OBJECTIVES: To investigate the role of the BNIP3-PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in mediating the inhibitory effect of Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BYHWT) on mitochondrial autophagy in human synovial fibroblasts from rheumatoid arthritis patients (FLS-RA) cultured under a hypoxic condition. METHODS: Forty normal Wistar rats were randomized into two groups (n=20) for daily gavage of BYHWT or distilled water for 7 days to prepare BYHWT-medicated or control sera. FLS-RA were cultured in routine condition or exposed to hypoxia (10% O₂) for 24 h wigh subsequent treatment with IL-1β, followed by treatment with diluted BYHWT-medicated serum (5%, 10% and 20%) or control serum. AnnexinV-APC/7-AAD double staining and T-AOC kit were used for detecting apoptosis and total antioxidant capacity of the cells, and the changes in ROS, ATP level, mitochondrial membrane potential and Ca²⁺ homeostasis were analyzed. The changes in mRNA and protein expressions of BNIP3, PI3K and AKT and mRNA expressions of LC3, Beclin-1 and P62 were detected using RT-qPCR and Western blotting. RESULTS: Treatment with BYHWT-medicated serum dose-dependently lowered apoptosis rate of IL-1β-induced FLS-RA with hypoxic exposure. The treatment significantly decreased T-AOC concentration, increased ROS production, autophagosome formation and ATPase levels, and lowered mitochondrial membrane potential and Ca²⁺ level in the cells. In IL-1β-induced FLS-RA with hypoxic exposure, treatment with BYHWT-medicated serum significantly increased BNIP3 protein expression, decreased the protein expressions of PI3K and AKT, increased the mRNA expressions of BNIP3 and P62, and lowered the mRNA expressions of PI3K, AKT, LC3 and Beclin-1 without significantly affecting Beclin-1 protein expression. The cells treated with 5% and 10% BYHWT-medicated serum showed no significant changes in LC3 expression. CONCLUSIONS BYHWT inhibits mitochondrial autophagy in IL-1β-induced FLS-RA with hypoxic exposure possibly by inhibiting BNIP3-mediated PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/pathology* ; Animals ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Autophagy/drug effects* ; Humans ; Fibroblasts/cytology* ; Rats, Wistar ; Membrane Proteins/metabolism* ; Rats ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; Mitochondria/metabolism* ; Cells, Cultured ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins/metabolism* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Cell Hypoxia ; Synovial Membrane/cytology* ; Male ; Mitochondrial Proteins

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of Didang Decoction-medicated serum on autophagy in high glucose (HG)-induced rat glomerular endothelial cells (RGECs) and explore the pathway that mediates its effect. METHODS: Primary RGECs were isolated and cultured using sequential sieving combined with collagenase digestion, followed by identification using immunofluorescence assay for factor VIII. High glucose medium was used to induce RGECs to simulate a diabetic environment, and the effects of Didang Decoction-medicated serum and 3-MA (an autophagy inhibitor), either alone or in combination, on autophagy of HG-exposed cells were evaluated by observing autophagic vacuoles using monodansylcadaverine (MDC) staining. RT-qPCR and Western blotting were employed to measure mRNA and protein expression levels of Beclin-1, p62, LC3B, p-PI3K, p-Akt, and p-mTOR. RESULTS: Compared with the control cells, the HG-exposed RGECs showed significantly reduced autophagic fluorescence intensity, decreased Beclin-1 mRNA expression, increased p62 mRNA expression, downregulated Beclin-1 protein and LC3-II/I ratio, and upregulated p62, p-PI3K, p-Akt, and p-mTOR protein levels. Didang Decoction-medicated serum significantly enhanced autophagic fluorescence intensity in HG-exposed cells, increased Beclin-1 mRNA expression, decreased p62 mRNA expression, upregulated Beclin-1 protein, and downregulated p62, p-PI3K, p-Akt, and p-mTOR protein levels. CONCLUSIONS Didang Decoction-medicated serum enhances autophagy in HG-exposed RGECs by regulating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, which sheds light on a new therapeutic strategy for diabetic nephropathy.
