Icaritin inhibits PLK1 to activate DNA damage response in NK/T cell lymphoma and increases sensitivity to GELOX regime

Key molecular DNA damage responses of human cells to radiation

Our understanding of the DNA damage responses of human cells to radiation has increased remarkably over the recent years although some notable signaling events remain to be discovered. Here we provide a brief account of the key molecular events of the responses to reflect the current understanding of the key underlying mechanisms involved.

New insights into the anticancer therapeutic potential of icaritin and its synthetic derivatives

Icaritin is a natural prenylated flavonoid derived from the Chinese herb Epimedium. The compound has shown antitumor effects in various cancers, especially hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Icaritin exerts its anticancer activity by modulating multiple signaling pathways, such as IL-6/JAK/STAT3, ER-α36, and NF-κB, affecting the tumor microenvironment and immune system. Several clinical trials have evaluated the safety and efficacy of icaritin in advanced HCC patients with poor prognoses, who are unsuitable for conventional therapies. The results have demonstrated that icaritin can improve survival, delay progression, and produce clinical benefits in these patients, with a favorable safety profile and minimal adverse events. Moreover, icaritin can enhance the antitumor immune response by regulating the function and phenotype of various immune cells, such as CD8+ T cells, MDSCs, neutrophils, and macrophages. These findings suggest that icaritin is a promising candidate for immunotherapy in HCC and other cancers. However, further studies are needed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms and optimal dosing regimens of icaritin and its potential synergistic effects with other agents. Therefore, this comprehensive review of the scientific literature aims to summarize advances in the knowledge of icaritin in preclinical and clinical studies as well as the pharmacokinetic, metabolism, toxicity, and mechanisms action to recognize the main challenge, gaps, and opportunities to develop a medication that cancer patients can use. Thus, our main objective was to clarify the current state of icaritin for use as an anticancer drug.

The expression and clinical significance of PLK1/p-PLK1 protein in NK/T cell Lymphoma

AIMS

To investigate the expression of polo-like kinase 1 protein (PLK1) and its phosphorylation level (p-PLK1) in extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma (NKTCL) and their correlation with clinical characteristics and prognosis.

METHODS

We collected 40 cases of NKTCL (referred to as the experimental group), which received diagnoses at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University between January 2018 and October 2022. Concurrently, we assembled a control group, including 20 cases afflicted with nasopharyngeal mucosal lymphoid hyperplasia diseases during the same timeframe. We utilized immunohistochemical techniques to evaluate the levels of PLK1 and p-PLK1 expression in both the experimental and control groups. Subsequently, we conducted an analysis to identify disparities in their expression and explore their relationships with clinical characteristics and patient prognosis.

RESULTS

Among the 40 NKTCL patients, there were 27 males and 11 females, with a median age of 51 years (range 12-80 years). Compared to the control group, the tissue samples of NKTCL patients exhibited significantly elevated expression levels and active phosphorylation levels of PLK1 (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis of the immunohistochemical H score and Ki-67 positive rate of PLK1 and p-PLK1, revealed a significant positive correlation for both (P < 0.0001, each). No statistically significant differences were observed in the distribution of PLK1 and p-PLK1 expression in NKTCL patients with respect to gender, age, Ann Arbor stage, PINK-E score, B-symptoms, lactate dehydrogenase, β2-microglobulin, blood EBV-DNA, bone marrow invasion, and lymph node metastasis (p > 0.05). Grouping based on PLK1 and p-PLK1 immunohistochemical H-scores revealed that the high expression of PLK1 and p-PLK1 was associated with poor prognosis.

CONCLUSIONS

The expression levels and active phosphorylation levels of PLK1 were significantly increased in NK/T cell lymphoma, and patients with overexpression of PLK1 and p-PLK1 had a poorer prognosis.

The Synergy of Gene Targeting Drug Icaritin Soft Capsule with Immunomodulator and TACE Brings New Hope for Drug Combination in Patients with Advanced Liver Cancer: A Case Report and Literature Review

At present, the average five-year survival rate of liver cancer in China is only 12.1%. The reason for this association lies in the diagnosis at its middle or/and advanced stage of liver cancer for lacking special clinical symptoms in almost 70% of patients without the chance of effective surgical resection. Epidemiological studies have shown that there are only 30% of patients with an initial diagnosis of liver cancer have the opportunity to undergo radical surgery. Therefore, systematic and comprehensive treatment would play an important role in liver cancer treatment at its middle or/and advanced stage, and the related therapeutic schedule still needs further improvement and optimization. We applied a gene-targeted drug of Icaritin soft capsule in the treatment of a liver cancer patient at its advanced stage. And the level of AFP was found to decrease to 6.4ng/mL from 10.86ng/mL; meanwhile, MRI showed that the primary tumor significantly reduced in size, with shrinking of the hepatogastric space, hepatic aortic side, and renal artery side lymph nodes. After treatment with TACE and Icaritin, the patient had no discomfort and no longer experienced abdominal pain and bloating and gained three kilograms of weight. The therapeutic effect of Icaritin-targeted drugs was completely demonstrated during the later treatment follow-up. That is to say, the multiple anti-tumor characteristics of Icaritin with good safety were fully displayed in this case, and it can be used in combination with other drugs to treat hepatocellular carcinoma in the clinical setting. The results show that Icaritin can put some effects on the combined treatment of patients with liver cancer.

Icaritin: A phytomolecule with enormous pharmacological values

Pharmacological studies on flavonoids have always drawn much interest for many years. Icaritin (ICT), a representative flavone containing an 8-prenyl group, is a principal compound detected in medicinal plants of the genus Epimedum, the family Berberidaceae. Experimental results in the phytochemistry and pharmacology of this molecule are abundant now, but a deep overview has not been carried out. The goal of this review is to provide an insight into the natural observation, biosynthesis, biotransformation, synthesis, pharmacology, and pharmacokinetics of prenyl flavone ICT. The relevant data on ICT was collected from bibliographic sources, like Google Scholar, Web of Science, Sci-Finder, and various published journals. "Icaritin" alone or in combination is the main keyword to seek for references, and references have been updated till now. ICT is among the characteristic phytomolecules of Epimedum plants. Bacteria monitored its biosynthesis and biotransformation, while this agent was rapidly synthesized from phloroglucinol by microwave-assistance Claisen rearrangement. ICT is a potential agent in numerous in vitro and in vivo pharmacological records, which demonstrated its role in cancer treatments via apoptotic-related mechanisms. It also brings in various health benefits since it reduced harmful effects on the liver, lung, heart, bone, blood, and skin, and improved immune responses. Pharmacokinetic outcomes indicated that its metabolic pathway involved hydration, hydroxylation, dehydrogenation, glycosylation, and glucuronidation. Molecule mechanisms of action at a cellular level are predominant, but clinical studies are expected to get more. Structure-activity relationship records seem insufficient, and the studies on nano-combined approaches to improve its soluble property in living bodied medium are needed.

Mechanisms of carcinogenic activity triggered by lysine-specific demethylase 1A

Epigenetics has emerged as a prime focus area in the field of cancer research. Lysine-specific demethylase 1A (LSD1), the first discovered histone demethylase, is mainly responsible for catalysing demethylation of histone 3 lysine 4 (H3K4) and H3K9 to activate or inhibit gene transcription. LSD1 is abnormally expressed in various cancers and participates in cancer proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, invasion, drug resistance and other processes by interacting with regulatory factors. Therefore, it may serve as a potential therapeutic target for cancer. This review summarises the major oncogenic mechanisms mediated by LSD1 and provides a reference for developing novel and efficient anticancer strategies targeting LSD1.