Nuclear magnetic resonance-based metabolomics approach to evaluate the prevention effect of Camellia nitidissima Chi on colitis-associated carcinogenesis
Project description:Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, occurring in the colon or rectum portion of large intestine. With marked antioxidant, anti-inflammation and anti-tumor activities, Camellia nitidissima Chi has been used as an effective treatment of cancer. The azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate (AOM/DSS) induced CRC mice model was established and the prevention effect of C. nitidissima Chi extracts on the evolving of CRC was evaluated by examination of neoplastic lesions, histopathological inspection, serum biochemistry analysis, combined with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics and correlation network analysis. C. nitidissima Chi extracts could significantly inhibit AOM/DSS induced CRC, relieve the colonic pathology of inflammation and ameliorate the serum biochemistry, and could significantly reverse the disturbed metabolic profiling toward the normal state. Moreover, the butanol fraction showed a better efficacy than the water-soluble fraction of C. nitidissima Chi. Further development of C. nitidissima Chi extracts as a potent CRC inhibitor was warranted.
Project description:The objective of this study was to examine the effects of Jackyakgamcho-tang (JGT) on acute colitis. GC/MS-based metabolomics and NGS-based metagenomics were applied to investigate the alteration of metabolites and microbiota in an acute colitis model. The severity of acute colitis symptoms was alleviated by JGT treatment. Induction of colitis and JGT treatment changed compositions of gut microbiota and inflammatory cytokine levels (TNF-α and IL-6). They also substantially change metabolites (i.e., lactic acid, linoleic acid, monostearin, and palmitoylglycerol). In addition, some clear correlations were observed among metabolites, cytokine, and microbiota. This study highlights the applicability of metabolomics and metagenomics study for evaluating anti-inflammatory effects of a new functional herbal medicine as a therapeutic agent for acute colitis.
Project description:Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the end point of a number of systemic chronic diseases. The prevalence of CKD is increasing worldwide and recent epidemiological studies are showing the high prevalence of renal failure in CKD patients using complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs). Clinicians believe that biochemical profiles of CKD patients using CAM (referred here to as CAM-CKD) may be different compared to those on standard clinical treatment and should be managed differently. The present study aims to explore the potential of the NMR-based metabolomics approach to reveal the serum metabolic disparity between CKD and CAM-CKD patients with respect to normal control (NC) subjects and if the differential metabolic patterns can provide rationale for the efficacy and safety of standard and/or alternative therapies. Serum samples were obtained from 30 CKD patients, 43 CAM-CKD patients, and 47 NC subjects. The quantitative serum metabolic profiles were measured using 1D 1H CPMG NMR experiments performed at 800 MHz NMR spectrometer. The serum metabolic profiles were compared using various multivariate statistical analysis tools available on MetaboAnalyst (freely available web-based software) such as partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and random forest (a machine learning) classification method. The discriminatory metabolites were identified based on variable importance in projection (VIP) statistics and further evaluated for statistical significance (i.e., p < 0.05) using either Student t-test or ANOVA statistics. PLS-DA models were capable of clustering CKD and CAM-CKD with considerably high values of Q 2 and R 2. Compared to CAM-CKD patients, the sera of CKD patients were characterized by (a) elevated levels of urea, creatinine, citrate, glucose, glycerol, and phenylalanine and phenylalanine-to-tyrosine ratio (PTR) and (b) decreased levels of various amino acids (such leucine, isoleucine, valine, and alanine), high-density lipoproteins, lactate, and acetate. These changes suggested that CKD patients manifest severe oxidative stress, hyperglycemia (with dampened glycolysis), increased protein energy wasting, and reduced lipid/membrane metabolism. Statistically significant and strong positive correlation of PTR with serum creatinine levels suggested the role of oxidative stress in the progression of kidney disease. Significant differences in metabolic patterns between CKD and CAM-CKD patients were observed. With respect to NC subjects, the serum metabolic changes were more aberrant in CKD patients compared to CAM-CKD patients. The aberrant metabolic changes in CKD patients with manifestations of higher oxidative stress compared to CAM-CKD patients could explain clinical discrepancies between CKD and CAM-CKD patients and further advocate the use of different treatment strategies for CKD and CAM-CKD patients.
Project description:Aiming at assessing the therapeutic effect of ethyl rosmarinate (ER) on ulcerative colitis (UC), the following activities were performed in vitro and in vivo in the present study. Firstly, a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 cell inflammation model was established to determine the level of inflammatory factors. Then, a UC mice model induced by dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) was established to further investigate the effects of ER on symptoms, inflammatory factors and colon histopathology. Finally, serum and colon metabolomics studies were performed to identify the biomarkers and metabolisms closely related to the protective effect of ER on UC. The results showed that after ER intervention, the levels of inflammatory factors (NO, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6) and key enzyme (MPO) in cell supernatant, serum or colon were significantly decreased, and the disease activity index and colon tissue damage in mice were also effectively improved or restored. In addition, 28 biomarkers and 6 metabolisms were found to be re-regulated by ER in the UC model mice. Therefore, it could be concluded that ER could effectively ameliorate the progression of UC and could be used as a new natural agent for the treatment of UC.
