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Zhang Z, Hou L, Liu D, Luan S, Huang M, Zhao L. Directly targeting BAX for drug discovery: Therapeutic opportunities and challenges. Acta Pharm Sin B 2024; 14:2378-2401. [PMID: 38828138 PMCID: PMC11143528 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2024.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
For over two decades, the development of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) family therapeutics has primarily focused on anti-apoptotic proteins, resulting in the first-in-class drugs called BH3 mimetics, especially for Bcl-2 inhibitor Venetoclax. The pro-apoptotic protein Bcl-2-associated X protein (BAX) plays a crucial role as the executioner protein of the mitochondrial regulated cell death, contributing to organismal development, tissue homeostasis, and immunity. The dysregulation of BAX is closely associated with the onset and progression of diseases characterized by pathologic cell survival or death, such as cancer, neurodegeneration, and heart failure. In addition to conducting thorough investigations into the physiological modulation of BAX, research on the regulatory mechanisms of small molecules identified through biochemical screening approaches has prompted the identification of functional and potentially druggable binding sites on BAX, as well as diverse all-molecule BAX modulators. This review presents recent advancements in elucidating the physiological and pharmacological modulation of BAX and in identifying potentially druggable binding sites on BAX. Furthermore, it highlights the structural and mechanistic insights into small-molecule modulators targeting diverse binding surfaces or conformations of BAX, offering a promising avenue for developing next-generation apoptosis modulators to treat a wide range of diseases associated with dysregulated cell death by directly targeting BAX.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenwei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drugs Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Linghui Hou
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drugs Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Dan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drugs Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Shenglin Luan
- China Resources Sanjiu Medical & Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Min Huang
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drugs Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Linxiang Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drugs Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
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2
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Azimi Y, Hajibabaei S, Azimi G, Rahimi-Jamnani F, Azizi M. Inhibitory effect of miR-377 on the proliferative and invasive behaviors of prostate cancer cells through the modulation of MYC mRNA via its interaction with BCL-2/Bax, PTEN, and CDK4. Genes Cancer 2024; 15:28-40. [PMID: 38756697 PMCID: PMC11098572 DOI: 10.18632/genesandcancer.236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The MYC gene is a regulatory and proto-oncogenic gene that is overexpressed in the majority of prostate cancers (PCa). Numerous studies have indicated that aberrant expression of microRNAs is involved in the initiation and progression of prostate cancer. In this investigation, we assessed the impact of miR-377 on MYC through luciferase assay. Real-time PCR was employed to determine whether miR-377 could reduce the levels of MYC mRNA in transfected PCa cell lines (PC-3 and DU145) and change in the mRNA levels of BCL-2/Bax, PTEN, and CDK4 as a consequence of MYC downregulation. Moreover, we analyzed the effects of miR-377 on apoptosis, proliferation, cell cycle, and wound healing. Our findings demonstrate that miR-377 effectively targets MYC mRNA, as confirmed by luciferase assay and Real-time PCR. We observed a significant reduction in BCL-2 and CDK4 expression, along with an increase in Bax and PTEN, in prostate cancer cell lines upon MYC suppression. Additionally, elevated levels of miR-377 in PCa cell lines induced apoptosis, inhibited proliferation and migration, and arrested the cell cycle. Taken together, these results unveil the inhibitory role of miR-377 in MYC function within PCa, thereby suggesting its potential as a therapeutic target for the treatment of this malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasamin Azimi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sara Hajibabaei
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ghazal Azimi
- Department of Nanotechnology, Tehran Medical Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Rahimi-Jamnani
- Department of Mycobacteriology and Pulmonary Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Masoumeh Azizi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
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3
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Shanshan W, Hongying M, Jingjing F, Rui Y. Metformin and buparlisib synergistically induce apoptosis of non-small lung cancer (NSCLC) cells via Akt/FoxO3a/Puma axis. Toxicol In Vitro 2024; 97:105801. [PMID: 38479708 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2024.105801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a global health issue lacking effective treatments. Buparlisib is a pan-PI3K inhibitor that shows promising clinical results in treating NSCLC. However, chemoresistance is inevitable and hampers the application of buparlisib. Studies show that a combination of phytochemicals and chemotherapeutics enhances its effectiveness. Here, we evaluated the role of metformin, an agent with multiple pharmacological properties, in enhancing the anti-tumour activities of buparlisib against NSCLC cells. Our results showed that metformin and buparlisib synergistically inhibited cell viability, migration, and invasion of NSCLC cells. In addition, co-treatment of metformin and buparlisib also induced cell cycle arrest and cell death in NSCLC cells. Mechanistically, metformin and buparlisib repressed Mcl-1 and upregulated Puma in NSCLC cells in a p53-independent manner. Moreover, they inhibited the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway, leading to activation of the FoxO3a/Puma signalling in NSCLC cells. Our findings suggest that combined treatment of metformin and buparlisib might provide a promising strategy for treating NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wang Shanshan
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315020, China
| | - Ma Hongying
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315020, China
| | - Fang Jingjing
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315020, China
| | - Yu Rui
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Medical School of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315020, China.
