OncoTargets and Therapy
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2022
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IF 4.345
Xiaoli Li,Guangbei Zhu,Xintong Yao,Ning Wang,Ronghui Hu,Qingxin Kong,Duanfang Zhou,Liangyuan Long,Jiali Cai,Weiying Zhou
Background Celastrol is a major active component of the thunder god vine (Tripterygium wilfordii) used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Celastrol inhibits PI3K–Akt–mTOR signaling, which is frequently dysregulated in tumors and critical for tumor-cell proliferation and survival, but the underlying mechanisms are still not fully understood. In the present study, we investigated detailed mechanisms of celastrol inhibition of mTOR signaling in breast cancer cells.Methods First, we evaluated the effect of celastrol on breast cancer-cell growth using MTT assays. Second, we examined the effects of celastrol on mTOR phosphorylation and expression using Western blot. Furthermore, we investigated the cause of mTOR downregulation by celastrol using immunoprecipitation assays. In addition, we evaluated the effect of celastrol on an MDA-MB231 cell-derived xenograft model.Results Celastrol suppressed breast cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Celastrol inhibited mTOR phosphorylation and induced mTOR ubiquitination, resulting in its proteasomal degradation. Mechanistically, we found that mTOR is a client of Hsp90–Cdc37 chaperone complex, and celastrol disrupts mTOR interaction with chaperone Hsp90 while promoting mTOR association with cochaperone Cdc37.Conclusion Our study reveals that celastrol suppresses mTOR signaling, at least in part through regulating its association with chaperones and inducing its ubiquitination.
研究领域:
肿瘤学
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药理学
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分子生物学
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传统中药
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PubMed
高影响因子
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY
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2019
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IF 3.17
Qi Wan,Hui Chen,Guirun Xiong,Rui Jiao,Yun Liu,Xiaolei Li,Yu Sun,Jingcheng Wang,Lianqi Yan
Intraarticular fibrosis following knee surgery is a troublesome complication and remains a challenging problem for clinicians. Artesunate (ART), a classical anti-malarial drug extracted from the Chinese medicinal herb Artemisia annua L, has been associated with some fibrosis-related diseases. However, its effect and underlying mechanism on knee arthrofibrosis are still obscure. In the present study, we found that ART induced cellular autophagy flux and inhibited cell proliferation in fibroblasts. Intriguingly, genetic depletion of Beclin-1 abolished ART-triggered cellular autophagy and further attenuated the inhibitory effect of ART on fibroblasts proliferation. Moreover, at molecular level, our results demonstrated that ART-induced autophagy activation was associated with the inhibition of mTOR signaling through PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and AMPK/mTOR pathway. In vivo, ART treatment triggered autophagy activation and alleviated the severity of surgery-induced knee arthrofibrosis. Taken together, we concluded that ART exhibited anti-proliferation efficacy in fibroblasts and alleviated the severity of knee arthrofibrosis in rabbits by inducing Beclin-1-mediated autophagy via inhibition of mTOR signaling. These findings indicated that ART might be a potential therapeutic agent for preventing the progression of surgery-induced intraarticular fibrosis of knee.
研究领域:
药理学
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骨科
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细胞生物学
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分子生物学
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PubMed
高影响因子
Journal of Integrative Neuroscience
·
2021
·Vol. 20
·期 1
·67-75
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IF 2.117
Dong-Xing Liu,Di Zhang,Wei-Min Hu,Yan-Fang Chang,Xiao-Hui Wang,Lin Li
Overactivation of the PI3-K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway and inhibition of autophagy in the brain are involved in Alzheimer’s disease. The present paper’s goal was to explore the potential mechanisms of geniposide to protect against Alzheimer’s disease. We treated the human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line with Aβ1-42 as an Alzheimer’s disease in vitro model to explore the potential mechanisms of geniposide to protect against Alzheimer’s disease. Further, SH-SY5Y cells damaged by Aβ1-42 were treated with geniposide. Akt/mTOR-related proteins and autophagy-associated proteins were measured to reveal the molecular mechanisms by which geniposide protects against Aβ1-42-induced toxicity. Results showed that Akt and mTOR’s geniposide inhibited phosphorylation induced by Aβ1-42, enhanced expression of the LC3II/LC3I ratio, and Atg7 and Beclin1 expression and inhibited expression of p62 induced by Aβ1-42. Our results lead us to hypothesize that inhibition of the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway and autophagy enhancement are fundamental molecular mechanisms for geniposide to protect against Aβ toxicity.
