Bangrong Cai

Sulforaphane (SFN) is a naturally occurring isothiocyanate that is abundant in many cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and cauliflower, and it has been observed to exert numerous biological activities. In the present study, we investigate the effect of SFN on eNOS, a key regulatory enzyme of vascular homeostasis and underlying intracellular pathways, in human endothelial EA.hy926 cells. The results indicate that SFN treatment significantly increases NO production and eNOS phosphorylation in a time- and dose-dependent fashion and also augments Akt phosphorylation in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Meanwhile, pretreatment with LY294002 (a specific PI3K inhibitor) suppresses the phosphorylation of eNOS and NO production. Furthermore, SFN time- and dose-dependently induces the phosphorylation of Src kinase, a further upstream regulator of PI3K, while PP2 pretreatment (a specific Src inhibitor) eliminates the increase in phosphorylated Akt, eNOS and the production of NO derived from eNOS. Overall, the present study uncovers a novel effect of SFN to stimulate eNOS activity in EA.hy926 cells by regulating NO bioavailability. These findings provide clear evidence that SFN regulates eNOS activity and NO bioavailability, suggesting a promising therapeutic candidate to prevent endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases.

Malignant tumor is one of the major diseases with high morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study is to prepare berberine hydrochloride (BH) in situ thermo-sensitive hydrogel based on glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) modified nano graphene oxide (NGO) (GA-BH-NGO-gel). NGO was taken as the photosensitizer, GA was taken as the target molecule, and BH was taken as the model drug. The physicochemical properties and anti-tumor activity in vivo and in vitro were also studied. This subject could provide a certain theoretical basis for the chemo-photothermal therapy combined treatment of malignant tumor. The release behavior of GA-BH-NGO-gel in vitro presented sustained and temperature-dependent drug release effect. The anti-tumor activity studies in vivo and in vitro had shown that GA-BH-NGO-gel had stronger anti-tumor activity, which could be targeting distributed to the tumor tissues. Moreover, the inhibitory effect of GA-BH-NGO-gel was enhanced when combined with 808 nm of laser irradiation. In this research, the chemo-photothermal combination therapy was applied into the tumor treatment, which may provide certain research ideas for the clinical treatment of malignant tumor.

Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) is a potent tumor suppressor that regulates several key cellular processes, including proliferation, survival, genomic integrity, migration, and invasion, via PI3K‐dependent and independent mechanisms. A subtle decrease in PTEN levels or catalytic activity is implicated not only in cancer but also in a wide spectrum of other diseases, including various respiratory diseases. A systemic overview of the advances in the molecular and cellular mechanisms of PTEN involved in the initiation and progression of respiratory diseases may offer novel targets for the development of effective therapeutics for the treatment of respiratory diseases. In the present review, we highlight the novel findings emerging from current research on the role of PTEN expression and regulation in airway pathological conditions such as asthma/allergic airway inflammation, pulmonary hypertension (PAH), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and other acute lung injuries (ALI). Moreover, we discuss the clinical implications of PTEN alteration and recently suggested therapeutic possibilities for restoration of PTEN expression and function in respiratory diseases.

Diosgenin (DG), a well-known steroidal sapogenin, is present abundantly in medicinal herbs such as Dioscorea rhizome, Dioscorea villosa, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Smilax China, and Rhizoma polgonati. DG is utilized as a major starting material for the production of steroidal drugs in the pharmaceutical industry. Due to its wide range of pharmacological activities and medicinal properties, it has been used in the treatment of cancers, hyperlipidemia, inflammation, and infections. Numerous studies have reported that DG is useful in the prevention and treatment of neurological diseases. Its therapeutic mechanisms are based on the mediation of different signaling pathways, and targeting these pathways might lead to the development of effective therapeutic agents for neurological diseases. The present review mainly summarizes recent progress using DG and its derivatives as therapeutic agents for multiple neurological disorders along with their various mechanisms in the central nervous system. In particular, those related to therapeutic efficacy for Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, brain injury, neuroinflammation, and ischemia are discussed. This review article also critically evaluates existing limitations associated with the solubility and bioavailability of DG and discusses imperatives for translational clinical research. It briefly recapitulates recent advances in structural modification and novel formulations to increase the therapeutic efficacy and brain levels of DG. In the present review, databases of PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were used for studies of DG and its derivatives in the treatment of central nervous system diseases published in English until December 10, 2019. Three independent researchers examined articles for eligibility. A total of 150 articles were screened from the above scientific literature databases. Finally, a total of 46 articles were extracted and included in this review. Keywords related to glioma, ischemia, memory, aging, cognitive impairment, Alzheimer, Parkinson, and neurodegenerative disorders were searched in the databases based on DG and its derivatives.