morusin and Disease-Models--Animal

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common degenerative joint diseases in the world, characterized primarily by the progressive degradation of articular cartilage. Accumulating evidence has shown that Morusin, a flavonoid derived from the root bark of. In this study, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory effect of Morusin on mouse chondrocytes and its underlying mechanism in vitro. In addition, the protective effect of Morusin on destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) model was also explored in vivo.. In vitro, IL-1β-induced activation of inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-6, INOS and COX2) was dramatically suppressed by Morusin. Further, Morusin treatment inhibited the expression of ADAMTS5 and metalloproteinase (MMPs), both of which regulate extracellular matrix degradation. Morusin also decreased IL-1β-induced p65 phosphorylation and IκBα degradation. In vivo, degradation of the articular cartilage following surgical DMM, which mimicked OA pathology, was abrogated following treatment with Morusin, thus demonstrating a protective effect in the DMM model.. Herein, we demonstrate that Morusin reduces the OA inflammatory response in vitro and protects against articular cartilage degradation in vivo potentially via regulation of the NF-κB pathway. Hence, Morusin may prove to be an effective candidate for novel OA therapeutic strategies.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Cell Survival; Cells, Cultured; Chondrocytes; Disease Models, Animal; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Female; Flavonoids; Humans; Inflammation; Interleukin-1beta; Male; Menisci, Tibial; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Molecular Structure; NF-kappa B; Osteoarthritis; Protective Agents; Signal Transduction; Structure-Activity Relationship

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cancer stem cells (GSCs) are responsible for the progression and recurrence of GBM after conventional therapy. Morusin possesses anti-cancer activity in vitro. The purpose of this study is to confirm the growth inhibition effect of morusin on human GSCs growth in vitro and in vivo and to explore the possible mechanism of its activity. Human GSCs were enriched under nonadhesive culture system, and characterized through neurosphere formation, toluidine blue staining, immunofluorescence staining, Western blotting analysis of stemness markers of CD133, nestin, Sox2 and Oct4, and tumorigenecity in vivo; the growth inhibition effect of morusin on human GSCs in vitro and in vivo were tested by cell cytotoxicity, neurosphere formation inhibition, adipogenic differentiation, apoptosis induction, and tumor growth inhibition in vivo assays. The potential molecular mechanisms underlying the growth inhibition effect of morusin on GSCs in vitro and in vivo were investigated with Western blotting evaluation of stemness, adipogenic, and apoptotic proteins in morusin treated GSCs and tumor tissues. GSCs enriched under nonadhesive culture system possess stemness characterstics; Morusin inhibited GSCs growth in vitro and in vivo, it reduced stemness of GSCs, induced them adipocyte-like transdifferention and apoptosis. Morusin has the potential to inhibit human GSCs growth in vitro and in vivo through stemness attenuation, adipocyte transdifferentiation, and apoptosis induction.

Topics: Animals; Apoptosis; Biomarkers; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Self Renewal; Cell Transdifferentiation; Disease Models, Animal; DNA Fragmentation; Flavonoids; Gene Expression; Glioblastoma; Humans; Mice; Neoplastic Stem Cells; Spheroids, Cellular; Tumor Burden; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Breast cancer is the most fatal malignant cancer among women, the conventional therapeutic modalities of it are limited. Morusin possesses cytotoxicity against some cancer cells in vitro. The purpose of this study is to test the growth inhibition effect of morusin on human breast cancer growth in vitro and in vivo and to explore the potential mechanism of its action.. The growth inhibition effect of morusin on human breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo were tested by cell cytotoxicity, colony formation inhibition, adipogenic differentiation, apoptosis induction, and tumor growth inhibition in vivo assays. The potential molecular mechanisms underlying the growth inhibition effect of morusin on human breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo were investigated with Western blotting evaluation of expression levels of transcription factors, C/EBPβ and PPARγ, adipogenic and apoptotic proteins in morusin treated breast cancer cells and tumor tissues.. Morusin inhibited breast cancer cells growth in vitro and in vivo; it induced adipogenic differentiation, apoptosis and lipoapoptosis of cancer cells.. Morusin has the potential to inhibit human breast cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo through C/EBPβ and PPARγ mediated lipoapoptosis.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Apoptosis; Breast Neoplasms; CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-beta; Cell Cycle; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Flavonoids; Humans; Mice; PPAR gamma; Tumor Burden; Tumor Stem Cell Assay; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays