Biology subjects

Chao, C.-Y.

Publications and source records attributed to Chao, C.-Y..

15 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Combined effect of baicalein and thermal-cycling stimulation on suppressing non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells under CoCl2-induced hypoxia

Lung cancer continues to be the leading cause of cancer-related mortality globally, with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) representing the most prevalent subtype. Tumor hypoxia is a characteristic feature of the neoplastic microenvironment in NSCLC, facilitating tumor progression and conferring resistance to oxidative stress through the stabilization of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1). In this study, we investigated the combined anticancer effects of baicalein (Bai), a natural flavonoid, and thermal-cycling stimulation (TCS), a physical treatment that minimizes damage to normal cells, under cobalt (II) chloride (CoCl2)-induced hypoxic conditions in NSCLC. In A549 NSCLC cells, the combination of Bai and TCS significantly decreased cell viability and induced apoptosis, while exhibiting minimal cytotoxicity on IMR-90 normal human lung fibroblast cells. On a mechanistic level, this combined treatment suppressed the expression of HIF-1 and superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) proteins, elevated intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and impaired DNA repair capability by downregulating MutT homolog 1 (MTH1) protein expression. Additionally, disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential and increased poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage further confirmed the induction of apoptosis. These findings indicate that combining Bai with TCS offers a promising synergistic approach to treating NSCLC under hypoxic conditions.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2025

Reduction of Aβ25-35-Induced Cognitive Impairments in C57BL/6 Mice Through Focused Ultrasound Thermal-Cycling Stimulation

Hyperthermia (HT) is recognized across various medical disciplines for its capacity to modulate specific protein expressions. In efforts to improve Alzheimers disease (AD), HT has the potential to regulate heat shock proteins (HSPs) and antioxidant enzymes, which helps decrease the aberrant accumulation of {beta}-amyloid (A{beta}) protein and oxidative stress. Nonetheless, the precise delivery of mild hyperthermia to the brain remains a significant challenge. To apply mild hyperthermia targeted to the brain and evaluate its impact on cognitive improvement, this study used focused ultrasound (FUS) to administer localized mild hyperthermia to the brains of AD mouse induced by intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of A{beta}25-35. For considerations of safety and therapeutic efficacy, a thermal cycling-hyperthermia (TC-HT) protocol was adapted into a focused ultrasound-mediated thermal cycling stimulation (FUS-TCS), which was compared with the continuous focused ultrasound-mediated hyperthermia stimulation (FUS-HTS). The findings revealed that the FUS-TCS treatment group exhibited a significant improvement in cognitive performance, as evidenced by enhanced outcomes in the Y-maze and novel object recognition (NOR) tests. Furthermore, this group demonstrated increased expression of A{beta}-degrading enzymes and antioxidant proteins, including heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), neprilysin (NEP), insulin degrading enzyme (IDE), sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), and superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2). These results suggest that localized mild hyperthermia targeting the brain using FUS-TCS treatment represents a promising strategy for ameliorating cognitive deficits associated with AD.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2025

High-frequency, low-intensity pulsed electric field and N-acetylcysteine synergistically protect SH-SY5Y cells against hydrogen peroxide-induced cell damage in vitro

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the progression of neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs), and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) has gained attention as a potential agent due to its antioxidant capabilities. This study investigated the synergistic neuroprotective effects of combining NAC with non-contact high-frequency low-intensity pulsed electric field (H-LIPEF) stimulation on SH-SY5Y human neuronal cells subjected to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced oxidative damage. It was found that after SH-SY5Y cells were pretreated with NAC and exposed to H-LIPEF stimulation, the oxidative stress of cells was reduced in the subsequent treatment with H2O2. The results showed that the combined NAC and H-LIPEF treatment significantly improved cell viability and better preserved cellular morphology compared to either treatment alone. Additionally, this combination treatment more effectively reduced mitochondrial apoptosis. Mechanistic analyses revealed that the combination substantially decreased levels of superoxide and intracellular H2O2, which was associated with enhanced activation of the p-Akt/Nrf2/SOD2 signaling pathway. Furthermore, the treatment reduced the accumulation of 8-oxo-dG accumulation and elevated MTH1 expression, indicating a protective effect against oxidative DNA damage. These results suggest that H-LIPEF enhances the neuroprotective efficacy of low-dose NAC, highlighting the potential of this combination approach as a new therapeutic strategy for the treatment of NDDs.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2025