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4
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Jung M, Bui I, Bonavida B. Role of YY1 in the Regulation of Anti-Apoptotic Gene Products in Drug-Resistant Cancer Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4267. [PMID: 37686541 PMCID: PMC10486809 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15174267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a leading cause of death among the various diseases encountered in humans. Cancer is not a single entity and consists of numerous different types and subtypes that require various treatment regimens. In the last decade, several milestones in cancer treatments were accomplished, such as specific targeting agents or revitalizing the dormant anti-tumor immune response. These milestones have resulted in significant positive clinical responses as well as tumor regression and the prolongation of survival in subsets of cancer patients. Hence, in non-responding patients and non-responding relapsed patients, cancers develop intrinsic mechanisms of resistance to cell death via the overexpression of anti-apoptotic gene products. In parallel, the majority of resistant cancers have been reported to overexpress a transcription factor, Yin Yang 1 (YY1), which regulates the chemo-immuno-resistance of cancer cells to therapeutic anticancer cytotoxic agents. The relationship between the overexpression of YY1 and several anti-apoptotic gene products, such as B-cell lymphoma 2 protein (Bcl-2), B-cell lymphoma extra-large (Bcl-xL), myeloid cell leukemia 1 (Mcl-1) and survivin, is investigated in this paper. The findings demonstrate that these anti-apoptotic gene products are regulated, in part, by YY1 at the transcriptional, epigenetic, post-transcriptional and translational levels. While targeting each of the anti-apoptotic gene products individually has been examined and clinically tested for some, this targeting strategy is not effective due to compensation by other overexpressed anti-apoptotic gene products. In contrast, targeting YY1 directly, through small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), gene editing or small molecule inhibitors, can be therapeutically more effective and generalized in YY1-overexpressed resistant cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Benjamin Bonavida
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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Li Q, Zhou L, Qin S, Huang Z, Li B, Liu R, Yang M, Nice EC, Zhu H, Huang C. Proteolysis-targeting chimeras in biotherapeutics: Current trends and future applications. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 257:115447. [PMID: 37229829 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The success of inhibitor-based therapeutics is largely constrained by the acquisition of therapeutic resistance, which is partially driven by the undruggable proteome. The emergence of proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology, designed for degrading proteins involved in specific biological processes, might provide a novel framework for solving the above constraint. A heterobifunctional PROTAC molecule could structurally connect an E3 ubiquitin ligase ligand with a protein of interest (POI)-binding ligand by chemical linkers. Such technology would result in the degradation of the targeted protein via the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), opening up a novel way of selectively inhibiting undruggable proteins. Herein, we will highlight the advantages of PROTAC technology and summarize the current understanding of the potential mechanisms involved in biotherapeutics, with a particular focus on its application and development where therapeutic benefits over classical small-molecule inhibitors have been achieved. Finally, we discuss how this technology can contribute to developing biotherapeutic drugs, such as antivirals against infectious diseases, for use in clinical practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Li
- West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, and West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041, PR China
| | - Li Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute for Viral Hepatitis, Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, PR China
| | - Siyuan Qin
- West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, and West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041, PR China
| | - Zhao Huang
- West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, and West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041, PR China
| | - Bowen Li
- West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, and West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041, PR China
| | - Ruolan Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, PR China
| | - Mei Yang
- West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, and West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041, PR China
| | - Edouard C Nice
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Huili Zhu
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, PR China.
| | - Canhua Huang
- West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, and West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041, PR China; School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, PR China.
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6
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Hartman ML, Czyz M. BCL-G: 20 years of research on a non-typical protein from the BCL-2 family. Cell Death Differ 2023:10.1038/s41418-023-01158-5. [PMID: 37031274 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-023-01158-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Proteins from the BCL-2 family control cell survival and apoptosis in health and disease, and regulate apoptosis-unrelated cellular processes. BCL-Gonad (BCL-G, also known as BCL2-like 14) is a non-typical protein of the family as its long isoform (BCL-GL) consists of BH2 and BH3 domains without the BH1 motif. BCL-G is predominantly expressed in normal testes and different organs of the gastrointestinal tract. The complexity of regulatory mechanisms of BCL-G expression and post-translational modifications suggests that BCL-G may play distinct roles in different types of cells and disorders. While several genetic alterations of BCL2L14 have been reported, gene deletions and amplifications prevail, which is also confirmed by the analysis of sequencing data for different types of cancer. Although the studies validating the phenotypic consequences of genetic manipulations of BCL-G are limited, the role of BCL-G in apoptosis has been undermined. Recent studies using gene-perturbation approaches have revealed apoptosis-unrelated functions of BCL-G in intracellular trafficking, immunomodulation, and regulation of the mucin scaffolding network. These studies were, however, limited mainly to the role of BCL-G in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, further efforts using state-of-the-art methods and various types of cells are required to find out more about BCL-G activities. Deciphering the isoform-specific functions of BCL-G and the BCL-G interactome may result in the designing of novel therapeutic approaches, in which BCL-G activity will be either imitated using small-molecule BH3 mimetics or inhibited to counteract BCL-G upregulation. This review summarizes two decades of research on BCL-G.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariusz L Hartman
- Department of Molecular Biology of Cancer, Medical University of Lodz, 6/8 Mazowiecka Street, 92-215, Lodz, Poland.
| | - Malgorzata Czyz
- Department of Molecular Biology of Cancer, Medical University of Lodz, 6/8 Mazowiecka Street, 92-215, Lodz, Poland
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7
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Icsel C, Yilmaz VT, Aygun M, Erkisa M, Ulukaya E. Water-soluble copper(II) 5-fluorouracil complexes bearing polypyridyl co-ligands: synthesis, structures and anticancer activity. Dalton Trans 2023; 52:7048-7058. [PMID: 36939483 DOI: 10.1039/d3dt00363a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/21/2023]
Abstract
Five newly synthesized copper(II) 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) complexes of polypyridyl co-ligands with good solubility in water, namely [CuCl(5-FU)(bpy)(DMSO)] (1), [Cu(5-FU)(phen)2](5-FU)·4H2O (2), [Cu(5-FU)(dpya)2](NO3)·2.5H2O (3), [Cu(5-FU)(NO3)(bpyma)]·H2O (4) and [CuCl(5-FU)(terpy)] (5) (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, dpya = 2,2'-dipyridylamine, bpyma = bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine and terpy = 2,2';6',2''-terpyridine), were characterized by elemental analysis and a number of spectrometric methods. The structures of complexes 1-5 were determined by X-ray crystallography and the copper(II) ions were five coordinate. Cytotoxic activity of the complexes in four human cancer cell lines, A549 (lung carcinoma), MDA-MB-231 (breast carcinoma), HCT116 (colon carcinoma) and DU145 (prostate carcinoma), and a normal cell line, BEAS-2B (human lung epithelial), was determined by SRB assay and compared with that of 5-FU and cisplatin. The complexation of 5-FU together with polypyridyl ligands resulted in a significant increase in the cytotoxicity of the complexes, with complex 2 exhibiting the highest anticancer potency against all the cell lines, with HCT116 being the most sensitive. The mode of action of cell death for 2 was investigated using morphological imaging and cytometric analyses, including the capacity for induction of apoptosis, generation of reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial dysfunction and DNA damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ceyda Icsel
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Karadeniz Technical University, 61080 Trabzon, Turkey.
| | - Veysel T Yilmaz
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Karadeniz Technical University, 61080 Trabzon, Turkey.
