Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0019204 (hepatocellular carcinoma)
 71,386 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

In the present study, we show that aloesin, which is a low molecular weight ingredients present in Aloe vera, stimulates the proliferation of cultured human hepatoma SK-HEP-1 cells. The incorporation of [3H] thymidine into DNA in the cell cultures was significantly increased at a dose of 10 microM aloesin. The aloesin-induced DNA synthesis appears to require newly synthesized proteins because cycloheximide treatment blocked the DNA synthesis evoked by this compound. We then examined whether this compound increases the intracellular levels of cell cycle regulators by immunoblotting. The data showed that aloesin increased the levels of cyclin E, CDK2, and CDC25A in SK-HEP-1 cells. In addition, immuno-complex kinase assays showed that aloesin up-regulated the enzyme activity of cyclin E/CDK2 kinase in a dose-dependent manner. Collectively, these results suggest that aloesin stimulates the proliferation of SK-HEP-1 cells by inducing the intracellular levels of cyclin E/CDK2 kinase complex and CDC25A, which, together, result in the up-regulation of cyclin E-dependent kinase activity.
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PMID:Aloesin up-regulates cyclin E/CDK2 kinase activity via inducing the protein levels of cyclin E, CDK2, and CDC25A in SK-HEP-1 cells. 906 68

Aloe Vera has been claimed to contain several important therapeutic properties, including anticancer effects. The effect of Aloe Vera administration was studied on a pleural tumor in rat. Growth of Yoshida AH-130 ascite hepatoma cells injected (2 x 10(5) in 0.1 ml) into pleura of male inbred Fisher rats was evaluated at different times (7th and 14th days). Data show that the use of Aloe Vera proved a therapeutic method, and that the present experimental model could be useful in the study of other therapeutics treatments in vivo.
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PMID:The therapeutic potential of Aloe Vera in tumor-bearing rats. 1009 94

Cinnamoyl, p-coumaroyl, feruloyl, caffeoyl aloesin, and related compounds were isolated from Aloe species. The antiinflammatory and antioxidative activities of these compounds were examined based on the structure-activity relationship. It was suggested that the bioactivities may link to acyl ester groups in aloesin, together with those of aloesin-related compounds. However, investigations using the contact hypersensitivity response indicated a preventive effect of aloesin on the UV-B-induced immune suppression. Furthermore, aloesin inhibited tyrosine hydroxylase and dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) oxidase activities of tyrosinase from normal human melanocyte cell lysates. These results show that aloesin prevents not only UV-B-induced immune suppression, but also could be a positive pigment-altering agent for cosmetic application. In preclinical study, aloe extract was investigated using phagocytosis and nitroblue tetrazolium chloride (NBT) reduction in adult bronchial asthma, and high molecular-weight materials, such as polysaccharide and glycoprotein fractions, were identified as active ingredients. The neutral polysaccharides, aloemannan and acemannan showed antitumor, antiinflammatory and immunosuppressive activities, and glycoprotein fractions with bradykinindegrading and cell proliferation-stimulating activities were identified from the nondialysate fraction of the gel part of Aloe species. Verectin fractionated from Aloe vera gel was examined biochemically and immunochemically, and verectin antibody was used in the appraisal of commercial Aloe vera gel products. It was reported that aloesin stimulates the proliferation of cultured human hepatoma SK-Hep 1 cells. Thus aloesin, related compounds, and high molecular-weight materials, such as aloemannan and verectin, may act in concert to exert therapeutic properties for wounds, burns and inflammation. The biodisposition of fluoresceinylisothiocyanate (FITC)--labeled aloemannan (FITC-AM) with the homogenate from some organs in mice was demonstrated, and FITC-AM was metabolized to a smaller molecule (MW 3000) by the large intestinal microflora in feces. The modified aloe polysaccharide (MW: 80000) with cellulase under restricted conditions, immunologically stimulated the recovery of UV-B-induced tissue in jury. Thus the modified polysaccharides of aloemannan, together with acemannan (MW: about 600000), are expected to participate in biological activity following oral administration. The effects of tanshinone VI, a diterpenoid isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza, on the heart are reviewed. First, the effects on the posthypoxic recovery of contractile function of perfused rat hearts were examined. Hypoxia/reoxygenation induced a release of purine nucleosides and bases (ATP metabolites) and resulted in little recovery of contractile force of reoxygenated hearts. Pretreatment of the perfused heart with 42 nM tanshinone VI under hypoxic conditions attenuated the release of ATP metabolites during hypoxia/reoxygenation. Treatment with tanshinone VI enhanced the posthypoxic recovery of myocardial contractility. These results show that tanshinone VI may protect the heart against hypoxia/reoxygenation injury and improve the posthypoxic cardiac function. Second, the effects of tanshinone VI on in vitro myocardial remodeling were examined. Cardiomyocytes and cardiac fibroblasts were isolated from neonatal rat hearts, and simultaneously prepared insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) induced the hypertrophy of cardiomyocytes. IGF-1 increased the collagen synthesis of cardiac fibroblasts, that is, in vitro fibrosis. The hypertrophy of cardiomyocytes was attenuated in the presence of tanshinone VI in the culture medium. The fibrosis of cardiac fibroblasts was decreased by treatment with tanshinone VI. When tanshinone VI was added to cardiac fibroblast-conditioned medium, the medium-mediated hypertrophy of cardiomyocytes was also attenuated. These results show that tanshinone VI may attenuate in vitro cardiac remodeling. The series of studies has shown that tanshinone VI protects the myocardium against hypoxia/reoxygenation injury and attenuates progression of in vitro myocardial remodeling, suggesting that tanshinone VI is a possible agent for the treatment of cardiac disease with contractile failure.
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PMID:[Anti-inflammatory constituents, aloesin and aloemannan in Aloe species and effects of tanshinon VI in Salvia miltiorrhiza on heart]. 1287 35

