OBJECTIVE: Despite the combination of Scutellaria barbata D. Don and Scleromitrion diffusum (Willd.) R.J. Wang (SB-SD) being a recognized Chinese medicinal herbal pair that is commonly used in the treatment of ovarian cancer, there is a poor understanding of their pharmacological mechanisms. This study examines the antitumor properties and potential mechanisms of SB-SD on human ovarian cancer A2780 cells through a multi-omics approach, establishing a pharmacological basis for clinical utilization. METHODS: A range of mass ratios and reagents were used in the hot reflux extraction of SB-SD. The inhibitory effect of the SB-SD extracts on A2780 cell proliferation was assessed using the cell-counting kit 8 assay. A zebrafish tumor implantation model was used to evaluate the effects of SB-SD extracts on tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. Transcriptomics and proteomics were used to investigate alterations in biological pathways in A2780 cells after treatment with different concentrations of SB-SD extract. Cell cycle, cell apoptosis, intracellular free iron concentration, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentration, malondialdehyde (MDA), and mitochondrial membrane potential were measured. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were utilized to investigate the effects of heme catabolism and ferritinophagy on ferroptosis induced by SB-SD extract in A2780 cells. RESULTS: The 70% ethanol extract of SB-SD (a mass ratio of 4:1) inhibited A2780 cell proliferation significantly with a half maximal inhibitory concentration of 660 μg/mL in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Moreover, it effectively suppressed tumor growth and metastasis in a zebrafish tumor implantation model. SB-SD extract induced the accumulation of free iron, ROS, MDA, and mitochondrial damage in A2780 cells. The mechanisms might involve the upregulated expression of ferritinophagy-related genes microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3, autophagy-related gene 5, and nuclear receptor coactivator 4. CONCLUSION SB-SD extract effectively inhibited the development of ovarian cancer both in vitro and in vivo. Its mechanism of action involved inducing ferroptosis by facilitating heme catabolism and ferritinophagy. This herbal pair holds promise as a potential therapeutic option for ovarian cancer treatment and may be utilized in combination with routine treatment to improve the treatment outcomes of ovarian cancer patients. Please cite this article as: Wang Z, Liu M, Li GX, Zhang L, Ding KY, Li SQ, Gao BQ, Chen P, Choe HC, Xia LY, Yang YT, Liu Y, Sui X, Ma JN, Zhang L. A herbal pair of Scutellaria barbata D. Don and Scleromitrion diffusum (Willd.) R.J. Wang induced ferroptosis in ovarian cancer A2780 cells via inducing heme catabolism and ferritinophagy. J Integr Med. 2024; 22(6): 666-683.
Ferroptosis/drug effects* ; Female ; Humans ; Animals ; Scutellaria/chemistry* ; Ovarian Neoplasms/genetics* ; Zebrafish ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Ferritins/genetics* ; Plant Extracts/pharmacology* ; Heme/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism* ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/pharmacology* ; Autophagy/drug effects* ; Apoptosis/drug effects*

Objective:Echinocystic acid(EA)is a kind of oleanolic pentacyclic triterpenoid compound,due to its main structural features of stability and less active sites,the structures of EA were modified in this paper to synthesize a series of EA derivatives, improve their bioavailability, and investigate their inhibitory effect on lipase. Method:In this study,EA derivatives were designed and synthesized from EA,which is a natural lipase inhibitor. Their inhibitory effects on lipase were tested by using 2,4-dinitrophenyl butanoate(PNPB) method. Result:Nine compounds were synthesized,and their structures were characterized by infrared spectrum (IR), ultraviolet spectrum (UV), mass spectrum (MS), nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum (¹H-NMR and ¹³ C-NMR),all of which were identified as new compounds. Further experiments on the inhibitory effect on lipase showed that compounds 1-9 had higher inhibitory effects than EA,IC₅₀=7.03,2.05,2.14,3.65,3.24,0.28,0.34,0.46,and 0.39 g·L^-1. Compounds 6-9 had higher inhibitory effect than Orlistat(IC₅₀=0.53 g·L^-1). Inhibition rates were as follows:6 > 7 > 9 > 8 > Orlistat> 2 > 3 > 5 > 4 > 1 >EA. Conclusion:It is feasible to design and synthesize derivatives with EA as the lead compound to improve the inhibitory effect on lipase.