| | - Muhittin Aygun
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences, Dokuz Eylul University, 35210 Izmir, Turkey
| | - Merve Erkisa
- Molecular Cancer Research Center (ISUMKAM), Istinye University, 34010 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Engin Ulukaya
- Molecular Cancer Research Center (ISUMKAM), Istinye University, 34010 Istanbul, Turkey.,Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Medical School of Istinye University, 34010 Istanbul, Turkey
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8
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Liu PX, Ma JX, Liang RN, He XW, Zhao GZ. Development of an efficient method for separation and purification of cordycepin from liquid fermentation of Cordyceps militaris and analysis of cordycepin antitumor activity. Heliyon 2023; 9:e14184. [PMID: 36923906 PMCID: PMC10009733 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cordycepin (3 '-deoxyadenosine) is the main active component of Cordyceps militaris, which is a chemical marker for quality detection of Cordyceps militaris and has important medicinal development value. Existing methods for obtaining cordycepin are complex and costly. In this study, an economical and simple method for separation and purification of cordycepin from Cordyceps militaris fermentation liquid through physical crystallization was explored. First, lyophilized powdered fermentation liquid (LPFL) and pure methanol (1 g/100 mL, w/v) were mixed, and then repeatedly dissolved and crystallized until the precipitation was white. Purified product was obtained by freeze-drying the precipitate. The substance was determined to be cordycepin by high performance liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry and infrared spectroscopy, and the purity was 94.26%. Compared with the existing methods, this method is simple and low cost. In addition, the functional activity of cordycepin was determined by in vitro test. The results exhibited that cordycepin caused death and morphological changes in human colon cancer Caco-2 cells, and significantly inhibited the proliferation of Caco-2 cells, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 107.2 μg/mL. Cordycepin could induce early apoptosis of Caco-2 and caused cell cycle arrest in the G2 phase. Caco-2 cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest showed dose dependence to cordycepin over a certain range. These results improved cordycepin purification method, provided insights into the mechanism of cordycepin in cancer inhibition, and would provide important reference for further development and clinical application of cordycepin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng-Xiao Liu
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Food Processing and Safety in Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Jie-Xin Ma
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Food Processing and Safety in Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Rui-Na Liang
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Food Processing and Safety in Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Xiang-Wei He
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Food Processing and Safety in Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Guo-Zhu Zhao
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Food Processing and Safety in Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
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Apoptotic Mechanisms of Quercetin in Liver Cancer: Recent Trends and Advancements. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15020712. [PMID: 36840034 PMCID: PMC9960374 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15020712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to rising incidence rates of liver cancer and worries about the toxicity of current chemotherapeutic medicines, the hunt for further alternative methods to treat this malignancy has escalated. Compared to chemotherapy, quercetin, a flavonoid, is relatively less harmful to normal cells and is regarded as an excellent free-radical scavenger. Apoptotic cell death of cancer cells caused by quercetin has been demonstrated by many prior studies. It is present in many fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Quercetin targets apoptosis, by upregulating Bax, caspase-3, and p21 while downregulating Akt, PLK-1, cyclin-B1, cyclin-A, CDC-2, CDK-2, and Bcl-2. Additionally, it has been reported to increase STAT3 protein degradation in liver cancer cells while decreasing STAT3 activation. Quercetin has a potential future in chemoprevention, based on substantial research on its anticancer effects. The current review discusses quercetin's mechanisms of action, nanodelivery strategies, and other potential cellular effects in liver cancer.
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10
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Zhang Z, Zhao S, Pei J, Hou L, Luan S, Deng H, Liu D, Huang M, Zhao L. Optimization of BAX trigger site activator BTSA1 with improved antitumor potency and in vitro ADMET properties. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 248:115076. [PMID: 36680883 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.115076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Direct activation of the pro-apoptotic protein BAX represents a potential therapeutic strategy to trigger apoptosis in cancer. Herein, structural optimization of the reported BAX trigger site activator BTSA1 turned out into a series of pyrazolone derivatives, where compound 6d exhibited significantly enhanced antiproliferative effects and apoptosis induction ability compared to BTSA1. Mechanism of action studies revealed that compound 6d could initiate the BAX activation cascade, promoting BAX insertion into mitochondrial membranes and activating MOMP, ultimately leading to the release of cytochrome c and apoptosis. Furthermore, 6d showed significantly improved in vitro stability and CYPs profile compared to BTSA1. This work may lay a foundation to develop potent BAX trigger site activators for the treatment of BAX-expressing malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenwei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drugs Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Shan Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drugs Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Jiying Pei
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drugs Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Linghui Hou
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drugs Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Shenglin Luan
- China Resources Sanjiu Medical & Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China
| | - Hongguang Deng
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drugs Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Dan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drugs Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Min Huang
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drugs Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China.
| | - Linxiang Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drugs Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China.
