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Keywords = N-butylidenephthalide

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24 pages, 3208 KB  
Article
Antidepressant-Like Effects of n-Butylidenephthalide Using In Vivo and In Silico Approaches
by María Leonor González-Rivera, María del Carmen Juárez-Vázquez, Athzirys Alejandra Melecio-Hernández, Diana Casique-Aguirre, Gabriela Josefina López-González, Ramsés Maximiliano Ramírez-Martínez, Andrea Ayala-Torres, Yurisleidys Quesada-Mendiola, Juan Ramón Zapata-Morales and Angel Josabad Alonso-Castro
Pharmaceuticals 2026, 19(2), 242; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph19020242 - 30 Jan 2026
Viewed by 805
Abstract
Background: The plant-derived compound n-butylidenephthalide (BP) is an isobenzofuranone that has shown neuropharmacological effects on preclinical models of Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Methods: This study evaluated the anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, anxiolytic-like, hypnotic, anticonvulsant, and antidepressant-like effects of BP (50–200 mg/kg p.o.) [...] Read more.
Background: The plant-derived compound n-butylidenephthalide (BP) is an isobenzofuranone that has shown neuropharmacological effects on preclinical models of Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Methods: This study evaluated the anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, anxiolytic-like, hypnotic, anticonvulsant, and antidepressant-like effects of BP (50–200 mg/kg p.o.) using Balb/c mice in acute assays. This study also evaluated the antidepressant-like effects of BP in a mouse model of reserpine-induced depression-like behavior for 20 days. Inhibitors involved in the molecular process of depression and in silico studies were used to evaluate a possible mechanism of action for the antidepressant-like effects of BP. Results: BP induced low anti-inflammatory effects, showed low anticonvulsant effects, and lacked hypnotic effects or motor impairment in acute assays. The antidepressant-like effects of BP (100–200 mg/kg p.o.) were comparable to amitriptyline (25 mg/kg p.o.) in acute assays. The participation of serotonergic and adrenergic systems is involved in the acute antidepressant-like effects of BP. In the reserpine-induced depression model, BP (100 mg/kg p.o.) showed antidepressant-like effects in one of the two antidepressant tests, but with a lower effect than amitriptyline (20 mg/kg p.o.). Conclusions: BP (100 and 200 mg/kg) showed antidepressant-like effects in acute assays and, to a lesser extent, in a reserpine-induced chronic model of depression-like behavior. Full article
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20 pages, 3477 KB  
Article
Development of 3D Cell-Based Fluorescent Reporter Assay for Screening of Drugs Downregulating Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase
by You Li, Fengli Zhang, Zhen Qin and Shang-Tian Yang
Bioengineering 2025, 12(4), 335; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering12040335 - 23 Mar 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1928
Abstract
A fluorescent cell-based assay was developed for the screening of chemicals repressing the expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT). hTERT is reactivated during carcinogenesis and is overexpressed in more than 90% of cancers but is almost silent in normal tissue cells. Because [...] Read more.
A fluorescent cell-based assay was developed for the screening of chemicals repressing the expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT). hTERT is reactivated during carcinogenesis and is overexpressed in more than 90% of cancers but is almost silent in normal tissue cells. Because of its critical role in cancer, hTERT is a target in various therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment. In this study, the hTERT promoter was cloned in MCF7 breast cancer cells and used to control the expression of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). The fluorescence of EGFP indicated the activity of the hTERT promoter, and, in the presence of an hTERT repressor, the EGFP fluorescence signal was reduced as compared to the EGFP fluorescence controlled by the human cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter, which was not affected by changes in culture conditions and worked as a control. The EGFP reporter cells were cultivated in three-dimensional (3D) microbioreactors to resemble the in vivo tumor physiology and provide in vivo-like responses. The assay’s predictability was demonstrated with three known hTERT inhibitors, pristimerin, epigallocatechin gallate, and n-butylidenephthalide, and further evaluated with five widely used anticancer compounds, doxorubicin, cisplatin, paclitaxel, blasticidin, and tamoxifen. The results showed overall accuracy of over 83.3%, demonstrating the feasibility of using the hTERT promoter with EGFP as a reporter for the screening of potential cancer drugs targeting hTERT. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Biochemical Engineering)
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13 pages, 2024 KB  
Article
Chemical Investigations in Kelussia odoratissima Mozaff. Leaves Based on Comprehensive Analytical Methods: LC-MS, SPME, and GC-MS Analyses
by Mehdi Rahimmalek, Antoni Szumny, Shima Gharibi, Natalia Pachura, Mehran Miroliaei and Jacek Łyczko
Molecules 2023, 28(16), 6140; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28166140 - 19 Aug 2023
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3160
Abstract
Kelussia odoratissima Mozaff. is a species of Apiaceae endemic to the Zagros Mountains in Iran. In the present investigation, for the first time, the polyphenolic compounds and flavonoids of its leaves were determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). As a result, p-coumaric [...] Read more.
