Black raspberries demethylate Sfrp4, a WNT pathway antagonist, in rat esophageal squamous cell papilloma

Aronia melanocarpa L. fruit peels show anti-cancer effects in preclinical models of breast carcinoma: The perspectives in the chemoprevention and therapy modulation

Introduction

Within oncology research, there is a high effort for new approaches to prevent and treat cancer as a life-threatening disease. Specific plant species that adapt to harsh conditions may possess unique properties that may be utilized in the management of cancer.

Hypothesis

Chokeberry fruit is rich in secondary metabolites with anti-cancer activities potentially useful in cancer prevention and treatment.

Aims of the study and Methods

Based on mentioned hypothesis, the main goal of our study was to evaluate the antitumor effects of dietary administered Aronia melanocarpa L. fruit peels (in two concentrations of 0.3 and 3% [w/w]) in the therapeutic syngeneic 4T1 mouse adenocarcinoma model, the chemopreventive model of chemically induced mammary carcinogenesis in rats, a cell antioxidant assay, and robust in vitro analyses using MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cancer cells.

Results

The dominant metabolites in the A. melanocarpa fruit peel extract tested were phenolic derivatives classified as anthocyanins and procyanidins. In a therapeutic model, aronia significantly reduced the volume of 4T1 tumors at both higher and lower doses. In the same tumors, we noted a significant dose-dependent decrease in the mitotic activity index compared to the control. In the chemopreventive model, the expression of Bax was significantly increased by aronia at both doses. Additionally, aronia decreased Bcl-2 and VEGF levels, increasing the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio compared to the control group. The cytoplasmic expression of caspase-3 was significantly enhanced when aronia was administered at a higher dosage, in contrast to both the control group and the aronia group treated with a lower dosage. Furthermore, the higher dosage of aronia exhibited a significant reduction in the expression of the tumor stem cell marker CD133 compared to the control group. In addition, the examination of aronia`s epigenetic impact on tumor tissue through in vivo analyses revealed significant alterations in histone chemical modifications, specifically H3K4m3 and H3K9m3, miRNAs expression (miR155, miR210, and miR34a) and methylation status of tumor suppressor genes (PTEN and TIMP3). In vitro studies utilizing a methanolic extract of A.melanocarpa demonstrated significant anti-cancer properties in the MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. Various analyses, including Resazurin, cell cycle, annexin V/PI, caspase-3/7, Bcl-2, PARP, and mitochondrial membrane potential, were conducted in this regard. Additionally, the aronia extract enhanced the responsiveness to epirubicin in both cancer cell lines.

Conclusion

This study is the first to analyze the antitumor effect of A. melanocarpa in selected models of experimental breast carcinoma in vivo and in vitro. The utilization of the antitumor effects of aronia in clinical practice is still minimal and requires precise and long-term clinical evaluations. Individualized cancer-type profiling and patient stratification are crucial for effectively implementing plant nutraceuticals within targeted anti-cancer strategies in clinical oncology.

Rubus Occidentalis and its bioactive compounds against cancer: From molecular mechanisms to translational advances

BACKGROUND

Cancer ranks as the second leading cause of death globally, imposing a significant public health burden. The rise in cancer resistance to current therapeutic agents underscores the potential role of phytotherapy. Black raspberry (BRB, Rubus Occidentalis) is a fruit rich in anthocyanins, ellagic acid, and ellagitannins. Accumulating evidence suggests that BRB exhibits promising anticancer effects, positioning it as a viable candidate for phytotherapy.

PURPOSE

This article aims to review the existing research on BRB regarding its role in cancer prevention and treatment. It further analyzes the effective components of BRB, their metabolic pathways, and the potential mechanisms underlying the fruit's anticancer effects.

METHODS

Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and CENTRAL were searched through the terms of Black Raspberry, Raspberry, and Rubus Occidentali up to January 2023. Two reviewers performed the study selection by screening the title and abstract. Full texts of potentially eligible studies were retrieved to access the details.

RESULTS

Out of the 767 articles assessed, 73 papers met the inclusion criteria. Among them, 63 papers investigated the anticancer mechanisms, while 10 conducted clinical trials focusing on cancer treatment or prevention. BRB was found to influence multiple cancer hallmarks by targeting various pathways. Decomposition of free radicals and regulation of estrogen metabolism, BRB can reduce DNA damage caused by reactive oxygen species. BRB can also enhance the function of nucleotide excision repair to repair DNA lesions. Through regulation of epigenetics, BRB can enhance the expression of tumor suppressor genes, inducing cell cycle arrest, and promoting apoptosis and pyroptosis. BRB can reduce the energy and nutrients supply to the cancer nest by inhibiting glycolysis and reducing angiogenesis. The immune and inflammatory microenvironment surrounding cancer cells can also be ameliorated by BRB, inhibiting cancer initiation and progression. However, the limited bioavailability of BRB diminishes its anticancer efficacy. Notably, topical applications of BRB, such as gels and suppositories, have demonstrated significant clinical benefits.

CONCLUSION

BRB inhibits cancer initiation, progression, and metastasis through diverse anticancer mechanisms while exhibiting minimal side effects. Given its potential, BRB emerges as a promising phototherapeutic agent for cancer treatment.

Berries vs. Disease: Revenge of the Phytochemicals

Secondary metabolites and phytochemicals in plant-based diets are known to possess properties that inhibit the development of several diseases including a variety of cancers of the aerodigestive tract. Berries are currently of high interest to researchers due to their high dietary source of phytochemicals. Black raspberries (BRB), Rubus occidentalis, are of special interest due to their rich and diverse composition of phytochemicals. In this review, we present the most up-to-date preclinical and clinical data involving berries and their phytochemicals in the chemoprevention of a variety of cancers and diseases. BRBs possess a variety of health benefits including anti-proliferative properties, anti-inflammatory activity, activation of pro-cell-death pathways, modulation of the immune response, microbiome modulation, reduction in oxidative stress, and many more. However, little has been done in both preclinical and clinical settings on the effects of BRB administration in combination with other cancer therapies currently available for patients. With the high potential for BRBs as chemopreventive agents, there is a need to investigate their potential in combination with other treatments to improve therapeutic efficacy.

Epigenetic modifications in esophageal cancer: An evolving biomarker

Esophageal cancer is a widespread cancer of the digestive system that has two main subtypes: esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA). In the diverse range of cancer therapy schemes, the side effects of conventional treatments remain an urgent challenge to be addressed. Therefore, the pursuit of novel drugs with multiple targets, good efficacy, low side effects, and low cost has become a hot research topic in anticancer therapy. Based on this, epigenetics offers an attractive target for the treatment of esophageal cancer, where major mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, non-coding RNA regulation, chromatin remodelling and nucleosome localization offer new opportunities for the prevention and treatment of esophageal cancer. Recently, research on epigenetics has remained at a high level of enthusiasm, focusing mainly on translating the basic research into the clinical setting and transforming epigenetic alterations into targets for cancer screening and detection in the clinic. With the increasing emergence of tumour epigenetic markers and antitumor epigenetic drugs, there are also more possibilities for anti-esophageal cancer treatment. This paper focuses on esophageal cancer and epigenetic modifications, with the aim of unravelling the close link between them to facilitate precise and personalized treatment of esophageal cancer.

Natural Products for Esophageal Cancer Therapy: From Traditional Medicine to Modern Drug Discovery

Esophageal cancer (EC) is one of the most malignant types of cancer worldwide and has a high incidence and mortality rate in Asian countries. When it comes to treating EC, although primary methods such as chemotherapy and surgery exist, the prognosis remains poor. The purpose of this current research is to review the range of effects that natural products have on cancer by analyzing studies conducted on EC. Fifty-seven studies were categorized into four anti-cancer mechanisms, as well as clinical trials. The studies that were scrutinized in this research were all reported within five years. The majority of the substances reviewed induced apoptosis in EC, acting on a variety of mechanisms. Taken together, this study supports the fact that natural products have the potential to act as a candidate for treating EC.

Chemopreventive Properties of Black Raspberries and Strawberries in Esophageal Cancer Review