Objective:To design and synthesize series of rotundic acid derivatives by introducing aromatic ester groups with rotundic acid as the parent nucleus, test their anti-tumor activity in vitro,investigate the structure-activity relationship of rotundic acid derivatives in inhibiting tumor cell proliferation, and obtain the novel rotundic acid derivatives with high anti-tumor activity. Method:Compounds 1-8 were synthesized with rotundic acid as the initial raw material through the 28-etherification,3β and 23di-aromatic esterification eaction. The anti-tumor activities in vitro were evaluated by MTT assay against A375 (human malignant melanoma cells),HeLa (human cervical cancer cells),SPC-A1 (human lung adenocarcinoma cells),and HepG2 (human liver cancer cells). Result:Compounds 2-8 were new compounds. Their structures were identified by melting point (MP),high resolution electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS),¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR) and ¹³ C nuclear magnetic resonance (¹³ C-NMR). MTT results showed that compounds 3,5 and 8 exhibited significant anti-tumor activity, especially compound 5 was found to have the best inhibition activity on HeLa,A375, HepG2 and SPC-A1 with IC₅₀ values of (5.25±1.08),(5.99±0.88),(3.31±1.89),(5.74±1.78) μmol·L^-1, 1.92,3.22,3.79, 3.72 times of that of rotundic acid,respectively. Conclusion:Compound 5 has significant anti-tumor activity with great significance for further research and development of new anti-tumor medicines.

Scutellarin (SCU), a flavonoid from a traditional Chinese medicinal plant. Our previous study has demonstrated that SCU relaxes mouse aortic arteries mainly in an endothelium-depend-ent manner. In the present study, we investigated the vasoprotective effects of SCU against HR-induced endothelial dysfunction (ED) in isolated rat CA and the possible mechanisms involving cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) dependent protein kinase (PKG). The isolated endothelium-intact and endothelium-denuded rat CA rings were treated with HR injury. Evaluation of endothelium-dependent and -independent vasodilation relaxation of the CA rings were performed using wire myography and the protein expressions were assayed by Western blotting. SCU (10-1 000 μmol·L(-1)) could relax the endothelium-intact CA rings but not endothelium-denuded ones. In the intact CA rings, the PKG inhibitor, Rp-8-Br-cGMPS (PKGI-rp, 4 μmol·L(-1)), significantly blocked SCU (10-1 000 μmol·L(-1))-induced relaxation. The NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor, NO-nitro-L-arginine methylester (L-NAME, 100 μmol·L(-1)), did not significantly change the effects of SCU (10-1 000 μmol·L(-1)). HR treatment significantly impaired ACh-induced relaxation, which was reversed by pre-incubation with SCU (500 μmol·L(-1)), while HR treatment did not altered NTG-induced vasodilation. PKGI-rp (4 μmol·L(-1)) blocked the protective effects of SCU in HR-treated CA rings. Additionally, HR treatment reduced phosphorylated vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (p-VASP, phosphorylated product of PKG), which was reversed by SCU pre-incubation, suggesting that SCU activated PKG phosphorylation against HR injury. SCU induces CA vasodilation in an endothelium-dependent manner to and repairs HR-induced impairment via activation of PKG signaling pathway.
Animals ; Apigenin ; pharmacology ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; drug effects ; Cell Hypoxia ; Coronary Vessels ; drug effects ; Cyclic GMP ; analogs & derivatives ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Cyclic GMP-Dependent Protein Kinases ; Glucuronates ; pharmacology ; Microfilament Proteins ; drug effects ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Phosphoproteins ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; complications ; physiopathology ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Thionucleotides ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Vasodilation ; drug effects ; physiology

BACKGROUNDEnterovirus 71 (EV71) and coxsackievirus A16 (Cox A16) are major causative agents for hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). Studies indicate that the frequent HFMD outbreaks result in a few hundreds children's death in China in recent years. The vaccine and other research for HFMD need to be developed urgently.

