USP15 in Cancer and Other Diseases: From Diverse Functionsto Therapeutic Targets.

The process of protein ubiquitination and deubiquitination plays an important role in maintaining protein stability and regulating signal pathways, and protein homeostasis perturbations may induce a variety of diseases. The deubiquitination process removes ubiquitin molecules from the protein, which requires the participation of deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs). Ubiquitin-specific protease 15 (USP15) is a DUB that participates in many biological cell processes and regulates tumorigenesis.

AZ32 Reverses ABCG2-Mediated Multidrug Resistance in Colorectal Cancer.

Colorectal cancer is a common malignancy with the third highest incidence and second highest mortality rate among all cancers in the world. Chemotherapy resistance in colorectal cancer is an essential factor leading to the high mortality rate. The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily G member 2 (ABCG2) confers multidrug resistance (MDR) to a range of chemotherapeutic agents by decreasing their intracellular content.

Reversal of paclitaxel resistance in human ovarian cancer cells with redox-responsive micelles consisting of α-tocopheryl succinate-based polyphosphoester copolymers.

P-glycoprotein (P-gp)-mediated multidrug resistance (MDR) is a major obstacle in achieving the therapeutic benefits of paclitaxel (PTX) in the treatment of human ovarian carcinoma. This study is aimed to develop an efficient PTX drug delivery approach to overcome MDR. Redox-responsive micelles consisting of amphiphilic polymers containing disulfide linkages, ie, poly (phosphate ester)-SS-D-α-tocopheryl succinate (POPEA-SS-TOS, PSST) were prepared.

A Redox-Sensitive and RAGE-Targeting Nanocarrier for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Therapy.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive malignancy and the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Most current therapeutic agents lack the tumor-targeting efficiency and result in a nonselective biodistribution in the body. In our previous study, we identified a peptide Ala-Pro-Asp-Thr-Lys-Thr-Gln (APDTKTQ) that can selectively bind to the receptor of advanced glycation end-products (RAGE), an immunoglobulin superfamily cell surface molecule overexpressed during HCC malignant progression.

pH-sensitive micelles based on acid-labile pluronic F68-curcumin conjugates for improved tumor intracellular drug delivery.

Curcumin (Cur) is a highly pleiotropic anticancer agent that inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis in cancer cells. A variety of nano-systems constituted by polymer-drug conjugates have been designed to overcome its shortages on water solubility, chemical instability, and poor bioavailability. However, most of them suffer from ineffective release of Cur in cancer cells in vivo.

Determination of the levels of two types of neurotransmitter and the anti-migraine effects of different dose-ratios of Ligusticum chuanxiong and Gastrodia elata.

Ligusticum chuanxiong (LC)-Gastrodia elata (GE) compatibility is widely used in the clinic for the treatment of migraine. It has been shown that the changes of neurotransmitters in the central nervous system are closely related to the pathogenesis of migraine; whether LC-GE compatibility might affect the neurotransmitters in migraine rats has not yet been studied. In this study, high performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detector methods for quantification of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) and excitatory amino acids (EAAs) in rat brain were developed.

Qualitative and quantitative characterization of phenolic and diterpenoid constituents in Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) by comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography coupled with hybrid linear ion trap Orbitrap mass.

Danshen is one of the most frequently used traditional Chinese herbs owing to its remarkable and reliable therapeutic effects. Phenolic acids and diterpenoids have proved to be the bioactive substance groups. In order to fully profile its chemical compositions and explore new potential bioactive compounds, a comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography system coupled to DAD detector and hybrid linear ion trap (LTQ) Orbitrap mass spectrometry (LC × LC-DAD-ESI/HRMS/MS(n)) was set up in this study based on the column combination of Hypersil gold CN (150 mm × 1 mm, 3 μm) and Accucore C18 (50 mm × 4.

Synergistic anticancer effects of triptolide and celastrol, two main compounds from thunder god vine.

Triptolide and celastrol are two main active compounds isolated from Thunder God Vine with the potent anticancer activity. However, the anticancer effect of triptolide in combination with celastrol is still unknown. In the present study, we demonstrated that the combination of triptolide with celastrol synergistically induced cell growth inhibition, cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase and apoptosis with the increased intracellular ROS accumulation in cancer cells.

Therapeutic Potential of Steroidal Alkaloids in Cancer and Other Diseases.

