Sample records for trichosanthin

  1. Increase in cytosolic calcium maintains plasma membrane integrity through the formation of microtubule ring structure in apoptotic cervical cancer cells induced by trichosanthin.

    PubMed

    Wang, Ping; Xu, Shujun; Zhao, Kai; Xiao, Bingxiu; Guo, Junming

    2009-11-01

    This study investigates the role of dysregulated cytosolic free calcium ([Ca(2+)]c) homeostasis on microtubule (MT) ring structure in apoptotic cervical cancer (HeLa) cells induced by trichosanthin (TCS), a type I ribosome inactivating protein (RIP). The TCS-induced decrease in cell viability was significantly enhanced in combination with the specific calcium chelator, EGTA-AM. Sequestration of [Ca(2+)]c markedly disrupted the special MT ring structure. Furthermore, TCS tended to increase LDH release, whereas no significant differences were observed until 48 h of the treatment. In contrast, combined addition of EGTA-AM or colchicine (an inhibitor of tubulin polymerization) significantly reinforced LDH release. The data suggest that TCS-elevated [Ca(2+)]c maintains plasma membrane integrity via the formation of the MT ring structure in apoptotic HeLa cells.

  2. Trichosanthin inhibits breast cancer cell proliferation in both cell lines and nude mice by promotion of apoptosis.

    PubMed

    Fang, Evandro Fei; Zhang, Chris Zhi Yi; Zhang, Lin; Wong, Jack Ho; Chan, Yau Sang; Pan, Wen Liang; Dan, Xiu Li; Yin, Cui Ming; Cho, Chi Hin; Ng, Tzi Bun

    2012-01-01

    Breast cancer ranks as a common and severe neoplasia in women with increasing incidence as well as high risk of metastasis and relapse. Translational and laboratory-based clinical investigations of new/novel drugs are in progress. Medicinal plants are rich sources of biologically active natural products for drug development. The 27-kDa trichosanthin (TCS) is a ribosome inactivating protein purified from tubers of the Chinese herbal plant Trichosanthes kirilowii Maximowicz (common name Tian Hua Fen). In this study, we extended the potential medicinal applications of TCS from HIV, ferticide, hydatidiform moles, invasive moles, to breast cancer. We found that TCS manifested anti-proliferative and apoptosis-inducing activities in both estrogen-dependent human MCF-7 cells and estrogen-independent MDA-MB-231 cells. Flow cytometric analysis disclosed that TCS induced cell cycle arrest. Further studies revealed that TCS-induced tumor cell apoptosis was attributed to activation of both caspase-8 and caspase-9 regulated pathways. The subsequent events including caspase-3 activation, and increased PARP cleavage. With regard to cell morphology, stereotypical apoptotic features were observed. Moreover, in comparison with control, TCS- treated nude mice bearing MDA-MB-231 xenograft tumors exhibited significantly reduced tumor volume and tumor weight, due to the potent effect of TCS on tumor cell apoptosis as determined by the increase of caspase-3 activation, PARP cleavage, and DNA fragmentation using immunohistochemistry. Considering the clinical efficacy and relative safety of TCS on other human diseases, this work opens up new therapeutic avenues for patients with estrogen-dependent and/or estrogen-independent breast cancers.

  3. Trichosanthin Inhibits Breast Cancer Cell Proliferation in Both Cell Lines and Nude Mice by Promotion of Apoptosis

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Lin; Wong, Jack Ho; Chan, Yau Sang; Pan, Wen Liang; Dan, Xiu Li; Yin, Cui Ming; Cho, Chi Hin; Ng, Tzi Bun