THE AIMS OF OUR STUDY WEREto explore dynamic development of mother-source neutralizing antibodies against EV71 and Cox A16 in infants from Jiangsu Province, China, and to provide the fundamental data for further establishing of corresponding immunization course.

METHODSPeripheral blood samples were collected from 133 of parturient women once immediately before delivery and their infants at two and seven months of age. Method of micro-dose cytopathogenic effect was used to measure neutralizing antibodies against EV71 and Cox A16, respectively.

RESULTSSeropositive rates of anti-EV71 and anti-Cox A16 in prenatal women were 79.7% (106/133) and 92.5% (123/133), respectively; geometric mean titers (GMTs) were 29.0 and 61.9; 75.9% (101/133) prenatal women were both positive in anti-EV71 and anti-Cox A16; seropositive rates of anti-EV71 and anti-Cox A16 were 25.6% (34/133) and 38.3% (51/133) in infants at two months of age; GMTs were 12.3 and 18.0, respectively. GMTs of anti-EV71 were significantly higher for infants at seven months (82.6) compared with that at two months (P < 0.05), showing infants had inapparently infected by EV71 during two to seven months. Although only one offspring (0.75%) at seven months was found having anti-Cox A16 transfered from maternal, this observation suggested no maternal antibody may remain in infants at seven months.

CONCLUSIONSThe prevalence of EV71 and Cox A16 were relatively high in Jiangsu Province. Bivalent vaccine against both EV71 and Cox A16 should be developed, and the ideal time point for prime immunization for infants is around 2-5 months of age.

Antibodies, Neutralizing ; blood ; immunology ; Cells, Cultured ; Enterovirus ; immunology ; Enterovirus A, Human ; immunology ; Female ; Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease ; immunology ; virology ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the effect of magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate on the proliferation and oxidative stress of rat hepatic stellate cells (HSCs).

METHODSThe effect of various concentrations of maganesium isoglycyrrhizinate on the proliferation of primary rat HSCs and HSCs strains were measured by making cell growth curves and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphennylterazolium bromide (MTT) colorimetric assay. Morphological changes of the rat HSCs were also studied. After rat HSCs were incubated with various concentrations of maganesium isoglycyrrhizinate and ferric nitrilotriacetate (Fe-NTA) for 24 hours, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) in supernates were measured to observe the effect of magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate on the oxidative stress of rat HSCs.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the proliferation of rat HSCs was significantly inhibited when the concentration of magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate in the medium reached a certain level range. In the oxidative stress induced by Fe-NTA, magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate, within a certain strength range, obviously enhanced the activity of SOD and decreased the contents of MDA in supernates of rat HSCs culture media.

CONCLUSIONSMagnesium isoglycyrrhizinate could significantly inhibit the proliferation of rat HSCs and it, within a certain strength range, exert protective effects in the oxidative stress induced by Fe-NTA.

Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Hepatocytes ; cytology ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Saponins ; pharmacology ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Triterpenes ; pharmacology

BACKGROUNDPolymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN), one of the most important inflammatory cells, functions throughout the initiation, progression and resolution of inflammation. This study aimed at investigating the relationship between PMN apoptosis and the lung injury after chest impact trauma.

METHODSPMNs were purified from rabbits subjected to the chest impact trauma and their apoptosis, necrosis, survival and respiratory burst were detected by flow cytometry. Meanwhile, lactate dehydrogenase and (LDH) [Ca2+]i were measured.

RESULTSThe delayed apoptosis of PMNs in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was observed from 2 hours to 12 hours after trauma, and viable cells increased. Respiratory burst of PMNs in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was increased significantly from 2 hours with the peak at 8 hours. Meanwhile, lactate dehydrogenase in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was higher than that in control (P < 0.05) from 4 hours to 24 hours, and intracellular free Ca2+ in PMN was increased temporarily.

CONCLUSIONSRetention of PMN in tissues and the abnormality in apoptotic pathway inevitably generate persistent activation of PMN and excessive release of toxic substances, resulting in tissue injury. The temporary increase of intracellular free Ca2+ may be responsible for the delayed apoptosis of PMN.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; physiology ; Lung Injury ; Neutrophils ; physiology ; Rabbits ; Respiratory Burst ; physiology ; Thoracic Injuries ; complications