研究领域:
神经科学
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药理学
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细胞生物学
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PubMed
高影响因子
Molecular Cancer
·
2023
·Vol. 22
·期 1
·1-20
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IF 37.3
Song Runjie,Ma Shuoqian,Xu Jiajia,Ren Xin,Guo Peilan,Liu Huijiao,Li Peng,Yin Fan,Liu Mei,Wang Qiang,Yu Lei,Liu Jiali,Duan Binwei,Rahman Nafis A.,Wołczyński Sławomir,Li Guangming,Li Xiangdong
Background hsa_circ_0001727 (circZKSCAN1) has been reported to be a tumor-associated circRNA by sponging microRNAs. Intriguingly, we found that circZKSCAN1 encoded a secretory peptide (circZKSaa) in the liver. The present study aims to elucidate the potential role and molecular mechanism of circZKSaa in the regulation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression.Methods The circRNA profiling datasets (RNA-seq data GSE143233 and GSE140202) were reanalyzed and circZKSCAN1 was selected for further study. Mass spectrometry, polysome fractionation assay, dual-luciferase reporter, and a series of experiments showed that circZKSCAN1 encodes circZKSaa. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, and tumorigenesis in nude mice were examined to investigate the functions of circZKSaa. Mechanistically, the relationship between the circZKSaa and mTOR in HCC was verified by immunoprecipitation analyses, mass spectrometry, and immunofluorescence staining analyses.Results Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis demonstrated that the secretory peptide circZKSaa encoded by circZKSCAN1 might be the potential biomarker for HCC tissues. Through a series of experiments, we found that circZKSaa inhibited HCC progression and sensitize HCC cells to sorafenib. Mechanistically, we found that the sponge function of circZKSCAN1 to microRNA is weak in HCC, while overexpression of circZKSaa promoted the interaction of FBXW7 with the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) to promote the ubiquitination of mTOR, thereby inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Furthermore, we found that the high expression of cicZKSCAN1 in sorafenib-treated HCC cells was regulated by QKI-5.Conclusion sThese results reveal that a novel circZKSCAN1-encoded peptide acts as a tumor suppressor on PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, and sensitizes HCC cells to sorafenib via ubiquitination of mTOR. These findings demonstrated that circZKSaa has the potential to serve as a therapeutic target and biomarker for HCC treatment.
研究领域:
分子生物学
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癌症研究
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遗传学
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PubMed
高影响因子
CELL BIOLOGY AND TOXICOLOGY
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2025
·Vol. 41
·期 1
·1-17
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IF 5.9
Mao Shitao,Yu Na,Wang Wei,Mao Yikai,Du Ying,Zhao Qihe,Gu Xiu,Kang Jian
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), characterized by fibroblast activation and collagen deposition, is a progressive lung disease that lacks effective interventions. Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 10 (USP10) acts as a multifunctional player in inflammatory response and progression of cancers, the effect on pulmonary fibrosis is unknown. Here, we demonstrated downregulated expression of USP10 in fibrotic lung tissues of IPF patients. In the current study, lung tissues were collected at the end of weeks 1, 2, or 3 post bleomycin (BLM)-intratracheal delivery. Consistently, USP10 expression levels were reduced after BLM challenge in a time-dependent manner. Mice treated with lentivirus overexpressing USP10 exhibited mitigative lung injury and reduced collagen deposition. USP10 overexpression enhanced autophagy in BLM-treated mouse lungs. Interestingly, the protective effect of USP10 was attenuated as the pulmonary autophagy flux was blocked by autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA). Primary human and mouse lung fibroblasts were treated with pro-fibrotic TGF-β1 to verify the role of USP10 in vitro. Mechanically, the deubiquitinating enzyme USP10 interacted with Sirtuin 6 (Sirt6) and inhibited its degradation. Furthermore, USP10 overexpression inhibited the activation of Sirt6-mediated AKT/mTOR pathway in both lung tissues and fibroblasts. Our findings suggest that USP10 might attenuate pulmonary fibrosis through the promotion of Sirt6/AKT/mTOR-mediated autophagy. These data prioritize USP10 as a therapeutic target for treating IPF. Graphical
