Caffeic acid phenethyl ester activates pro-apoptotic and epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related genes in ovarian cancer cells A2780 and A2780cis

Gastric-Type Expression Signature in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

It is known that V-set and immunoglobulin domain containing 1 (VSIG1) is a cell-cell adhesion molecule that can serve as an indicator of better survival in patients with gastric cancer. Its interaction with cytoplasmic thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF-1) has been hypothesized to characterize gastric-type HCC, but its clinical importance is far from understood. As VSIG1 has also been supposed to be involved in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenomenon, we checked for the first time in the literature the supposed interaction between VSIG1, TTF-1, and Vimentin (VIM) in HCCs. Immunohistochemical (IHC) stains were performed on 217 paraffin-embedded tissue samples that included tumor cells and normal hepatocytes, which served as positive internal controls. VSIG1 positivity was seen in 113 cases (52.07%). In 71 out of 217 HCCs (32.71%), simultaneous positivity for VSIG1 and TTF-1 was seen, being more specific for G1/G2 carcinomas with a trabecular architecture and a longer OS (p = 0.004). A negative association with VIM was revealed (p < 0.0001). Scirrhous-type HCC proved negative for all three examined markers. The present paper validates the hypothesis of the existence of a gastric-type HCC, which shows a glandular-like architecture and is characterized by double positivity for VSIG1 and TTF-1, vimentin negativity, and a significant OS.

The Effect of Natural Substances Contained in Bee Products on Prostate Cancer in In Vitro Studies

Prostate cancer is a common cancer in men in older age groups. The WHO forecasts an increase in the incidence of prostate cancer in the coming years. Patients may not respond to treatment, and may not tolerate the side effects of chemotherapy. Compounds of natural origin have long been used in the prevention and treatment of cancer. Flavonoids obtained from natural products, e.g., propolis, are compounds with proven antibacterial and antiviral efficacy which modulate the immune response and may be useful as adjuvants in chemotherapy. The main aim of the present study was to evaluate the cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic properties of selected flavonoids on prostate cancer cells of the LNCaP line. The compounds used in this study were CAPE, curcumin (CUR), and quercetin (QUE). Mitochondrial and lysosome metabolism was assessed by the XTT-NR-SRB triple assay as well as by the fluorescent staining techniques. Staining for reactive oxygen species was performed as well. The experiment showed that each of the tested compounds has a cytotoxic effect on the LNCaP cell line. Different types of cell death were induced by the tested compounds. Apoptosis was induced by quercetin, while autophagy-specific changes were observed after using CAPE. Compounds obtained from other bee products have antiproliferative and cytotoxic activity against LNCaP prostate cancer cells.

Phenolic Acids-Mediated Regulation of Molecular Targets in Ovarian Cancer: Current Understanding and Future Perspectives

Cancer is a global health concern with a dynamic rise in occurrence and one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Among different types of cancer, ovarian cancer (OC) is the seventh most diagnosed malignant tumor, while among the gynecological malignancies, it ranks third after cervical and uterine cancer and sadly bears the highest mortality and worst prognosis. First-line treatments have included a variety of cytotoxic and synthetic chemotherapeutic medicines, but they have not been particularly effective in extending OC patients' lives and are associated with side effects, recurrence risk, and drug resistance. Hence, a shift from synthetic to phytochemical-based agents is gaining popularity, and researchers are looking into alternative, cost-effective, and safer chemotherapeutic strategies. Lately, studies on the effectiveness of phenolic acids in ovarian cancer have sparked the scientific community's interest because of their high bioavailability, safety profile, lesser side effects, and cost-effectiveness. Yet this is a road less explored and critically analyzed and lacks the credibility of the novel findings. Phenolic acids are a significant class of phytochemicals usually considered in the nonflavonoid category. The current review focused on the anticancer potential of phenolic acids with a special emphasis on chemoprevention and treatment of OC. We tried to summarize results from experimental, epidemiological, and clinical studies unraveling the benefits of various phenolic acids (hydroxybenzoic acid and hydroxycinnamic acid) in chemoprevention and as anticancer agents of clinical significance.