Animals ; Autophagy/drug effects* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Rats ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Endothelial Cells/metabolism* ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; Glucose ; Cells, Cultured ; Kidney Glomerulus/cytology* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of moslosooflavone (MOS) for ameliorating dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice and the underlying molecular mechanism. METHODS: C57BL/6J mice with or without DSS exposure in the drinking water were both randomized into two groups for treatment with intraperitoneal injections with MOS (200 mg/kg) or normal saline for 7 days (n=6). Disease severity of the mice was assessed by observing changes in body weight, colon length, histopathology (HE staining), intestinal barrier function, and TUNEL staining. In the in vitro studies, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated mouse colon organoids were treated with MOS (120 μmol/L) for 24 h, and the changes in barrier dysfunction and inflammation were analyzed. Network pharmacology and Western blotting were employed to identify functional pathways and apoptotic protein regulation associated with the therapeutic effect of MOS on colitis. RESULTS: In the mouse models of DSS-indcued colitis, MOS treatment significantly reduced body weight loss, disease activity index (DAI) scores and colon shortening, ameliorated colonic histopathological changes and inflammation, and lowered pro-inflammatory cytokine levels (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IFN-γ). MOS effectively restored intestinal barrier integrity in the mice by reducing serum FITC-dextran and I-FABP concentrations while enhancing the tight junction proteins (ZO-1 and claudin-1). In the colon organoids, MOS significantly suppressed LPS-induced inflammatory responses and epithelial barrier disruption. Western blotting revealed that MOS downregulated C-caspase-3 and BAX and upregulated Bcl-2 expressions in both models. Mechanistically, MOS suppressed PI3K and AKT phosphorylation in both DSS-treated mouse colonic tissues and LPS-stimulated organoids. CONCLUSIONS MOS alleviates experimental colitis in mice by inhibiting intestinal epithelial apoptosis via inhibiting the PI3K/AKT pathway, thereby restoring intestinal barrier integrity and reducing inflammation.
Animals ; Dextran Sulfate ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Colitis/metabolism* ; Mice ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Intestinal Mucosa/metabolism* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; Flavones/pharmacology* ; Male

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the inhibitory effect of Fuzheng Huaji Decoction against non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells in vitro and explore the underlying mechanism. METHODS: The active ingredients and targets of Fuzheng Huaji Decoction were identified using TCMSP and SwissTargetPrediction databases. NSCLC-related targets from GeneCards and PharmGKB were intersected with the targets of the Decoction, and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed to identify the core targets, which were analyzed with GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis. Cultured A549 cells were treated with different concentrations of Fuzheng Huaji Decoction-medicated serum, and the changes in cell proliferation, apoptosis, and protein expressions were examined using CCK-8 assay, annexin V-FITC/PI staining and Western blotting. RESULTS: Fuzheng Huaji Decoction contained 140 active ingredients, and 707 drug-disease intersecting targets were identified. Among these targets, TP53, AKT1, HIF1A, GAPDH, ALB, EGFR, CTNNB1, and TNF were identified as the core targets which were involved in the biological processes related to kinases and receptors and the PI3K-AKT, Ras, calcium, and MAPK pathways. Molecular docking studies indicated strong binding affinity of the active ingredients with TP53, AKT1, and HIF1A. In cultured A549 cells, treatment with 2.5%, 5%, and 10% Fuzheng Huaji Decoction-medicated serum significantly inhibited cell proliferation, promoted cell apoptosis, and downregulated the expression levels of HIF1A, p-AKT (Thr308), and TP53 proteins. CONCLUSIONS Fuzheng Huaji Decoction inhibits proliferation of NSCLC cells possibly by downregulating the expressions of HIF1A, p-AKT (Thr308), and TP53.
Humans ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Lung Neoplasms/metabolism* ; A549 Cells ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Protein Interaction Maps ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Cell Line, Tumor

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the synergistic mechanism of the traditional Chinese medicine Rosa laevigata Michx. (RLM) for treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). METHODS: Network pharmacological analysis was carried out to screen the active ingredients of RLM and PAH disease targets and construct the "component-target-disease" interaction network, followed by gene enrichment analysis and molecular docking studies. In the cell experiments, primary cultures of rat pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells were exposed to hypoxia for 24 h and treated with solvent or 100, 200 and 300 mg/mL RLM, and the changes in cell proliferation were detected using Western blotting for PCNA and immunofluorescence staining. In the animal experiment, male SD rats were randomized into 5 control group, monocrotaline (MCT) solvent group, and MCT with RLM (100, 200 and 300 mg/mL) treatment groups. HE staining and immunofluorescence staining were used to observe histopathological changes in the pulmonary blood vessels of the rats. RESULTS: Seven core active ingredients (including β-sitosterol and kaempferol) in RLM and 39 key disease targets were identified, and molecular docking showed that SRC was a high-affinity target. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the differential genes were significantly enriched in calcium signaling and PI3K-AKT pathways. In rat pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells, hypoxic exposure significantly up-regulated cellular expression of PCNA and phosphorylation levels of Src and AKT1, which were obviously lowered by RLM treatment. In RLM-treated rat models, the mean pulmonary artery pressure and right ventricular hypertrophy index (Fulton index) were significantly reduced, the tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) was improved, and pulmonary vascular wall thickening and fibrosis were obviously ameliorated. CONCLUSIONS RLM inhibits pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell proliferation in rat models of hypertension possibly by regulating the Src-AKT1 axis, suggesting the potential of RLM as a new natural drug for treatment of pulmonary hypertension.