Thermal cycling stimulation via nasal inhalation attenuates Aβ25-35-induced cognitive deficits in C57BL/6 mice

Alzheimers disease (AD) continues to pose a significant public health challenge, with current treatments demonstrating limited effectiveness, partly due to the difficulty of delivering therapeutics across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The nose-to-brain (N-2-B) pathway offers a promising alternative, enabling pharmacological agents to circumvent the BBB. However, to date, no drugs have been successfully implemented in clinical settings for the treatment of AD via this route, underscoring the necessity for additional research in this area. Mild stress is thought to activate intrinsic protective mechanisms against neurodegeneration, but traditional methods of inducing stress often lack both specificity and practicality. To address this limitation, we propose the inhalation of mildly heated air as a form of thermal stimulation, which utilizes the N-2-B pathway to induce mild stress and stimulate cerebral activity. This study employs the method of thermal cycling-hyperthermia (TC-HT) technique [Chao C.Y. et al., U.S. patent 11753634, 2023 & Chao C.Y. et al., U.S. patent Appl. No. 18/864192, 2024] into a new treatment, adapted as thermal cycling-stimulation via nasal inhalation (TCSNI), which provides cyclic stimulation to maintain pathway activity while minimizing thermal injury. In this study, we assessed the health and olfactory effects of TCSNI in C57BL/6 mice and found no adverse effects. In experimental groups administered with {beta}-amyloid (A{beta}), TCSNI treatment resulted in significant enhancements in cognitive performance as evidenced by Y-maze and novel object recognition (NOR) assessments, suggesting an improvement in cognitive function. Protein analyses conducted on the hippocampus of the mice indicated a reduction in A{beta} accumulation, alongside increased expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) expression, as well as elevated levels of phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt). These results suggest that N-2-B-delivered TCSNI effectively modulates protein expression and enhances cognitive function, highlighting its potential for further exploration in AD treatment.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2025

Thermal cycling-hyperthermia attenuates rotenone-induced cell injury in SH-SY5Y cells through heat-activated mechanisms

Parkinsons disease (PD) is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease. It is characterized by mitochondrial dysfunction, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), -synuclein (-syn) and phosphorylated-tau protein (p-tau) aggregation, and dopaminergic neuron cell death. Current drug therapies only provide temporary symptomatic relief and fail to stop or reverse disease progression due to the severe side effects or the blood-brain barrier. This study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effects of thermal cycling-hyperthermia (TC-HT) in an in vitro PD model using rotenone (ROT)-induced human neural SH-SY5Y cells. Our results revealed that TC-HT pretreatment conferred neuroprotective effects in the ROT-induced in vitro PD model using human SH-SY5Y neuronal cells, including reducing ROT-induced mitochondrial apoptosis and ROS accumulation in SH-SY5Y cells. In addition, TC-HT also inhibited the expression of -syn and p-tau through heat-activated pathways associated with sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) and heat-shock protein 70 (Hsp70), involved in protein chaperoning, and resulted in the phosphorylation of Akt and glycogen synthase kinase-3{beta} (GSK-3{beta}), which inhibit p-tau formation. These findings underscore the potential of TC-HT as an effective treatment for PD in vitro, supporting its further investigation in in vivo models or potentially in human trials, with focused ultrasound (FUS) as a feasible heat-delivery approach.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2024

Combination of cycling hyperthermia and Echinacoside creates synergistic curing effect on pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells

Therapy targeting the suppression of human MutT homolog 1 (MTH1) has been gaining ground in recent years, thanks to its resulting significant increase of 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine triphosphate (8-oxo-dGTP) accumulation in genomic DNA, causing DNA damage and apoptotic cell death. Echinacoside (Ech), a natural phenylethanoid glycoside first extracted from Echinacea angustifolia or desert plant Cistanches is one of a few natural products which are capable of inhibiting the MTH1 function. It, however, is difficult to apply it in clinical trials, due to high cost for effective dosage in need. In the study, we show that combination with thermal-cycling hyperthermia (TC-HT), a novel physical treatment, can amplify the curative effect of Ech, reducing its dosage in need significantly. The combination resulted in a multipronged mechanism targeting multiple key apoptotic regulating proteins such as Bcl-2 and MAPK family proteins. Its effect is expected to be comparable to the treatment strategy containing MTH1, Bcl-2, and ERK inhibitors, posing as new promising approach in cancer treatment.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2022

Thermal cycling-hyperthermia down-regulates liposaccharide-induced inflammatory response in human whole-blood and helps clear herpes simplex virus type 1 by U-937 macrophages

Infection would lead to temperature increase in the affected region or entire human body, in order to weaken the pathogens, such as virus, or activate the immune system. As an alternative therapy with extensive application for various diseases, hyperthermia (HT) can regulate the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the antiviral activity of immune system. However, existing studies have found that overheating impairs healthy tissues and immune cells. The study puts forth a modified HT treatment, thermal cycling-hyperthermia (TC-HT), looking into its effect on immunomodulation and cellular viabilities. It shows that TC-HT can reduce the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) both ex vivo and in vitro, and elevate the efficacy of U-937 macrophages in clearing herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in vitro. Furthermore, via optimizing its parameters, TC-HT can boost the efficacy of U-937 macrophage in clearing HSV-1, which may be attributed to the enhancement of actin polymerization and phagocytosis activity via TC-HT. In sum, TC-HT outperforms HT in safety and therapeutic effect in immunomodulation, shedding light on its potential in the treatment of immunological diseases.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2022

Thermal cycling-hyperthermia ameliorates cognitive impairment of intracerebroventricular Aβ25-35-induced Alzheimer's disease in C57BL/6 mice

Despite continuation of some controversies, Alzheimers disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia nowadays, has been widely believed to derive mainly from excessive {beta}-amyloid (A{beta}) aggregation, that would increase reactive oxygen species (ROS) and induce neuroinflammation, leading to neuron loss and cognitive impairment. Existing drugs on A{beta} have been ineffective or offer only temporary relief at best, due to blood-brain barrier or severe side effects. The study employed thermal cycling-hyperthermia (TC-HT) as an alternative AD therapy and compared its effect with continuous hyperthermia (HT) in vivo. It established an AD mice model via intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of A{beta}25-35, proving that TC-HT is much more effective in alleviating its performance decline in Y-maze and NOR test, in comparison with HT. In addition, TC-HT also exhibits a better performance in decreasing the hippocampal A{beta} and BACE1 expressions as well as the neuroinflammation markers Iba-1 and GFAP levels. Furthermore, the study finds that TC-HT can elevate more protein expressions of IDE and antioxidative enzyme SOD2 than HT. Besides, after establishment of neuroprotective mechanism, removal of TC-HT-induced ROS can further augment protection of neural cells against A{beta}. In sum, the study proves the potential of TC-HT in AD treatment, which can be put into clinical application with the use of focused ultrasound (FUS).

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2022

Protection of high-frequency low-intensity pulsed electric fields and brain-derived neurotrophic factor for SH-SY5Y cells against hydrogen peroxide-induced cell damage

Neurodegenerative diseases pose a significant global health threat. In particular, Alzheimers disease, the most common type causing dementia, remains an incurable disease. Alzheimers disease is thought to be associated with an imbalance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in neurons, and scientists considered ROS modulation as a promising strategy for novel remedies. In the study, human neural cell line SH-SY5Y was used in probing the effect of combining non-invasive high-frequency low-intensity pulsed electric field (H-LIPEF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in protection against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced neuron damage. Our result finds that the combination approach has intensified the neuroprotective effect significantly, perhaps due to H-LIPEF and BDNF synergistically increasing the expression level of the phosphorylated epidermal growth factor receptor (p-EGFR), which induces the survival-related mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) proteins. The study confirmed the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and the downstream pro-survival and antioxidant proteins as the mechanism underlying neuron protection. These findings highlighted the potential of H-LIPEF combined with BDNF in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Furthermore, BDNF-mimetic drugs combining with non-invasive H-LIPEF to patients is a promising approach worthy of further research. This points to strategies for selecting drugs to cooperate with electric fields in treating neurodegenerative disorders.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2022