Kelussia odoratissima Mozaff. is a species of Apiaceae endemic to the Zagros Mountains in Iran. In the present investigation, for the first time, the polyphenolic compounds and flavonoids of its leaves were determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). As a result, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, acetyl phloroglucinol, vanillic acid, m-coumaric acid, and 4-methylsiringol were determined as the main phenolic compounds, while 3-hydroxyflavone, flavone, quercetin, rutin, neohesperidin, polydatin, and diosmin were the main flavonoid components, of which chlorogenic acid (303.08 µL/gDW), neohesperidin (38.37 µL/gDw), and diosmin (28.62 µL/gDW) were the most abundant. Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) was also used to determine the chemical compounds. Based on SPME, (Z)-undec-6-en-2-one (17.48%) and (Z)-butylidenephthalide (4.348%) were the major components. Based on GC-MS analyses, (Z)-ligustilide was the main compound; however, some new compounds were also determined, including 3-ethylisobenzofuran-1 (3H)-one, (E)-ligugustilide, and E-n-butylidene phthalide. Also, for the first time, we have identified EOs ethyl and isobutyl phthalides on the basis of the obtained EI-MS spectra. Finally, the fragmentation of phthalides is also discussed in this research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemistry of Essential Oils: The Incredible Wealth of Plants)
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23 pages, 4574 KB  
Article
Fungistatic Effect of Phthalide Lactones on Rhodotorula mucilaginosa
by Joanna Gach, Teresa Olejniczak, Jakub Pannek and Filip Boratyński
Molecules 2023, 28(14), 5423; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28145423 - 15 Jul 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2525
Abstract
Currently, there is an increasing number of cases of fungal infections caused by opportunistic strains of the yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, mainly in immunocompromised patients during hospitalization. The excessive use of antibiotics and azole compounds increases the risk of resistance to microorganisms. A [...] Read more.
Currently, there is an increasing number of cases of fungal infections caused by opportunistic strains of the yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, mainly in immunocompromised patients during hospitalization. The excessive use of antibiotics and azole compounds increases the risk of resistance to microorganisms. A new alternative to these drugs may be synthetic phthalide lactones with a structure identical to or similar to the natural ones found in celery plants, which show low toxicity and relatively high fungistatic activity. In the present study, the fungistatic activity of seven phthalide lactones was determined against R. mucilaginosa IHEM 18459. We showed that 3-n-butylidenephthalide, the most potent compound selected in the microdilution test, caused a dose-dependent decrease in dry yeast biomass. Phthalide accumulated in yeast cells and contributed to an increase in reactive oxygen species content. The synergistic effect of fluconazole resulted in a reduction in the azole concentration required for yeast inhibition. We observed changes in the color of the yeast cultures; thus, we conducted experiments to prove that the carotenoid profile was altered. The addition of lactones also triggered a decline in fatty acid methyl esters. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Antimicrobial Agents)
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27 pages, 6259 KB  
Article
Synergic Effect of Phthalide Lactones and Fluconazole and Its New Analogues as a Factor Limiting the Use of Azole Drugs against Candidiasis
by Piotr Krężel, Teresa Olejniczak, Aleksandra Tołoczko, Joanna Gach, Marek Weselski and Robert Bronisz
Antibiotics 2022, 11(11), 1500; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics11111500 - 28 Oct 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3179
Abstract
The resistance of Candida albicans and other pathogenic yeasts to azole antifungal drugs has increased rapidly in recent years and is a significant problem in clinical therapy. The current state of pharmacological knowledge precludes the withdrawal of azole drugs, as no other active [...] Read more.
The resistance of Candida albicans and other pathogenic yeasts to azole antifungal drugs has increased rapidly in recent years and is a significant problem in clinical therapy. The current state of pharmacological knowledge precludes the withdrawal of azole drugs, as no other active substances have yet been developed that could effectively replace them. Therefore, one of the anti-yeast strategies may be therapies that can rely on the synergistic action of natural compounds and azoles, limiting the use of azole drugs against candidiasis. Synergy assays performed in vitro were used to assess drug interactions Fractional Inhibitory Concentration Index. The synergistic effect of fluconazole (1) and three synthetic lactones identical to those naturally occurring in celery plants—3-n-butylphthalide (2), 3-n-butylidenephthalide (3), 3-n-butyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrophthalide (4)—against Candida albicans ATCC 10231, C. albicans ATCC 2091, and C. guilliermondii KKP 3390 was compared with the performance of the individual compounds separately. MIC90 (the amount of fungistatic substance (in µg/mL) inhibiting yeast growth by 90%) was determined as 5.96–6.25 µg/mL for fluconazole (1) and 92–150 µg/mL for lactones 2–4. With the simultaneous administration of fluconazole (1) and one of the lactones 2–4, it was found that they act synergistically, and to achieve the same effect it is sufficient to use 0.58–6.73 µg/mL fluconazole (1) and 1.26–20.18 µg/mL of lactones 2–4. As fluconazole and phthalide lactones show synergy, 11 new fluconazole analogues with lower toxicity and lower inhibitory activity for CYP2C19, CYP1A2, and CYP2C9, were designed after in silico testing. The lipophilicity was also analyzed. A three-carbon alcohol with two rings was preserved. In all compounds 5–15, the 1,2,4-triazole rings were replaced with 1,2,3-triazole or tetrazole rings. The hydroxyl group was free or esterified with phenylacetic acid or thiophene-2-carboxylic acid chlorides or with adipic acid. In structures 11 and 12 the hydroxyl group was replaced with the fragment -CH2Cl or = CH2. Additionally, the difluorophenyl ring was replaced with unsubstituted phenyl. The structures of the obtained compounds were determined by 1H NMR, and 13C NMR spectroscopy. Molecular masses were established by GC-MS or elemental analysis. The MIC50 and MIC90 of all compounds 1–15 were determined against Candida albicans ATCC 10231, C. albicans ATCC 2091, AM 38/20, C. guilliermondii KKP 3390, and C. zeylanoides KKP 3528. The MIC50 values for the newly prepared compounds ranged from 38.45 to 260.81 µg/mL. The 90% inhibitory dose was at least twice as high. Large differences in the effect of fluconazole analogues 5–15 on individual strains were observed. A synergistic effect on three strains—Candida albicans ATCC 10231, C. albicans ATCC 2091, C. guilliermondii KKP 339—was observed. Fractional inhibitory concentrations FIC50 and FIC90 were tested for the most active lactone, 3-n-butylphthalide, and seven fluconazole analogues. The strongest synergistic effect was observed for the strain C. albicans ATCC 10231, FIC 0.04–0.48. The growth inhibitory amount of azole is from 25 to 55 µg/mL and from 3.13 to 25.3 µg/mL for 3-n-butylphthalide. Based on biological research, the influence of the structure on the fungistatic activity and the synergistic effect were determined. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Synthesis of Novel Antimicrobial Agents)
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25 pages, 5356 KB  
Article
Targeting PSEN1 by lnc-CYP3A43-2/miR-29b-2-5p to Reduce β Amyloid Plaque Formation and Improve Cognition Function
by Wei Wuli, Shinn-Zong Lin, Shee-Ping Chen, Bakhos A. Tannous, Wen-Sheng Huang, Peng Yeong Woon, Yang-Chang Wu, Hsueh-Hui Yang, Yi-Cheng Chen, Renata Lopes Fleming, Jack T. Rogers, Catherine M. Cahill, Tsung-Jung Ho, Tzyy-Wen Chiou and Horng-Jyh Harn
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(18), 10554; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms231810554 - 11 Sep 2022
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4212
Abstract
Presenilin-1 (PSEN1) is a crucial subunit within the γ-secretase complex and regulates β-amyloid (Aβ) production. Accumulated evidence indicates that n-butylidenephthalide (BP) acts effectively to reduce Aβ levels in neuronal cells that are derived from trisomy 21 (Ts21) induced pluripotent stem cells [...] Read more.
Presenilin-1 (PSEN1) is a crucial subunit within the γ-secretase complex and regulates β-amyloid (Aβ) production. Accumulated evidence indicates that n-butylidenephthalide (BP) acts effectively to reduce Aβ levels in neuronal cells that are derived from trisomy 21 (Ts21) induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). However, the mechanism underlying this effect remains unclear. This article aims to investigate the possible mechanisms through which BP ameliorates the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and verify the effectiveness of BP through animal experiments. Results from RNA microarray analysis showed that BP treatment in Ts21 iPSC-derived neuronal cells reduced long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) CYP3A43-2 levels and increased microRNA (miR)-29b-2-5p levels. Bioinformatics tool prediction analysis, biotin-labeled miR-29b-2-5p pull-down assay, and dual-luciferase reporter assay confirmed a direct negative regulatory effect for miRNA29b-2-5p on lnc-RNA-CYP3A43-2 and PSEN1. Moreover, BP administration improved short-term memory and significantly reduced Aβ accumulation in the hippocampus and cortex of 3xTg-AD mice but failed in miR-29b-2-5p mutant mice generated by CRISP/Cas9 technology. In addition, analysis of brain samples from patients with AD showed a decrease in microRNA-29b-2-5p expression in the frontal cortex region. Our results provide evidence that the LncCYP3A43-2/miR29-2-5p/PSEN1 network might be involved in the molecular mechanisms underlying BP-induced Aβ reduction. Full article
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23 pages, 8913 KB  
Article
Improved Delivery Performance of n-Butylidenephthalide-Polyethylene Glycol-Gold Nanoparticles Efficient for Enhanced Anti-Cancer Activity in Brain Tumor
by Ming-Tai Hsing, Hui-Ting Hsu, Chih-Hsuan Chang, Kai-Bo Chang, Chun-Yuan Cheng, Jae-Hwan Lee, Chien-Li Huang, Meng-Yin Yang, Yi-Chin Yang, Szu-Yuan Liu, Chun-Ming Yen, Shun-Fa Yang and Huey-Shan Hung
Cells 2022, 11(14), 2172; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells11142172 - 11 Jul 2022
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4144
Abstract
n-butylidenephthalide (BP) has been verified as having the superior characteristic of cancer cell toxicity. Furthermore, gold (Au) nanoparticles are biocompatible materials, as well as effective carriers for delivering bio-active molecules for cancer therapeutics. In the present research, Au nanoparticles were first conjugated with [...] Read more.
n-butylidenephthalide (BP) has been verified as having the superior characteristic of cancer cell toxicity. Furthermore, gold (Au) nanoparticles are biocompatible materials, as well as effective carriers for delivering bio-active molecules for cancer therapeutics. In the present research, Au nanoparticles were first conjugated with polyethylene glycol (PEG), and then cross-linked with BP to obtain PEG-Au-BP nanodrugs. The physicochemical properties were characterized through ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) to confirm the combination of PEG, Au, and BP. In addition, both the size and structure of Au nanoparticles were observed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), where the size of Au corresponded to the results of DLS assay. Through in vitro assessments, non-transformed BAEC and DBTRG human glioma cells were treated with PEG-Au-BP drugs to investigate the tumor-cell selective cytotoxicity, cell uptake efficiency, and mechanism of endocytic routes. According to the results of MTT assay, PEG-Au-BP was able to significantly inhibit DBTRG brain cancer cell proliferation. Additionally, cell uptake efficiency and potential cellular transportation in both BAEC and DBTRG cell lines were observed to be significantly higher at 2 and 24 h. Moreover, the mechanisms of endocytosis, clathrin-mediated endocytosis, and cell autophagy were explored and determined to be favorable routes for BAEC and DBTRG cells to absorb PEG-Au-BP nanodrugs. Next, the cell progression and apoptosis of DBTRG cells after PEG-Au-BP treatment was investigated by flow cytometry. The results show that PEG-Au-BP could remarkably regulate the DBTRG cell cycle at the Sub-G1 phase, as well as induce more apoptotic cells. The expression of apoptotic-related proteins in DBTRG cells was determined through Western blotting assay. After treatment with PEG-Au-BP, the apoptotic cascade proteins p21, Bax, and Act-caspase-3 were all significantly expressed in DBTRG brain cancer cells. Through in vivo assessments, the tissue morphology and particle distribution in a mouse model were examined after a retro-orbital sinus injection containing PEG-Au-BP nanodrugs. The results demonstrate tissue integrity in the brain (forebrain, cerebellum, and midbrain), heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney, as they did not show significant destruction due to PEG-Au-BP treatment. Simultaneously, the extended retention period for PEG-Au-BP nanodrugs was discovered, particularly in brain tissue. The above findings identify PEG-Au-BP as a potential nanodrug for brain cancer therapies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Cell Signaling)
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15 pages, 1567 KB  
Article
Interstitial Control-Released Polymer Carrying a Targeting Small-Molecule Drug Reduces PD-L1 and MGMT Expression in Recurrent High-Grade Gliomas with TMZ Resistance
by Ching-Ann Liu, Wei-Hsiu Liu, Hsin-I Ma, Yuan-Hao Chen, Dueng-Yuan Hueng, Wen-Chiuan Tsai, Shinn-Zong Lin, Horng-Jyh Harn, Tzyy-Wen Chiou, Jen-Wei Liu, Jui-Hao Lee and Tsung-Lang Chiu
Cancers 2022, 14(4), 1051; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14041051 - 18 Feb 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 5690
Abstract
In recurrent glioblastoma, Gliadel wafer implantation after surgery has been shown to result in incomplete chemical removal of residual tumor and development of brain edema. Furthermore, temozolomide (TMZ) resistance caused by O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT) activation and programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression [...] Read more.