Targeting Ras-ERK cascade by bioactive natural products for potential treatment of cancer: an updated overview

MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) or ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase) pathway is an important link in the transition from extracellular signals to intracellular responses. Because of genetic and epigenetic changes, signaling cascades are altered in a variety of diseases, including cancer. Extant studies on the homeostatic and pathologic behavior of MAPK signaling have been conducted; however, much remains to be explored in preclinical and clinical research in terms of regulation and action models. MAPK has implications for cancer therapy response, more specifically in response to experimental MAPK suppression, compensatory mechanisms are activated. The current study investigates MAPK as a very complex cell signaling pathway that plays roles in cancer treatment response, cellular normal conduit maintenance, and compensatory pathway activation. Most MAPK inhibitors, unfortunately, cause resistance by activating compensatory feedback loops in tumor cells and tumor microenvironment components. As a result, innovative combinatorial treatments for cancer management must be applied to limit the likelihood of alternate pathway initiation as a possibility for generating novel therapeutics based on incorporation in translational research. We summarize current knowledge about the implications of ERK (MAPK) in cancer, as well as bioactive products from plants, microbial organisms or marine organisms, as well as the correlation with their chemical structures, which modulate this pathway for the treatment of different types of cancer.

The Role of the Adipokine Resistin in the Pathogenesis and Progression of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Obesity is a civilization disease associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and some malignancies. The results concerning the relationship between obesity and epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) are inconclusive. The higher incidence of neoplasms in obese subjects has led to the development of the adipokine hypothesis. Omental adipocyte cells interact with cancer cells, promoting their migration and metastasis via the secretion of adipokines, growth factors, and hormones. One of the adipokines is resistin. It was shown in vitro that resistin stimulates the growth and differentiation of ovarian cancer cells. Moreover, it increases the level of angiogenesis factors, e.g., matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and vascular epithelial growth factor (VEGF). Additionally, resistin induces epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stemness in EOC cell lines. A positive correlation has been shown between a higher level of resistin expression and the stage of histological differentiation of EOC or the occurrence of lymph node metastases. In addition, the overexpression of resistin has been found to act as an independent factor determining disease-free survival as well as overall survival in EOC patients. Growing evidence supports the finding that resistin plays an important role in some mechanisms leading to the progression of EOC, though this issue still requires further research.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester targets ubiquitin-specific protease 8 and synergizes with cisplatin in endometrioid ovarian carcinoma cells

Deubiquitinases (DUBs) mediate the removal of ubiquitin from diverse proteins that participate in the regulation of cell survival, DNA damage repair, apoptosis and drug resistance. Previous studies have shown an association between activation of cell survival pathways and platinum-drug resistance in ovarian carcinoma cell lines. Among the strategies available to inhibit DUBs, curcumin derivatives appear promising, thus we hypothesized their use to enhance the efficacy of cisplatin in ovarian carcinoma preclinical models. The caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), inhibited ubiquitin-specific protease 8 (USP8), but not proteasomal DUBs in cell-free assays. When CAPE was combined with cisplatin in nine cell lines representative of various histotypes a synergistic effect was observed in TOV112D cells and in the cisplatin-resistant IGROV-1/Pt1 variant, both of endometrioid type and carrying mutant TP53. In the latter cells, persistent G1 accumulation upon combined treatment associated with p27^kip1 protein levels was observed. The synergy was not dependent on apoptosis induction, and appeared to occur in cells with higher USP8 levels. In vivo antitumor activity studies supported the advantage of the combination of CAPE and cisplatin in the subcutaneous model of cisplatin-resistant IGROV-1/Pt1 ovarian carcinoma as well as CAPE activity on intraperitoneal disease. This study reveals the therapeutic potential of CAPE in cisplatin-resistant ovarian tumors as well as in tumors expressing USP8.

