Resveratrol as an anti-cancer agent: A review

Resveratrol Induces Apoptosis, Suppresses Migration, and Invasion of Cervical Cancer Cells by Inhibiting the Hedgehog Signaling Pathway

To investigate the effect and mechanism of resveratrol on the biological behavior of cervical cancer cells (HeLa cells), the apoptosis, migration, and invasion of HeLa cells were detected by flow cytometry, wound healing, and transwell assays. The expression levels of Hedgehog signal pathway proteins (smoothened (SMO), zinc finger transcription factors (Gli1), and sonic hedgehog homolog (Shh)) were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and western blotting. Compared with that control group, resveratrol (RES) significantly induced apoptosis, inhibited the migration and invasion of the HeLa cells. The expression of SMO, Gli1, and Shh were downregulated in the HeLa cells treated with RES. The Hedgehog agonist purmorphamine (PUR) reversed the RES-induced increase of apoptosis and reduction of migration and invasion in the HeLa cells. In conclusion, RES induced the apoptosis and suppressed the migration and invasion of HeLa cells by inhibiting Hedgehog signal pathway.

The pathogenesis of liver cancer and the therapeutic potential of bioactive substances

Liver cancer is the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths in the world and has become an urgent problem for global public health. Bioactive substances are widely used for the treatment of liver cancer due to their widespread availability and reduced side effects. This review summarizes the main pathogenic factors involved in the development of liver cancer, including metabolic fatty liver disease, viral infection, and alcoholic cirrhosis, and focuses on the mechanism of action of bioactive components such as polysaccharides, alkaloids, phenols, peptides, and active bacteria/fungi. In addition, we also summarize transformation methods, combined therapy and modification of bioactive substances to improve the treatment efficiency against liver cancer, highlighting new ideas in this field.

Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Loaded with Resveratrol Are Used for Targeted Breast Cancer Therapy

Objective

The characteristics of poor pharmacokinetics, stability, and low solubility seriously limited the clinical application of resveratrol (Res) in breast cancer. Thus, this study intends to develop a delivery system for Res which could be better used in breast cancer therapy.

Methods

Resveratrol-modified mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN-Res) were chemically constructed. Their shape and encapsulation were detected by transmission electron microscope, Fourier transforms infrared spectrometer, and UV spectroscopy, respectively. MGF-7 tumor-bearing mice were established by subcutaneous injection, and the pathological changes were detected by hematoxylin-eosin staining. CCK-8 and Ki-67 immunohistochemical staining were used for proliferation evaluation in vitro and in vivo. Flow cytometry, TUNEL, wound healing, and transwell assay detected cell apoptosis, invasion, and migration.

Results

MSN-Res was successfully prepared with high biosafety. MSN-Res inhibited MGF-7 cell proliferation, invasion, and migration and promoted apoptosis in vitro. Furthermore, MSN-Res showed better performance compared Res in breast cancer mouse models. In addition, we found that MSN-Res inhibited tumor growth via inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway.

Conclusion

MSN-Res inhibited breast cancer progression with better efficacy compared with Res treatment alone by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway, suggesting that MSN-Res is a more effective adjuvant treatment method for breast cancer. Thus, our findings may provide a new and safer means of using phytochemicals in combinatorial therapy of breast cancer.

Modern aspects of the use of natural polyphenols in tumor prevention and therapy

Polyphenols are secondary plant metabolites or organic compounds synthesized by them. In other words, these are molecules that are found in plants. Due to the wide variety of polyphenols and the plants in which they are found, these compounds are divided according to the source of origin, the function of the polyphenols, and their chemical structure; where the main ones are flavonoids. All the beneficial properties of polyphenols have not yet been studied, since this group of substances is very extensive and diverse. However, most polyphenols are known to be powerful antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory effects. Polyphenols help fight cell damage caused by free radicals and immune system components. In particular, polyphenols are credited with a preventive effect that helps protect the body from certain forms of cancer. The onset and progression of tumors may be related directly to oxidative stress, or inflammation. These processes can increase the amount of DNA damage and lead to loss of control over cell division. A number of studies have shown that oxidative stress uncontrolled by antioxidants or an uncontrolled and prolonged inflammatory process increases the risk of developing sarcoma, melanoma, and breast, lung, liver, and prostate cancer. Therefore, a more in-depth study of the effect of polyphenolic compounds on certain signaling pathways that determine the complex cascade of oncogenesis is a promising direction in the search for new methods for the prevention and treatment of tumors.

Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Propolis and Its Polyphenolic Compounds against Cancer

In recent years, interest in natural products such as alternative sources of pharmaceuticals for numerous chronic diseases, including tumors, has been renewed. Propolis, a natural product collected by honeybees, and polyphenolic/flavonoid propolis-related components modulate all steps of the cancer progression process. Anticancer activity of propolis and its compounds relies on various mechanisms: cell-cycle arrest and attenuation of cancer cells proliferation, reduction in the number of cancer stem cells, induction of apoptosis, modulation of oncogene signaling pathways, inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases, prevention of metastasis, anti-angiogenesis, anti-inflammatory effects accompanied by the modulation of the tumor microenvironment (by modifying macrophage activation and polarization), epigenetic regulation, antiviral and bactericidal activities, modulation of gut microbiota, and attenuation of chemotherapy-induced deleterious side effects. Ingredients from propolis also "sensitize" cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents, likely by blocking the activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB). In this review, we summarize the current knowledge related to the the effects of flavonoids and other polyphenolic compounds from propolis on tumor growth and metastasizing ability, and discuss possible molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in the modulation of inflammatory pathways and cellular processes that affect survival, proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis of the tumor.

[Studies on the Isolation and Molecular Mechanisms of Bioactive Phytochemicals]

Studies on the isolation and molecular mechanisms of phytochemicals with anti-tumor or anti-inflammatory properties are important to developing new drugs for cancer and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. In the course of a study to screen bioactive isoflavones from Erythrina poeppigiana (Leguminosae), we isolated an isoflavone with potent apoptosis-inducing activity against human leukemia HL-60 cells. It was designated erypoegin K. The studies demonstrated an enantiomer, (S)-erypoegin K, displayed selective cytotoxic activity, was a novel inhibitor of topoisomerase II, and possessed anti-tumor activity both in vitro and in vivo. We identified other apoptosis-inducing isoflavones with the ability to inhibit glyoxalase I. Dimeric acridone alkaloids, carbazole alkaloids, and coumarin and quinoline derivatives-all obtained mainly from plants in the family Rutaceae-induced apoptosis of HL-60 cells via the production of reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial dysfunction. We also identified terpenoid coumarins, carbazole quinones, rotenoid derivatives, and quinolone alkaloids with anti-inflammatory activities. These compounds reduced nitric oxide (NO) production from RAW264.7 macrophage cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharides and interferon-γ. Some of the compounds displayed neuroprotective activity by reducing NO production. This review primarily describes our recent studies on erypoegin K, and other compounds with apoptosis-inducing and anti-inflammatory activities.