Project description:ContextChronic inflammation is usually caused by persistent irritation or uncontrolled infection and is characterized by ongoing tissue damage, injury-induced cellular proliferation and tissue repair. Colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC) isone of the classic examples of tumors that are tightly related to chronic inflammation.BackgroundTo investigated the key pharmacodynamic genes of HQT interventions in CAC by using transcriptome predictions and experiments.Materials & Methods: We used the azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate method to induce the mice CAC model. After preventive administration of HQT to the mice model, colonic tissues were taken for transcriptome sequencing and the transcriptome results were then experimentally validated using quantitative Real-Time PCR technique.ResultsTranscriptome sequencing revealed that the effect of the mechanism of HQT on the CAC mice model maybe related to its inhibition of accelerated epithelial mesenchymal transition and induction of pyroptosis. The levels of Matrix-metalloproteinases such as MMP-2, MMP-9 were significantly reduced in CAC mice treated with HQT; The mRNA expression for Krt17, App, CD44 and WNT pathway related sites such as Lrrc15, Cldn-1, Mpc1, Agr2 which are related factors affecting the epithelial mesenchymal transition were significantly reduced in CAC mice treated with HQT; the aberrant mRNA expression of inflammasome components that drive pyroptosis, including Nlrp3, Caspase-1, ASC, GSDMD and its mediated product IL-18 have been improved.ConclusionsOur findings provide preliminary clarification that inhibiting the progression of CAC by using HQT is effective, the mechanism of action may be relatedto the inhibition of epithelial mesenchymal transition and induction of pyroptosis during tumorigenesis.
Project description:HNF4α has been implicated in colitis and colon cancer in humans but the role of the different HNF4α isoforms expressed from the two different promoters (P1 and P2) active in the colon is not clear. Here, we show that P1-HNF4α is expressed primarily in the differentiated compartment of the mouse colonic crypt and P2-HNF4α in the proliferative compartment. Exon swap mice that express only P1- or only P2-HNF4α have different colonic gene expression profiles, interacting proteins, cellular migration, ion transport and epithelial barrier function. The mice also exhibit altered susceptibilities to experimental colitis (DSS) and colitis-associated colon cancer (AOM+DSS). When P2-HNF4α-only mice (which have elevated levels of the cytokine resistin-like β, RELMβ, and are extremely sensitive to DSS) are crossed with Retnlb(-/-) mice, they are rescued from mortality. Furthermore, P2-HNF4α binds and preferentially activates the RELMβ promoter. In summary, HNF4α isoforms perform non-redundant functions in the colon under conditions of stress, underscoring the importance of tracking them both in colitis and colon cancer.
Project description:BackgroundHyperthyroidism is characterized by increased thyroid hormone production, which impacts various processes, including metabolism and energy expenditure. Yet, the underlying mechanism and subsequent influence of these changes are unknown. Metabolomics is a broad analytical method that enables qualitative and quantitative examination of metabolite level changes in biological systems in response to various stimuli, pathologies, or treatments.ObjectivesThis study uses untargeted metabolomics to explore the potential pathways and metabolic patterns associated with hyperthyroidism treatment.MethodsThe study consisted of 20 patients newly diagnosed with hyperthyroidism who were assessed at baseline and followed up after starting antithyroid treatment. Two blood samples were taken from each patient, pre (hyperthyroid state) and post-treatment (euthyroid state). Hyperthyroid and euthyroid states were identified based on thyroxine and thyroid-stimulating hormone levels. The metabolic alteration associated with antithyroid therapy was investigated using liquid chromatography- high-resolution mass spectrometry. The untargeted metabolomics data was analyzed using both univariate and multivariate analyses using MetaboAnalyst v5.0. The significant metabolic pattern was identified using the lab standard pipeline, which included molecular annotation in the Human Metabolome Database, LipidMap, LipidBlast, and METLIN. The identified metabolites were examined using pathway and network analyses and linked to cellular metabolism.ResultsThe results revealed a strong group separation between the pre- and post-hyperthyroidism treatment (Q2 = 0.573, R2 = 0.995), indicating significant differences in the plasma metabolome after treatment. Eighty-three mass ions were significantly dysregulated, of which 53 and 30 characteristics were up and down-regulated in the post-treatment compared to the pre-treatment group, respectively. The medium-chain acylcarnitines, octanoylcarnitine, and decanoylcarnitine, previously found to rise in hyperthyroid patients, were among the down-regulated metabolites, suggesting that their reduction could be a possible biomarker for monitoring euthyroid restoration. Kynurenine is a downregulated tryptophan metabolite, indicating that the enzyme kynurenine 3-hydroxylase, inhibited in hyperthyroidism, is back functioning. L-cystine, a cysteine dimer produced from cysteine oxidation, was among the down-regulated metabolites, and its accumulation is considered a sign of oxidative stress, which was reported to accompany hyperthyroidism; L-cystine levels dropped, this suggests that the plasma level of L-cystine can be used to monitor the progress of euthyroid state restoration.ConclusionThe plasma metabolome of patients with hyperthyroidism before and after treatments revealed differences in the abundance of several small metabolites. Our findings add to our understanding of hyperthyroidism's altered metabolome and associated metabolic processes and shed light on acylcarnitines as a new biomarker for treatment monitoring in conjunction with thyroxine and thyroid-stimulating hormone.