In recurrent glioblastoma, Gliadel wafer implantation after surgery has been shown to result in incomplete chemical removal of residual tumor and development of brain edema. Furthermore, temozolomide (TMZ) resistance caused by O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT) activation and programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression leads to immune-cold lesions that result in poorer prognosis. Cerebraca wafer, a biodegradable polymer containing (Z)-n-butylidenephthalide (BP), is designed to eliminate residual tumor after glioma resection. An open-label, one-arm study with four dose cohorts, involving a traditional 3 + 3 dose escalation clinical trial, of the Cerebraca wafer combined with TMZ on patients with recurrent high-grade glioma, was conducted. Of the 12 patients who receive implantation of Cerebraca wafer, there were no drug-related adverse events (AEs) or serious AEs (SAEs). The median overall survival (OS) of patients receiving low-dose Cerebraca wafer was 12 months in the group with >25% wafer coverage of the resected tumor, which is longer than OS duration in previously published studies (Gliadel wafer, 6.4 months). Patients who received high-dose Cerebraca wafer treatment had not yet died at the data cut-off date; a 100% progression-free survival (PFS) rate at six month was achieved, indicating the median OS of cohort IV was more than 17.4 months. In vitro study of the primary cells collected from the patients revealed that the IC50 of BP against tumor stem cells was four times lower than that of bis-chloroethylnitrosourea (BCNU). A synergistic effect between BP and TMZ was demonstrated by a reduction in MGMT expression. Furthermore, BP inhibited PD-L1 expression, thereby activating T-cell cytotoxicity and increasing interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) secretion. The better therapeutic effect of Cerebraca wafer on recurrent high-grade glioma could occur through re-sensitization of TMZ and reduction of PD-L1. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Clinical Research of Cancer)
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15 pages, 5840 KB  
Article
The Protective Effects of n-Butylidenephthalide on Retinal Ganglion Cells during Ischemic Injury
by Yu-Yau Chou, Jia-Ying Chien, Jhih-Wei Ciou and Shun-Ping Huang
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(4), 2095; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23042095 - 14 Feb 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3796
Abstract
Clinically, acute ischemic symptoms in the eyes are one of the main causes of vision loss, with the associated inflammatory response and oxidative stress being the key factors that cause injury. Nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) is the most common type of [...] Read more.
Clinically, acute ischemic symptoms in the eyes are one of the main causes of vision loss, with the associated inflammatory response and oxidative stress being the key factors that cause injury. Nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) is the most common type of ischemic optic neuropathy (ION); however, there are still no effective or safe treatment options to date. In this study, we investigated the neuroprotective effects of n-butylidenephthalide (BP) treatment in an experimental NAION rodent model (rAION). BP (10 mg/kg) or PBS (control group) were administered on seven consecutive days in the rAION model. Rats were evaluated for visual function by flash visual evoked potentials (FVEPs) at 4 weeks after NAION induction. The retina and optic nerve were removed for histological examination after the rats were euthanized. The molecular machinery of BP treatment in the rAION model was analyzed using Western blotting. We discovered that BP effectively improves retinal ganglion cell survival rates by preventing apoptotic processes after AION induction and reducing the inflammatory response through which blood-borne macrophages infiltrate the optic nerve. In addition, BP significantly preserved the integrity of the myelin sheath in the rAION model, demonstrating that BP can prevent the development of demyelination. Our immunoblotting results revealed the molecular mechanism through which BP mitigates the neuroinflammatory response through inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathway. Taken together, these results demonstrate that BP can be used as an exceptional neuroprotective agent for ischemic injury. Full article
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12 pages, 2593 KB  
Article
Anti-Excitotoxic Effects of N-Butylidenephthalide Revealed by Chemically Insulted Purkinje Progenitor Cells Derived from SCA3 iPSCs
by Hsin-Han Yang, I-Tsang Chiang, Jen-Wei Liu, Jeanne Hsieh, Jui-Hao Lee, Huai-En Lu, Hwa-Sung Tso, Yu-Chen Deng, Jo-Chi Kao, Jhen-Rong Wu, Horng-Jyh Harn and Tzyy-Wen Chiou
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(3), 1391; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23031391 - 26 Jan 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4865
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) is characterized by the over-repetitive CAG codon in the ataxin-3 gene (ATXN3), which encodes the mutant ATXN3 protein. The pathological defects of SCA3 such as the impaired aggresomes, autophagy, and the proteasome have been reported previously. [...] Read more.