Aloe-emodin (AE) is derived from Aloe vera and rhubarb (Rheum palmatum) and exhibits anticancer activities via multiple regulatory mechanisms in various cancers. AE can also enhance the anticancer efficacy of cisplatin, doxorubicin, docetaxel, and 5-fluorouracil; however, its effects remain poorly characterized. MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468, BT-474, and HCC-1954 breast cancer cell lines were treated with the indicated conditions of AE, and cell viability assays were performed. The expression levels of signaling proteins were determined by western blot analysis, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), cell cycle distributions, and rates of apoptosis as estimated by flow cytometry. In comparison with other cells, MCF-7 cells were more sensitive to AE treatment; AE enhanced the cytotoxicity of 9[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]g/ml tamoxifen by reducing EGFR, ER[Formula: see text], Ras, ERK, c-Myc, and mTOR protein expression and blocking PI3K and mTOR activation. Finally, although co-treatment of AE with tamoxifen increased intracellular ROS, there were no effects on cell cycle progression. Besides facilitating tamoxifen-induced cell death, AE also enhanced the antiproliferative activity of tamoxifen by blocking Ras/ERK and PI3K/mTOR pathways in breast cancer cells, thus demonstrating the chemosensitizing potential of AE.
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PMID:Aloe-Emodin Enhances Tamoxifen Cytotoxicity by Suppressing Ras/ERK and PI3K/mTOR in Breast Cancer Cells. 2823 48

Although the approved hepatitis B virus (HBV)-polymerase inhibitors (e.g., lamivudine) often lead to drug-resistance, several natural products have shown promising efficacies. Though Aloe vera (AV) gel and its constituents are shown inhibitors of many viruses, their anti-HBV activity still remains elusive. We therefore, tested the anti-HBV potential of AV extract and its anthraquinones in hepatoma cells, including molecular docking, high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC), and cytochrome P450 (CYP3A4) activation analyses. Our anti-HBV assays (HBsAg/HBeAg Elisa) showed maximal inhibition of viral antigens production by aloe-emodin (~83%) > chrysophanol (~62%) > aloin B (~61%) > AV extract (~37%) in HepG2.2.15 cells. Interestingly, the effect of aloe-emodin was comparable with lamivudine (~86%). Moreover, sequential treatment with lamivudine (pulse) followed by aloe-emodin (chase) enhanced the efficacy of monotherapy by ~12%. Docking (AutoDock Vina) of the anthraquinones indicated strong interactions with HBV-polymerase residues that formed stable complexes with high Gibbs's free energy. Further, identification of aloe-emodin and aloin B by validated HPTLC in AV extract strongly endorsed its anti-HBV potential. In addition, our luciferase-reporter gene assay of transfected HepG2 cells showed moderate induction of CYP3A4 by aloe-emodin. In conclusion, this is the first report on anti-HBV potential of AV-derived anthraquinones, possibly via HBV-polymerase inhibition. Of these, although aloin B exhibits novel antiviral effect, aloe-emodin appears as the most promising anti-HBV natural drug with CYP3A4 activating property towards its enhanced therapeutic efficacy.
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PMID:The anti-hepatitis B virus therapeutic potential of anthraquinones derived from Aloe vera. 3141 Sep 7

Over the past decade, a number of studies have demonstrated the resistance of cancer cells to conventional drugs and have recognized this as a major challenge in cancer therapy. While attempting to understand the underlying mechanisms of chemoresistance, several studies have suggested that the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in tumors is one of the major pathways contributing toward resistance. Chemoresistance leads to cancer treatment failure and worsens the prognosis of patients. Natural herbal compounds are gaining attention as an alternative treatment strategy for cancer. These compounds may be effective against chemoresistant cells either alone or synergistically alongside conventional drugs, sensitizing cancer cells and enhancing the therapeutic efficacy. BRM270 is a natural compound made from seven herbal plant (Saururus chinensis, Citrus unshiu Markovich, Aloe vera, Arnebia euchroma, Portulaca oleracea, Prunella vulgaris var. lilacina and Scutellaria bacicalensis) extracts used in Asian traditional medicine and has the potential to target CSCs. Several studies have demonstrated the positive effects of BRM270 against chemoresistant cancer and its synergy alongside existing cancer drugs, including paclitaxel and gefitinib. These effects have been observed against various cancer types, including resistant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), glioblastoma, multi-drug resistant osteosarcoma, cervical cancer, pancreatic cancer and hepatocarcinoma. The present review discusses the effects of BRM270 treatment against CSC-associated chemoresistance in common types of cancer.
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PMID:BRM270 targets cancer stem cells and augments chemo-sensitivity in cancer. 3283 22