Esophageal cancer is one of the most fetal malignancies in the world. Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (AC) are two main types of esophageal cancer and each with distinct epidemiological, etiological and histopathological characteristics. The continued global prevalence of tobacco use and alcohol consumption, coupled with limited intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, ensures that esophageal cancer will remain one of the major health threats. In addition to promoting quitting smoking and alcohol abuse, one of the strategies of cancer prevention is to identify foods, food components, or dietary patterns that can prevent or delay the onset of esophageal cancer. A food-based approach has the advantage of a complex of mixtures of bioactive components simultaneously targeting multiple processes in carcinogenesis. We have employed a preclinical rodent model of esophageal SCC to assess the effects of black raspberries (BRB) and strawberries. Our investigations demonstrate that BRB and strawberries are potent inhibitors of esophageal cancer. To prepare for this review, a literature search was performed to screen BRB and strawberries against esophageal cancer using electronic databases from PubMed, Science Direct and Google Scholar. Search was conducted covering the period from January 2000 to June 2022. Our present review has provided a systematic review about chemopreventive effects of BRB and strawberries in esophageal cancer by collecting and compiling diverse research findings from the above sources. In this review, we discussed the anti-tumor potentials of BRB and strawberries in esophageal SCC and esophageal AC separately. For each cancer type, we discuss animal models and research findings from both animal bioassays and human clinical studies. We also discuss the potential mechanisms of action of berries and their key bioactive components.

New gene targets in the study of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism

The incidence of congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) is approximately 1-10 in 100,000 live births. Known syndromes, such as Kallman syndrome, caused by a mutation in the KAL-1 gene, and other genes listed in the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man database, account for 2/3 of the cases. The rest of these cases where there is no known genetic cause for HH are termed idiopathic. In this editorial, I describe each of the articles in the Special Issue on Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism, with a focus on new genes that might be included in future screens of idiopathic patients.

Rhus coriaria L. (Sumac) Demonstrates Oncostatic Activity in the Therapeutic and Preventive Model of Breast Carcinoma

Comprehensive scientific data provide evidence that isolated phytochemicals or whole plant foods may beneficially modify carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the oncostatic activities of Rhus coriaria L. (sumac) using animal models (rat and mouse), and cell lines of breast carcinoma. R. coriaria (as a powder) was administered through the diet at two concentrations (low dose: 0.1% (w/w) and high dose: 1 % (w/w)) for the duration of the experiment in a syngeneic 4T1 mouse and chemically-induced rat mammary carcinoma models. After autopsy, histopathological and molecular analyses of tumor samples in rodents were performed. Moreover, in vitro analyses using MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were conducted. The dominant metabolites present in tested R. coriaria methanolic extract were glycosides of gallic acid (possible gallotannins). In the mouse model, R. coriaria at a higher dose (1%) significantly decreased tumor volume by 27% when compared to controls. In addition, treated tumors showed significant dose-dependent decrease in mitotic activity index by 36.5% and 51% in comparison with the control group. In the chemoprevention study using rats, R. coriaria at a higher dose significantly reduced the tumor incidence by 20% and in lower dose non-significantly reduced tumor frequency by 29% when compared to controls. Evaluations of the mechanism of oncostatic action using valid clinical markers demonstrated several positive alterations in rat tumor cells after the treatment with R. coriaria. In this regard, histopathological analysis of treated tumor specimens showed robust dose-dependent decrease in the ratio of high-/low-grade carcinomas by 66% and 73% compared to controls. In treated rat carcinomas, we found significant caspase-3, Bax, and Bax/Bcl-2 expression increases; on the other side, a significant down-regulation of Bcl-2, Ki67, CD24, ALDH1, and EpCam expressions and MDA levels. When compared to control specimens, evaluation of epigenetic alterations in rat tumor cells in vivo showed significant dose-dependent decrease in lysine methylation status of H3K4m3 and H3K9m3 and dose-dependent increase in lysine acetylation in H4K16ac levels (H4K20m3 was not changed) in treated groups. However, only in lower dose of sumac were significant decreases in the expression of oncogenic miR210 and increase of tumor-suppressive miR145 (miR21, miR22, and miR155 were not changed) observed. Finally, only in lower sumac dose, significant decreases in methylation status of three out of five gene promoters-ATM, PTEN, and TIMP3 (PITX2 and RASSF1 promoters were not changed). In vitro evaluations using methanolic extract of R. coriaria showed significant anticancer efficacy in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells (using Resazurin, cell cycle, annexin V/PI, caspase-3/7, Bcl-2, PARP, and mitochondrial membrane potential analyses). In conclusion, sumac demonstrated significant oncostatic activities in rodent models of breast carcinoma that were validated by mechanistic studies in vivo and in vitro.

Chemopreventive and Therapeutic Efficacy of Cinnamomum zeylanicum L. Bark in Experimental Breast Carcinoma: Mechanistic In Vivo and In Vitro Analyses

Comprehensive oncology research suggests an important role of phytochemicals or whole plant foods in the modulation of signaling pathways associated with anticancer action. The goal of this study is to assess the anticancer activities of Cinnamomum zeylanicum L. using rat, mouse, and cell line breast carcinoma models. C. zeylanicum (as bark powder) was administered in the diet at two concentrations of 0.1% (w/w) and 1% (w/w) during the whole experiment in chemically induced rat mammary carcinomas and a syngeneic 4T1 mouse model. After autopsy, histopathological and molecular evaluations of mammary gland tumors in rodents were carried out. Moreover, in vitro analyses using MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were performed. The dominant metabolites present in the tested C. zeylanicum essential oil (with relative content over 1%) were cinnamaldehyde, cinnamaldehyde dimethyl acetal, cinnamyl acetate, eugenol, linalool, eucalyptol, limonene, o-cymol, and α-terpineol. The natural mixture of mentioned molecules demonstrated significant anticancer effects in our study. In the mouse model, C. zeylanicum at a higher dose (1%) significantly decreased tumor volume by 44% when compared to controls. In addition, treated tumors showed a significant dose-dependent decrease in mitotic activity index by 29% (0.1%) and 45.5% (1%) in comparison with the control group. In rats, C. zeylanicum in both doses significantly reduced the tumor incidence by 15.5% and non-significantly suppressed tumor frequency by more than 30% when compared to controls. An evaluation of the mechanism of anticancer action using valid oncological markers showed several positive changes after treatment with C. zeylanicum. Histopathological analysis of treated rat tumor specimens showed a significant decrease in the ratio of high-/low-grade carcinomas compared to controls. In treated rat carcinomas, we found caspase-3 and Bax expression increase. On the other hand, we observed a decrease in Bcl-2, Ki67, VEGF, and CD24 expressions and MDA levels. Assessment of epigenetic changes in rat tumor cells in vivo showed a significant decrease in lysine methylation status of H3K4m3 and H3K9m3 in the high-dose treated group, a dose-dependent increase in H4K16ac levels (H4K20m3 was not changed), down-regulations of miR21 and miR155 in low-dose cinnamon groups (miR22 and miR34a were not modulated), and significant reduction of the methylation status of two out of five gene promoters-ATM and TIMP3 (PITX2, RASSF1, PTEN promoters were not changed). In vitro study confirmed results of animal studies, in that the essential oil of C. zeylanicum displayed significant anticancer efficacy in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells (using MTS, BrdU, cell cycle, annexin V/PI, caspase-3/7, Bcl-2, PARP, and mitochondrial membrane potential analyses). As a conclusion, C. zeylanicum L. showed chemopreventive and therapeutic activities in animal breast carcinoma models that were also significantly confirmed by mechanistic evaluations in vitro and in vivo.

Ornithine decarboxylase inhibition downregulates multiple pathways involved in the formation of precancerous lesions of esophageal squamous cell cancer

The high incidence and mortality of esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) is a major health problem worldwide. Precancerous lesions of ESCC may either progress to cancer or revert to normal epithelium with appropriate interventions; the bidirectional instability of the precancerous lesions of ESCC provides opportunities for intervention. Reports suggest that the upregulation of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is closely related to carcinogenesis. In this study, we investigated whether ODC may act as a target for chemoprevention in ESCC. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays indicate that ODC expression is higher in esophageal precancerous lesions compared with normal tissue controls. Its overexpression promotes cell proliferation and transformation of normal esophageal epithelial cells, and its activity is increased after N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine (NMBA) induction in Shantou human embryonic esophageal cell line (SHEE) and human immortalized cells (Het1A) cells. In addition, p38 α, extracellular regulated kinase (ERK1/2) in the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway and protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/ribosomal protein S6 kinase (p70S6K) pathways are activated in response to NMBA treatment. Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) is an ODC inhibitor, which inhibits NMBA-induced activation of p38 α, ERK1/2 and AKT/mTOR/p70S6K pathways; this has been verified by Western blotting. DFMO was also found to suppress the development of esophageal precancerous lesions in an NMBA-induced rat model; IHC demonstrated p38 α, ERK1/2, and AKT/mTOR/p70S6K pathways to be downregulated in these rats. These findings indicate the mechanisms by which ODC inhibition suppresses the development of esophageal precancerous lesions by downregulating p38 α, ERK1/2, and AKT/mTOR/p70S6k signaling pathways, ODC may be a potential target for chemoprevention in ESCC.