研究领域:
医学
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分子生物学
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PubMed
高影响因子
JOURNAL OF CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR MEDICINE
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2021
·Vol. 25
·期 7
·3361-3370
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IF 5.31
Zheng Chen,Jianguo Zhang,Chenyang Dong,Dongsheng Li,Yuehan Yin,Wenhai Yu,Yuezhi Chen
In this study, the purpose of this study was to investigate the role of TNFAIP8 in gastric cancer (GC). The expression of TNFAIP8 was detected by RT-PCR or western blot . TNFAIP8 was silenced or overexpressed in two cell lines. CCK-8 assay, transwell assay and flow cytometry were used to analyse cell viability, cell invasion capability and apoptosis, respectively. Nude mice were inoculated with TNFAIP8 silencing or overexpressing cells to form transplanted tumours. HE staining and immunohistochemistry assay were performed to assess histopathological changes in tumours. We found that the mRNA and protein expression of TNFAIP8 were significantly up-regulated in GC tumour tissues and cells compared with the normal counterparts. Overexpression of TNFAIP8 in GC cells increased cell viability, decreased apoptosis and promoted the cell migration ability. Meanwhile, increased expression of TNFAIP8 promoted autophagy, while inhibiting mTOR-Akt-ULK1 signal pathway. In conclusions, this study presents data that TNFAIP8 inhibits GC cells presumably by down-regulating mTOR-Akt-ULK1 signal pathway and activating autophagy signal.
研究领域:
肿瘤学
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分子生物学
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细胞生物学
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PubMed
高影响因子
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
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2023
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IF 5.6
Tianjiao Ma,Lei Yang,Binmei Zhang,Xin Lv,Feifei Gong,Wei Yang
Aims Doxorubicin is a drug widely used in clinical cancer treatment, but severe cardiotoxicity limits its clinical application. Autophagy disorder is an important factor in the mechanism of doxorubicin-induced cardiac injury. As the smallest molecule in nature, hydrogen has various biological effects such as anti-oxidation, anti-apoptosis and regulation of autophagy. Hydrogen therapy is currently considered to be an emerging therapeutic method, but the effect and mechanism of hydrogen on doxorubicin-induced myocardial injury have not been determined. The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effect of hydrogen inhalation on doxorubicin-induced chronic myocardial injury and its effect and mechanism on autophagy. Methods In this study, we established a chronic heart injury model by intraperitoneal injection of doxorubicin in rats for 30 days, accumulating 20 mg/kg. The effect of hydrogen inhalation on the cardiac function in rats was explored by echocardiography, Elisa, and H&E staining. To clarify the influence of autophagy, we detected the expression of LC3 and related autophagy proteins in vivo and in vitro by immunofluorescence and western blot.In order to further explore the mechanism of autophagy, we added pathway inhibitors and used western blot to preliminarily investigate the protective effect of hydrogen inhalation on myocardial injury caused by doxorubicin. Results Hydrogen inhalation can improve doxorubicin-induced cardiac function decline and pathological structural abnormalities in rats. It was confirmed by immunofluorescence that hydrogen treatment could restore the expression of autophagy marker protein LC3 (microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3) in cardiomyocytes reduced by doxorubicin, while reducing cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Mechanistically, Western blot results consistently showed that hydrogen treatment up-regulated the ratio of p-AMPK (phosphorylated AMP-dependent protein kinase) to AMPK and down-regulated p-mTOR (phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin) and mTOR ratio. Conclusions These results suggest that hydrogen inhalation can activate autophagy through the AMPK/mTOR pathway and protect against myocardial injury induced by doxorubicin. Hydrogen inhalation therapy may be a potential treatment for doxorubicin-induced myocardial injury.