Cellular reprogramming, chemoresistance, and dietary interventions in breast cancer

Breast cancer (BC) diagnosis has been associated with significant risk factors, including family history, late menopause, obesity, poor eating habits, and alcoholism. Despite the advances in the last decades regarding cancer treatment, some obstacles still hinder the effectiveness of therapy. For example, chemotherapy resistance is common in locally advanced or metastatic cancer, reducing treatment options and contributing to mortality. In this review, we provide an overview of BC metabolic changes, including the impact of restrictive diets associated with chemoresistance, the therapeutic potential of the diet on tumor progression, pathways related to metabolic health in oncology, and perspectives on the future in the area of oncological nutrition.

Dietary stilbenes as modulators of specific miRNAs in prostate cancer

Accumulated experimental data have suggested that natural plant products may be effective miRNA-modulating chemopreventive and therapeutic agents. Dietary polyphenols such as flavonoids, stilbenes, and lignans, among others, have been intensively studied for their miRNA-mediated cardioprotective, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. The aim of this review is to outline known stilbene-regulated miRNAs in cancer, with a special focus on the interplay between various miRNAs and MTA1 signaling in prostate cancer. MTA1 is an epigenetic reader and an oncogenic transcription factor that is overexpressed in advanced prostate cancer and metastasis. Not surprisingly, miRNAs that are linked to MTA1 affect cancer progression and the metastatic potential of cells. Studies led to the identification of MTA1-associated pro-oncogenic miRNAs, which are regulated by stilbenes such as resveratrol and pterostilbene. Specifically, it has been shown that inhibition of the activity of the MTA1 regulated oncogenic miR-17 family of miRNAs, miR-22, and miR-34a by stilbenes leads to inhibition of prostatic hyperplasia and tumor progression in mice and reduction of proliferation, survival and invasion of prostate cancer cells in vitro. Taken together, these findings implicate the use of resveratrol and its analogs as an attractive miRNA-mediated chemopreventive and therapeutic strategy in prostate cancer and the use of circulating miRNAs as potential predictive biomarkers for clinical development.

Chemoprevention effect of the Mediterranean diet on colorectal cancer: Current studies and future prospects

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and the second most deadly cancer worldwide. Nevertheless, more than 70% of CRC cases are resulted from sporadic tumorigenesis and are not inherited. Since adenoma-carcinoma development is a slow process and may take up to 20 years, diet-based chemoprevention could be an effective approach in sporadic CRC. The Mediterranean diet is an example of a healthy diet pattern that consists of a combination of nutraceuticals that prevent several chronic diseases and cancer. Many epidemiological studies have shown the correlation between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and low incidence of CRC. The goal of this review is to shed the light on the anti-inflammatory and anti-colorectal cancer potentials of the natural bioactive compounds derived from the main foods in the Mediterranean diet.

In vitro evaluation of Resveratrol as a potential pre-exposure prophylactic drug against Trypanosoma cruzi infection

Chagas' disease or American trypanosomiasis, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi infection, is an endemic disease in Latin America, which has spread worldwide in the past years. The drugs presently used for treatment have shown limited efficacy due to the appearance of resistant parasites and severe side effects. Some of the most recent studies on anti-parasitic drugs have been focused on protein acetylation, a reversible reaction modulated by Acetyl Transferases (KATs) and Deacetylases (KDACs). We have previously reported the anti-parasite activity of resveratrol (RSV), an activator of KDACs type III (or sirtuins), and showed that this drug can reduce the growth of T. cruzi epimastigotes and the infectivity of trypomastigotes. Since RSV is now widely used in humans due to its beneficial effects as an antioxidant, it has become an attractive candidate as a repurposing drug. In this context, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the ability of this drug to protect three different types of host cells from parasite infection. RSV treatment before parasite infection reduced the percentage of infected cells by 50-70% depending on the cell type. Although the mammalian cell lines tested showed different sensitivity to RSV, apoptosis was not significantly affected, showing that RSV was able to protect cells from infection without the activation of this process. Since autophagy has been described as a key process in parasite invasion, we also monitored this process on host cells pretreated with RSV. The results showed that, at the concentrations and incubation times tested, autophagy was not induced in any of the cell types evaluated. Our results show a partial protective effect of RSV in vitro, which justifies extending studies to an in vivo model to elucidate the mechanism by which this effect occurs.

Anti-parasitic effects of resveratrol on protoscolices and hydatid cyst layers

The main goal of the current study was to evaluate the effectiveness of resveratrol (RESV) on protoscolices and hydatid cysts of Echinococcus granolosus. Echinococcus granolosus protoscolices and hydatid cyst were exposed to RPMI, DMSO, formalin, mebendazole, and different concentrations of RESV in vitro. Then, viability, GGT, and caspase-3 activity of protoscolices were evaluated using light microscopy, colorimetric, and enzymatic assay, respectively. Tissue changes and expression of caspase-3 apoptosis were analyzed on the hydatid cyst wall by histologic and immunohistochemistry methods. The cell toxicity effect of RESV was evaluated on mouse PBMCs by Annexin V-FITC assay. The RESV-treated protoscolices showed loss of viability, increased gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, and caspase-3 activity with significant differences compared to all control groups (P < 0.05). Dose and time dependence of mortality, GGT, and caspase-3 enzymatic activity was confirmed in the protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus treated by RESV. Also, the tissue changes and apoptosis were prominent in RESV-treated hydatid cyst layers; however, tissue changes were only time-dependent, and RESV concentration had no apparent effect on tissue. In cell toxicity evaluation, RESV is safe without any significant apoptosis induction from 31.5 to 250 μg/ml; however, it was significant at 350 and 500 μg/ml in PBMCs.

Glucose transporters: Important regulators of endometrial cancer therapy sensitivity

Glucose is of great importance in cancer cellular metabolism. Working together with several glucose transporters (GLUTs), it provides enough energy for biological growth. The main glucose transporters in endometrial cancer (EC) are Class 1 (GLUTs 1-4) and Class 3 (GLUTs 6 and 8), and the overexpression of these GLUTs has been observed. Apart from providing abundant glucose uptake, these highly expressed GLUTs also participate in the activation of many crucial signaling pathways concerning the proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis of EC. In addition, overexpressed GLUTs may also cause endometrial cancer cells (ECCs) to be insensitive to hormone therapy or even resistant to radiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy. Therefore, GLUT inhibitors may hopefully become a sensitizer for EC precision-targeted therapies. This review aims to summarize the expression regulation, function, and therapy sensitivity of GLUTs in ECCs, aiming to provide a new clue for better diagnosis and treatment of EC.

