姜黄素对辐射诱导的胰腺外分泌细胞损伤的保护作用

将大鼠胰腺外分泌细胞(AR42J)分为实验组与对照组,两组细胞根据姜黄素处理水平又分为A/B/C/D/E 5个姜黄素处理组,分别经0、2、4、8、16 μM姜黄素处理,实验组予以一次性大剂量X射线照射(6 Gy),模拟急性辐射损伤事件。照后收集细胞蛋白行免疫印迹试验(Wensten-blot)检测凋亡相关蛋白PARP、BCL-2,应激及能量代谢相关因子HIF-1ɑ、LDHA、PDH表达情况,MTT法检测细胞增殖活力,荧光酶标仪检测细胞ATP及ROS生成情况。清洁级大鼠24只随机分为对照组、单纯加药组、单纯照射组、照射+加药组,予以12 Gy X射线照射或假照射,射后24小时处死并解剖取出胰腺组织,Wensten-blot检查能量代谢相关蛋白表达情况,以探讨姜黄素在胰腺外分泌细胞辐射损伤中的作用及其机制。结果表明,与对照组相比,单纯照射组细胞在受照24 h后,凋亡蛋白PARP表达升高,BCL-2蛋白下调,线粒体膜电位下降表明线粒体受损。辐照促使缺氧诱导因子HIF-1α表达上调,介导糖酵解的关键因子LDHA表达增强,PDH表达下调。细胞增殖活力下降,ROS生成增多,沉默HIF-1表达在一定程度上抑制了辐照诱导的这种能量代谢转变。经姜黄素预处理,纠正了HIF-1α及LDHA的表达上调,部分恢复PDH表达,有效清除氧自由基,并且对细胞的增殖能力及ATP生成具有正向作用。动物实验显示辐照诱导HIF-1α表达加强,调控能量代谢相关蛋白表达发生改变,LDHA表达增强,PDH表达下调;经姜黄素预处理,纠正了HIF-1α上调所介导的能量代谢相关蛋白的表达变化,趋势与细胞实验相符。以上结果说明,胰腺外分泌细胞在电离辐射损伤下,通过上调HIF-1α表达,促使能量代谢发生转变,糖酵解途径加强,而经线粒体的有氧氧化受到抑制。姜黄素通过下调HIF-1α,纠正了辐射诱导的细胞能量代谢紊乱,并有效清除氧自由基,保护线粒体,从而发挥其对胰腺外分泌细胞的辐射损伤的保护作用。     

脂肪酸糖醇酯制备脂质纳米载体对姜黄素的包裹及释放性能的研究

采用溶解-超声法,以质量比90∶10的肉豆蔻酸赤藓糖醇单酯和月桂酸乙二醇单酯复配物为原料制备了脂质纳米载体,并对疏水性药物姜黄素进行包载,采用扫描电子显微镜和原子力显微镜对脂质纳米载体进行形态学表征,然后利用体外模拟消化系统探究包载姜黄素的脂质纳米载体进入消化道的释放与分解情况。结果表明:得到了粒径分布均匀、大小分别为250.63 nm及265.42nm的空脂质纳米载体及包载姜黄素的脂质纳米载体,包载率达到94.60%;通过不同温度的体外释放实验,发现在37、42℃下姜黄素释放率快速达到98%以上,证明脂质纳米载体对37℃以上的温度具有温敏性;在胃部消化过程中包载姜黄素的脂质纳米载体发生了载体溶解,姜黄素释放率快速上升达到97.81%并趋于平稳;而在胰脂酶、胆汁盐及pH的共同影响下,姜黄素在进入模拟的肠道环境后发生分解,其含量随消化进程快速下降,30 min便分解殆尽。     

一种吲哚基姜黄素类似物的合成及其抗氧化活性研究

吲哚-3-甲醛与2-羟基-5-甲氧基苯乙酮进行羟醛缩合反应,生成一种吲哚基姜黄素类似物1-(2-羟基-5-甲氧基苯基)-3-(3-吲哚基)-2-烯-1-酮,在不同的催化剂、温度、溶剂等条件下,探索研究合成反应所需的最优工艺条件,采用合适的方法分离提纯得到纯净产品。通过熔点测定、氢核磁共振分析法、质谱分析法等对合成产物进行分析,并研究其抗氧化生物活性。结果表明,该化合物均具有清除DPPH自由基、羟基自由基的能力,表现出明显的抗氧化活性。     