Interaction between cadherins, vimentin, and V-set and immunoglobulin domain containing 1 in gastric-type hepatocellular carcinoma

In hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), the role of the cell surface protein V-set and immunoglobulin domain containing 1 (VSIG1), which is known as a specific marker of the gastric mucosa and testis, has not yet been determined. We examined VSIG1 immunohistochemical (IHC) expression in 105 consecutive samples provided by HCC patients, along with the IHC expression of three of the biomarkers known to be involved in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT): vimentin (VIM), and E- and N-cadherin (encoded by CDH1 and CDH2 genes). IHC subcellular localization of thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF1), in which nuclear-to-cytoplasmic translocation is known to cause a lineage shift from lung to gastric-type adenocarcinoma, was also checked. The obtained data were validated using the miRNET program. In the examined HCC samples, VSIG1 expression was observed in the cytoplasm of normal hepatocytes and downregulated in 47 of the 105 HCCs (44.76%). In 29 cases (27.62%), VSIG1 was co-expressed with cytoplasmic TTF1. VSIG1 expression was positively correlated with both E-cadherin and N-cadherin and negatively correlated with VIM (p < 0.0001). The VSIG1+/E-cadherin+/N-cadherin-/VIM phenotype was seen in 13 cases (12.4%) and was characteristic of well-differentiated (G1/2) carcinomas diagnosed in pT1/2 stages. Like pulmonary carcinomas, simultaneous cytoplasmic positivity of HCC cells for VSIG1 and TTF1 may be a potential indicator of a lineage shift from conventional to gastric-type HCC. The E-cadherin/VSIG1 complex can help suppress tumor growth by limiting HCC dedifferentiation. The miRNET-based interaction between VSIG1/VIM/CDH1/CDH2 genes might be interconnected by miR-200b-3p, a central regulator of EMT which also targets VIM and VSIG1.

Recent progresses in the pharmacological activities of caffeic acid phenethyl ester

The past decades have seen a growing interest in natural products. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), a flavonoid isolated from honeybee propolis, has shown multiple pharmacological potentials, including anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, and protective effects on nervous systems and multiple organs, since it was found as a potent nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) inhibitor. This review summarizes the advances in these beneficial effects of CAPE, as well as the underlying mechanisms, and proposes that CAPE offers an opportunity for developing therapeutics in multiple diseases. However, clinical trials on CAPE are necessary and encouraged to obtain certain clinically relevant conclusions.

The Pluripotent Activities of Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is a strong antioxidant extracted from honey bee-hive propolis. The mentioned compound, a well-known NF-κB inhibitor, has been used in traditional medicine as a potent anti-inflammatory agent. CAPE has a broad spectrum of biological properties including anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-cancer, immunomodulatory, and wound-healing activities. This review characterizes published data about CAPE biological properties and potential therapeutic applications, that can be used in various diseases.

Phytochemicals in Gynecological Cancer Prevention

Gynecological cancer confers an enormous burden among women worldwide. Accumulating evidence points to the role of phytochemicals in preventing cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancer. Experimental studies emphasize the chemopreventive and therapeutic potential of plant-derived substances by inhibiting the early stages of carcinogenesis or improving the efficacy of traditional chemotherapeutic agents. Moreover, a number of epidemiological studies have investigated associations between a plant-based diet and cancer risk. This literature review summarizes the current knowledge on the phytochemicals with proven antitumor activity, emphasizing their effectiveness and mechanism of action in gynecological cancer.

Evaluation of the In Vitro Cytotoxic Activity of Caffeic Acid Derivatives and Liposomal Formulation against Pancreatic Cancer Cell Lines

Pancreatic cancer belongs to the most aggressive group of cancers, with very poor prognosis. Therefore, there is an important need to find more potent drugs that could deliver an improved therapeutic approach. In the current study we searched for selective and effective caffeic acid derivatives. For this purpose, we analyzed twelve compounds and evaluated their in vitro cytotoxic activity against two human pancreatic cancer cell lines, along with a control, normal fibroblast cell line, by the classic MTT assay. Six out of twelve tested caffeic acid derivatives showed a desirable effect. To improve the therapeutic efficacy of such active compounds, we developed a formulation where caffeic acid derivative (7) was encapsulated into liposomes composed of soybean phosphatidylcholine and DSPE-PEG₂₀₀₀. Subsequently, we analyzed the properties of this formulation in terms of basic physical parameters (such as size, zeta potential, stability at 4 °C and morphology), hemolytic and cytotoxic activity and cellular uptake. Overall, the liposomal formulation was found to be stable, non-hemolytic and had activity against pancreatic cancer cells (IC₅₀ 19.44 µM and 24.3 µM, towards AsPC1 and BxPC3 cells, respectively) with less toxicity against normal fibroblasts. This could represent a promising alternative to currently available treatment options.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester induces apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells via inhibition of survivin

