Interplay of chain dynamics and ion transport on mechanical behavior and conductivity in ionogels.

Understanding the interplay among the mechanical behavior, ionic conductivity and chain dynamics of ionogels is essential for designing flexible conductors that exhibit both high conductivity and excellent mechanical properties. In this study, ionogels were synthesized the radical polymerization of ,'-dimethylacrylamide (DMAA) and methacrylic acid (MAAc) monomers in the presence of ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethane sulfonate ([EMIM][OTf]). By varying the mass content of ionic liquid within ionogels, we investigated the mechanical behavior and ionic conductivity at the macroscopic scale using tensile, rheological testing and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, as well as the dynamic behavior of chain segments and ions within the network at the microscopic scale using broadband dielectric relaxation spectroscopy (BDS) over a broad temperature range.

Activation of notch 3/c-MYC/CHOP axis regulates apoptosis and promotes sensitivity of lung cancer cells to mTOR inhibitor everolimus.

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway converges diverse environmental cues to support the lung cancer growth and survival. However, the mTOR-targeted mono-therapy does not achieve expected therapeutic effect. Here, we revealed that fangchinoline (FCL), an active alkaloid that purified from the traditional Chinese medicine Stephania tetrandra S.

Osimertinib resistance in non-small cell lung cancer: Mechanisms and therapeutic strategies.

Given the successful identification of epidermal growth factor receptor EGFR T790M, the third-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), osimertinib (OSI, AZD9291), was developed to target EGFR T790M mutation. OSI was approved for the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring EGFR T790M mutation. However, the disease would progress after the patient received OSI treatment for approximately 10 months.

Identification of a novel autophagic inhibitor cepharanthine to enhance the anti-cancer property of dacomitinib in non-small cell lung cancer.

Inhibition of autophagy is a promising strategy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment, which is in the clinical trials. However, only chloroquine is used in clinic as an autophagic inhibitor and the inhibitory effect of chloroquine on autophagy is finite. Therefore, the development of an alternative autophagic inhibitor for NSCLC therapy becomes necessary.

Baicalein protects tert‑butyl hydroperoxide‑induced hepatotoxicity dependent of reactive oxygen species removal.

Baicalein (BA), one of the major bioactive flavonoids isolated from Scutellariae Radix, possesses various pharmacological activities. The present study aimed to investigate the protective effects of BA on tert‑butyl hydroperoxide (t‑BHP)‑induced hepatotoxicity, and to investigate the potential mechanisms in LO2 cells. BA was demonstrated to possess protective properties against t‑BHP injury in LO2 cells, as evidenced by MTT and lactate dehydrogenase assays.

Increased Expression of IRE1α Associates with the Resistant Mechanism of Osimertinib (AZD9291)-resistant non-small Cell Lung Cancer HCC827/OSIR Cells.

Background: Osimertinib (OSI), also known as AZD9291, is a third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that has been approved for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.

Objective: Establishment of the OSI-resistant HCC827/OSIR cell line and study of its resistant mechanism.

Method: The anti-proliferative effect was studied through MTT and colony formation assays.

Induction of reactive oxygen species-stimulated distinctive autophagy by chelerythrine in non-small cell lung cancer cells.

Chelerythrine (CHE), a natural benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloid, shows anti-cancer effect through a number of mechanisms. Herein, the effect and mechanism of the CHE-induced autophagy, a type II programmed cell death, in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells were studied for the first time. CHE induced cell viability decrease, colony formation inhibition, and apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner in NSCLC A549 and NCI-H1299 cells.

Osimertinib induces autophagy and apoptosis via reactive oxygen species generation in non-small cell lung cancer cells.

Osimertinib (OSI), also known as AZD9291, is a third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor that has been approved for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients harboring EGFR T790M mutation. Herein, we indicated for the first time that OSI increased the accumulations of cytoplasmic vacuoles, the expression of phosphatidylethanolamine-modified microtubule-associated protein light-chain 3 (LC3-II), and the formation of GFP-LC3 puncta in various cancer cells. The OSI-induced expression of LC3-II was further increased when combined treatment with chloroquine (CQ), an autophagy inhibitor, and the mRFP-EGFP-LC3 plasmid-transfected cells exposed to OSI led to the production of more red-fluorescent puncta than green-fluorescent puncta, indicating OSI induced autophagic flux in the NSCLC cells.

Baicalein Induces Beclin 1- and Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase-Dependent Autophagy in Ovarian Cancer Cells.

Baicalein (BA), one of the major compounds isolated from the root of Scutellaria baicalensis Gerogi, exhibits various pharmacological effects, such as anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects. In this study, we found that BA reduced cell viability and increased apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells. Treatment of cells with BA enhanced microtubule-associated protein light chain 3-II (LC3-II) expression, acidic vesicular organelle and GFP-LC3 fluorescence dot accumulation.

Chikusetsusaponin IVa methyl ester induces G1 cell cycle arrest, triggers apoptosis and inhibits migration and invasion in ovarian cancer cells.

Background: Panacis Japonici Rhizoma (PJR) is one of the most famous Chinese medical herbs that is known for exhibiting potential anti-cancer effects.

Purpose: This study aims to isolate and investigate the anti-cancer potential of saponins from PJR in ovarian cancer cells.

Methods: The compounds were separated by comprehensive chromatographic methods.

