a dietary supplement, issuing a caution regarding its food–drug interactions should be considered.


Nanomaterials ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 1572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Salas-Treviño ◽  
Odila Saucedo-Cárdenas ◽  
María de Jesús Loera-Arias ◽  
Humberto Rodríguez-Rocha ◽  
Aracely García-García ◽  
...  

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have emerged in recent years as a potential option for drug delivery, due to their high functionalization capacity. Biocompatibility and selectivity using tissue-specific biomolecules can optimize the specificity, pharmacokinetics and stability of the drug. In this study, we design, develop and characterize a drug nanovector (oxCNTs-HA-CPT) conjugating oxidated multi-wall carbon nanotubes (oxCNTs) with hyaluronate (HA) and carboplatin (CPT) as a treatment in a lung cancer model in vitro. Subsequently, we exposed TC–1 and NIH/3T3 cell lines to the nanovectors and measured cell uptake, cell viability, and oxidative stress induction. The characterization of oxCNTs-HA-CPT reveals that on their surface, they have HA. On the other hand, oxCNTs-HA-CPT were endocytosed in greater proportion by tumor cells than by fibroblasts, and likewise, the cytotoxic effect was significantly higher in tumor cells. These results show the therapeutic potential that nanovectors possess; however, future studies should be carried out to determine the death pathways involved, as well as their effect on in vivo models.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Myeong A Choi ◽  
Sun You Park ◽  
Hye Yun Chae ◽  
Yoojin Song ◽  
Chiranjeev Sharma ◽  
...  

Abstract To develop novel CNS penetrant HDAC inhibitors, a new series of HDAC inhibitors having benzoheterocycle were designed, synthesized, and biologically evaluated. Among the synthesized compounds, benzothiazole derivative 9b exhibited a remarkable anti-proliferative activity (GI50 = 2.01 μM) against SH-SY5Y cancer cell line in a dose and time-dependent manner, better than the reference drug SAHA (GI50 = 2.90 μM). Moreover, compound 9b effectively promoted the accumulation of acetylated Histone H3 and α-tubulin through inhibition of HDAC1 and HDAC6 enzymes, respectively. HDAC enzyme assay also confirmed that compound 9b efficiently inhibited HDAC1 and HDAC6 isoforms with IC50 values of 84.9 nM and 95.9 nM. Furthermore, compound 9b inhibited colony formation capacity of SH-SY5Y cells, which is considered a hallmark of cell carcinogenesis and metastatic potential. The theoretical prediction, in vitro PAMPA-BBB assay, and in vivo brain pharmacokinetic studies confirmed that compound 9b had much higher BBB permeability than SAHA. In silico docking study demonstrated that compound 9b fitted in the substrate binding pocket of HDAC1 and HDAC6. Taken together, compound 9b provided a novel scaffold for developing CNS penetrant HDAC inhibitors and therapeutic potential for CNS-related diseases.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinyi Lu ◽  
Xingli Wu ◽  
Lin Jing ◽  
Lingjia Tao ◽  
Yingxuan Zhang ◽  
...  