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. Drug resistance and drug-induced damage of healthy tissues are major obstacles in cancer treatment. Therefore, to develop efficient anticancer therapy, it is necessary to find compounds that affect tumor cells, but do not exhibit toxicity to healthy cells. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) has been demonstrated to have anticancer properties in many types of cancer. In this study, the cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of CAPE on the RKO colorectal cancer cell line and CCD 841-CoN normal colorectal cell line was investigated. In addition, changes in the survivin expression were determined. According to the results, CAPE decreased cell viability in the RKO cell line in a dose-dependent manner. Likewise, CAPE induced apoptotic cell death in approximately 40% of the RKO cells. Furthermore, CAPE treatment increased the Serine 15 (Ser15) and Serine 46 (Ser46) phosphorylation of p53, while decreased the survivin expression. The results suggested that CAPE induced apoptosis by regulating p53 phosphorylation, leading to inhibition of the survivin expression. In accordance with the results, it is suggested that CAPE might be evaluated as an alternative drug in cancer therapy and further investigation is needed within this scope.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester potentiates gastric cancer cell sensitivity to doxorubicin and cisplatin by decreasing proteasome function

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is a major propolis component that possesses a variety of pharmacological properties such as antioxidant and anticancer effects. Herein, we investigated the effectiveness of CAPE on cytotoxicity of clinically used anticancer drugs, doxorubicin (DXR) and cisplatin (CDDP), in parental and the drug-resistant cells of stomach (MKN45) and colon (LoVo) cancers. Concomitant treatment with CAPE potentiated apoptotic effects of DXR and CDDP against the parental cells. The treatment significantly reduced the production of reactive oxygen species elicited by DXR but did not affect the DXR-mediated accumulation of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal, a lipid peroxidation-derived aldehyde. Intriguingly, treatment of parental MKN45 cells with CAPE alone reduced 26S proteasome-based proteolytic activities, in which a chymotrypsin-like activity was most affected. This effect of CAPE was the most prominent among those of eight flavonoids and nine cinnamic acid derivatives and was also observed in parental LoVo cells. In the DXR-resistant or CDDP-resistant cells, the chymotrypsin-like activity was highly up-regulated and significantly decreased by CAPE treatment, which sensitized the resistant cells to DXR and CDDP. Reverse transcription-PCR analysis showed that CAPE treatment led to downregulation of five proteasome subunits (PSMB1-PSMB5) and three immunoproteasome subunits (PSMB8-PSMB10) in DXR-resistant MKN45 cells. The results suggest that CAPE enhances sensitivity of these cancer cells and their chemoresistant cells to DXR and CDDP, most notably through decreasing proteasome function. Thus, CAPE may be valuable as an adjuvant for DXR or CDDP chemotherapy in gastric cancer.

Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester (CAPE) Induced Apoptosis in Serous Ovarian Cancer OV7 Cells by Deregulation of BCL2/BAX Genes

Ovarian cancer has the worst prognosis among all gynecological cancers. Therefore, it seems reasonable to seek new drugs that may improve the effectiveness of treatment or mitigate the adverse effects of chemotherapy. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) has many beneficial biological properties. The aim of the study was to assess the anticancer properties of CAPE against serum ovarian carcinoma cells. The morphology of the cells was evaluated in H-E staining and in transmission electron microscopy. The cytotoxic and proapoptotic activity of CAPE was investigated by using the XTT-NR-SRB assay, qRT-PCR analysis of BAX/BCL2 expression, and by cytometric evaluation. CAPE causes constriction in OV7 cells, numerous granulomas were observed in the cytoplasm, the cell nuclei were pyknotic. Autophagosomal vacuoles could suggest the occurrence of aponecrosis. CAPE significantly decreased the lysosomal activity and the total synthesis of cellular proteins. CAPE exhibited, dose and time dependent, cytotoxic activity against OV7 serum ovarian cancer cells. In OV7 cells CAPE induced apoptosis via dysregulation of BAX/BCL2 balance, while activated proapoptotic BAX gene expression level was 10 times higher than BCL2.