    2012-01-01

    Breast cancer ranks as a common and severe neoplasia in women with increasing incidence as well as high risk of metastasis and relapse. Translational and laboratory-based clinical investigations of new/novel drugs are in progress. Medicinal plants are rich sources of biologically active natural products for drug development. The 27-kDa trichosanthin (TCS) is a ribosome inactivating protein purified from tubers of the Chinese herbal plant Trichosanthes kirilowii Maximowicz (common name Tian Hua Fen). In this study, we extended the potential medicinal applications of TCS from HIV, ferticide, hydatidiform moles, invasive moles, to breast cancer. We found that TCS manifested anti-proliferative and apoptosis-inducing activities in both estrogen-dependent human MCF-7 cells and estrogen-independent MDA-MB-231 cells. Flow cytometric analysis disclosed that TCS induced cell cycle arrest. Further studies revealed that TCS-induced tumor cell apoptosis was attributed to activation of both caspase-8 and caspase-9 regulated pathways. The subsequent events including caspase-3 activation, and increased PARP cleavage. With regard to cell morphology, stereotypical apoptotic features were observed. Moreover, in comparison with control, TCS- treated nude mice bearing MDA-MB-231 xenograft tumors exhibited significantly reduced tumor volume and tumor weight, due to the potent effect of TCS on tumor cell apoptosis as determined by the increase of caspase-3 activation, PARP cleavage, and DNA fragmentation using immunohistochemistry. Considering the clinical efficacy and relative safety of TCS on other human diseases, this work opens up new therapeutic avenues for patients with estrogen-dependent and/or estrogen-independent breast cancers. PMID:22957017

  4. Intein-mediated site-specific synthesis of tumor-targeting protein delivery system: Turning PEG dilemma into prodrug-like feature

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Yingzhi; Zhang, Meng; Jin, Hongyue; Tang, Yisi; Wang, Huiyuan; Xu, Qin; Li, Yaping; Li, Feng; Huang, Yongzhuo

    2017-01-01

    Poor tumor-targeted and cytoplasmic delivery is a bottleneck for protein toxin-based cancer therapy. Ideally, a protein toxin drug should remain stealthy in circulation for prolonged half-life and reduced side toxicity, but turn activated at tumor. PEGylation is a solution to achieve the first goal, but creates a hurdle for the second because PEG rejects interaction between the drugs and tumor cells therein. Such PEG dilemma is an unsolved problem in protein delivery. Herein proposed is a concept of turning PEG dilemma into prodrug-like feature. A site-selectively PEGylated, gelatinase-triggered cell-penetrating trichosanthin protein delivery system is developed with three specific aims. The first is to develop an intein-based ligation method for achieving site-specific modification of protein toxins. The second is to develop a prodrug feature that renders protein toxins remaining stealthy in blood for reduced side toxicity and improved EPR effect. The third is to develop a gelatinase activatable cell-penetration strategy for enhanced tumor targeting and cytoplasmic delivery. Of note, site-specific modification is a big challenge in protein drug research, especially for such a complicated, multifunctional protein delivery system. We successfully develop a protocol for constructing a macromolecular prodrug system with intein-mediated ligation synthesis. With an on-column process of purification and intein-mediated cleavage, the site-specific PEGylation then can be readily achieved by conjugation with the activated C-terminus, thus constructing a PEG-capped, cell-penetrating trichosanthin system with a gelatinase-cleavable linker that enables tumor-specific activation of cytoplasmic delivery. It provides a promising method to address the PEG dilemma for enhanced protein drug delivery, and importantly, a facile protocol for site-specific modification of such a class of protein drugs for improving their druggability and industrial translation. PMID:27914267

  5. Purification, characterization and molecular cloning of trichoanguin, a novel type I ribosome-inactivating protein from the seeds of Trichosanthes anguina.