Resveratrol from Dietary Supplement to a Drug Candidate: An Assessment of Potential

Resveratrol (RVT) is a well known phyto-chemical and is widely used in dietary supplements and botanical products. It shows a wide range of pharmacological/beneficial effects. Therefore, it can be a potential candidate to be developed as phyto-pharmaceutical. Multiple diseases are reported to be treated by the therapeutic effect of RVT since it has antioxidant, anti-cancer activity and anti-inflammatory activities. It also has a major role in diabetes, arthritis, cardiac disorder and platelet aggregation etc. The major requirements are establishments regarding safety, efficacy profile and physicochemical characterization. As it is already being consumed in variable maximum daily dose, there should not be a major safety concern but the dose needs to be established for different indications. Clinical trials are also being reported in different parts of the world. Physicochemical properties of the moiety are also well reported. Moreover, due to its beneficial effect on health it leads to the development of some intellectual property in the form of patents.

Addition of grapes to both a standard and a high-fat Western pattern diet modifies hepatic and urinary metabolite profiles in the mouse

The benefits of fruit and vegetable dietary consumption are largely defined in epidemiological terms. Relatively little is known about the discrete effects on metabolic pathways elicited by individual dietary fruits and vegetables. To address this, grape powder was added to both a standard and a high-fat Western pattern diet given to 10-week-old female C57BL/6J mice for a period of 91 days, whereupon 24 h urines were collected and the mice euthanized after a 12 h fast for the collection of liver tissue. Alterations in hepatic and urinary metabolite patterns were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolomics. Urinary excretion of the gut microbiota metabolites 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, 5-hydroxyindole, glyceric acid, gluconic acid and myo-inositol was attenuated when grape was added to the standard diet but the gut microbiota metabolites gluconic acid, scyllo-inositol, mannitol, xylitol, 5-hydroxyindole and 2-deoxyribonic acid were increased in urine when grape was added to the high-fat diet. Increased hepatic ascorbic acid and 5-oxoproline levels indicated the anti-oxidant effect of grape powder on the liver. Pathway enrichment analysis demonstrated that for both standard and high-fat diets, grape addition significantly upregulated the malate-aspartate shuttle indicating enhanced hepatic utilization of glucose via cytosolic glycolysis for mitochondrial ATP production. It is concluded that a grape diet reprogrammes gut microbiota metabolism, attenuates the hepatic oxidative stress of a high-fat diet and increases the efficiency of glucose utilization by the liver for energy production.

Protective Effect of Resveratrol on Knee Osteoarthritis and its Molecular Mechanisms: A Recent Review in Preclinical and Clinical Trials

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the progressing chronic joint associated with by many complex factors such as age, obesity, and trauma. Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is the most common type of OA. KOA is characterized by articular cartilage destruction and degeneration, synovial inflammation, and abnormal subchondral bone changes. To date, no practical clinical approach has been able to modify the pathological progression of KOA. Drug therapy is limited to pain control and may lead to serious side effects when taken for a long time. Therefore, searching for safer and more reliable treatments has become necessary. Interestingly, more and more research has focused on natural products, and monomeric compounds derived from natural products have received much attention as drug candidates for KOA treatment. Resveratrol (RES), a natural phenolic compound, has various pharmacological and biological activities, including anti-cancer, anti-apoptotic, and anti-decay. Recently, studies on the effects of RES on maintaining the normal homeostasis of chondrocytes in KOA have received increasing attention, which seems to be attributed to the multi-targeted effects of RES on chondrocyte function. This review summarizes preclinical trials, clinical trials, and emerging tissue engineering studies of RES for KOA and discusses the specific mechanisms by which RES alleviates KOA. A better understanding of the pharmacological role of RES in KOA could provide clinical implications for intervention in the development of KOA.

Traditional Chinese medicine promotes bone regeneration in bone tissue engineering

Bone tissue engineering (BTE) is a promising method for the repair of difficult-to-heal bone tissue damage by providing three-dimensional structures for cell attachment, proliferation, and differentiation. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been introduced as an effective global medical program by the World Health Organization, comprising intricate components, and promoting bone regeneration by regulating multiple mechanisms and targets. This study outlines the potential therapeutic capabilities of TCM combined with BTE in bone regeneration. The effective active components promoting bone regeneration can be generally divided into flavonoids, alkaloids, glycosides, terpenoids, and polyphenols, among others. The chemical structures of the monomers, their sources, efficacy, and mechanisms are described. We summarize the use of compounds and medicinal parts of TCM to stimulate bone regeneration. Finally, the limitations and prospects of applying TCM in BTE are introduced, providing a direction for further development of novel and potential TCM.

Curcumin- and resveratrol-co-loaded nanoparticles in synergistic treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Currently, systemic therapies for patients with advanced-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) rely mainly on systemic drugs. However, traditional systemic drugs have a high rate of serious adverse events, and the curative effects of some potential anticancer drugs, such as curcumin (CUR) and resveratrol (RSV), are less apparent due to their poor bioavailability. Therefore, it is urgent to develop a highly effective therapy to improve patient prognosis. Herein, an injectable HCC-targeted nanoparticle (NP) was designed to deliver CUR and RSV to hepatoma cells.

RESULTS

The molecular self-assembled NPs showed higher tumour retention through the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect of the NPs and surface modification with the HCC-specific peptide moiety SP94 to effectively treat HCC. These HCC-targeted NPs led to a significant reduction in the drug dosage, delayed the rate of drug release and improved the bioavailability of the encapsulated drugs. The drug concentrations in the vicinity of the tumour increased, and a good therapeutic effect was observed without obvious side effects.

CONCLUSIONS

These SP94-mediated NPs allowed large amounts of antitumor drugs to accumulate in tumours, providing a novel strategy for innovative HCC therapy. This nanoplatform also offers an idea for exploring other potential chemotherapeutics.

Efficacy of Resveratrol in Experimental Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Animal Models: A Stratified Meta-Analysis

Background: Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a serious neurosurgical emergency with extremely high morbidity and mortality rates. Resveratrol (RES), a natural polyphenolic phytoalexin, is broadly presented in a wide variety of plants. Previous research had reasonably revealed its neuroprotective effects on experimental SAH animal models to some extent. But the results were more controversial. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the evidence on the effectiveness of RES in improving outcomes in SAH animal models. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases to incorporate experimental control studies on the efficacy of RES on SAH models into our research. The standardized mean difference (SMD) was used to compare the brain water content (BWC) and neurological score (NS) between the treatment and control groups. Results: Overall, 16 articles published from 2014 to 2022 met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis of BWC showed a significant difference in favor of RES treatment (SMD: -1.026; 95% CI: -1.380, -0.672; p = 0.000) with significant heterogeneity (Q = 84.97; I² = 60.0%; p = 0.000). Further stratified analysis was performed for methodological differences, especially dosage, time of treatments, and time-point of outcome assessment. The meta-analysis of NS showed a significant difference in favor of RES treatment (SMD: 1.342; 95% CI: 1.089, 1.595; p = 0.000) with low heterogeneity (Q = 25.58; I² = 17.9%; p = 0.223). Conclusion: Generally, RES treatment showed an improvement in both pathological and behavioral outcomes in SAH animal models. The results of this study may provide a reference for preclinical and clinical studies in the future to some extent, with great significance for human health.