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) is characterized by the over-repetitive CAG codon in the ataxin-3 gene (ATXN3), which encodes the mutant ATXN3 protein. The pathological defects of SCA3 such as the impaired aggresomes, autophagy, and the proteasome have been reported previously. To date, no effective treatment is available for SCA3 disease. This study aimed to study anti-excitotoxic effects of n-butylidenephthalide by chemically insulted Purkinje progenitor cells derived from SCA3 iPSCs. We successfully generated Purkinje progenitor cells (PPs) from SCA3 patient-derived iPSCs. The PPs, expressing both neural and Purkinje progenitor’s markers, were acquired after 35 days of differentiation. In comparison with the PPs derived from control iPSCs, SCA3 iPSCs-derived PPs were more sensitive to the excitotoxicity induced by quinolinic acid (QA). The observations of QA-treated SCA3 PPs showing neural degeneration including neurite shrinkage and cell number decrease could be used to quickly and efficiently identify drug candidates. Given that the QA-induced neural cell death of SCA3 PPs was established, the activity of calpain in SCA3 PPs was revealed. Furthermore, the expression of cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1), a marker of apoptotic pathway, and the accumulation of ATXN3 proteolytic fragments were observed. When SCA3 PPs were treated with n-butylidenephthalide (n-BP), upregulated expression of calpain 2 and concurrent decreased level of calpastatin could be reversed, and the overall calpain activity was accordingly suppressed. Such findings reveal that n-BP could not only inhibit the cleavage of ATXN3 but also protect the QA-induced excitotoxicity from the Purkinje progenitor loss. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Molecular Neurobiology)
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16 pages, 1866 KB  
Article
Microbial Synthesis and Evaluation of Fungistatic Activity of 3-Butyl-3-hydroxyphthalide, the Mammalian Metabolite of 3-n-Butylidenephthalide
by Joanna Gach, Teresa Olejniczak, Piotr Krężel and Filip Boratyński
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(14), 7600; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22147600 - 15 Jul 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3492
Abstract
Phthalides are bioactive compounds that naturally occur in the family Apiaceae. Considering their potentially versatile applications, it is desirable to determine their physical properties, activity and metabolic pathways. This study aimed to examine the utility of whole-cell biocatalysts for obtaining 3-butyl-3-hydroxyphthalide, which is [...] Read more.
Phthalides are bioactive compounds that naturally occur in the family Apiaceae. Considering their potentially versatile applications, it is desirable to determine their physical properties, activity and metabolic pathways. This study aimed to examine the utility of whole-cell biocatalysts for obtaining 3-butyl-3-hydroxyphthalide, which is the metabolite formulated during mammalian metabolism of 3-n-butylidenephthalide. We performed transformations using 10 strains of fungi, five of which efficiently produced 3-butyl-3-hydroxyphthalide. The product yield, determined by high-performance liquid chromatography, reached 97.6% when Aspergillus candidus AM 386 was used as the biocatalyst. Increasing the scale of the process resulted in isolation yields of 29–45% after purification via reversed-phase thin layer chromatography, depending on the strain of the microorganism used. We proposed different mechanisms for product formation; however, hydration of 3-n-butylidenephthalide seems to be the most probable. Additionally, all phthalides were tested against clinical strains of Candida albicans using the microdilution method. Two phthalides showed a minimum inhibitory concentration, required to inhibit the growth of 50% of organisms, below 50 µg/mL. The 3-n-butylidenephthalide metabolite was generally inactive, and this feature in combination with its low lipophilicity suggests its involvement in the detoxification pathway. The log P value of tested compounds was in the range of 2.09–3.38. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Identification of Metabolites of Xenobiotics 2.0)
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21 pages, 10819 KB  
Article
n-Butylidenephthalide Modulates Autophagy to Ameliorate Neuropathological Progress of Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3 through mTOR Pathway
by Jui-Hao Lee, Si-Yin Lin, Jen-Wei Liu, Shinn-Zong Lin, Horng-Jyh Harn and Tzyy-Wen Chiou
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(12), 6339; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22126339 - 13 Jun 2021
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 5106
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3), a hereditary and lethal neurodegenerative disease, is attributed to the abnormal accumulation of undegradable polyglutamine (polyQ), which is encoded by mutated ataxin-3 gene (ATXN3). The toxic fragments processed from mutant ATXN3 can induce neuronal death, leading [...] Read more.