    PubMed Central

    Chow, L P; Chou, M H; Ho, C Y; Chuang, C C; Pan, F M; Wu, S H; Lin, J Y

    1999-01-01

    The seeds of the plant Trichosanthes anguina contain a type I ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP), designated trichoanguin, which was purified to apparent homogeneity by the combined use of ion-exchange chromatographies, i.e. first with DE-52 cellulose and then with CM-52 cellulose. The protein was found to be a glycoprotein with a molecular mass of 35 kDa and a pI of 9.1. It strongly inhibits the protein synthesis of rabbit reticulocyte lysate, with an IC50 of 0.08 nM, but only weakly that of HeLa cells, with an IC50 of 6 microM. Trichoanguin cleaves at the A4324 site of rat 28 S rRNA by its N-glycosidase activity. The cDNA of trichoanguin consists of 1039 nt and encodes an open reading frame coding for a polypeptide of 294 amino acid residues. The first 19 residues of this polypeptide encode a signal peptide sequence and the last 30 residues comprise an extension at its C-terminus. There are four potential glycosylation sites, located at Asn-51, Asn-65, Asn-201 and Asn-226. A comparison of the amino acid sequence of trichoanguin with those of RIPs such as trichosanthin, alpha-momorcharin, ricin A-chain and abrin A-chain reveals 55%, 48%, 36% and 34% identity respectively. Molecular homology modelling of trichoanguin indicates that its tertiary structure closely resembles those of trichosanthin and alpha-momorcharin. The large structural similarities might account for their common biological effects such as an abortifacient, an anti-tumour agent and anti-HIV-1 activities. Trichoanguin contains two cysteine residues, Cys-32 and Cys-155, with the former being likely to be located on the protein surface, which is directly amenable for conjugation with antibodies to form immunoconjugates. It is therefore conceivable that trichoanguin might be a better type I RIP than any other so far examined for the preparation of immunotoxins, with a great potential for application as an effective chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of cancer. PMID:9931318

  6. [Transgenic plants as medicine production systems].

    PubMed

    Okada, Y

    1997-10-01

    Transgenic plants are emerging as an important system for the expression of many recombinant proteins, especially those intended for therapeutic purpose. The production of foreign proteins in plants has several advantages. In terms of required equipment and cost, mass production in plants is far easier to achieve than techniques involving animal cells. Successful production of several proteins in plants, including human serum albumin, haemoglobin, monoclonal antibodies, viral antigens (vaccines), enkephalin, and trichosanthin, has been reported. Particularly, the demonstration that vaccine antigens can be produced in plants in their native, immunogenic forms opens exciting possibilities for the "bio-farming" of vaccines. If the antigens are orally active, food-based "edible vaccines" could allow economical production. In this review, I will discuss the progress that has been made by several groups in what is now an expanding area of medicine research that utilizes transgenic plants.

  7. Gualou Guizhi decoction reverses brain damage with cerebral ischemic stroke, multi-component directed multi-target to screen calcium-overload inhibitors using combination of molecular docking and protein-protein docking.

    PubMed

    Hu, Juan; Pang, Wen-Sheng; Han, Jing; Zhang, Kuan; Zhang, Ji-Zhou; Chen, Li-Dian

    2018-12-01

    Stroke is a disease of the leading causes of mortality and disability across the world, but the benefits of drugs curative effects look less compelling, intracellular calcium overload is considered to be a key pathologic factor for ischemic stroke. Gualou Guizhi decoction (GLGZD), a classical Chinese medicine compound prescription, it has been used to human clinical therapy of sequela of cerebral ischemia stroke for 10 years. This work investigated the GLGZD improved prescription against intracellular calcium overload could decreased the concentration of [Ca 2+ ] i in cortex and striatum neurone of MCAO rats. GLGZD contains Trichosanthin and various small molecular that they are the potential active ingredients directed against NR2A, NR2B, FKBP12 and Calnodulin target proteins/enzyme have been screened by computer simulation. "Multicomponent systems" is capable to create pharmacological superposition effects. The Chinese medicine compound prescriptions could be considered as promising sources of candidates for discovery new agents.

  8. Research on ribosome-inactivating proteins from angiospermae to gymnospermae and cryptogamia

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Wang-Yi

    2017-01-01

    Ribosome-inactivating Proteins (RIPs) are a group of cytotoxin proteins that usually contain a RNA N-glycosidase domain, which irreversibly inactivates ribosome, thus inhibiting protein synthesis. During the past 14 years (1990-2004), the studies conducted in our laboratory had been focusing on the structure and enzymatic mechanism of several PIPs. Herein, we briefly described a summary of the studies conducted mainly in our laboratory on RIPs from angiospermae to gymnospermae and cryptogamia as follows. (1) Cinnamomin is a novel type II RIP isolated from mature seeds of camphor tree. Like ricin, it specifically removes the adenine at A4324 in rat liver 28S rRNA. We systematically studied this low-toxic RIP in term of its enzymatic mechanism, the primary and crystal structure and the nucleotide sequence of its gene, the genetic expression, and its physiological role in the seed cell and the toxicity to human cancer cells and insect larvae. The cleavage of supercoiled double-stranded DNA was its intrinsic property of cinnamomin A-chain, its N- and C-terminal regions were found to be required for deadenylation of rRNA and also necessary for deadenylation of supercoiled double-stranded circular DNA. These results strongly excluded the possibility that cleavage of supercoiled DNA was due to nuclease contamination. (2) Trichosanthin, an abortifacient protein, was purified from the Chinese medicinal herb, Tian-hua-fen, obtained from root tubers of Chinese trichosanthes plant. We proved that trichosanthin was a RNA N-glycosidase, inactivating eukaryotic ribosome by hydrolyzing the N-C glycosidic bond of the adenose at site 4324 in rat 28S rRNA, and inhibited protein synthesis in vitro. (3) A unique Biota orientalis RNase (RNase Bo) was extracted from the mature seeds of the cypress cypress tree (Oriental arborvita), which was gymnospermae plant. It cleaved only a specific phosphodiester bond between C4453 and A4454 of 28S RNA in rat ribosomes, producing a small RNA-fragment (S-fragment), thus inhibiting protein synthesis and belonging to RNase-like RIP, similar to α-sarcin, a special RIP. (4) Lamjapin, the first RIP purified from kelp, the marine cryptogamia algal plant, was shown to be the first single-chained RNA N-glycosidase from marine plant to date. It hydrolyzed rat ribosomal 28S RNA to produce meanly a rather smaller RNA, shorter than the diagnostic R-fragment under the restricted condition. The significance of existence of type I RIP in the lower marine algal plant was briefly discussed. PMID:29312524

  9. Crystal Structure of Ribosome-Inactivating Protein Ricin A Chain in Complex with the C-Terminal Peptide of the Ribosomal Stalk Protein P2.

    PubMed

    Shi, Wei-Wei; Tang, Yun-Sang; Sze, See-Yuen; Zhu, Zhen-Ning; Wong, Kam-Bo; Shaw, Pang-Chui

    2016-10-13

    Ricin is a type 2 ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP), containing a catalytic A chain and a lectin-like B chain. It inhibits protein synthesis by depurinating the N-glycosidic bond at α-sarcin/ricin loop (SRL) of the 28S rRNA, which thereby prevents the binding of elongation factors to the GTPase activation center of the ribosome. Here, we present the 1.6 Å crystal structure of Ricin A chain (RTA) complexed to the C-terminal peptide of the ribosomal stalk protein P2, which plays a crucial role in specific recognition of elongation factors and recruitment of eukaryote-specific RIPs to the ribosomes. Our structure reveals that the C-terminal GFGLFD motif of P2 peptide is inserted into a hydrophobic pocket of RTA, while the interaction assays demonstrate the structurally untraced SDDDM motif of P2 peptide contributes to the interaction with RTA. This interaction mode of RTA and P protein is in contrast to that with trichosanthin (TCS), Shiga-toxin (Stx) and the active form of maize RIP (MOD), implying the flexibility of the P2 peptide-RIP interaction, for the latter to gain access to ribosome.

  10. Evaluation of root-knot nematode disease control and plant growth promotion potential of biofertilizer Ning shield on Trichosanthes kirilowii in the field.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Chun-Hao; Xie, Ping; Li, Ke; Xie, Yue-Sheng; Chen, Liu-Jun; Wang, Jin-Suo; Xu, Quan; Guo, Jian-Hua

    Biofertilizer Ning shield was composed of different strains of plant growth promotion bacteria. In this study, the plant growth promotion and root-knot nematode disease control potential on Trichosanthes kirilowii in the field were evaluated. The application of Ning shield significantly reduced the diseases severity caused by Meloidogyne incognita, the biocontrol efficacy could reached up to 51.08%. Ning shield could also promote the growth of T. kirilowii in the field by increasing seedling emergence, height and the root weight. The results showed that the Ning shield could enhance the production yield up to 36.26%. Ning shield could also promote the plant growth by increasing the contents of available nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and organic matter, and increasing the contents of leaf chlorophyll and carotenoid pigment. Moreover, Ning shield could efficiently enhance the medicinal compositions of Trichosanthes, referring to the polysaccharides and trichosanthin. Therefore, Ning shield is a promising biofertilizer, which can offer beneficial effects to T. kirilowii growers, including the plant growth promotion, the biological control of root-knot disease and enhancement of the yield and the medicinal quality. Copyright © 2017 Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  11. Atomic resolution structure of cucurmosin, a novel type 1 ribosome-inactivating protein from the sarcocarp of Cucurbita moschata