Review of the health effects of berries and their phytochemicals on the digestive and immune systems

Berries are generally considered beneficial to health. This health-promoting potential has mainly been ascribed to berries' phytochemical and vitamin content, and little attention has been paid to the potential benefits of berries for the digestive tract, despite this being the first point of contact. In vivo studies that described the health effects of berries on individual parts of the digestive tract (ie, the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small and large intestine, microbiome, and immune system) were reviewed. Immune effects were included because a large part of the immune system is located in the intestine. Beneficial health effects were mainly observed for whole berry extracts, not individual berry components. These effects ranged from support of the immune system and beneficial microbiota to reduction in the number and size of premalignant and malignant lesions. These results demonstrate the potency of berries and suggest berries can serve as a strong adjuvant to established treatments or therapies for a variety of gastrointestinal and immune-related illnesses.

DNA Methylation Status in Cancer Disease: Modulations by Plant-Derived Natural Compounds and Dietary Interventions

The modulation of the activity of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) represents a crucial epigenetic mechanism affecting gene expressions or DNA repair mechanisms in the cells. Aberrant modifications in the function of DNMTs are a fundamental event and part of the pathogenesis of human cancer. Phytochemicals, which are biosynthesized in plants in the form of secondary metabolites, represent an important source of biomolecules with pleiotropic effects and thus provide a wide range of possible clinical applications. It is well documented that phytochemicals demonstrate significant anticancer properties, and in this regard, rapid development within preclinical research is encouraging. Phytochemicals affect several epigenetic molecular mechanisms, including DNA methylation patterns such as the hypermethylation of tumor-suppressor genes and the global hypomethylation of oncogenes, that are specific cellular signs of cancer development and progression. This review will focus on the latest achievements in using plant-derived compounds and plant-based diets targeting epigenetic regulators and modulators of gene transcription in preclinical and clinical research in order to generate novel anticancer drugs as sensitizers for conventional therapy or compounds suitable for the chemoprevention clinical setting in at-risk individuals. In conclusion, indisputable anticancer activities of dietary phytochemicals linked with proper regulation of DNA methylation status have been described. However, precisely designed and well-controlled clinical studies are needed to confirm their beneficial epigenetic effects after long-term consumption in humans.

A nutrigenetic approach for investigating the chemopreventive effects of black raspberries during the development of preneoplastic esophagi in rats

BACKGROUND

Large epidemiological studies have shown that diets high in fruits reduce the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

OBJECTIVE

The current study investigated the effects of black raspberries (BRBs) on gene expression during the development of preneoplastic esophagi in rats.

METHODS

Using a post-initiation protocol, F344 rats were injected with N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine (NMBA) and then fed either a control diet or 5% BRBs. At weeks 9, 15, and 35, we euthanized subgroups of the rats and collected preneoplastic esophagi to isolate RNA samples for DNA microarray.

RESULTS

Along the development of NMBA-induced preneoplastic esophagi, NMBA injections led to differential expression of 1181 genes comparing to control rats, and dietary BRBs modulated 428 genes in esophagi from NMBA-treated rats. There are 137 common genes between 1181 and 428 gene sets, and BRBs significantly reversed the expression of 133 genes. These genes are associated with multiple gene oncology functions. BRBs induced an 8.8-fold gene enrichment on the pathway of inflammatory response and regulated 10 genes involved in this pathway. Among them, BRBs significantly reversed the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as CCL2, S100A8, and IL19.

CONCLUSIONS

BRBs exhibit strong anti-inflammatory effects against NMBA-induced rat esophageal tumorigenesis.

Relevance of functional foods in the Mediterranean diet: the role of olive oil, berries and honey in the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular diseases

The traditional Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) is a well-known dietary pattern associated with longevity and improvement of life quality as it reduces the risk of the most common chronic pathologies, such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), that represent the principal cause of death worldwide. One of the most characteristic foods of MedDiet is olive oil, a very complex matrix, which constitutes the main source of fats and is used in the preparation of foods, both raw as an ingredient in recipes, and in cooking. Similarly, strawberries and raspberries are tasty and powerful foods which are commonly consumed in the Mediterranean area in fresh and processed forms and have attracted the scientific and consumer attention worldwide for their beneficial properties for human health. Besides olive oil and berries, honey has lately been introduced in the MedDiet thanks to its relevant nutritional, phytochemical and antioxidant profile. It is a sweet substance that has recently been classified as a functional food. The aim of this review is to present and discuss the recent evidence, obtained from in vitro, in vivo and epidemiological studies, on the potential roles exerted by these foods in the prevention and progression of different types of cancer and CVDs.