Shikonin from Chinese herbal medicine induces GSDME-controlled pyroptosis in tumor cells

Objective: To investigate the potential anti-tumor mechanisms of naphthoquinone compound shikonin (SKN) extracted from the root of Chinese herbal medicine plant lithospermum (Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb. & Zucc.). Methods: We first observed that SKN treatment led to swelling and bubbles...

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Main Authors: Dongxiao Cui, Sanjiao Wang, Jiajian Guo, Mingrui Yang, Yunqian Li, Yue Zhang, Wenfu Ma
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2022-10-01
Series:Journal of Traditional Chinese Medical Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095754822000825
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author Dongxiao Cui
Sanjiao Wang
Jiajian Guo
Mingrui Yang
Yunqian Li
Yue Zhang
Wenfu Ma
author_facet Dongxiao Cui
Sanjiao Wang
Jiajian Guo
Mingrui Yang
Yunqian Li
Yue Zhang
Wenfu Ma
author_sort Dongxiao Cui
collection DOAJ
description Objective: To investigate the potential anti-tumor mechanisms of naphthoquinone compound shikonin (SKN) extracted from the root of Chinese herbal medicine plant lithospermum (Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb. & Zucc.). Methods: We first observed that SKN treatment led to swelling and bubbles in HeLa cells that were similar to the phenotype of cell pyroptosis. Subsequently, the HeLa cells experienced a pyroptotic process with SKN, and this was then assessed using lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and propidium iodide (PI)/Hoechst double staining experiments. Pyroptosis is defined as gasdermin-mediated programmed necroptosis. To identify the potential pyroptosis machinery, two strategies were utilized that included a genome-wide clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated protein 9 screening experiment and a pyroptosis reconstitution assay executed by each of the five known gasdermins (GSDMA-E). Moreover, endogenous cleavage was also detected in a panel of tumor cell lines. Results: Compared with the control, both the LDH release and PI/Hoechst double-staining experiments suggested that SKN induced perforation and enhancement of the permeability of the cell membranes that resulted in pyroptosis in HeLa cells (P = .028 and P = .032, respectively). In addition, the reconstitution assays in human embryonic kidney 293T (HEK-293T) cells and endogenous cleavage assays in HeLa cells indicated that the pyroptosis was controlled by GSDME. In addition, we also found SKN could trigger pyroptosis in a panel of tumor cell lines in which the cellular morphologies were proportional to the GSDME expression levels. Additionally, the cleavage of GSDME was also detected, and this was indicative of a similar GSDME-mediated mechanism. Conclusion: Our study not only explained the molecular mechanism of cytotoxicity of SKN to various tumor cells, but also provided additional information for the potential clinical application of natural naphthoquinone compounds against cancer.
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spelling doaj.art-cc82eedf099e443987d018145e9ee3002023-09-02T09:52:28ZengElsevierJournal of Traditional Chinese Medical Sciences2095-75482022-10-0194432442Shikonin from Chinese herbal medicine induces GSDME-controlled pyroptosis in tumor cellsDongxiao Cui0Sanjiao Wang1Jiajian Guo2Mingrui Yang3Yunqian Li4Yue Zhang5Wenfu Ma6School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, ChinaSchool of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, ChinaSchool of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, ChinaSchool of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, ChinaSchool of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, ChinaSchool of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, ChinaCorresponding author.; School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, ChinaObjective: To investigate the potential anti-tumor mechanisms of naphthoquinone compound shikonin (SKN) extracted from the root of Chinese herbal medicine plant lithospermum (Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb. & Zucc.). Methods: We first observed that SKN treatment led to swelling and bubbles in HeLa cells that were similar to the phenotype of cell pyroptosis. Subsequently, the HeLa cells experienced a pyroptotic process with SKN, and this was then assessed using lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and propidium iodide (PI)/Hoechst double staining experiments. Pyroptosis is defined as gasdermin-mediated programmed necroptosis. To identify the potential pyroptosis machinery, two strategies were utilized that included a genome-wide clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated protein 9 screening experiment and a pyroptosis reconstitution assay executed by each of the five known gasdermins (GSDMA-E). Moreover, endogenous cleavage was also detected in a panel of tumor cell lines. Results: Compared with the control, both the LDH release and PI/Hoechst double-staining experiments suggested that SKN induced perforation and enhancement of the permeability of the cell membranes that resulted in pyroptosis in HeLa cells (P = .028 and P = .032, respectively). In addition, the reconstitution assays in human embryonic kidney 293T (HEK-293T) cells and endogenous cleavage assays in HeLa cells indicated that the pyroptosis was controlled by GSDME. In addition, we also found SKN could trigger pyroptosis in a panel of tumor cell lines in which the cellular morphologies were proportional to the GSDME expression levels. Additionally, the cleavage of GSDME was also detected, and this was indicative of a similar GSDME-mediated mechanism. Conclusion: Our study not only explained the molecular mechanism of cytotoxicity of SKN to various tumor cells, but also provided additional information for the potential clinical application of natural naphthoquinone compounds against cancer.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095754822000825ShikoninNaphthoquinone compoundsPyroptosisGasderminAnti-tumor activityHeLa cells
spellingShingle Dongxiao Cui
Sanjiao Wang
Jiajian Guo
Mingrui Yang
Yunqian Li
Yue Zhang
Wenfu Ma
Shikonin from Chinese herbal medicine induces GSDME-controlled pyroptosis in tumor cells
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medical Sciences
Shikonin
Naphthoquinone compounds
Pyroptosis
Gasdermin
Anti-tumor activity
HeLa cells
title Shikonin from Chinese herbal medicine induces GSDME-controlled pyroptosis in tumor cells
title_full Shikonin from Chinese herbal medicine induces GSDME-controlled pyroptosis in tumor cells
title_fullStr Shikonin from Chinese herbal medicine induces GSDME-controlled pyroptosis in tumor cells
title_full_unstemmed Shikonin from Chinese herbal medicine induces GSDME-controlled pyroptosis in tumor cells
title_short Shikonin from Chinese herbal medicine induces GSDME-controlled pyroptosis in tumor cells
title_sort shikonin from chinese herbal medicine induces gsdme controlled pyroptosis in tumor cells
topic Shikonin
Naphthoquinone compounds
Pyroptosis
Gasdermin
Anti-tumor activity
HeLa cells
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095754822000825
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