Thermal cycling hyperthermia sensitizes non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells to EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor Erlotinib

Molecular targeted therapy has emerged as a mainstream treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the most common lung cancer, which has been the leading cause of cancer death in both genders. Erlotinib (Erl), a targeted therapy inhibiting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathways, has been proved to have noticeable response rate for NSCLC cells. However, limited efficacy arises due to intrinsic and acquired resistance among most NSCLC patients. Therefore, sensitizers are required to potentiate the efficacy of Erl in NSCLC treatment. The study proposed a novel thermal therapy, thermal cycling hyperthermia (TC-HT), as a supplement to amplify the effects of Erl. We found that TC-HT remarkably reduced the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of Erl to as little as 0.5 M and demonstrated that TC-HT could sensitize A549 NSCLC cells to Erl via the downstream of EGFR signaling cascades. Furthermore, combination treatment induced G2/M cell cycle arrest, and inhibition of cell proliferation and migration. Besides, via raising the high temperature of TC-HT slightly, TC-HT treatment alone can produce excellent antineoplastic effect without hurting the normal cells. The method is expected to be applicable to other combination therapies and may be a starter for more sophisticated, side-effect-free anticancer treatments.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2021

Study on the effect of a triple cancer treatment of propolis, thermal cycling-hyperthermia, and low-intensity ultrasound on PANC-1 cells

BackgroundPancreatic cancer is a deadly cancer around the world. To reduce side effects and enhance treatment efficacy, study on combination therapy for pancreatic cancer has gained much attention in recent years. MethodsIn this paper, we propose a novel triple treatment combining propolis and two physical stimuli-thermal cycling-hyperthermia (TC-HT) and low-intensity ultrasound (US) on a human pancreatic cancer cell line PANC-1. MTT assay was used to determine the viability of PANC-1 cells. Flow cytometry was used to detect apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) loss, and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Western blot analysis was further performed to measure protein expression and phosphorylation. ResultsThe experiments found that, after the triple treatment, the cell viability of the PANC-1 cells decreased to a level 80% less than the control, without affecting the normal pancreatic cells. Another result was excessive accumulation of ROS after the triple treatment, leading to the amplification of apoptotic pathway through the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family and mitochondrial dysfunction. Moreover, the combination of TC-HT and US also promotes the anticancer effect of the heat-sensitive chemotherapy drug cisplatin on PANC-1 cells. ConclusionThis study, to the best of our knowledge, is the first attempt to combine TC-HT, US and a nature compound in cancer treatment. We demonstrate that physical stimuli could augment the therapeutical effect of anticancer agents. It is expected that optimized parameters for different agents and different types of cancer will expand the methodology on oncological therapy in a safe manner.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2019

Effect of high frequency and low intensity pulsed electric field on protecting SH-SY5Y cells against hydrogen peroxide and β-amyloid-induced cell injury via ERK pathway

As the most common type of neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs), Alzheimers disease (AD) is thought to be caused mainly by the excessive aggregation of {beta}-amyloid protein (A{beta}). However, a growing number of studies have found that reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a key role in the onset and progression of AD. The present study aimed to probe the neuroprotective effect of high-frequency low-intensity pulsed electric field (H-LIPEF) for SH-SY5Y cells against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and A{beta}-induced cytotoxicity. By looking in a systematic way into the frequency- and amplitude-dependent neuroprotective effect of pulsed electric field (PEF), the study finds that H-LIPEF at 200 Hz produces the optimal protective effect for SH-SY5Y cells. The underlying mechanisms were confirmed to be due to the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway and the downstream prosurvival and antioxidant proteins. Because the electric field can be modified to focus on specific area in a non-contact manner, the study suggests that H-LIPEF holds great potential for treating NDDs, whose effect can be further augmented with the administering of drugs or natural compounds at the same time.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2019