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hou, Xiaomin; Meehan, Edward J.; Xie, Jieming

    2008-10-27

    A novel type 1 ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP) designated cucurmosin was isolated from the sarcocarp of Cucurbita moschata (pumpkin). Besides rRNA N-glycosidase activity, cucurmosin exhibits strong cytotoxicities to three cancer cell lines of both human and murine origins, but low toxicity to normal cells. Plant genomic DNA extracted from the tender leaves was amplified by PCR between primers based on the N-terminal sequence and X-ray sequence of the C-terminal. The complete mature protein sequence was obtained from N-terminal protein sequencing and partial DNA sequencing, confirmed by high resolution crystal structure analysis. The crystal structure of cucurmosin has been determined at 1.04more » {angstrom}, a resolution that has never been achieved before for any RIP. The structure contains two domains: a large N-terminal domain composed of seven {alpha}-helices and eight {beta}-strands, and a smaller C-terminal domain consisting of three {alpha}-helices and two {beta}-strands. The high resolution structure established a glycosylation pattern of GlcNAc{sub 2}Man3Xyl. Asn225 was identified as a glycosylation site. Residues Tyr70, Tyr109, Glu158 and Arg161 define the active site of cucurmosin as an RNA N-glycosidase. The structural basis of cytotoxicity difference between cucurmosin and trichosanthin is discussed.« less

  12. Glioma Dual-Targeting Nanohybrid Protein Toxin Constructed by Intein-Mediated Site-Specific Ligation for Multistage Booster Delivery

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Yingzhi; Zhang, Meng; Jin, Hongyue; Li, Dongdong; Xu, Fan; Wu, Aihua; Wang, Jinyu; Huang, Yongzhuo

    2017-01-01

    Malignant glioma is one of the most untreatable cancers because of the formidable blood-brain barrier (BBB), through which few therapeutics can penetrate and reach the tumors. Biologics have been booming in cancer therapy in the past two decades, but their application in brain tumor has long been ignored due to the impermeable nature of BBB against effective delivery of biologics. Indeed, it is a long unsolved problem for brain delivery of macromolecular drugs, which becomes the Holy Grail in medical and pharmaceutical sciences. Even assisting by targeting ligands, protein brain delivery still remains challenging because of the synthesis difficulties of ligand-modified proteins. Herein, we propose a rocket-like, multistage booster delivery system of a protein toxin, trichosanthin (TCS), for antiglioma treatment. TCS is a ribosome-inactivating protein with the potent activity against various solid tumors but lack of specific action and cell penetration ability. To overcome the challenge of its poor druggability and site-specific modification, intein-mediated ligation was applied, by which a gelatinase-cleavable peptide and cell-penetrating peptide (CPP)-fused recombinant TCS toxin can be site-specifically conjugated to lactoferrin (LF), thus constructing a BBB-penetrating, gelatinase-activatable cell-penetrating nanohybrid TCS toxin. This nanohybrid TCS system is featured by the multistage booster strategy for glioma dual-targeting delivery. First, LF can target to the BBB-overexpressing low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 (LRP-1), and assist with BBB penetration. Second, once reaching the tumor site, the gelatinase-cleavable peptide acts as a separator responsive to the glioma-associated matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), thus releasing to the CPP-fused toxin. Third, CPP mediates intratumoral and intracellular penetration of TCS toxin, thereby enhancing its antitumor activity. The BBB penetration and MMP-2-activability of this delivery system were demonstrated. The antiglioma activity was evaluated in the subcutaneous and orthotopic animal models. Our work provides a useful protocol for improving the druggability of such class of protein toxins and promoting their in-vivo application for targeted cancer therapy. PMID:28912890

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