研究领域:
医学
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药理学
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心血管科学
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高影响因子
NEUROCHEMICAL RESEARCH
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2022
·Vol. 47
·期 10
·3126-3136
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IF 4.414
Wang Yan,Zhou Sixu,Song Xujiao,Ding Shanshan,Wang Baogui,Wen Jiangfeng,Chen Chunlin
Crocin is a monomer of Chinese traditional herbs extracted from saffron, relieving depression-like behavior. However, its underlying mechanism of action remains unclear. Herein, we explored whether crocin's antidepressant effect depended on the mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. The model of PC12 cells injury was established by corticosterone, the changes in cell survival rate were tested by the CCK-8 method, and the changes in cellular morphology were observed under a fluorescence microscope. The depression model was established by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), and its antidepressant effect was estimated by open field test (OFT), forced swimming test (FST), and tail suspension test (TST). Western blot was used to monitor the protein expression. The results showed that crocin could effectively improve cell survival rate and cellular synaptic growth, alleviate the depressive behavior of CUMS mice, and promote the expression of BDNF, P-mTOR, P-ERK, and PSD95. However, when rapamycin was pretreated, the antidepressant effects of crocin were inhibited. In summary, crocin plays a significant antidepressant effect. After pretreatment with rapamycin, the anti-depression effect of crocin was significantly inhibited. It is suggested that the mechanism of the anti-depression effect of crocin may be related to the mTOR signaling pathway. Graphical Abstract
研究领域:
药理学
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神经科学
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分子生物学
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PubMed
高影响因子
Cancer Medicine
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2025
·Vol. 14
·期 9
·e70872
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IF 3.1
Haitao Xu,Dangui Chen,Jia Lu,Long Zhong,Lihong Wang,Jian Ge
Background Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) represents a highly aggressive hematological malignancy characterized by a poor prognosis and a pressing demand for innovative diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Recent studies have indicated that ADP-ribosylation factor 6 (ARF6) is overexpressed across various cancer types; however, its specific role and implications in AML have yet to be thoroughly investigated. Methods To elucidate the clinical relevance and functional mechanisms of ARF6 in AML, we conducted an integrated analysis utilizing RNA sequencing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) alongside clinical samples and AML cell lines. The diagnostic potential of ARF6 was assessed through receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, and logistic regression was employed to identify factors correlating with elevated ARF6 expression. Functional assays were performed to elucidate the effects of ARF6 modulation on apoptosis, cell cycle progression, and AML cell proliferation, while mechanistic investigations focused on the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, particularly in the context of pharmacological PI3K inhibition. Results Our findings revealed a significant upregulation of ARF6 in AML compared to normal controls, with diagnostic efficacy indicated by an AUC of 0.793. Logistic regression analysis identified older age (> 60 years) and a higher white blood cell count (> 20 × 10 9 /L) as significant predictors of high ARF6 expression. Moreover, elevated ARF6 levels were independently associated with shorter overall survival (HR = 1.634, p = 0.045). Notably, ARF6 knockdown induced apoptosis and G0/G1 cell cycle arrest, whereas its overexpression yielded contrary effects. In addition, ARF6 activated the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, which was abrogated by pharmacological PI3K inhibition. Conclusion Collectively, our findings establish ARF6 as a valuable diagnostic and prognostic marker in AML, driving disease progression through the activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. These insights not only enhance our understanding of AML pathology but also underscore the potential of targeting ARF6 for therapeutic intervention in AML treatment paradigms. Future research should aim at evaluating the therapeutic implications of targeting ARF6 in combination with existing treatment modalities.
研究领域:
血液学
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肿瘤学
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分子生物学
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PubMed
高影响因子
Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
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2025
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IF 4.3
Wanying Cheng,Cenzhu Wang,Meican Ma,Yu Zhou
Background: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the leading risk factor for end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Hydroxyurea (HU), a sickle cell disease (SCD) drug approved by FDA, shows protective effect in nephropathy. This study aims to understand whether the application of HU could be effective to treat DKD.Methods: The streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice, and high glucose (HG)-treated human renal mesangial cells (HRMCs) were used to investigate the effect of HU on DKD. Serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels reflecting renal function were evaluated. Histology was used to evaluate pathological changes. Indicators of inflammation and apoptosis were detected. Lastly, the mTOR-S6K pathway was explored by detecting the protein expression of S6K and phosphorylated S6K.Results: In STZ-induced diabetic mice, administration of HU (20 mg/kg) in drinking water for 16 weeks resulted in significant reductions in creatinine and urea nitrogen levels, alongside mitigating histopathological damage. Additionally, HU effectively suppressed the inflammatory response and apoptosis within the kidneys. HRMC cells were cultivated in HG conditions, and HU effectively attenuated the HG-induced inflammation and apoptosis. Moreover, HU treatment significantly inhibited the mTOR signaling pathway in both in both in vivo and in vitro experiments.Conclusion: This study unveils a new role of HU in alleviating diabetic kidney disease by modulating inflammation and apoptosis through the mTOR-S6K pathway. However, since HU did not significantly affect blood glucose levels, its therapeutic potential may be best realized when used in combination with standard antidiabetic therapies. Such a combination approach could simultaneously address hyperglycemia and renal dysfunction, offering a more comprehensive management strategy for DKD.