Effects of alisol B 23-acetate on ovarian cancer cells: G1 phase cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, migration and invasion inhibition.

Background: Ovarian cancer is the first leading cause of death among gynecologic malignancies worldwide. Discovery of new chemotherapeutic drugs is still imperative for the improvement of the survival rate.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the anti-cancer potential of alisol B 23-acetate (AB23), a protostane-type triterpene isolated from the Alismatis Rhizoma, in the parental and paclitaxel-resistant ovarian cancer cells.

Induction of C/EBP homologous protein-mediated apoptosis and autophagy by licochalcone A in non-small cell lung cancer cells.

Licochalcone A (LCA), a flavonoid isolated from the famous Chinese medicinal herb Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch, presents obvious anti-cancer effects. In this study, the anti-cancer effects and potential mechanisms of LCA in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells were studied. LCA decreased cell viability, increased lactate dehydrogenase release, and induced apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner in NSCLC cells while not in human embryonic lung fibroblast cells.

Phytochemistry and Pharmacology of Carthamus tinctorius L.

Carthamus tinctorius L. is a multifunctional cash crop. Its flowers and seeds are extensively used in traditional herbal medicine in China, Korea, Japan, and other Asian countries, for treating various ailments such as gynecological, cardiovascular, and cerebrovascular diseases as well as blood stasis and osteoporosis.

Codelivery of Doxorubicin and shAkt1 by Poly(ethylenimine)-Glycyrrhetinic Acid Nanoparticles To Induce Autophagy-Mediated Liver Cancer Combination Therapy.

Combination therapy has been developed as a promising therapeutic approach for hepatocellular carcinoma therapy. Here we report a low toxicity and high performance nanoparticle system that was self-assembled from a poly(ethylenimine)-glycyrrhetinic acid (PEI-GA) amphiphilic copolymer as a versatile gene/drug dual delivery nanoplatform. PEI-GA was synthesized by chemical conjugation of hydrophobic GA moieties to the hydrophilic PEI backbone via an acylation reaction.

A Systematic Review of the Anticancer Properties of Compounds Isolated from Licorice (Gancao).

Licorice (Gancao in Chinese) has been used worldwide as a botanical source in medicine and as a sweetening agent in food products for thousands of years. Triterpene saponins and flavonoids are its main ingredients that exhibit a variety of biological activities, including hepatoprotective, antiulcer, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and anticancer effects among others. This review attempts to summarize the current knowledge on the anticancer properties and mechanisms of the compounds isolated from licorice and obtain new insights for further research and development of licorice.

Platycodin D induces apoptosis and triggers ERK- and JNK-mediated autophagy in human hepatocellular carcinoma BEL-7402 cells.

Aim: Platycodin D, the main saponin isolated from Chinese herb Platycodonis Radix, exhibits anticancer activities against various cancer cell lines. Here we evaluated its anticancer action against human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo, and elucidated the relationship between platycodin D-induced apoptosis and autophagy.

Methods: The viability of human hepatocellular carcinoma BEL-7402 cells was evaluated with MTT assay, and the apoptosis was examined using Annexin V/PI and Hoechst 33342 staining assays.

Glycyrrhetinic acid induces cytoprotective autophagy via the inositol-requiring enzyme 1α-c-Jun N-terminal kinase cascade in non-small cell lung cancer cells.

Glycerrhetinic acid (GA), one of the main bioactive constituents of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch, exerts anti-cancer effects on various cancer cells. We confirmed that GA inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in non-small cell lung cancer A549 and NCI-H1299 cells. GA also induced expression of autophagy marker phosphatidylethanolamine-modified microtubule-associated protein light-chain 3 (LC3-II) and punta formation of green fluorescent protein microtubule-associated protein light-chain 3.

Proteomic analysis of hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells treated with platycodin D.

Platycodin D (PD), a triterpenoid saponin isolated from Platycodonis Radix, is a famous Chinese herbal medicine that has been shown to have anti-proliferative effects in several cancer cell lines. The aim of this study was to determine the changes in cellular proteins after the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells with PD using proteomics approaches. The cell viability was determined using the MTT assay.

Chemical Constituents, Quality Control, and Bioactivity of Epimedii Folium (Yinyanghuo).

Epimedii Folium (Yinyanghuo in Chinese) is one of the most commonly used traditional Chinese medicines. Its main active components are flavonoids, which exhibit multiple biological activities, such as promotion of bone formation and sexual function, protection of the nervous system, and prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Flavonoids also show anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects.

Baicalein Triggers Autophagy and Inhibits the Protein Kinase B/Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Pathway in Hepatocellular Carcinoma HepG2 Cells.

Baicalein (BA), isolated from the Chinese medicinal herb Scutellariae radix (Huangqin in Chinese), is a flavonoid with various pharmacological effects. Herein, we found that BA only slightly reduced the cell viability on HepG2 cells after 24-h treatment as determined by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. However, BA (50 μM) effectively blocked the colony formation.

Platycodin D triggers autophagy through activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase in hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells.

Platycodin D (PD), isolated from the Chinese medicinal herb named Platycodonis Radix, is a triterpenoid saponin with well-known anti-tumor effects. In this study, we provided reliable evidence that PD triggered autophagy in a number of cell lines in vitro. PD-triggered autophagy was identified by observation of cytoplasmic vacuole, up-regulation of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 II (LC3-II), and accumulation of autophagosomes.