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3), a hereditary and lethal neurodegenerative disease, is attributed to the abnormal accumulation of undegradable polyglutamine (polyQ), which is encoded by mutated ataxin-3 gene (ATXN3). The toxic fragments processed from mutant ATXN3 can induce neuronal death, leading to the muscular incoordination of the human body. Some treatment strategies of SCA3 are preferentially focused on depleting the abnormal aggregates, which led to the discovery of small molecule n-butylidenephthalide (n-BP). n-BP-promoted autophagy protected the loss of Purkinje cell in the cerebellum that regulates the network associated with motor functions. We report that the n-BP treatment may be effective in treating SCA3 disease. n-BP treatment led to the depletion of mutant ATXN3 with the expanded polyQ chain and the toxic fragments resulting in increased metabolic activity and alleviated atrophy of SCA3 murine cerebellum. Furthermore, n-BP treated animal and HEK-293GFP-ATXN3-84Q cell models could consistently show the depletion of aggregates through mTOR inhibition. With its unique mechanism, the two autophagic inhibitors Bafilomycin A1 and wortmannin could halt the n-BP-induced elimination of aggregates. Collectively, n-BP shows promising results for the treatment of SCA3. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Brain Diseases: on Signaling Pathways and Miswired Networks)
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12 pages, 4065 KB  
Article
N-Butylidenephthalide Inhibits the Phenotypic Switch of VSMCs through Activation of AMPK and Prevents Stenosis in an Arteriovenous Fistula Rat Model
by Hsin-Han Yang, Yue-Xuan Xu, Jie-Yi Chen, Horng-Jyh Harn and Tzyy-Wen Chiou
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21(19), 7403; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21197403 - 7 Oct 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3422
Abstract
The phenotypic switch of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) plays a pivotal role in the development of vascular disorders, such as atherosclerosis, stenosis and restenosis, after vascular intervention. In our previous study, n-butylidenephthalide (BP) was reported to have anti-proliferating and apoptotic effects on [...] Read more.
The phenotypic switch of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) plays a pivotal role in the development of vascular disorders, such as atherosclerosis, stenosis and restenosis, after vascular intervention. In our previous study, n-butylidenephthalide (BP) was reported to have anti-proliferating and apoptotic effects on VSMCs. The purpose of the current study is to further investigate its role in platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-induced VSMC phenotypic modulation in an arteriovenous fistula model. In vitro, we observed that BP inhibited the PDGF-induced cytoskeleton reorganization of the VSMCs. The enhanced expression of vimentin and collagen, as well as the migration ability induced by PDGF, were also inhibited by BP. By cell cycle analysis, we found that BP inhibited the PDGF-induced VSMCs proliferation and arrested the VSMCs in the G0/G1 phase. In an arteriovenous fistula rat model, the formation of stenosis, which was coupled with a thrombus, and the expression of vimentin and collagen in VSMCs, were also inhibited by administration of BP, indicating that BP inhibited the PDGF-induced phenotypic switch and the migration of VSMCs. Besides, the inhibitory effects of BP on the phenotypic switch were found to accompany the activated 5’ AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) as well as the inhibited phosphorylation of mTOR. Knockdown of AMPK by gene silencing conflicted the effects of BP and further exacerbated the PDGF-induced VSMCs phenotypic switch, confirming the modulating effect that BP exerted on the VSMCs by this pathway. These findings suggest that BP may contribute to the vasculoprotective potential in vasculature. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Biochemistry)
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13 pages, 2108 KB  
Article
Antitumor Effects of N-Butylidenephthalide Encapsulated in Lipopolyplexs in Colorectal Cancer Cells
by Kai-Fu Chang, Jinghua Tsai Chang, Xiao-Fan Huang, Yu-Ling Lin, Kuang-Wen Liao, Chien-Wei Huang and Nu-Man Tsai
Molecules 2020, 25(10), 2394; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25102394 - 21 May 2020
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 4112