Mitochondrial adaptation in cancer drug resistance: prevalence, mechanisms, and management

Drug resistance represents a major obstacle in cancer management, and the mechanisms underlying stress adaptation of cancer cells in response to therapy-induced hostile environment are largely unknown. As the central organelle for cellular energy supply, mitochondria can rapidly undergo dynamic changes and integrate cellular signaling pathways to provide bioenergetic and biosynthetic flexibility for cancer cells, which contributes to multiple aspects of tumor characteristics, including drug resistance. Therefore, targeting mitochondria for cancer therapy and overcoming drug resistance has attracted increasing attention for various types of cancer. Multiple mitochondrial adaptation processes, including mitochondrial dynamics, mitochondrial metabolism, and mitochondrial apoptotic regulatory machinery, have been demonstrated to be potential targets. However, recent increasing insights into mitochondria have revealed the complexity of mitochondrial structure and functions, the elusive functions of mitochondria in tumor biology, and the targeting inaccessibility of mitochondria, which have posed challenges for the clinical application of mitochondrial-based cancer therapeutic strategies. Therefore, discovery of both novel mitochondria-targeting agents and innovative mitochondria-targeting approaches is urgently required. Here, we review the most recent literature to summarize the molecular mechanisms underlying mitochondrial stress adaptation and their intricate connection with cancer drug resistance. In addition, an overview of the emerging strategies to target mitochondria for effectively overcoming chemoresistance is highlighted, with an emphasis on drug repositioning and mitochondrial drug delivery approaches, which may accelerate the application of mitochondria-targeting compounds for cancer therapy.

Anticancer effects of natural phytochemicals in anaplastic thyroid cancer (Review)

Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is an aggressive and lethal malignancy having a dismal prognosis. Phytochemicals are bioactive components obtained from plants that have been proven useful to treat numerous diseases. Phytochemicals are also an important source of novel anticancer drugs and an important area of research due to the numerous available candidates that can potentially treat cancers. This review discusses naturally occurring phytochemicals and their derivatives that show promising anticancer effects in anaplastic thyroid cancer. Anticancer effects include cell growth inhibition, induction of apoptosis, promoting cell cycle arrest, suppressing angiogenesis, modulating autophagy, and increasing the production of reactive oxygen species. Phytochemicals are not only prospective candidates in the therapy of anaplastic thyroid cancer but also exhibit potential as adjuvants to improve the anticancer effects of other drugs. Although some phytochemicals have excellent anticancer properties, drug resistance observed during the use of resveratrol and artemisinin in different anaplastic thyroid cancer cell lines is still a problem. Anaplastic thyroid cancer cells have several biological, clinical, and drug-resistance features that differ from differentiated thyroid cancer cells. Phytochemicals such as resveratrol and quercetin exhibit different biological effects in anaplastic thyroid cancer and differentiated thyroid cancer. Tumor cells depend on increased aerobic glycolysis by mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation to provide energy for their rapid growth, invasiveness, and drug resistance. Phytochemicals can alter signaling cascades, modulate the metabolic properties of cancer cells, and influence the mitochondrial membrane potential of anaplastic thyroid cancer cells. These findings enrich our knowledge of the anticancer effects of phytochemicals and highlight alternative therapies to prevent drug resistance in anaplastic thyroid cancer.

The Role of Natural Products and Their Multitargeted Approach to Treat Solid Cancer

Natural products play a critical role in the discovery and development of numerous drugs for the treatment of various types of cancer. These phytochemicals have demonstrated anti-carcinogenic properties by interfering with the initiation, development, and progression of cancer through altering various mechanisms such as cellular proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Treating multifactorial diseases, such as cancer with agents targeting a single target, might lead to limited success and, in many cases, unsatisfactory outcomes. Various epidemiological studies have shown that the steady consumption of fruits and vegetables is intensely associated with a reduced risk of cancer. Since ancient period, plants, herbs, and other natural products have been used as healing agents. Likewise, most of the medicinal ingredients accessible today are originated from the natural resources. Regardless of achievements, developing bioactive compounds and drugs from natural products has remained challenging, in part because of the problem associated with large-scale sequestration and mechanistic understanding. With significant progress in the landscape of cancer therapy and the rising use of cutting-edge technologies, we may have come to a crossroads to review approaches to identify the potential natural products and investigate their therapeutic efficacy. In the present review, we summarize the recent developments in natural products-based cancer research and its application in generating novel systemic strategies with a focus on underlying molecular mechanisms in solid cancer.

Factors Associated with White Fat Browning: New Regulators of Lipid Metabolism

Mammalian adipose tissue can be divided into white and brown adipose tissue based on its colour, location, and cellular structure. Certain conditions, such as sympathetic nerve excitement, can induce the white adipose adipocytes into a new type of adipocytes, known as beige adipocytes. The process, leading to the conversion of white adipocytes into beige adipocytes, is called white fat browning. The dynamic balance between white and beige adipocytes is closely related to the body’s metabolic homeostasis. Studying the signal transduction pathways of the white fat browning might provide novel ideas for the treatment of obesity and alleviation of obesity-related glucose and lipid metabolism disorders. This article aimed to provide an overview of recent advances in understanding white fat browning and the role of BAT in lipid metabolism.

Opportunities and challenges for co-delivery nanomedicines based on combination of phytochemicals with chemotherapeutic drugs in cancer treatment

The therapeutic limitations such as insufficient efficacy, drug resistance, metastasis, and undesirable side effects are frequently caused by the long duration monotherapy based on chemotherapeutic drugs. multiple combinational anticancer strategies such as nucleic acids combined with chemotherapeutic agents, chemotherapeutic combinations, chemotherapy and tumor immunotherapy combinations have been embraced, holding great promise to counter these limitations, while still taking including some potential risks. Nowadays, an increasing number of research has manifested the anticancer effects of phytochemicals mediated by modulating cancer cellular events directly as well as the tumor microenvironment. Specifically, these natural compounds exhibited suppression of cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion of cancer cells, P-glycoprotein inhibition, decreasing vascularization and activation of tumor immunosuppression. Due to the low toxicity and multiple modulation pathways of these phytochemicals, the combination of chemotherapeutic agents with natural compounds acts as a novel approach to cancer therapy to increase the efficiency of cancer treatments as well as reduce the adverse consequences. In order to achieve the maximized combination advantages of small-molecule chemotherapeutic drugs and natural compounds, a variety of functional nano-scaled drug delivery systems, such as liposomes, host-guest supramolecules, supramolecules, dendrimers, micelles and inorganic systems have been developed for dual/multiple drug co-delivery. These co-delivery nanomedicines can improve pharmacokinetic behavior, tumor accumulation capacity, and achieve tumor site-targeting delivery. In that way, the improved antitumor effects through multiple-target therapy and reduced side effects by decreasing dose can be implemented. Here, we present the synergistic anticancer outcomes and the related mechanisms of the combination of phytochemicals with small-molecule anticancer drugs. We also focus on illustrating the design concept, and action mechanisms of nanosystems with co-delivery of drugs to synergistically improve anticancer efficacy. In addition, the challenges and prospects of how these insights can be translated into clinical benefits are discussed.

Reactive Oxygen Species Bridge the Gap between Chronic Inflammation and Tumor Development

According to numerous animal studies, adverse environmental stimuli, including physical, chemical, and biological factors, can cause low-grade chronic inflammation and subsequent tumor development. Human epidemiological evidence has confirmed the close relationship between chronic inflammation and tumorigenesis. However, the mechanisms driving the development of persistent inflammation toward tumorigenesis remain unclear. In this study, we assess the potential role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and associated mechanisms in modulating inflammation-induced tumorigenesis. Recent reports have emphasized the cross-talk between oxidative stress and inflammation in many pathological processes. Exposure to carcinogenic environmental hazards may lead to oxidative damage, which further stimulates the infiltration of various types of inflammatory cells. In turn, increased cytokine and chemokine release from inflammatory cells promotes ROS production in chronic lesions, even in the absence of hazardous stimuli. Moreover, ROS not only cause DNA damage but also participate in cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis by modulating several transcription factors and signaling pathways. We summarize how changes in the redox state can trigger the development of chronic inflammatory lesions into tumors. Generally, cancer cells require an appropriate inflammatory microenvironment to support their growth, spread, and metastasis, and ROS may provide the necessary catalyst for inflammation-driven cancer. In conclusion, ROS bridge the gap between chronic inflammation and tumor development; therefore, targeting ROS and inflammation represents a new avenue for the prevention and treatment of cancer.

An in-Depth Analysis of Ovarian Cancer: Pathogenesis and Clinical Manifestation

Ovarian cancer is characterized by the establishment of tolerance, the recurrence of disease, as well as a poor prognosis. Gene signatures in ovarian cancer cells enable cancer medicine research, therapy, prevention, & management problematic. Notwithstanding advances in tumor puncture surgery, novel combinations regimens, and abdominal radiation, which can provide outstanding reaction times, the bulk of gynecological tumor patients suffer from side effects & relapse. As a consequence, more therapy alternatives for individuals with ovarian cancer must always be studied to minimize side effects and improve progression-free and total response rates. The development of cancer medications is presently undergoing a renaissance in the quest for descriptive and prognostic ovarian cancer biomarkers. Nevertheless, abnormalities in the BRCA2 or BRCA1 genes, a variety of hereditary predispositions, unexplained onset and progression, molecular tumor diversity, and illness staging can all compromise the responsiveness and accuracy of such indicators. As a result, current ovarian cancer treatments must be supplemented with broad-spectrum & customized targeted therapeutic approaches. The objective of this review is to highlight recent contributions to the knowledge of the interrelations between selected ovarian tumor markers, various perception signs, and biochemical and molecular signaling processes, as well as one's interpretation of much more targeted and effective treatment interventions.

The Role of m6A RNA Methylation in Cancer: Implication for Nature Products Anti-Cancer Research

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation is identified as the most common, abundant and reversible RNA epigenetic modification in messenger RNA (mRNA) and non-coding RNA, especially within eukaryotic messenger RNAs (mRNAs), which post-transcriptionally directs many important processes of RNA. It has also been demonstrated that m6A modification plays a pivotal role in the occurrence and development of tumors by regulating RNA splicing, localization, translation, stabilization and decay. Growing number of studies have indicated that natural products have outstanding anti-cancer effects of their unique advantages of high efficiency and minimal side effects. However, at present, there are very few research articles to study and explore the relationship between natural products and m6A RNA modification in tumorigenesis. m6A is dynamically deposited, removed, and recognized by m6A methyltransferases (METTL3/14, METTL16, WTAP, RBM15/15B, VIRMA, CBLL1, and ZC3H13, called as “writers”), demethylases (FTO and ALKBH5, called as “erasers”), and m6A-specific binding proteins (YTHDF1/2/3, YTHDC1/2, IGH2BP1/2/3, hnRNPs, eIF3, and FMR1, called as “readers”), respectively. In this review, we summarize the biological function of m6A modification, the role of m6A and the related signaling pathway in cancer, such as AKT, NF-kB, MAPK, ERK, Wnt/β-catenin, STAT, p53, Notch signaling pathway, and so on. Furthermore, we reviewed the current research on nature products in anti-tumor, and further to get a better understanding of the anti-tumor mechanism, thus provide an implication for nature products with anti-cancer research by regulating m6A modification in the future.

Active Compounds in Fruits and Inflammation in the Body

Inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of many diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, atherosclerosis, diabetes, asthma, and cancer. An appropriate diet and the active compounds contained in it can affect various stages of the inflammatory process and significantly affect the course of inflammatory diseases. Recent reports indicate that polyphenolic acids, vitamins, minerals, and other components of fruits may exhibit activity stimulating an anti-inflammatory response, which may be of importance in maintaining health and reducing the risk of disease. The article presents the latest data on the chemical composition of fruits and the health benefits arising from their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. The chemical composition of fruits determines their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, but the mechanisms of action are not fully understood.

Anti-tumor pharmacology of natural products targeting mitosis

Cancer has been an insurmountable problem in the history of medical science. The uncontrollable proliferation of cancer cells is one of cancer’s main characteristics, which is closely associated with abnormal mitosis. Targeting mitosis is an effective method for cancer treatment. This review summarizes several natural products with anti-tumor effects related to mitosis, focusing on targeting microtubulin, inducing DNA damage, and modulating mitosis-associated kinases. Furthermore, the main disadvantages of several typical compounds, including drug resistance, toxicity to non-tumor tissues, and poor aqueous solubility and pharmacokinetic properties, are also discussed, together with strategies to address them. Improved understanding of cancer cell mitosis and natural products may pave the way to drug development for the treatment of cancer.

Resveratrol Induces Autophagy and Apoptosis in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Cells by Activating the NGFR-AMPK-mTOR Pathway

Resveratrol (RSV) has been reported to induce autophagy and apoptosis in non-small-cell lung cancer A549 cells, and the nerve growth factor receptor (NGFR) regulates autophagy and apoptosis in many other cells. However, the effect of NGFR on autophagy and apoptosis induced by RSV in A549 cells remains unclear. Here, we found that RSV reduced the cell survival rate in time- and concentration-dependent manners, activating autophagy and apoptosis. Lethal autophagy was triggered by RSV higher than 55 μM. The relationship between autophagy and apoptosis depended on the type of autophagy. Specifically, mutual promotion was observed between apoptosis and lethal autophagy. Conversely, cytoprotective autophagy facilitated apoptosis but was unaffected by apoptosis. RSV enhanced NGFR by increasing mRNA expression and prolonging the lifespan of NGFR mRNA and proteins. RSV antagonized the enhanced autophagy and apoptosis caused by NGFR knockdown. As the downstream pathway of NGFR, AMPK-mTOR played a positive role in RSV-induced autophagy and apoptosis. Overall, RSV-induced autophagy and apoptosis in A549 cells are regulated by the NGFR-AMPK-mTOR signaling pathway.