研究领域:
医学
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分子生物学
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药理学
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PubMed
高影响因子
INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE
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2025
·Vol. 66
·期 3
·44-44
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IF 4.7
Boda Li,Junpeng Liu,Di Zhang,Yiran Chu,Zeying Chen,Jiaruei Tsao,Taige Chen,Jiaxuan Jiang,Kai Hu
Purpose:This study aims to explore the therapeutic efficacy of evodiamine (EVO) in the treatment of dry eye disease (DED).Methods:Mouse models of DED was developed using benzalkonium chloride eye drops and subcutaneous atropine injections. Corneal epithelial defects were assessed by fluorescein sodium staining, and tear secretion was measured with the phenol red thread test. For the in vitro model, human corneal epithelial cells were cultured in a sodium chloride–enriched medium. Phenotypic and mechanistic analyses were conducted using real-time quantitative PCR, Western blotting, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence staining.Results:The administration of EVO eye drops significantly enhanced tear secretion in mice, ameliorated ocular surface damage, decreased the expression of corneal inflammatory factors, and increased the density of conjunctival goblet cells. Furthermore, EVO reduced oxidative stress by promoting autophagy. Mechanistically, EVO-induced autophagy was mediated via the p53/mammalian target of rapamycin pathway.Conclusions:These findings suggest that EVO is a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of DED, with its beneficial effects attributed to the activation of autophagy through the p53/mammalian target of rapamycin pathway.
研究领域:
眼科
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药理学
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细胞生物学
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分子生物学
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高影响因子
CHEMICO-BIOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS
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2024
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IF 4.7
Long Zhang,Weibin Li,Xiaohui Chen,Dongmin Cao,Siyuan You,Fan Shi,Zhengqiong Luo,Hongyu Li,Xiangchen Zeng,Yabin Song,Na Li,Yoshie Akimoto,Gang Rui,Yu Chen,Zuoxing Wu,Ren Xu
Bone metastases caused by breast cancer pose a major challenge to the successful treatment of breast cancer patients. Many researchers have suggested that herbal medicines are extremely effective at preventing and treating cancer-associated osteolysis. Previous studies have revealed that Morusin (MOR) is cytotoxic to many cancer cells ex vivo . Nevertheless, how MOR contributes to osteolysis induced by breast cancer is still unknown, and the potential mechanism of action against osteolysis is worthy of further study. The protective effect and molecular mechanism of MOR in inhibiting breast cancer cell-induced osteolysis were verified by experiments and network pharmacology. Cell function was assessed by cell proliferation, osteoclast (OC) formation, bone resorption, and phalloidin staining. Tumour growth was examined by micro-CT scanning in vivo . To identify potential MOR treatments, the active ingredient–target pathway of breast cancer was screened using network pharmacology and molecular docking approaches. This study is the first to report that MOR can prevent osteolysis induced by breast cancer cells. Specifically, our results revealed that MOR inhibits RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis and restrains the proliferation, invasion and migration of MDA-MB-231 breast cells through restraining the PI3K/AKT/MTOR signalling pathway. Notably, MOR prevented bone loss caused by breast cancer cell-induced osteolysis in vivo , indicating that MOR inhibited the development of OCs and the resorption of bone, which are essential for cancer cell-associated bone distraction. This study showed that MOR treatment inhibited osteolysis induced by breast cancer in vivo . MOR inhibited OC differentiation and bone resorption ex vivo and in vivo and might be a potential drug candidate for treating breast cancer-induced osteolysis.
研究领域:
肿瘤学
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药理学
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分子生物学
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PubMed
高影响因子
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