PUBLICATION
Toosendanin-induced liver damage through irreparable DNA damage and autophagy flow blockade
- Authors
- Lin, Y., Zhang, J., Gao, X., Wu, Z., Yang, L., Tian, K., Lv, X., Li, J., Chen, K., Zhang, Y., Hu, H., Zhu, A.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-250307-25
- Date
- 2025
- Source
- Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology 140: 156586156586 (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Keywords
- Cell cycle, DNA damage responses, Hepatotoxicity, Toosendanin
- MeSH Terms
-
- Cell Cycle Checkpoints/drug effects
- Fruit/chemistry
- Animals
- Hep G2 Cells
- DNA Damage*/drug effects
- Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology
- Triterpenes
- Molecular Docking Simulation
- Network Pharmacology
- Autophagy*/drug effects
- Zebrafish*
- Humans
- Reactive Oxygen Species*/metabolism
- Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury*
- Liver/drug effects
- PubMed
- 40049104 Full text @ Phytomedicine
Citation
Lin, Y., Zhang, J., Gao, X., Wu, Z., Yang, L., Tian, K., Lv, X., Li, J., Chen, K., Zhang, Y., Hu, H., Zhu, A. (2025) Toosendanin-induced liver damage through irreparable DNA damage and autophagy flow blockade. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology. 140:156586156586.
Abstract
Objective The fruit of Melia toosendan Sieb. et Zucc. (MT) is known for its efficacy in relieving pain and treating roundworms. Toosendanin (TO) has been identified as a bioactive marker of MT, with hepatotoxic properties. This study offers a comprehensive investigation into the toxic mechanisms, involving TO-induced remaining DNA damage, cell cycle arrest, and the synergistic effect of autophagy flow disruption. It provides new insights into the clinical applications of MT and TO.
Methods TO was prepared at 50, 100, and 200 μM for a 48 h treatment of HepG2 cells, while zebrafish were administered at 50, 75, and 100 μM for 72 h. Transcriptomics and computational molecular simulations, including network pharmacology, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation, were used for target prediction. Fluorescent probes, flow cytometry, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and western blotting were employed for mechanism verification.
Results TO disrupted the balance between reactive oxygen species and cellular antioxidant defense, resulting in mitochondrial damage and repression of DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit. This led to the inability to repair DNA damage and caused cell cycle arrest in the G1/S phase. As shown in computational molecular simulations and transcriptomics analysis, the repression of damaged organelle removal through autophagy flow disruption resulted in excessive injury and hepatocyte death.
Conclusion By impairing DNA damage responses (DDRs) and autophagy, TO causes unrepaired DNA damage, which disrupts cell cycle progression through complex interactions with cyclin proteins and tumour suppressor genes, ultimately contributing to hepatotoxicity.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping