Erratum: and antiangiogenic activity of desacetylvinblastine monohydrazide through inhibition of VEGFR2 and Axl pathways.

[This corrects the article on p. 843 in vol. 6, PMID: 27186435.

In vitro and in vivo antiangiogenic activity of desacetylvinblastine monohydrazide through inhibition of VEGFR2 and Axl pathways.

Tumor angiogenic process is regulated by multiple proangiogenic pathways, such as vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) and Axl receptor tyrosine kinase (Axl). Axl is one of many important factors involved in anti-VEGF resistance. Inhibition of VEGF/VEGFR2 signaling pathway alone fails to block tumor neovascularization.

B4G2 induces mitochondrial apoptosis by the ROS-mediated opening of Ca(2+)-dependent permeability transition pores.

Background/aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer. At present, only sorafenib is approved to treat HCC. In this study, we found that a 23-hydroxybetulinic acid derivative, B4G2, exhibited potent antiproliferative activity in HCC cell lines.

Hellebrigenin induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells through inhibition of Akt.

Hellebrigenin, one of bufadienolides belonging to cardioactive steroids, was found in skin secretions of toads and plants of Helleborus and Kalanchoe genera. In searching for natural constituents with anti-hepatoma activities, we found that hellebrigenin, isolated from traditional Chinese medicine Venenum Bufonis, potently reduced the viability and colony formation of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells HepG2, and went on to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. Our results demonstrated that hellebrigenin triggered DNA damage through DNA double-stranded breaks and subsequently induced cell cycle G2/M arrest associated with up-regulation of p-ATM (Ser(1981)), p-Chk2 (Tyr(68)), p-CDK1 (Tyr(15)) and Cyclin B1, and down-regulation of p-CDC25C (Ser(216)).

Acerinol, a cyclolanstane triterpenoid from Cimicifuga acerina, reverses ABCB1-mediated multidrug resistance in HepG2/ADM and MCF-7/ADR cells.

Persistent cancer chemotherapy can lead to multidrug resistance which is one of the most common reasons for failure of chemotherapy. The ABCB1 transporter is a member of the ATP-binding cassette superfamily and it is frequently over-expressed in multidrug resistant cancer cells. Active ingredients derived from traditional Chinese medicinal herbs have been reported to reverse multidrug resistance mediated by ATP-binding cassette transporters.

Discovery of bufadienolides as a novel class of ClC-3 chloride channel activators with antitumor activities.

ClC-3 chloride (Cl(-)) channel has been shown to be involved in cell proliferation, cell cycle, and cell migration processes. Herein, we found that a series of bufadienolides isolated from toad venom were a novel class of ClC-3 Cl(-) channel activators with antitumor activities. Bufalin, which has the most potent antitumor activity, and 15β-acetyloxybufalin, which has no antitumor activity, were chosen as representative compounds to investigate the role of the ClC-3 Cl(-) channel.

Bipiperidinyl derivatives of 23-hydroxybetulinic acid reverse resistance of HepG2/ADM and MCF-7/ADR cells.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a major obstacle to successful chemotherapy for cancer; thus, novel MDR reversers are urgently needed. In the present study, we assessed whether two synthetic derivatives of 23-hydroxybetulinic acid, 3,23-O-diacetyl-17-1,4'-bipiperidinyl betulinic amide (DABB) and 3,23-O-dihydroxy-17-1,4'-bipiperidinyl betulinic amide (DHBB), could reverse MDR induced by ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters. Using the MTT assay, we found that DABB and DHBB could enhance the cytotoxicities of ABCB1 substrates doxorubicin, vincristine, and paclitaxel in ABCB1-overexpressing HepG2/ADM and MCF-7/ADR cells, whereas that of a non-ABCB1 substrate cisplatin was unaffected.

Arenobufagin, a natural bufadienolide from toad venom, induces apoptosis and autophagy in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells through inhibition of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a deadly form of cancer without effective chemotherapy so far. Currently, only sorafenib, a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor, slightly improves survival in HCC patients. In searching for natural anti-HCC components from toad venom, which is frequently used in the treatment of liver cancer in traditional Chinese medicine, we discovered that arenobufagin, a bufadienolide from toad venom, had potent antineoplastic activity against HCC HepG2 cells as well as corresponding multidrug-resistant HepG2/ADM cells.

Saxifragifolin D induces the interplay between apoptosis and autophagy in breast cancer cells through ROS-dependent endoplasmic reticulum stress.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among females, and novel chemotherapeutic drugs for treating breast cancer are needed urgently. Saxifragifolin D (SD) was isolated by our group from Androsace umbellata which is commonly used to treat solid tumor. In this study, we evaluated its growth inhibitory effect on breast cancer cells and explored the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Bufotalin from Venenum Bufonis inhibits growth of multidrug resistant HepG2 cells through G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.

Venenum Bufonis, a traditional Chinese medicine, is widely used in the treatment of liver cancer in modern Chinese medical practices. In our search for anti-hepatoma constituents in Venenum Bufonis, bufotalin, bufalin, telocinobufagin and cinobufagin were obtained. Bufotalin was the most potent active compound among these four bufadienolides, and it exerted stronger inhibitory effect on the viability of doxorubicin-induced multidrug resistant liver cancer cells (R-HepG2) than that of their parent cells HepG2.

Anemoside A3-induced relaxation in rat renal arteries: role of endothelium and Ca2+ channel inhibition.

Anemoside A(3), a lupane-type triterpenoid saponin, exists in the roots of Pulsatilla chinensis, but its pharmacological properties are largely unknown. The present study aimed to investigate the mechanisms underlying anemoside A(3)-induced relaxation in rat renal arteries. Changes of isometric force were determined on arteries with a myograph.