Toxicarioside A inhibits SGC-7901 proliferation,migration and invasion via NF-κB/bFGF signaling

AIM:To investigate the inhibitory role of toxicarioside A on the gastric cancer cell line human gastric cancer cell line(SGC-7901) and determine the underlying molecular mechanism.METHODS:After SGC-7901 cells were treated with toxicarioside A at various concentrations(0.5,1.5,4.5,9.0 μg/mL) for 24 h or 48 h,cell viability was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl2H-tetrazolium bromide assay,and the motility and invasion of tumor cells were assessed by the Transwell chamber assay.Immunofluorescence staining,reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were performed to detect the expression of basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF) and fibroblast growth factor receptor-1(FGFR1),and nuclear factorkappa B(NF-κB) activation was examined by electrophoretic mobility shift assay.RESULTS:The results showed that toxicarioside A was capable of reducing cell viability,inhibiting cell growth,and suppressing cell migration and invasion activities in a time-and dose-dependent manner in SGC-7901 cells.Further analysis revealed that not only the expression of bFGF and its high-affinity receptor FGFR1 but also the NF-κB-DNA binding activity were effectively blocked by toxicarioside A in a dose-dependent manner compared with the control group(P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).Interestingly,application of the NF-κB specific inhibitor,pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate(PDTC),to SGC-7901 cells significantly potentized the toxicarioside A-induced down-regulation of bFGF compared with the control group(P < 0.05).CONCLUSION:These findings suggest that toxicarioside A has an anti-gastric cancer activity and this effect may be achieved partly through down-regulation of NF-κB and bFGF/FGFR1 signaling.

Immunotherapy of hepatoma with a monoclonal antibody against murine endoglin

AIM: To explore the capability of a monoclonal antibody (mAb) against murine endoglin to inhibit tumor angiogenesis and suppression of hepatoma growth in murine models. METHODS: A monoclonal antibody against murine endoglin was purified by affinity chromatography and passively transfused through tail veins in two murine hepatoma models. Tumor volume and survival time were observed at three-day intervals for 48 d. Microvessels in tumor tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry against CD31, and angiogenesis in vivo was determined by alginate encapsulated assay. In addition, tumor cell apoptosis was detected by TUNEL assay. RESULTS: Passive immunotherapy with anti-endoglin mAb could effectively suppress tumor growth, and prolonged the survival time of hepatoma-bearing mice. Angiogenesis was apparently inhibited within the tumor tissues, and the vascularization of alginate beads was also reduced in the mice passively transfused with anti- endoglin mAb. In addition, increased apoptotic cells were observed within the tumor tissues from the mice passively transfused with anti-endoglin mAb. CONCLUSION: Passive immunotherapy with anti- endoglin mAb effectively inhibits tumor growth via inhibiting tumor angiogenesis and increasing tumor cell apoptosis, which may be highly correlated with the blockage of endoglin-related signal pathway induced bya nti-endoglin mAb.

Toxicarioside A,isolated from tropical Antiaris toxicaria,blocks endoglin/TGF-βsignaling in a bone marrow stromal cell line

Objective:To investigate possible mechanism of toxicarioside A in HS-5 bone stromal cells.Methods:HS-5 bone stromal cells were cultured in media supplemented with various concentrations of toxicarioside A or control DMSO(not treatment).Endoglin and TGF-βwere detected by Northern and Western blot analysis and quantified in a standard method. Downstream molecules of endoglin and TGF-β(Smad1,Smad2 and their active phosphorylated counterparts,pSmad1 and pSmad2) were also detected and quantified by Western blot analysis. In addition,cell proliferation assay and small interfering RNA(siRNA) against endoglin were used to certificate the function of endolgin in the HS-5 cells.Results:Compared with the not treated(0μg/mL) or DMSO treated control HS-5 cells,HS-5 cells treated with toxicarioside A were found significant attenuation of endolgin and TGF-βexpression.Significant inhibition of cell proliferation was also found in the HS-5 cells treated with toxicarioside A.ALK1-related Smad1 and ALK5-related Smad2 were decreased in HS-5 cells treated with toxicarioside A.In addition,phosphorylated Smad1(pSmad1) and Smad2(pSmad2) were also found attenuation in toxicarioside A-treated HS-5 cells.RNA interference showed that blockage of endoglin by siRNA also decreased Smad1 and Smad2 expression in HS-5 cells.Conclusions:Our results indicate that toxicarioside A can influence bone marrow stromal HS-5’s function and inhibit HS-5 cell proliferation by alteration of endoglin-related ALK1(Smad1) and ALK5(Smad2) signaling.

Cytochalasin D,a tropical fungal metabolite,inhibits CT26 tumor growth and angiogenesis

Objective:To investigate whether eytochalasin D can induce antitumor activities in a tumor model.Methods:Murine CT26 colorectal carcinoma cells were cultured hi vitro and cytochalasin D was used as a cytotoxic agent to detect its capabilities of inhibiting CT26 cell proliferation and inducing cell apoptosis by MTT and a TUNEL-based apoptosis assay.Murine CT26 tumor model was established to observe the tumor growth and survival time.Tumor tissues were used to detect the mierovessel density by immunohistochemistry.In addition,alginate encapsulated tumor cell assay was used to quantify the tumor angiogenesis in vivo.Results:Cytochalasin D inhibited CT26 tumor cell proliferation in lime and dose dependent manner and induced signiflcanl CT26 cell apoptosis,which almost reached the level induced by the positive control nuclease.The optimum effective dose of cytochalasin D for in vivo therapy was about 50 mg/kg.Cytochalasin D in vivo treatment significandy inhibited tumor growth and prolonged the survival times in CT26 tumor-bearing mice.The results of immunohistochemistry analysis and alginate encapsulation assay indicated that the cytochalasin D could effectively inhibited tumor angiogenesis. Conclusions:Cytochalasin D inhibits CT26 tumor growth potentially through inhibition of cell proliferation,induction of cell apoptosis and suppression of tumor angiogenesis.

Comparison on the phytoextraction efficiency of Bidens pilosa at heavy metal contaminated site in natural and electrokinetic conditions

The plant samples of Bidens pilosa were collected from a coal gangue vacant site and its surrounding area,located in central China,to study the remediation effect of the plant species on heavy metal(HM)contamination in both natural and electrokinetic(EK)conditions.The analytical results showed that the effect of phytoextraction and bioconcentration on the heavy metals in the sample of the EK group is more significant than those in the other control group.Compared with the results of natural condition,under the EK condition the concentrations of cadmium(Cd),lead(Pb),copper(Cu)and zinc(Zn)in the stems and leaves of the Bidens pilosa increased to 0.40 mg/kg,4.23 mg/kg,7.27 mg/kg,830.24 mg/kg,respectively,with their increments of 292%,1731%,141%,2076%.For root samples,the Cd,Pb,Cu and Zn concentrations increased to 0.52 mg/kg,4.36 mg/kg,10.87 mg/kg,and 98.12 mg/kg and the increase rates were 1034%,140%,29%,and 181%,respectively.The phytoextraction efficiency of the Bidens pilosa was significantly higher than that of control group.The removal efficiency of Cd,Pb,Cu and Zn in soil increased to 26%,72%,27%,and 79%with the EK applied.In addition,the mechanism of HM migration,extraction and enrichment in Bidens pilosa under the EK condition was discussed.