Thermal cycling protects SH-SY5Y cells against hydrogen peroxide and -amyloid-induced cell injury through stress response mechanisms involving Akt pathway

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) are becoming a major threat to public health, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The most common form of NDDs is Alzheimers disease (AD), boasting 60-70% share. Excessive aggregation of {beta}-amyloid protein (A{beta}) and neurofibrillary tangles has been deemed the major cause for the pathogenesis of AD. A growing number of evidences from studies, however, have suggested that reactive oxygen species (ROS) also play a key role in the onset and progression of AD. Although scientists have had some understanding of the pathogenesis of AD, the disease still cannot be cured, with existing treatment only capable of providing a temporary relief at best, partly due to the obstacle of blood-brain barrier (BBB). The study was aimed to ascertain the neuroprotective effect of thermal cycle hyperthermia (TC-HT) against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and A{beta}-induced cytotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells. Treating cells with this physical stimulation beforehand significantly improved the cell viability and decreased the ROS content. The underlying mechanisms were confirmed to be due to the activation of Akt pathway and the downstream antioxidant and prosurvival proteins. The findings manifest significant potential of TC-HT in neuroprotection, via inhibition of oxidative stress and cell apoptosis. It is believed that coupled with the use of drugs or natural compounds, this methodology can be even more effective in treating NDDs.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2019

Application of non-invasive low-intensity pulsed electric field with thermal cycling-hyperthermia for synergistically enhanced anticancer effect of chlorogenic acid on PANC-1 cells

Most existing cancer treatments involve high-cost chemotherapy and radiotherapy, with major side effects, prompting effort to develop alternative treatment modalities. In this study, we propose a novel non-invasive treatment calling for exposure of cells to CGA, coupled with thermal-cycling hyperthermia (TC-HT) and low-intensity pulsed electric field (LIPEF). The study finds that this triple combination can significantly impede the proliferation of human pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells, with only about 20% viable cells left after 24h, whereas being non-toxic to normal cells. The synergistic activity against the PANC-1 cells was achieved by inducing G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis, which were associated with up-regulation of p53 and coupled with increased expression of downstream proteins p21 and Bax. Further mechanism investigations revealed that the cytotoxic activity could be related to mitochondrial apoptosis, characterized by the reduced level of Bcl-2, mitochondrial dysfunction, and sequential activation of caspase-9 and PARP. Also, we found that the triple treatment led to the increase of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Notably, the triple treatment-induced cytotoxic effects and the elevated expression of p53 and p21 proteins as well as the increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, all could be alleviated by the ROS scavenger, N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC). These findings indicate that the combination of CGA, TC-HT, and LIPEF may be a promising modality for cancer treatment, as it can induce p53-dependent cell cycle arrest and apoptosis through accumulation of ROS in PANC-1 cells.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2019

Thermal cycling-hyperthermia in combination with polyphenols, epigallocatechin gallate and chlorogenic acid, exerts synergistic anticancer effect against human pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells

Hyperthermia (HT) has shown feasibility and potency as an anticancer therapy. Administration of HT in the chemotherapy has previously enhanced the cytotoxicity of drugs against pancreatic cancer. However, the drugs used when conducting these studies are substantially conventional chemotherapeutic agents that may cause unwanted side effects. Additionally, the thermal dosage in the treatment of cancer cells could also probably harm the healthy cells. The purpose of this work was to investigate the potential of the two natural polyphenolic compounds, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and chlorogenic acid (CGA), as heat synergizers in the thermal treatment of the PANC-1 cells. Furthermore, we have introduced a novel strategy entitled the thermal cycling-hyperthermia (TC-HT) that is capable of providing a maximum synergy and minimal side effect with the anticancer compounds. Our results demonstrate that the combination of the TC-HT and the CGA or EGCG markedly exerts the anticancer effect against the PANC-1 cells, while none of the single treatment induced such changes. The synergistic activity was attributed to the cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and the induction of the ROS-dependent mitochondria-mediated apoptosis. These findings not only represent the first thermal synergistic study of natural compounds in the treatment of pancreatic cancer, but also highlight the potential application of the TC-HT as an alternative strategy in anticancer treatment.

cancer biology↗