Alchemilla vulgaris agg. (Lady's mantle) from central Balkan: antioxidant, anticancer and enzyme inhibition properties

The current study was designed to evaluate the phytochemical profile and biological properties (antioxidant, enzyme inhibitory and cytotoxic activity) of methanolic, ethanolic, ethyl-acetate and water extracts of Alchemilla vulgaris from Southeast Serbia (central Balkan) which was traditionally used to alleviate and treat many diseases. Bioactive compounds were characterized by LC-MS/MS technique and biological properties were evaluated using antioxidant, enzyme inhibitory and cytotoxic assays. Twenty-six phenolic compounds were quantified in methanolic, ethanolic, ethyl acetate and water extracts, whereas the highest yields were found in ethyl-acetate (EA) extract (gallic acid, caffeic acid, catchin, quercetin). This extract has also shown the greatest antioxidant, anticancer and inhibitory enzyme activities which were demonstrated for the first time in this study. The obtained results indicated that Alchemilla vulgaris from South Serbia possesses high potential for pharmaceutical applications.

A Comprehensive Review on MAPK: A Promising Therapeutic Target in Cancer

The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway is an important bridge in the switch from extracellular signals to intracellular responses. Alterations of signaling cascades are found in various diseases, including cancer, as a result of genetic and epigenetic changes. Numerous studies focused on both the homeostatic and the pathologic conduct of MAPK signaling; however, there is still much to be deciphered in terms of regulation and action models in both preclinical and clinical research. MAPK has implications in the response to cancer therapy, particularly the activation of the compensatory pathways in response to experimental MAPK inhibition. The present paper discusses new insights into MAPK as a complex cell signaling pathway with roles in the sustenance of cellular normal conduit, response to cancer therapy, and activation of compensatory pathways. Unfortunately, most MAPK inhibitors trigger resistance due to the activation of compensatory feed-back loops in tumor cells and tumor microenvironment components. Therefore, novel combinatorial therapies have to be implemented for cancer management in order to restrict the possibility of alternative pathway activation, as a perspective for developing novel therapies based on integration in translational studies.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester suppressed growth and metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells by inactivating the NF-κB pathway

Purpose: Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is the main polyphenol extracted from honeybee propolis, which inhibits the growth of several kinds of tumor. This study aimed to assess the inhibitory effect of CAPE in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), evaluate the synergistic action of CAPE in radiotherapy sensitivity of NPC cell lines and further elucidate the possible molecular mechanism involved.

Materials and methods: CCK-8 assay was used to analyze cell proliferation ability. Colony formation assay was used to evaluate the clonogenic ability and radio-sensitiveness of NPC cells by CAPE treatment. Wound-healing and transwell assay were used to assess the motility of cells. The expression of key molecules of the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) was determined by western blot analysis and changes in radiation sensitivity were measured by colony-formation assay. cDNA microarray analysis was used to determine differentially expressed genes with and without CAPE treatment, with Gene Ontology enrichment of gene function and KEGG pathways determined. Cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry and western blot analysis.

Results: CAPE suppressed the viability of NPC cell lines time- and dose-dependently. It induced apoptosis in NPC cells along with decreased expression of Bcl-XL and increased cleavage of PARP and expression of Bax. G1 phase arrest was induced by CAPE with ower expression of CDK4, CDK6, Rb and p-Rb. The migratory and invasive ability of NPC cells was decreased by the EMT pathway. The irradiation sensitivity of NPC cells was enhanced with CAPE treatment. CAPE specifically inhibited nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway by suppressing p65 subunit translocation from cytoplasm to nucleus. CAPE treatment was synergistic with chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Conclusion: CAPE may inhibit the proliferation and metastasis of NPC cells but enhance radiosensitivity in NPC therapy by inhibiting the NF-κB pathway. CAPE could be a potential therapeutic compound for NPC therapy.

Toxicity of imidazoles ionic liquid [C16mim]Cl to Hela cells

Our study aimed to evaluate the toxicity of 1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([C₁₆min]Cl) on the human cervical carcinoma (Hela) cells. We evaluated toxicity, cell viability, genotoxicity, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and apoptosis-related gene expression in Hela cells following exposure to [C₁₆min]Cl. The results indicated that [C₁₆min]Cl inhibited the growth of Hela cells, decreased cell viability, induced DNA damage and apoptosis, inhibited superoxide dismutase, decreased glutathione content, as well as increased the cellular malondialdehyde level of Hela cells. Moreover, [C₁₆min]Cl induced changes in the transcription of p53, Bax and Bcl-2, suggesting that the p53 and Bcl-2 family might have been involved in the cytotoxicity and apoptosis induced by [C₁₆min]Cl in Hela cells. Taken together, these results revealed that [C₁₆min]Cl imparts oxidative stress, genotoxicity, and induces apoptosis in Hela cells; hence, it is not a green solvent.

Fertility preservation in Hodgkin's lymphoma patients that undergo targeted molecular therapies: an important step forward from the chemotherapy era

In total, 80%-90% of Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) patients are curable with combination chemoradiotherapy. Due to improvements in therapeutic strategies, 50% of all relapsed/refractory patients may undergo complete clinical responses and have long-term survival. Treatment options for HL are effective, but may have a negative impact on post-chemotherapy fertility. Thus, cryopreservation of semen prior to treatment is recommended for male patients. For female patients, assisted reproductive techniques (ART) consult and fertility preservation should be offered as a therapeutical option. In the last years, new targeted molecules have been available for HL treatment. These new drugs showed a high rate of overall responses in the setting of heavily pretreated patients, most of them in relapse after autologous stem cell transplantation, a group previously considered very poor risk. Up to 50% of patients have a complete response and an improved overall survival. Future studies will address the usefulness of novel molecules as a frontline therapy. Considering the high response and survival rates with monoclonal antibody-based therapeutics, fertility has become a concerning issue for long-term HL survivors. As progress has been made regarding ART, with the rigorous steps planned for HL patients, more survivors will become parents.

Ovarian cancer cells cisplatin sensitization agents selected by mass cytometry target ABCC2 inhibition

AIM

Cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer remains a complex problem as tumors frequently develop resistance against drugs, a mechanism sometimes mediated by ATP-Binding Cassette transporters. Our goal was to find compounds restricting their inhibition capacity to the cisplatin efflux mediated by ABCC2 pump, among previously identified inhibitors, derived from the 2- indolylmethylenebenzofuranones. Methodology & results: An original method setup allows direct quantitation of platinum by employing cyTOF mass cytometry. Among tested derivatives, some led to a full platinum accumulation and efficiently resensitized cisplatin-resistant A2780 cells to cisplatin while preserving most of the calcein efflux activity.

CONCLUSION

CyTOF is therefore a powerful and promising method to quantify cisplatin accumulation that may be used in the clinical setting to improve and personalize cancer treatment.

Toxicity of imidazoles ionic liquid [C16mim]Cl to HepG2 cells

Ionic liquids have garnered increasing attention due to their capacity for low vapor pressure, lack of flammability, designability, good stability, and as a asubstitute for conventional organic solvents. However, their toxicity to various organisms has caused growing concern in recent years. Our study aims to evaluate the toxicity of 1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([C₁₆min]Cl) to human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells, including cell viability, genotoxicity, oxidative stress, apoptosis, cell cycle, and apoptosis-related gene expression. Our results with HepG2 cells suggested that [C₁₆min]Cl inhibited cellular growth, decreased cell viability, induced DNA damage and apoptosis, inhibited superoxide dismutase, decreased glutathione content, increased cellular malondialdehyde levels as well as altering the cell cycle. Moreover, the induction of [C₁₆min]Cl altered the transcription of p53, Bax and Bcl-2, which are critical for controlling cell cycles progression and death, which suggests its involvement with cytotoxicity and apoptosis induced by [C₁₆min]Cl in HepG2 cells. Taken together, these results revealed that [C₁₆min]Cl exerted genotoxicity, oxidative stress and induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells; hence, it is not a healthy solvent.