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11
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Ilhan S, Atmaca H, Yilmaz ES, Korkmaz E, Zora M. N-Propargylic β-enaminones in breast cancer cells: Cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and cell cycle analyses. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 2023; 37:e23299. [PMID: 36647602 DOI: 10.1002/jbt.23299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide and the discovery of new cytotoxic agents is needed. Enaminones are regarded to be a significant structural motif that is found in a variety of pharmacologically active compounds however the number of studies investigating the anticancer activities of N-propargylic β-enaminones (NPEs) is limited. Herein we investigated the potential cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of 23 different NPEs (1-23) on human breast cancer cells. Cytotoxicity was evaluated via MTT assay. Apoptotic cell death and cell cycle distributions were investigated by flow cytometry. CM-H2DCFDA dye was used to evaluate cellular ROS levels. Expression levels of Bcl-2, Bax, p21, and Cyclin D1 were measured by quantitative real-time PCR. ADME properties were calculated using the ADMET 2.0 tool. NPEs 4, 9, 16, and 21 showed selective cytotoxic activity against breast cancer cells with SI values >2. NPEs induced apoptosis and caused significant changes in Bcl-2 and Bax mRNA levels. The cell cycle was arrested at the G0/G1 phase and levels of p21 and Cyclin D1 were upregulated in both breast cancer cells. ROS levels were significantly increased by NPEs, suggesting that the cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of NPEs were mediated by ROS. ADME analysis revealed that NPEs showed favorable distributions in both breast cancer cell lines, meaning good lipophilicity values, low unfractionated values, and high bioavailability. Therefore, these potential anticancer compounds should be further validated by in vivo studies for their appropriate function in human health with a safety profile, and a comprehensive drug interaction study should be performed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suleyman Ilhan
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Letters, Celal Bayar University, Manisa, Turkey
| | - Harika Atmaca
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Letters, Celal Bayar University, Manisa, Turkey
| | - Elif Serel Yilmaz
- Department of Chemistry, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Esra Korkmaz
- Department of Chemistry, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Metin Zora
- Department of Chemistry, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
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12
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Hu T, Gong H, Xu J, Huang Y, Wu F, He Z. Nanomedicines for Overcoming Cancer Drug Resistance. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14081606. [PMID: 36015232 PMCID: PMC9412887 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14081606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinically, cancer drug resistance to chemotherapy, targeted therapy or immunotherapy remains the main impediment towards curative cancer therapy, which leads directly to treatment failure along with extended hospital stays, increased medical costs and high mortality. Therefore, increasing attention has been paid to nanotechnology-based delivery systems for overcoming drug resistance in cancer. In this respect, novel tumor-targeting nanomedicines offer fairly effective therapeutic strategies for surmounting the various limitations of chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy, enabling more precise cancer treatment, more convenient monitoring of treatment agents, as well as surmounting cancer drug resistance, including multidrug resistance (MDR). Nanotechnology-based delivery systems, including liposomes, polymer micelles, nanoparticles (NPs), and DNA nanostructures, enable a large number of properly designed therapeutic nanomedicines. In this paper, we review the different mechanisms of cancer drug resistance to chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy, and discuss the latest developments in nanomedicines for overcoming cancer drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Hu
- Department of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; (T.H.); (J.X.); (Y.H.)
| | - Hanlin Gong
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China;
| | - Jiayue Xu
- Department of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; (T.H.); (J.X.); (Y.H.)
| | - Yuan Huang
- Department of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; (T.H.); (J.X.); (Y.H.)
| | - Fengbo Wu
- Department of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; (T.H.); (J.X.); (Y.H.)
- Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Correspondence: (F.W.); or (Z.H.); Tel.: +86-28-85422965 (Z.H.); Fax: +86-28-85422664 (Z.H.)
| | - Zhiyao He
- Department of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; (T.H.); (J.X.); (Y.H.)
- Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Correspondence: (F.W.); or (Z.H.); Tel.: +86-28-85422965 (Z.H.); Fax: +86-28-85422664 (Z.H.)
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Zhang Z, Hou L, Bai L, Pei J, Zhao S, Luan S, Liu D, Huang M, Zhao L. Discovery and structure-activity relationship studies of novel Bcl-2/Mcl-1 dual inhibitors with indole scaffold. Bioorg Chem 2022; 125:105845. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2022.105845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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Crabtree JS, Miele L. Precision diagnostics in cancer: Predict, prevent, and personalize. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2022; 190:39-56. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2022.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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