Manipulating metabolism-reprogrammed monocytic-MDSCs prevents colitis-associated dysplasia by IL-10/HIF-1α/DLL4 signaling.
Wang Y, Ni J, Feng G, You Y, You K
Plant Signaling
A compound found in plants — not a synthetic drug — showed promise as a treatment for a serious disease, reinforcing that gardens and medicinal plants remain a frontier for life-saving medicines.
Scientists studying colon inflammation found that when a key immune signal goes missing, gut cells start growing abnormally — a step toward cancer. They screened many compounds to find something that could stop this runaway growth, and a natural chemical from a flowering plant did the job. This plant flavonoid essentially hit the brakes on the faulty signaling chain, restoring more normal gut cell behavior in their experiments.
Key Findings
A plant-derived flavonoid, Sophoraflavanone G, was identified through a drug screen as a potent antagonist of the DLL4 protein involved in abnormal intestinal cell differentiation.
Sophoraflavanone G inhibited overactivation of the Notch1 signaling pathway, reducing dysplastic (pre-cancerous) cell changes in colitis models.
The immune protein IL-10 was negatively correlated with abnormal colon cell growth in human colitis patients, and its loss triggered a metabolic and signaling cascade that Sophoraflavanone G could partially reverse.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Researchers discovered that a natural flavonoid compound from plants called Sophoraflavanone G can block a key protein (DLL4) that drives abnormal cell growth in the colons of people with inflammatory bowel disease, potentially preventing colitis-related colon cancer.
Abstract Preview
Dysplasia has been described in various inflammatory environments. However, the mechanisms underlying the dysplastic transformation of the intestinal epithelium and the increased risk of colorectal...
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Sophoraflavanone G is a volatile phytoncide, released into the atmosphere, soil and ground water, by plants of the genus Sophora. Species include Sophora pachycarpa and Sophora exigua, all found to grow within the United States in a variety of soil types, within temperate conditions, no lower tha...