Salidroside induces apoptosis in human ovarian cancer SKOV3 and A2780 cells through the p53 signaling pathway

Salidroside is one of the most potent compounds extracted from the plant Rhodiola rosea, and its cardiovascular protective effects have been studied extensively. However, the role of salidroside in human ovarian carcinoma remains unknown. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effects of salidroside on the proliferation and apoptosis of SKOV3 and A2780 cells using MTT assay and acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining. Salidroside activated caspase-3 and upregulated the levels of apoptosis-inducing factor, Bcl-2-associated X and Bcl-2-associated death promoter (Bad) proteins. Furthermore, salidroside downregulated the levels of Bcl-2, p-Bad and X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis proteins. Salidroside activated the caspase-dependent pathway in SKOV3 and A2780 cells, upregulating p53, p21^Cip1/Waf1 and p16^INK4a. These results suggest that the p53/p21^Cip1/Waf1/p16^INK4a pathway may serve a key function in salidroside-mediated effects on SKOV3 and A2780 cells. The current findings indicate that salidroside may be a promising novel drug candidate for ovarian cancer therapy.

Role of piwi-interacting RNA-651 in the carcinogenesis of non-small cell lung cancer

Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs/piRs) are small non-coding RNAs that can serve important roles in genome stability by silencing transposable genetic elements. piR651, one of these novel piRNAs, regulates a number of biological functions, as well as carcinogenesis. Previous studies have reported that piR651 is overexpressed in human gastric cancer tissues and in several cancer cell lines, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines. However, the role of piRNAs in carcinogenesis has not been clearly defined. In the present study, a small interfering RNA inhibitor of piR651 was transfected into the NSCLC A549 and HCC827 cell lines to evaluate the effect of piR651 on cell growth. The association between piR651 expression and apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry and western blot analysis. Wound-healing and Transwell migration and invasion assays were used to determine the effect of piR651 on the migration and invasion of NSCLC cell lines. The results revealed that inhibition of piR651 inhibited cell proliferation and significantly increased the apoptotic rate compared with the negative control (NC), as well as altering the expression of apoptosis-associated proteins. There were fewer migrating and invading cells in the piR651-inhibited group than in the NC group in the Transwell assays. Furthermore, in the wound-healing assay, the wound remained wider in the piR651 inhibitor group, suggesting decreased cell migration compared with that in the NC group. The results of the present study demonstrate that piR651 potentially regulates NSCLC tumorigenic behavior by inhibiting cell proliferation, migration and invasion and by inducing apoptosis. Therefore, piR651 is a potential cancer diagnosis marker.

miRNA expression profiling in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded endometriosis and ovarian cancer samples

Endometriosis is an inflammatory pathology associated with a negative effect on life quality. Recently, this pathology was connected to ovarian cancer, in particular with endometrioid ovarian cancer. microRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of RNA transcripts ~19–22 nucleotides in length, the altered miRNA pattern being connected to pathological status. miRNAs are highly stable transcripts, and these can be assessed from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples leading to the identification of miRNAs that could be developed as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, in particular those involved in malignant transformation. The aim of our study was to evaluate miRNA expression pattern in FFPE samples from endometriosis and ovarian cancer patients using PCR-array technology and also to compare the differential expression pattern in ovarian cancer versus endometriosis. For the PCR-array study, we have used nine macrodissected FFPE samples from endometriosis tissue, eight samples of ovarian cancers and five normal ovarian tissues. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used for data validation in a new patient cohort of 17 normal samples, 33 endometriosis samples and 28 ovarian cancer macrodissected FFPE samples. Considering 1.5-fold expression difference as a cut-off level and a P-value <0.05, we have identified four miRNAs being overexpressed in endometrial tissue, while in ovarian cancer 15 were differentially expressed (nine overexpressed and six downregulated). The expression level was confirmed by qRT-PCR for miR-93, miR-141, miR-155, miR-429, miR-200c, miR-205 and miR-492. Using the interpretative program Ingenuity Pathway Analysis revealed several deregulated pathways due to abnormal miRNA expression in endometriosis and ovarian cancer, which in turn is responsible for pathogenesis; this differential expression of miRNAs can be exploited as a therapeutic target. A higher number of altered miRNAs were detected in endometriosis versus ovarian cancer tissue, most of them being linked with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.