Steroidal alkaloids are a class of secondary metabolites isolated from plants, amphibians, and marine invertebrates. Evidence accumulated in the recent two decades demonstrates that steroidal alkaloids have a wide range of bioactivities including anticancer, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, etc., suggesting their great potential for application.

Function of Nogo-A/Nogo-A receptor in Alzheimer's disease.

Nogo-A is a protein inhibiting axonal regeneration, which is considered a major obstacle to nerve regeneration after injury in mammals. Rapid progress has been achieved in new physiopathological function of Nogo-A in Alzheimer's disease in the past decade. Recent research shows that through binding to Nogo-A receptor, Nogo-A plays an important role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis.

Application of two-dimensional chromatography in the analysis of Chinese herbal medicines.

For the purpose of better understanding the complex Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) and controlling their quality, powerful analytical techniques are essential. Although conventional one-dimensional (1D) chromatographic approaches have been widely used for the analysis of multiple components in CHMs, the complexity of CHM samples often exceeds the maximal capacity of any single separation mode. Therefore, in past decades, many researchers have attempted to explore the coupling of independent separation techniques to improve the resolving power for complex CHM samples.

An assessment of traditional Uighur medicine in current Xinjiang region (China).

Background: The main objectives of this study were to assess the current research and development of traditional Uighur medicine in Xinjiang (China), and to evaluate the promising pharmacological products of traditional Uighur medicine for further studies.

Materials And Methods: Traditional Uighur medicine data of medicine registry, patent, and academic publications was collected and analyzed.

Results: Data showed that, among the registered and studied traditional Uighur medicine, the main therapeutic areas of traditional Uighur medicine focused on skin disease, urogenital disease, rheumatism and digestive system disease.

Lobelia chinensis: chemical constituents and anticancer activity perspective.

Research has demonstrated that many chemical constituents dominated by piperidine alkaloids and flavonoids, such as lobelanidine, lobeline, and lobelanine, have been obtained from Lobelia chinensis Lour. Experimental studies and clinical applications have also indicated that L. chinensis possesses a number of pharmacological activities (e.

Bisdemethoxycurcumin Increases Sirt1 to Antagonize t-BHP-Induced Premature Senescence in WI38 Fibroblast Cells.

Curcuminoids are well known for their capabilities to combat risk factors that are associated with ageing and cellular senescence. Recent reports have demonstrated that curcuminoids can extend the lifespan of model organisms. However, the underlying mechanisms by which these polyphenic compounds exert these beneficial effects remain unknown.

Overview of Taiwan's indigenous ethnopharmacology in the perspective of traditional knowledge protection.

Ethnopharmacology, the study of ethnic use of drugs, opens up the crucial gateway to understanding and promoting traditional medicine in the new age. Taiwan is a unique region where traditional medicine and herbal therapeutics have been benefiting its people of multiple races for centuries. This article overviews Taiwan's indigenous traditional medicine and the emerging status of ethnopharmacology study, and outlines the global scenario of the inheritance and development of traditional medicine.

IC-4, a new irreversible EGFR inhibitor, exhibits prominent anti-tumor and anti-angiogenesis activities.

Accumulating evidence suggested that the irreversible tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have potential to override the acquired resistance to target-based therapies. Herein, we reported IC-4 as a novel irreversible TKI for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). IC-4 potentially suppressed proliferation, induced apoptosis and a G2/M cell cycle arrest in breast cancer cells, correlating with inhibition of EGF-induced EGFR activation, but independent of DNA damage.

[Application research of hot-melt extrusion in preparation of solid dispersion].

Hot-melt extrusion (HME) is mainly used to enhance the dissolution rate and bioavailability of poorly water soluble drugs. It has many advantages, such as simple process, continuous operation, high efficiency, on-line monitoring and so on. HME provides an innovative approach, which has been concerned by pharmaceutical workers, for preparation of solid dispersion abroad.

Furanodiene enhances tamoxifen-induced growth inhibitory activity of ERa-positive breast cancer cells in a PPARγ independent manner.

Herbal plants are enriched with compounds with a wide range of biological activities. Furanodiene is a sesquiterpene isolated from Rhizoma Curcumae. Growing evidence shows furanodiene exhibits diversified activities of hepatoprotection, anti-inflammation, anti-angiogenesis, and anti-tumor.