Objective. To analyze the active compounds, potential targets, and diseases of JianPi Fu Recipe (JPFR) based on network pharmacology and bioinformatics and verify the potential biological function and mechanism of JPFR in vitro and in vivo. Methods. Network pharmacology databases including TCMSP, TCM-PTD, TCMID, and DrugBank were used to screen the active compounds and potential drug targets of JPFR. Cytoscape 3.7 software was applied to construct the interaction network between active compounds and potential targets. The DAVID online database analysis was performed to investigate the potential effective diseases and involved signaling pathways according to the results of the GO function and KEGG pathways enrichment analysis. To ensure standardization and maintain interbatch reliability of JPFR, High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) was used to establish a “chemical fingerprint.” For biological function validation, the effect of JPFR on the proliferation and migration of CRC cells in vitro was investigated by CCK-8 and transwell and wound healing assay, and the effect of JPFR on the growth and metastasis of CRC cells in vivo was detected by building a lung metastasis model in nude mice and in vivo imaging. For the potential mechanism validation, the expressions of MALAT1, PTBP-2, and β-catenin in CRC cells and transplanted CRC tumors were detected by real-time PCR, western blot, and immunohistochemical staining analysis. Results. According to the rules of oral bioavailability (OB) > 30% and drug-likeness (DL) > 0.18, 244 effective compounds in JPFR were screened out, as well as the corresponding 132 potential drug targets. By the analysis of DAVID database, all these key targets were associated closely with the cancer diseases such as prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, bladder cancer, small cell lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and hepatocellular carcinoma. In addition, multiple signaling pathways were closely related to JPFR, including p53, Wnt, PI3K-Akt, IL-17, HIF-1, p38-MAPK, NF-κB, PD-L1 expression and PD-1 checkpoint pathway, VEGF, JAK-STAT, and Hippo. The systematical analysis showed that various active compounds of JPFR were closely connected with Wnt/β-catenin, EGFR, HIF-1, TGFβ/Smads, and IL6-STAT3 signaling pathway, including kaempferol, isorhamnetin, calycosin, quercetin, medicarpin, phaseol, spinasterol, hederagenin, beta-sitosterol, wighteone, luteolin, and isotrifoliol. For in vitro experiments, the migration and growth of human CRC cells were inhibited by the JPFR extract in a dose-dependent way, and the expression of MALAT1, PTBP-2, β-catenin, MMP7, c-Myc, and Cyclin D1 in CRC cells were downregulated by the JPFR extract in a dose-dependent way. For in vivo metastasis experiments, the numbers of lung metastasis were found to be decreased by the JPFR extract in a dose-dependent manner, and the expressions of metastasis-associated genes including MALAT1, PTBP-2, β-catenin, and MMP7 in the lung metastases were downregulated dose dependently by the JPFR extract. For the orthotopic transplanted tumor experiments, the JPFR extract could inhibit the growth of orthotopic transplanted tumors and downregulate the expression of c-Myc and Cyclin D1 in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, the JPFR extract could prolong the survival time of tumor-bearing mice in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusions. Through effective network pharmacology analysis, we found that JPFR contains many effective compounds which may directly target cancer-associated signaling pathways. The in vitro and in vivo experiments further confirmed that JPFR could inhibit the growth and metastasis of CRC cells by regulating β-catenin signaling-associated genes or proteins.


Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 2331
Author(s):  
Chongxu Zhang ◽  
Tengjiao Cui ◽  
Renzhi Cai ◽  
Medhi Wangpaichitr ◽  
Mehdi Mirsaeidi ◽  
...  

Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) is secreted primarily from the hypothalamus, but other tissues, including the lungs, produce it locally. GHRH stimulates the release and secretion of growth hormone (GH) by the pituitary and regulates the production of GH and hepatic insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). Pituitary-type GHRH-receptors (GHRH-R) are expressed in human lungs, indicating that GHRH or GH could participate in lung development, growth, and repair. GHRH-R antagonists (i.e., synthetic peptides), which we have tested in various models, exert growth-inhibitory effects in lung cancer cells in vitro and in vivo in addition to having anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and pro-apoptotic effects. One antagonist of the GHRH-R used in recent studies reviewed here, MIA-602, lessens both inflammation and fibrosis in a mouse model of bleomycin lung injury. GHRH and its peptide agonists regulate the proliferation of fibroblasts through the modulation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and Akt pathways. In addition to downregulating GH and IGF-1, GHRH-R antagonist MIA-602 inhibits signaling pathways relevant to inflammation, including p21-activated kinase 1-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3/nuclear factor-kappa B (PAK1-STAT3/NF-κB and ERK). MIA-602 induces fibroblast apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner, which is an effect that is likely important in antifibrotic actions. Taken together, the novel data reviewed here show that GHRH is an important peptide that participates in lung homeostasis, inflammation, wound healing, and cancer; and GHRH-R antagonists may have therapeutic potential in lung diseases.


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