Smilax glabra Roxb. (SGR) has been used as a traditional medicine for brucellosis and syphilis. In this study, we investigated whether nontoxicological levels of water extract of SGR (WESGR) are effective for suppressing steps in the progression of prostate cancer, such as collagen-mediated migration and adhesion and identified the target molecule responsible for such effects. We found that nontoxicological levels of WESGR did not attenuate PC3 and LNCaP cell adhesion to serum but did significantly do so with collagen. In addition, using the Boyden chamber assay, we found that nontoxicological levels of WESGR did not inhibit the migration of PC3 and LNCaP cells to a serum-coated area but did significantly attenuate migration to a collagen-coated area. Interestingly, the expression of α2β1 integrin, a known receptor of collagen, was not affected by ectopic administration of WESGR. However, WESGR significantly attenuated the expression of β1 integrin, but not α2 integrin when PC3 and LNCaP cells were placed on a collagen-coated plate, resulting in attenuation of focal adherent kinase phosphorylation. Finally, 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid was determined as a functional single component which is responsible for antiprostate cancer effects of WESGR. Taken together, our results suggest a novel molecular mechanism for WESGR-mediated antiprostate cancer effects at particular steps such as with migration and adhesion to collagen, and it could provide the possibility of therapeutic use of WESGR against prostate cancer progression.

Background Chronic ultraviolet (UV) exposure is one of the major external factors in skin aging, and repetitive UVB exposure induces extracellular matrix (ECM) damage as well as metabolic disease. Alpinia officinarum Rhizome (AOR) is a medicinal plant that has been traditionally used for treating rheumatism and whooping cough. However, the antiphotoaging effects of AOR remain unclear. We investigated the protective effects of water extracts of AOR (WEAOR) in terms of UVB-mediated ECM damage, wrinkle formation, inflammatory responses, and intracellular signaling on hairless mice and NIH-3T3 skin fibroblast cells. Methods WEAOR was administered to UVB-irradiated hairless mice. Wrinkle formation was assessed using the replica assay, epidermal changes through H&E staining, and collagen contents in mice skin through Masson’s trichrome staining. The expression of procollagen type-1 (COL1A1), metalloproteinase-1a (MMP-1a), and inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-3) in hairless mice skin and NIH-3T3 cells was investigated through qRT-PCR. The effects of WEAOR or signaling inhibitors on UVB-induced expression of intracellular mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) were estimated by Western blotting and qRT-PCR, respectively. Results Topical WEAOR significantly attenuated the UVB-induced wrinkle formation and epidermal thickening in the skin of hairless mice. WEAOR treatment also attenuated the UVB-induced expression of MMP-1a and COL1A1 and recovered the reduction of collagen content in mouse skin. These effects were confirmed in NIH-3T3 skin fibroblast cells. WEAOR treatment restored the UVB-induced COL1A1 and MMP-1a gene expression and attenuated the UVB-induced expression of IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-3 in NIH-3T3 cells. Notably, WEAOR attenuated UVB-induced phosphorylation of AKT and ERK, but not that of p38 and JNK in NIH-3T3 cells. In addition, the administration of AKT and ERK inhibitors restored the UVB-induced expression of MMP-1a and COL1A1 to an equal extent as WEAOR in NIH-3T3 cells. Conclusions The antiphotoaging properties of WEAOR were first evaluated in this study. Our results suggest that WEAOR may be a potential antiphotoaging agent that ameliorates UVB-induced photoaging processes via the AKT and ERK signaling pathways.

We investigated whether Scutellaria barbata D. Don (Family Lamiaceae) (SBD), a traditional medicine used for heat clearing and detoxification, possesses antiphotoaging properties. Pretreatment of NIH-3T3 skin fibroblast cells with non-toxicological levels of water extract of SBD (WESBD) and ethanol extract of SBD (EESBD) restored the expression of procollagen type-1 (COL1A1), matrix metalloproteinase-1a (MMP-1a), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and monocyte chemotactic protein-3 (MCP-3) genes following abnormal expression induced by ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation. WESBD/EESBD administration to the dorsal skin area of hairless mice significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited UVB-induced wrinkle formation and epidermal thickness. The WESBD and EESBD treatments also restored the dermal collagen content, which was decreased by the UVB treatment, and normal COL1A1 and MMP-1a expression. Interestingly, both the WESBD and EESBD pretreatments significantly attenuated UVB-induced phosphorylation of protein kinase B (AKT) but not that of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). This finding indicates that the antiphotoaging effects of WESBD and EESBD may be related to attenuation of UVB-induced overactivation of AKT phosphorylation. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry analysis revealed that isorhamentin and scutebarbatine I were major single components of EESBD. These results suggest that WESBD and EESBD may have potential in development as antiphotoaging agents.