Nutrigenomics in cancer: Revisiting the effects of natural compounds

Nutrigenomics effects have an important role in the manipulation of dietary components for human benefit, particularly in cancer prevention or treatment. The impact of dietary components, including phytochemicals, is largely studied by nutrigenomics, looking at the gene expression and molecular mechanisms interacting with bioactive compounds and nutrients, based on new 'omics' technologies. The high number of preclinical studies proves the relevant role of nutrigenomics in cancer management. By deciphering the network of nutrient-gene connections associated with cancer, relevant data will be transposed as therapeutic interventions for this devastating pathology and for fulfilling the concept of personalized nutrition. All these are presented under the nutrigenomics canopy for a better comprehension of the relation between ingested phytochemicals and chemoprevention or chemotherapy. The profits from the nutrigenomics progress, with a particular focus on the coding and noncoding genes related to the exposure of natural compounds need to be validated. A precise attention receives the evaluation of the role of natural compounds in tandem with conventional therapy using genomic approaches, with emphasis on the capacity to inhibit drug resistance mechanisms. All these relevant nutrigenomics aspects are summarized in the present review paper. It is concluded that further nutrigenomics studies are required to improve our understanding related to the complex mechanisms of action of the natural compounds and for their appropriate application as gears in cancer therapy.

Dietary Intervention by Phytochemicals and Their Role in Modulating Coding and Non-Coding Genes in Cancer

Phytochemicals are natural compounds synthesized as secondary metabolites in plants, representing an important source of molecules with a wide range of therapeutic applications. These natural agents are important regulators of key pathological processes/conditions, including cancer, as they are able to modulate the expression of coding and non-coding transcripts with an oncogenic or tumour suppressor role. These natural agents are currently exploited for the development of therapeutic strategies alone or in tandem with conventional treatments for cancer. The aim of this paper is to review the recent studies regarding the role of these natural phytochemicals in different processes related to cancer inhibition, including apoptosis activation, angiogenesis and metastasis suppression. From the large palette of phytochemicals we selected epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), genistein, morin and kaempferol, due to their increased activity in modulating multiple coding and non-coding genes, targeting the main hallmarks of cancer.

Catching moving targets: cancer stem cell hierarchies, therapy-resistance & considerations for clinical intervention

It is widely believed that targeting the tumour-initiating cancer stem cell (CSC) component of malignancy has great therapeutic potential, particularly in therapy-resistant disease. However, despite concerted efforts, CSC-targeting strategies have not been efficiently translated to the clinic. This is partly due to our incomplete understanding of the mechanisms underlying CSC therapy-resistance. In particular, the relationship between therapy-resistance and the organisation of CSCs as Stem-Progenitor-Differentiated cell hierarchies has not been widely studied. In this review we argue that modern clinical strategies should appreciate that the CSC hierarchy is a dynamic target that contains sensitive and resistant components and expresses a collection of therapy-resisting mechanisms. We propose that the CSC hierarchy at primary presentation changes in response to clinical intervention, resulting in a recurrent malignancy that should be targeted differently. As such, addressing the hierarchical organisation of CSCs into our bench-side theory should expedite translation of CSC-targeting to bed-side practice. In conclusion, we discuss strategies through which we can catch these moving clinical targets to specifically compromise therapy-resistant disease.