Animals ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Pulmonary Artery/cytology* ; Male ; Rats ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle/cytology* ; Hypertension, Pulmonary/pathology* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/cytology* ; src-Family Kinases/metabolism* ; Cells, Cultured

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the protective effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) against cisplatin-induced ovarian granulosa cell injury and investigate its possible mechanisms. METHODS: Human granulosa-like tumor cell line (KGN) were treated with 2.5 µg/mL cisplatin for 24 h, followed by treatment with 100, 500, and 1000 mg/L LBP, and the changes in cell viability, apoptosis, level of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), and cell ultrastructure were detected with CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry, ELISA and transmission electron microscopy. The cellular expressions of Bax, caspase-3, Bcl-2, and the PI3K/AKT pathway proteins were analyzed using Western blotting, and the expression of miR-23a was detected with RT-qPCR. KGN cell models with lentivirus-mediated miR-23a overexpression or knockdown were used to verify the therapeutic mechanism of LBP. RESULTS: Cisplatin treatment significantly inhibited cell viability, induced apoptosis, decreased AMH level, caused ultrastructural abnormalities, increased Bax and caspase-3 expression, and lowered Bcl-2 expression in KGN cells. Cisplatin also suppressed the activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and upregulated miR-23a expression in the cells. LBP intervention obviously alleviated cisplatin-induced injuries in KGN cells, and in particular, LBP treatment at the medium dose for 24 h significantly improved KGN cell viability, reduced apoptosis, enhanced their endocrine function, and ameliorated ultrastructural abnormalities. Mechanistically, medium-dose LBP obviously activated the PI3K/AKT pathway by downregulating miR-23a in cisplatin-treated cells, subsequently inhibiting Bax and caspase-3 while upregulating Bcl-2. Overexpression of miR-23a weakened while knockdown of miR-23a significantly enhanced the protective effects of LBP. CONCLUSIONS LBP alleviates cisplatin-induced apoptosis in KGN cells by inhibiting miR-23a expression and activating the PI3K/AKT pathway, suggesting a potential therapeutic strategy for ovarian function preservation.
Humans ; Cisplatin/adverse effects* ; MicroRNAs/genetics* ; Female ; Granulosa Cells/cytology* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Down-Regulation ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Survival/drug effects*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) on autophagy in hypoxic/reoxygenated (H/R) cardiomyocytes and its relationship with the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/Akt/mTOR) signaling pathway. METHODS: The rat cardiomyocyte cell line H9c2 was routinely cultured in vitro and passaged for experiments when the cells grew to 80% fusion. (1) CGRP dosage screening experiment: the cells were divided into blank control group, H/R group and different dosages of CGRP pretreatment groups. H9c2 cells were placed in a closed hypoxia chamber for 2 hours and then reoxygenated in a conventional incubator for 12 hours to prepare the H/R model. The CGRP pretreatment groups were pretreated with 0.01, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 5, and 10 μmol/L CGRP before the modeling process. The blank control group was not given any treatment. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) was used to detect the cell survival rate, and the most suitable drug dosage was screened out. (2) Intervention experiment: H9c2 cells were divided into blank control group, H/R group, CGRP+H/R group, and CGRP+PI3K target inhibitor ly294002 (LY)+H/R group. H/R group was prepared as cellular H/R model. CGRP (1 μmol/L) alone or in combination with LY (10 μmol/L) was administered to CGRP+H/R group and CGRP+LY+H/R group, respectively, prior to the preparation of cellular H/R model. The blank control group was cultured routinely without treatment. The cell survival rate was detected by CCK-8. The level of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release was detected by colorimetric assay. The expressions of autophagy-related proteins [autophagy effector protein Beclin-1, microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3-II (LC3-II), autophagy protein p62] and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway proteins [phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt), phosphorylated mTOR (p-mTOR)] were detected by Western blotting. RESULTS: (1) Results of CGRP dosage screening experiment: compared with the blank control group, the cell survival rate of the H/R group decreased significantly; and after giving 0.1, 0.5, 1, 5 μmol/L CGRP for pretreatment, the cell survival rate increased significantly, and intervention effect of 1 μmol/L CGRP was the best, and the difference was statistically significant when compared with that of the H/R group [(74.23±6.18)% vs. (23.43±4.09)%, P < 0.01], so it was used as the intervention dosage for the subsequent experiment. (2) Intervention experiment results: compared with the blank control group, the cell survival rate in the H/R group was significantly reduced, the level of LDH release was significantly increased, the protein expressions of Beclin-1 and LC3-II were significantly increased, and the protein expressions of p62, p-Akt and p-mTOR were significantly reduced, indicating that the death of cardiomyocytes occurred after the treatment of H/R and was accompanied by the elevation of autophagy level, and this process was associated with the activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Compared with the H/R group, CGRP pretreatment increased cell survival rate [(76.02±2.43)% vs. (46.15±3.29)%, P < 0.01], decreased the level of LDH release (U/L: 169.83±11.65 vs. 590.17±34.50, P < 0.01), and down-regulated the protein expressions of Beclin-1 and LC3-II [Beclin-1 protein (Beclin-1/β-actin): 1.27±0.15 vs. 1.93±0.19, LC3-II protein (LC3-II/LC3-I): 1.27±0.13 vs. 1.98±0.18, both P < 0.01], up-regulated the protein expressions of p62, p-Akt, p-mTOR [p62 protein (p62/β-actin): 0.96±0.02 vs. 0.63±0.05, p-Akt protein (p-Akt/Akt): 0.76±0.04 vs. 0.48±0.02, p-mTOR protein (p-mTOR/mTOR): 1.13±0.09 vs. 0.68±0.15, all P < 0.05], suggesting that CGRP was able to reduce the H/R-induced cardiomyocyte injury, and this process was accompanied by a decrease in the level of cellular autophagy and activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Compared with the CGRP+H/R group, the cell survival rate was significantly lower than that in the CGRP+LY+H/R group [(56.95±6.63)% vs. (76.02±2.43)%, P < 0.01], LDH release level was significantly higher (U/L: 436.00±27.44 vs. 169.83±11.65, P < 0.01), and the protein expressions of Beclin-1 and LC3-II were significantly up-regulated [Beclin-1 protein (Beclin-1/β-actin): 1.63±0.12 vs. 1.27±0.15, LC3-II protein (LC3-II/LC3-I): 1.61±0.13 vs. 1.27±0.13, both P < 0.01], and significantly down-regulated p62, p-Akt, and p-mTOR protein expressions [p62 protein (p62/β-actin): 0.57±0.09 vs. 0.96±0.02, p-Akt protein (p-Akt/Akt): 0.45±0.01 vs. 0.76±0.04, p-mTOR protein (p-mTOR/mTOR): 0.66±0.06 vs. 1.13±0.09, all P < 0.05], suggesting that PI3K-targeted inhibitor was able to reverse the protective effect of CGRP on H/R cells. CONCLUSIONS CGRP pretreatment attenuated H/R-induced cardiomyocyte injury, increased cell survival rate, and reduced cellular LDH release. This effect may be achieved through inhibiting the activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.
Animals ; Myocytes, Cardiac/drug effects* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Rats ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism* ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide/pharmacology* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Autophagy/drug effects* ; Cell Line ; Cell Hypoxia ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: Peritoneal fibrosis (PF) is an adverse event that occurs during long-term peritoneal dialysis, significantly impairing treatment efficiency and adversely affecting patient outcomes. Astragaloside IV (AS-IV), a principal active component derived from Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bunge, has exhibited anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic effects in various settings. This study aims to investigate the potential therapeutic efficacy and mechanism of AS-IV in the treatment of PF. METHODS: The PF mouse model was established by intraperitoneal injection of 4.25% peritoneal dialysis fluid (100 mL/kg). The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of HMrSV5 cells was induced by the addition of 10 ng/mL transforming growth factor β (TGF-β). The differentially expressed genes in HMrSV5 cells treated with AS-IV were screened using transcriptome sequencing analysis. The potential targets of AS-IV were screened using network pharmacology and analyzed using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. RESULTS: Administration of AS-IV at doses of 20, 40, or 80 mg/kg effectively mitigated the increase in peritoneal thickness and the development of fibrosis in mice with PF. The expression of the fibrosis marker α-smooth muscle actin in the peritoneum was significantly decreased in AS-IV-treated mice. The treatment of AS-IV (10, 20, and 40 μmol/L) significantly delayed the EMT of HMrSV5 cells induced by TGF-β, as demonstrated by the decreased number of 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine-positive cells, reduced migrated area, and decreased expression of fibrosis markers. A total of 460 differentially expressed genes were detected in AS-IV-treated HMrSV5 cells through transcriptome sequencing, with notable enrichment in the phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase (PI3K)-AKT serine/threonine kinase 1 (AKT) signaling pathway. The reduced levels of phosphorylated PI3K (p-PI3K) and p-AKT were detected in HMrSV5 cells with AS-IV treatment. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was predicted as a direct target of AS-IV, exhibiting strong hydrogen bond interactions. The activation of the PI3K-AKT pathway by the compound 740Y-P, and the activation of the EGFR pathway by NSC 228155 each partially counteracted the inhibitory effect of AS-IV on the EMT of HMrSV5 cells. CONCLUSION AS-IV delayed the EMT process in peritoneal mesothelial cells and slowed the progression of PF, potentially serving as a therapeutic agent for the early prevention and treatment of PF. Please cite this article as: Huang Y, Chu CL, Qiu WH, Chen JY, Cao LX, Ji SY, Zhu B, Wang GK, Shen QQ. Astragaloside IV delayed the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in peritoneal fibrosis by inhibiting the activation of EGFR and PI3K-AKT pathways. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(6):694-705.
Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition/drug effects* ; Animals ; Saponins/pharmacology* ; Triterpenes/pharmacology* ; Mice ; Peritoneal Fibrosis/pathology* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; ErbB Receptors/metabolism* ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Male ; Humans ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Cell Line ; Mice, Inbred C57BL

Stem-leaf saponins from Panax notoginseng (SLSP) comprise numerous PPD-type saponins with diverse pharmacological properties; however, their role in Parkinson's disease (PD), characterized by microglia-mediated neuroinflammation, remains unclear. This study evaluated the effects of SLSP on suppressing microglia-driven neuroinflammation in experimental PD models, including the 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPTP)-induced mouse model and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV-2 microglia. Our findings revealed that SLSP mitigated behavioral impairments and excessive microglial activation in models of PD, including MPTP-treated mice. Additionally, SLSP inhibited the upregulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) and attenuated the phosphorylation of PI3K, protein kinase B (AKT), nuclear factor-κB (NFκB), and inhibitor of NFκB protein α (IκBα) both in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, SLSP suppressed the production of inflammatory markers such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in LPS-stimulated BV-2 cells. Notably, the P2Y2R agonist partially reversed the inhibitory effects of SLSP in LPS-treated BV-2 cells. These results suggest that SLSP inhibit microglia-mediated neuroinflammation in experimental PD models, likely through the P2Y2R/PI3K/AKT/NFκB signaling pathway. These novel findings indicate that SLSP may offer therapeutic potential for PD by attenuating microglia-mediated neuroinflammation.
Animals ; Panax notoginseng/chemistry* ; Saponins/pharmacology* ; Microglia/immunology* ; Mice ; NF-kappa B/immunology* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/immunology* ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/genetics* ; Male ; Parkinson Disease/immunology* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Disease Models, Animal ; Plant Leaves/chemistry* ; Neuroinflammatory Diseases/drug therapy* ; Humans

Cancer represents a significant disease that profoundly impacts human health and longevity. Projections indicate a 47% increase in the global cancer burden by 2040 compared to 2020, accompanied by a further rise in the associated economic burden. Consequently, there is an urgent need to discover and develop new alternative drugs to mitigate the global impact of cancer. Natural products (NPs) play a crucial role in the identification and development of anticancer therapeutics. This study identified ustusolate E (UE) and its analog 11α-hydroxy-ustusolate E (HUE) from strain Aspergilluscalidoustus TJ403-EL05, and examined their antitumor activities and mechanisms of action. The findings demonstrate that both compounds significantly inhibited the proliferation and colony formation of AGS (human gastric cancer cells) and 786-O (human renal clear cell carcinoma cells), induced irreversible DNA damage, blocked the cell cycle at the G₂/M phase, and further induced apoptosis in tumor cells. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report on the anticancer effects of UE and HUE and their underlying mechanisms. The present study suggests that HUE and UE could serve as lead compounds for the development of novel anticancer drugs.
Humans ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/genetics* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/genetics* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/genetics* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/genetics* ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology* ; Sesquiterpenes/pharmacology* ; Aspergillus/chemistry*