Identification of biomarkers for immunotherapy response in prostate cancer and potential drugs to alleviate immunosuppression

Background: Immunotherapy has a significant effect on the treatment of many tumor types. However, prostate cancers generally fail to show significant responses to immunotherapy owing to their immunosuppressive microenvironments. To sustain progress towards more effective immunotherapy for prostate cancer, comprehensive analyses of the genetic characteristics of the immune microenvironment and novel therapeutic strategies are required.

Methods: The transcriptome profiles of patients with prostate cancer were obtained from GEO and processed with the TIDE algorithm to predict their responses to immunotherapy. Next, the significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the responder and non-responder groups were identified and used to compute the co-expression modules by WGCNA. Then, co-expression networks were constructed and survival analysis was applied to hub genes. Finally, drug candidates to alleviate immunosuppression were filtered in prostate cancer using GSEA based on hub genes.

Results: In total, we identified 2758 significant DEGs and constructed 16 co-expression modules, seven of which were significantly correlated with the immune response score. In total, 133 hub genes were identified, of which 13 were significantly associated with prostate cancer prognosis. Co-expression networks of hub genes were constructed with KMT2B at the center. Finally, six candidate drugs for prostate cancer immunotherapy were identified in PC3 and LNCaP cell lines.

Conclusions: We obtained datasets from multiple platforms, performed integrated bioinformatic analysis to identify 133 hub genes and 13 biomarkers of an immunotherapy response, and six candidate drugs were filtered to inhibit the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, to ultimately improve patient responses to immunotherapy in prostate cancer.

Resveratrol inhibits the proliferation, invasion, and migration, and induces the apoptosis of human gastric cancer cells through the MALAT1/miR-383-5p/DDIT4 signaling pathway

Background

We aimed to study the effects and potential mechanism of resveratrol (RS) in gastric cancer (GC).

Methods

The human GC cell line SGC7901 was treated with different concentrations of RS (0, 1, 5 µM) for 24 hours. The messenger ribonucleic acid or protein expressions levels of metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1), micro ribonucleic acid-383-5p (miR-383-5p), and DNA damage-inducible transcript 4 (DDIT4) in GC cells were determined by Western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain assays. Cells were then transfected with miR-383-5p inhibitor (inhibitor), inhibitor negative control (NC), MALAT1-interfering RNA (si-MALAT1), si-DDIT4 and negative interference control (si-NC). The Cell Counting Kit-8 method, scratch assay, and transwell assay were performed to evaluate cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Additionally, flow cytometry was used to examine apoptosis, and the target relationship was examined by a luciferase-reporter gene analysis.

Results

RS treatment downregulated the expression of MALAT1, repressed cell proliferation, inhibited cell migration and invasion (all P<0.05), and induced apoptosis (P<0.05) in GC cells. When the cells were treated with RS and inhibited the expression of MALAT1 meanwhile, the above anti-cancer effects were more significant (all P<0.05). Target prediction and the luciferase-reporter gene analysis showed that MALAT1 targeted miR-383-5p (P<0.05). When suppressing the expression of MALAT1 and miR-383-5p, the anti-cancer effects caused by the silencing of MALAT1 were absent (all P<0.05). We also found that miR-383-5p targeted DDIT4 protein. When the expression of miR-383-5p and DDIT4 in the GC cells was inhibited, the promoting cancer effects caused by the inhibition of miR-383-5p were reversed (all P<0.05).

Conclusions

This study found that RS inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of human GC cells through the metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1)/miR-383-5p/DDIT4 pathway and induced apoptosis.

Improved water solubility, chemical stability, antioxidant and anticancer activity of resveratrol via nanoencapsulation with pea protein nanofibrils

Fabricated pea protein isolate (PPI) nanofibrils were used as nanocarriers to encapsulate, stabilize and deliver resveratrol (RES). PPI nanofibrils possessed a dramatically higher surface hydrophobicity than PPI (native), and PPI nanofibrils exhibited nanoscale widths of 10 nm and average lengths of 1.0 μm. Fluorescence analyses demonstrated PPI nanofibrils had high binding constant with RES. Compared with RES (free), the aqueous solubility of RES was improved by approximately 1000-fold with PPI nanofibrils complex. DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity assays showed that the antioxidant capacity of RES was pronouncedly enhanced through the nanocomplexation with PPI nanofibrils. RES-PPI nanofibrils complexes exhibited higher antiproliferative activities than RES (free), with the cell viabilities of 52.6% and 38.5% for RES (free) and RES-PPI nanofibrils complex at 20 μg/mL. This study demonstrates that PPI nanofibrils can be utilized as novel nanocarriers for improvements of the water solubility, chemical stability and in vitro biological activities of hydrophobic nutraceuticals.

Polyphenol Characterization and Antioxidant Activity of Grape Seeds and Skins from Sicily: A Preliminary Study

The interest in the consumption of health-promoting foods has led to identifying derivatives of the wine industry as products to increase the functional properties of different foods or to design new functional foods. The main goal of this study is to characterize and valorize byproducts and wastes of Sicilian grapes as new sources of bioactive components, from the perspective of a circular economy and a biorefinery approach. In particular, this research investigated: 1. the total phenolic content and antioxidant activities and 2. the phenolic profiles of free and bound fractions of defatted grape seeds and red grape skins from Sicily. Defatted grape seeds (DGS) and red grape skins (RGSK) are rich in phenolic compounds. Twenty biophenols were found in the defatted seeds and red grape skins. Particularly interesting were the results obtained after basic hydrolysis, which allowed the release of biophenols from the matrix. The degreased grape seeds showed p-coumaric acid levels at 4641.65 µg g−1, gallic acid at 2649.23 µg g−1, and caffeic acid at 1474.13 µg g−1, along with appreciable quantities of myricetin, epicatechin, and quercetin. As a sustainable approach, the reuse and the value added of the byproducts and wastes of grapes grown in Sicily is shown, which makes possible new applications in different fields, i.e., nutraceuticals.

Comprehensive Analysis of DNA Methylation and Transcriptome to Identify PD-1-Negative Prognostic Methylated Signature in Endometrial Carcinoma

Background

Epigenetic mechanism plays an important role in endometrial carcinoma (EC). This study was designed to analyze the epigenetic mechanism between DNA methylation-driven genes (DEDGs) and drugs targeting DEDGs and to develop a DEDG score model for predicting the prognosis of EC.

Methods

Expression profile and methylation profile data of PD-1-negative EC samples were obtained from TCGA. To obtain intersected DEDGs, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially methylated genes from tumor tissues and normal tissues were analyzed by limma. A linear discriminant classification model was constructed using the gene expression profile of DMDGs, methylation profile of TSS1500, TSS200, and gene body regions. Principal component analysis (PCA) and ROC analysis were conducted. The protein-drug interactions analysis of DMDGs was performed using Network Analyst 3.0 tool. Lasso Cox regression analysis was used to screen prognostic DNA methylation driving gene and to build a risk score model. The ROC curve and Kaplan-Meier survival curve were plotted to evaluate the model prediction capability.

Results

A total of 96 DMDGs were screened from the three regions, distributed on 22 chromosomes, with consistent methylation patterns in different gene regions. Both the expression profile and methylation profile of the three regions can neatly distinguish tumor samples from normal ones, with a high classifying performance. A gene signature, which consisted of ELFN1-AS1 and ZNF132, could classify EC patients into a high-risk group and low-risk group. Prognosis of the high-risk group was significantly worse than that of the low-risk group. The risk model showed a high performance in predicting the prognosis of EC.

Conclusion

We successfully established a risk score system with two DMDGs, which showed a high prediction accuracy of EC prognosis.

Mitochondrial Damage in Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury and Application of Natural Plant Products

Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is currently one of the leading causes of death among cardiovascular diseases worldwide. In addition, blood reflow and reperfusion paradoxically also lead to further death of cardiomyocytes and increase the infarct size. Multiple evidences indicated that mitochondrial function and structural disorders were the basic driving force of IHD. We summed up the latest evidence of the basic associations and underlying mechanisms of mitochondrial damage in the event of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. This review then reviewed natural plant products (NPPs) which have been demonstrated to mitochondria-targeted therapeutic effects during I/R injury and the potential pathways involved. We realized that NPPs mainly maintained the integrality of mitochondria membrane and ameliorated dysfunction, such as improving abnormal mitochondrial calcium handling and inhibiting oxidative stress, so as to protect cardiomyocytes during I/R injury. This information will improve our knowledge of mitochondrial biology and I/R-induced injury's pathogenesis and exhibit that NPPs hold promise for translation into potential therapies that target mitochondria.

Resveratrol and Curcumin for Chagas Disease Treatment—A Systematic Review

Chagas disease (CD) is a neglected protozoan infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, which affects about 7 million people worldwide. There are two available drugs in therapeutics, however, they lack effectiveness for the chronic stage—characterized mainly by cardiac (i.e., cardiomyopathy) and digestive manifestations (i.e., megaesophagus, megacolon). Due to the involvement of the immuno-inflammatory pathways in the disease’s progress, compounds exhibiting antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity seem to be effective for controlling some clinical manifestations, mainly in the chronic phase. Resveratrol (RVT) and curcumin (CUR) are natural compounds with potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and their cardioprotective effect have been proposed to have benefits to treat CD. Such effects could decrease or block the progression of the disease’s severity. The purpose of this systematic review is to analyze the effectiveness of RVT and CUR in animal and clinical research for the treatment of CD. The study was performed according to PRISMA guidelines and it was registered on PROSPERO (CDR42021293495). The results did not find any clinical study, and the animal research was analyzed according to the SYRCLES risk of bias tools and ARRIVE 2.0 guidelines. We found 9 eligible reports in this study. We also discuss the potential RVT and CUR derivatives for the treatment of CD as well.

Protective effect of food derived nutrients on cisplatin nephrotoxicity and its mechanism

Platinum-based metal complexes, especially cisplatin (cis-diamminedichloroplatinum II, CDDP), possess strong anticancer properties and a broad anticancer spectrum. However, the clinical application of CDDP has been limited by its side effects including nephrotoxicity, ototoxicity, and neurotoxicity. Furthermore, the therapeutic effects of current clinical protocols are imperfect. Accordingly, it is essential to identify key targets and effective clinical protocols to restrict CDDP-induced nephrotoxicity. Herein, we first analyzed the relevant molecular mechanisms during the process of CDDP-induced nephrotoxicity including oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammation. Evidence from current studies was collected and potential targets and clinical protocols are summarized. The evidence indicates an efficacious role of nutrition-based substances in CDDP-induced renal injury.

Resveratrol regulates Hsp60 in HEK 293T cells during activation of SIRT1 revealed by nascent protein labeling strategy

Background

Resveratrol, a well-known natural compound and nutrient, activates the deacetylation ability of SIRT1, demonstrating p53-dependent apoptosis functions in many diseases. However, the nascent proteomic fluctuation caused by resveratrol is still unclear.

Objective

In this study, we investigated the effect of resveratrol on the nascent proteome and transcriptome initiated by SIRT1 activation, and we explored the mechanism of resveratrol in HEK 293T cells.

Methods

Bioorthogonal noncanonical amino acid tagging (BONCAT) is a method used to metabolically label nascent proteins. In this strategy, L-azidohomoalanine (AHA) was used to replace methionine (Met) under different conditions. Taking advantage of the click reaction between AHA and terminal alkyne- and disulfide-functionalized agarose resin (TAD resin), we were able to efficiently separate stimulation responsive proteins from the pre-existing proteome. Resveratrol responsive proteins were identified by Liquid Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer/Mass Spectrometer (LC-MS/MS). Furthermore, changes in mRNA levels were analyzed by transcriptome sequencing.

Results

Integrational analysis revealed a resveratrol response in HEK 293T cells and showed that Hsp60 was downregulated at both the nascent protein and mRNA levels. Knockdown of SIRT1 and Hsp60 provides evidence that resveratrol downregulated Hsp60 through SIRT1 and that Hsp60 decreased p53 through the Akt pathway.

Conclusions

This study revealed dynamic changes in the nascent proteome and transcriptome in response to resveratrol in HEK 293T cells and demonstrated that resveratrol downregulates Hsp60 by activating SIRT1, which may be a possible mechanism by which resveratrol prevents p53-dependent apoptosis by regulating Hsp60.

Stilbenes: Source plants, chemistry, biosynthesis, pharmacology, application and problems related to their clinical Application-A comprehensive review

Stilbenes are some of the important phenolic compounds originating from plant families like Vitaceae, Leguminaceae, Gnetaceae, and Dipterocarpaceae. Structurally, they have a C6-C2-C6 skeleton, usually with two isomeric forms. Stilbenes are biosynthesized due to biotic and abiotic stresses such as microbial infections, high temperatures, and oxidation. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of stilbenes' botanical sources, chemistry, biosynthetic pathways, pharmacology, and clinical applications and challenges based on up-to-date data. All included studies were collected from PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and CNKI, and the presented data from these indexed studies were analyzed and summarized. A total of 459 natural stilbene compounds from 45 plant families and 196 plant species were identified. Pharmacological studies also show that stilbenes have various activities such as anticancer, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-degenerative diseases, anti-diabetic, neuroprotective, anti-aging, and cardioprotective effects. Stilbene synthase (STS) is the key enzyme involved in stilbene biosynthetic pathways. Studies on the therapeutic application of stilbenes pinpoint that challenges such as low bioavailability and isomerization are the major bottlenecks for their development as therapeutic drugs. Although the medicinal uses of several stilbenes have been demonstrated in vivo and in vitro, studies on the development of stilbenes deserve more attention in the future.

A novel resveratrol analog upregulates sirtuin 1 and inhibits inflammatory cell infiltration in acute pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis (AP), an inflammatory disorder of the pancreas, is a complicated disease without specific drug therapy. (R)-4,6-dimethoxy-3-(4-methoxy phenyl)-2,3-dihydro-1H-indanone [(R)-TML104] is a synthesized analog of the natural product resveratrol sesquiterpenes (±) -isopaucifloral F. This study aimed to investigate the effect and underlying mechanism of (R)-TML104 on AP. The experimental AP model was induced by caerulein hyperstimulation in BALB/c mice. (R)-TML104 markedly attenuated caerulein-induced AP, as evidenced by decreased pancreatic edema, serum amylase levels, serum lipase levels, and pancreatic myeloperoxidase activity. In addition, (R)-TML104 significantly inhibited the expression of pancreatic chemokines C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 and the infiltration of neutrophils and macrophages. Mechanistically, (R)-TML104 activated AMP-activated protein kinase and induced sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) expression. (R)-TML104 treatment markedly induced the SIRT1-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) interaction and reduced acetylation of STAT3, thus inhibiting the inflammatory response mediated by the interleukin 6-STAT3 pathway. The effect of (R)-TML104 on SIRT1-STAT3 interaction was reversed by treatment with a SIRT1 inhibitor selisistat (EX527). Together, our findings indicate that (R)-TML104 alleviates experimental pancreatitis by reducing the infiltration of inflammatory cells through modulating SIRT1.

Future challenges in gastroenterology and hepatology, between innovations and unmet needs: A SIGE Young Editorial Board's perspective

Gastroenterology, Digestive Endoscopy and Hepatology have faced significant improvements in terms of diagnosis and therapy in the last decades. However, many fields still remain poorly explored, and many questions unanswered. Moreover, basic-science, as well as translational and clinical discoveries, together with technology advancement will determine further steps toward a better, refined care for many gastroenterological disorders in the future. Therefore, the Young Investigators of the Italian Society of Gastroenterology (SIGE) joined together, offering a perspective on major future innovations in some hot clinical topics in Gastroenterology, Endoscopy, and Hepatology, as well as the current pitfalls and the grey zones.

Dietary Polyphenols: Extraction, Identification, Bioavailability, and Role for Prevention and Treatment of Colorectal and Prostate Cancers

Fruits, vegetables, and other edible plants in our diet have numerous health benefits, due to the bioactive compounds in these food items, including polyphenols. These plants are a rich and promising source of natural products and phytochemicals that can be used to treat and prevent numerous diseases and prevent the progression of cancer. Dietary polyphenols exhibit chemo-preventive and therapeutic effects against various ailments, including several types of cancer. The current study focuses on polyphenol’s traditional and advanced extraction methods, with supercritical extraction as a novel approach. It also deals with their identification, bioavailability, and role in preventing and treating colorectal and prostate cancers. Additionally, the article covers the literature that deals with the anticancer activities of polyphenols, as well as their potential use as anticancer agents.

JAK/STAT Signaling: Molecular Targets, Therapeutic Opportunities, and Limitations of Targeted Inhibitions in Solid Malignancies

JAK/STAT signaling pathway is one of the important regulatory signaling cascades for the myriad of cellular processes initiated by various types of ligands such as growth factors, hormones, and cytokines. The physiological processes regulated by JAK/STAT signaling are immune regulation, cell proliferation, cell survival, apoptosis and hematopoiesis of myeloid and non-myeloid cells. Dysregulation of JAK/STAT signaling is reported in various immunological disorders, hematological and other solid malignancies through various oncogenic activation mutations in receptors, downstream mediators, and associated transcriptional factors such as STATs. STATs typically have a dual role when explored in the context of cancer. While several members of the STAT family are involved in malignancies, however, a few members which include STAT3 and STAT5 are linked to tumor initiation and progression. Other STAT members such as STAT1 and STAT2 are pivotal for antitumor defense and maintenance of an effective and long-term immune response through evolutionarily conserved programs. The effects of JAK/STAT signaling and the persistent activation of STATs in tumor cell survival; proliferation and invasion have made the JAK/STAT pathway an ideal target for drug development and cancer therapy. Therefore, understanding the intricate JAK/STAT signaling in the pathogenesis of solid malignancies needs extensive research. A better understanding of the functionally redundant roles of JAKs and STATs may provide a rationale for improving existing cancer therapies which have deleterious effects on normal cells and to identifying novel targets for therapeutic intervention in solid malignancies.

Natural Compounds Targeting Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts against Digestive System Tumor Progression: Therapeutic Insights

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are critical for cancer occurrence and progression in the tumor microenvironment (TME), due to their versatile roles in extracellular matrix remodeling, tumor–stroma crosstalk, immunomodulation, and angiogenesis. CAFs are the most abundant stromal component in the TME and undergo epigenetic modification and abnormal signaling cascade activation, such as transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and Wnt pathways that maintain the distinct phenotype of CAFs, which differs from normal fibroblasts. CAFs have been considered therapeutic targets due to their putative oncogenic functions. Current digestive system cancer treatment strategies often result in lower survival outcomes and fail to prevent cancer progression; therefore, comprehensive characterization of the tumor-promoting and -restraining CAF activities might facilitate the design of new therapeutic approaches. In this review, we summarize the enormous literature on natural compounds that mediate the crosstalk of CAFs with digestive system cancer cells, discuss how the biology and the multifaceted functions of CAFs contribute to cancer progression, and finally, pave the way for CAF-related antitumor therapies.

Stilbenes: Characterization, bioactivity, encapsulation and structural modifications. A review of their current limitations and promising approaches

Stilbenes are phenolic compounds naturally synthesized as secondary metabolites by the shikimate pathway in plants. Research on them has increased in recent years due to their therapeutic potential as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, cardioprotective and anti-obesity agents. Amongst them, resveratrol has attracted the most attention, although there are other natural and synthesized stilbenes with enhanced properties. However, stilbenes have some physicochemical and pharmacokinetic problems that need to be overcome before considering their applications. Human clinical evidence of their bioactivity is still controversial due to this fact and hence, exhaustive basis science on stilbenes is needed before applied science. This review gathers the main physicochemical and biological properties of natural stilbenes, establishes structure-activity relationships among them, emphasizing the current problems that limit their applications and presenting some promising approaches to overcome these issues: the encapsulation in different agents and the structural modification to obtain novel stilbenes with better features. The bioactivity of stilbenes should move from promising to evident.