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common type of cancer and the second most common cause of cancer-related death in the world. N-Butylidenephthalide (BP), a natural compound, inhibits several cancers, such as hepatoma, brain tumor and colon cancer. However, due to [...] Read more.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common type of cancer and the second most common cause of cancer-related death in the world. N-Butylidenephthalide (BP), a natural compound, inhibits several cancers, such as hepatoma, brain tumor and colon cancer. However, due to the unstable structure, the activity of BP is quickly lost after dissolution in an aqueous solution. A polycationic liposomal polyethylenimine and polyethylene glycol complex (LPPC), a new drug carrier, encapsulates both hydrophobic and hydrophilic compounds, maintains the activity of the compound, and increases uptake of cancer cells. The purpose of this study is to investigate the antitumor effects and protection of BP encapsulated in LPPC in CRC cells. The LPPC encapsulation protected BP activity, increased the cytotoxicity of BP and enhanced cell uptake through clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Moreover, the BP/LPPC-regulated the expression of the p21 protein and cell cycle-related proteins (CDK4, Cyclin B1 and Cyclin D1), resulting in an increase in the population of cells in the G0/G1 and subG1 phases. BP/LPPC induced cell apoptosis by activating the extrinsic (Fas, Fas-L and Caspase-8) and intrinsic (Bax and Caspase-9) apoptosis pathways. Additionally, BP/LPPC combined with 5-FU synergistically inhibited the growth of HT-29 cells. In conclusion, LPPC enhanced the antitumor activity and cellular uptake of BP, and the BP/LPPC complex induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, thereby causing death. These findings suggest the putative use of BP/LPPC as an adjuvant cytotoxic agent for colorectal cancer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanotechnology-Drug Delivery Systems)
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28 pages, 5520 KB  
Article
Anti-Migraine Effect of the Herbal Combination of Chuanxiong Rhizoma and Cyperi Rhizoma and UPLC-MS/MS Method for the Simultaneous Quantification of the Active Constituents in Rat Serum and Cerebral Cortex
by Sha Wu, Li Guo, Feng Qiu and Muxin Gong
Molecules 2019, 24(12), 2230; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24122230 - 14 Jun 2019
Cited by 39 | Viewed by 5382
Abstract
Chuanxiong Rhizoma and Cyperi Rhizoma (CRCR), an ancient and classic formula comprised of Chuanxiong Rhizoma and Cyperi Rhizoma in a weight ratio of 1:2, has long been used for curing migraine. This study aimed to explore their anti-migraine effect and active constituents. A [...] Read more.
Chuanxiong Rhizoma and Cyperi Rhizoma (CRCR), an ancient and classic formula comprised of Chuanxiong Rhizoma and Cyperi Rhizoma in a weight ratio of 1:2, has long been used for curing migraine. This study aimed to explore their anti-migraine effect and active constituents. A nitroglycerin (NTG)-induced migraine model in rats was established to evaluate pharmacological effects. Cerebral blood flow was detected by a laser Doppler perfusion monitor. The levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), nitric oxide synthase (NOS), nitric oxide (NO), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), 5-hydoxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and β-endorphin (β-EP) were quantified with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. CGRP and c-Fos mRNA expression were quantified with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. A UPLC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for the simultaneous quantification of active constituents in rat serum and cerebral cortex. CRCR significantly increased cerebral blood flow, decreased the levels of ET-1, GABA and NOS, and increased the levels of 5-HT, 5-HIAA and β-EP in NTG-induced migraine rats. CGRP levels and CGRP mRNA expression, as well as c-Fos mRNA expression in the brainstem were markedly down-regulated with the treatment of CRCR. After oral administration of CRCR, ferulic acid (FA), senkyunolide A (SA), 3-n-butylphthalide (NBP), Z-ligustilide (LIG), Z-3-butylidenephthalide (BDPH), cyperotundone (CYT), nookatone (NKT) and α-cyperone (CYP) were qualified in rat serum and cerebral cortex. The above results suggested that CRCR showed powerfully therapeutic effects on migraine via increasing the cerebral blood flow, decreasing the expression of CGRP and c-Fos mRNA, and regulating the releasing of ET-1, GABA, NOS, 5-HT, 5-HIAA, CGRP and β-EP in the serum and brainstem, consequently relieving neurogenic inflammation. The active constituents in CRCR for treating migraine were FA, SA, NBP, LIG, BDPH, CYT, NKT and CYP. These findings contributed for the further use of CRCR as a combinational and complementary phytomedicine for migraine treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Analytical Chemistry)
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