Biological Evaluation and 3D-QSAR Studies of Curcumin Analogues as Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Inhibitors

Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) is reported as a biomarker for identifying some cancer stem cells, and down-regulation or inhibition of the enzyme can be effective in anti-drug resistance and a potent therapeutic for some tumours. In this paper, the inhibitory activity, mechanism mode, molecular docking and 3D-QSAR (three-dimensional quantitative structure activity relationship) of curcumin analogues (CAs) against ALDH1 were studied. Results demonstrated that curcumin and CAs possessed potent inhibitory activity against ALDH1, and the CAs compound with ortho di-hydroxyl groups showed the most potent inhibitory activity. This study indicates that CAs may represent a new class of ALDH1 inhibitor.     

Potential Application of Curcumin and Its Analogues in the Treatment Strategy of Patients with Primary Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Recent findings on the molecular basis of ovarian cancer development and progression create new opportunities to develop anticancer medications that would affect specific metabolic pathways and decrease side systemic toxicity of conventional treatment. Among new possibilities for cancer chemoprevention, much attention is paid to curcumin—A broad-spectrum anticancer polyphenolic derivative extracted from the rhizome of Curcuma longa L. According to ClinicalTrials.gov at present there are no running pilot studies, which could assess possible therapeutic benefits from curcumin supplementation to patients with primary epithelial ovarian cancer. Therefore, the goal of this review was to evaluate potential preclinical properties of curcumin and its new analogues on the basis of in vivo and in vitro ovarian cancer studies. Curcumin and its different formulations have been shown to display multifunctional mechanisms of anticancer activity, not only in platinum-resistant primary epithelial ovarian cancer, but also in multidrug resistant cancer cells/xenografts models. Curcumin administered together with platinum-taxane chemotherapeutics have been reported to demonstrate synergistic effects, sensitize resistant cells to drugs, and decrease their biologically effective doses. An accumulating body of evidence suggests that curcumin, due to its long-term safety and an excellent profile of side effects should be considered as a beneficial support in ovarian cancer treatment strategies, especially in patients with platinum-resistant primary epithelial recurrent ovarian cancer or multidrug resistant disease. Although the prospect of curcumin and its formulations as anticancer agents in ovarian cancer treatment strategy appears to be challenging, and at the same time promising, there is a further need to evaluate its effectiveness in clinical studies.     

Discovery and in Vivo Evaluation of Novel RGD-Modified Lipid-Polymer Hybrid Nanoparticles for Targeted Drug Delivery

In the current study, the lipid-shell and polymer-core hybrid nanoparticles (lpNPs) modified by Arg–Gly–Asp(RGD) peptide, loaded with curcumin (Cur), were developed by emulsification-solvent volatilization method. The RGD-modified hybrid nanoparticles (RGD–lpNPs) could overcome the poor water solubility of Cur to meet the requirement of intravenous administration and tumor active targeting. The obtained optimal RGD-lpNPs, composed of PLGA (poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid))–mPEG (methoxyl poly(ethylene- glycol)), RGD–polyethylene glycol (PEG)–cholesterol (Chol) copolymers and lipids, had good entrapment efficiency, submicron size and negatively neutral surface charge. The core-shell structure of RGD–lpNPs was verified by TEM. Cytotoxicity analysis demonstrated that the RGD–lpNPs encapsulated Cur retained potent anti-tumor effects. Flow cytometry analysis revealed the cellular uptake of Cur encapsulated in the RGD–lpNPs was increased for human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Furthermore, Cur loaded RGD–lpNPs were more effective in inhibiting tumor growth in a subcutaneous B16 melanoma tumor model. The results of immunofluorescent and immunohistochemical studies by Cur loaded RGD–lpNPs therapies indicated that more apoptotic cells, fewer microvessels, and fewer proliferation-positive cells were observed. In conclusion, RGD–lpNPs encapsulating Cur were developed with enhanced anti-tumor activity in melanoma, and Cur loaded RGD–lpNPs represent an excellent tumor targeted formulation of Cur which might be an attractive candidate for cancer therapy.