Project description:Mutation of tumor suppressor adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) initiates most colorectal cancers and chronic colitis increases risk. APC is a nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling protein, best known for antagonizing Wnt signaling by forming a cytoplasmic complex that marks β-catenin for degradation. Using our unique mouse model with compromised nuclear Apc import (Apc(mNLS)), we show that Apc(mNLS/mNLS) mice have increased susceptibility to tumorigenesis induced with azoxymethane (AOM) and dextran sodium sulfate (DSS). The AOM-DSS-induced colon adenoma histopathology, proliferation, apoptosis, stem cell number and β-catenin and Kras mutation spectra were similar in Apc(mNLS/mNLS) and Apc(+/+) mice. However, AOM-DSS-treated Apc(mNLS/mNLS) mice showed more weight loss, more lymphoid follicles and edema, and increased colon shortening than treated Apc(+/+) mice, indicating a colitis predisposition. To test this directly, we induced acute colitis with a 7 day DSS treatment followed by 5 days of recovery. Compared with Apc(+/+) mice, DSS-treated Apc(mNLS/mNLS) mice developed more severe colitis based on clinical grade and histopathology. Apc(mNLS/mNLS) mice also had higher lymphocytic infiltration and reduced expression of stem cell markers, suggesting an increased propensity for chronic inflammation. Moreover, colons from DSS-treated Apc(mNLS/mNLS) mice showed fewer goblet cells and reduced Muc2 expression. Even in untreated Apc(mNLS/mNLS) mice, there were significantly fewer goblet cells in jejuna, and a modest decrease in colonocyte Muc2 expression compared with Apc(+/+) mice. Colonocytes from untreated Apc(mNLS/mNLS) mice also showed increased expression of inflammatory mediators cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2). These findings reveal novel functions for nuclear Apc in goblet cell differentiation and protection against inflammation-induced colon tumorigenesis.
Project description:There is a clinical need for new, more effective treatments for chronic and debilitating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. In this study, we characterized a specific population of nanoparticles derived from edible ginger (GDNPs 2) and demonstrated their efficient colon targeting following oral administration. GDNPs 2 had an average size of ∼230 nm and exhibited a negative zeta potential. These nanoparticles contained high levels of lipids, a few proteins, ∼125 microRNAs (miRNAs), and large amounts of ginger bioactive constituents (6-gingerol and 6-shogaol). We also demonstrated that GDNPs 2 were mainly taken up by intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) and macrophages, and were nontoxic. Using different mouse colitis models, we showed that GDNPs 2 reduced acute colitis, enhanced intestinal repair, and prevented chronic colitis and colitis-associated cancer (CAC). 2D-DIGE/MS analyses further identified molecular target candidates of GDNPs 2 involved in these mouse models. Oral administration of GDNPs 2 increased the survival and proliferation of IECs and reduced the pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β), and increased the anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10 and IL-22) in colitis models, suggesting that GDNPs 2 has the potential to attenuate damaging factors while promoting the healing effect. In conclusion, GDNPs 2, nanoparticles derived from edible ginger, represent a novel, natural delivery mechanism for improving IBD prevention and treatment with an added benefit of overcoming limitations such as potential toxicity and limited production scale that are common with synthetic nanoparticles.
Project description:BACKGROUND: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic relapsing inflammatory bowel disease, known to be associated with a markedly increased risk of colorectal carcinoma development. METHODS: Using proteomic analysis with two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry, differentially expressed proteins were assessed between UC-associated cancer and sporadic colon cancer cell lines. Western blot and immunostaining were performed for confirming the expression. RESULTS: Heat-shock protein of 47 kDa (HSP47) was identified as one of the proteins expressed more highly in UC-associated cancer cell lines, and an immunohistochemical examination confirmed significantly higher levels of HSP47 in UC-associated colon cancers than in sporadic counterparts, the expression increasing with a progression of neoplastic lesions. Heat-shock protein of 47 kDa was further found to be coexpressed with type I collagen in the cytoplasm, and both HSP47 and type I collagen were released from cultured cells into the culture medium. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that overexpression of HSP47 is a unique characteristic of UC-associated carcinoma related to type I collagen synthesis, with possible clinical applications.