Pharmacological basis and new insights of deguelin concerning its anticancer effects

Deguelin inhibits the glioblastoma progression through suppressing CCL2/NFκB signaling pathway

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common primary intracranial tumor with characteristics of high aggressiveness and poor prognosis. Deguelin, a component from the bark of Leguminosae Mundulea sericea (African plant), displays antiproliferative effects in some tumors, however, the inhibitory effect and mechanism of deguelin on GBM were still poorly understood. At first, we found that deguelin reduced the viability of GBM cells by causing cell cycle arrest in G2/M phase and inducing their apoptosis. Secondly, deguelin inhibited the migration of GBM cells. Next, RNA-seq analysis identified that CCL2 (encoding chemokine CCL2) was downregulated significantly in deguelin-treated GBM cells. As reported, CCL2 promoted the cell growth, and CCL2 was associated with regulating NFκB signaling pathway, as well as involved in modulating tumor microenvironment (TME). Furthermore, we found that deguelin inactivated CCL2/NFκB signaling pathway, and exougous CCL2 could rescue the anti-inhibitory effect of deguelin on GBM cells via upregulating NFκB. Finally, we established a syngeneic intracranial orthotopic GBM model and found that deguelin regressed the tumor growth, contributed to an anti-tumorigenic TME and inhibited angiogenesis of GBM by suppressing CCL2/NFκB in vivo. Taken together, these results suggest the anti-GBM effect of deguelin via inhibiting CCL2/NFκB pathway, which may provide a new strategy for the treatment of GBM.

Role of NEK2 in tumorigenesis and tumor progression

Never in mitosis A (NIMA)-related kinase 2 (NEK2) is a serine/threonine kinase found in the nucleus and cytoplasm throughout the cell cycle. NEK2 is overexpressed in many cancers and is a biomarker of poor prognosis. Factors contributing to NEK2 elevation in cancer cells include oncogenic transcription factors, decreased ubiquitination, DNA methylation, and the circular RNA (circRNA)/long noncoding RNA (lncRNA)-miRNA axis. NEK2 overexpression produces chromosomal instability and aneuploidy, thereby enhancing cancer progression and suppressing antitumor immunity, which highlights the prominence of NEK2 in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Small-molecule inhibitors targeting NEK2 have demonstrated promising therapeutic potential in vitro and in vivo across various cancer types. This review outlines the regulatory mechanisms of NEK2 expression, emphasizes its functional roles in cancer initiation and progression, and highlights the anticancer properties of NEK2 inhibitors.

Hesperidin Alleviates Hepatic Injury Caused by Deoxynivalenol Exposure through Activation of mTOR and AKT/GSK3β/TFEB Pathways

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a common agricultural mycotoxin that is chemically stable and not easily removed from cereal foods. When organisms consume food made from contaminated crops, it can be hazardous to their health. Numerous studies in recent years have found that hesperidin (HDN) has hepatoprotective effects on a wide range of toxins. However, few scholars have explored the potential of HDN in attenuating DON-induced liver injury. In this study, we established a low-dose DON exposure model and intervened with three doses of HDN, acting on male C57 BL/6 mice and AML12 cells, which served as in vivo and in vitro models, respectively, to investigate the protective mechanism of HDN against DON exposure-induced liver injury. The results suggested that DON disrupted hepatic autophagic fluxes, thereby impairing liver structure and function, and HDN significantly attenuated these changes. Further studies revealed that HDN alleviated DON-induced excessive autophagy through the mTOR pathway and DON-induced lysosomal dysfunction through the AKT/GSK3β/TFEB pathway. Overall, our study suggested that HDN could ameliorate DON-induced autophagy flux disorders via the mTOR pathway and the AKT/GSK3β/TFEB pathway, thereby reducing liver injury.

Deguelin Restores Paclitaxel Sensitivity in Paclitaxel-Resistant Ovarian Cancer Cells via Inhibition of the EGFR Signaling Pathway

Background

Ovarian cancer is one of women's malignancies with the highest mortality among gynecological cancers. Paclitaxel is used in first-line ovarian cancer chemotherapy. Research on paclitaxel-resistant ovarian cancer holds significant clinical importance.

Methods

Cell viability and flow cytometric assays were conducted at different time and concentration points of deguelin and paclitaxel treatment. Immunoblotting was performed to assess the activation status of key signaling molecules important for cell survival and proliferation following treatment with deguelin and paclitaxel. The fluo-3 acetoxymethyl assay for P-glycoprotein transport activity assay and cell viability assay in the presence of N-acetyl-L-cysteine were also conducted.

Results

Cell viability and flow cytometric assays demonstrated that deguelin resensitized paclitaxel in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Cotreatment with deguelin and paclitaxel inhibited EGFR and its downstream signaling molecules, including AKT, ERK, STAT3, and p38 MAPK, in SKOV3-TR cells. Interestingly, cotreatment with deguelin and paclitaxel suppressed the expression level of EGFR via the lysosomal degradation pathway. Cotreatment did not affect the expression and function of P-glycoprotein. N-acetyl-L-cysteine failed to restore cell cytotoxicity when used in combination with deguelin and paclitaxel in SKOV3-TR cells. The expression of BCL-2, MCL-1, and the phosphorylation of the S155 residue of BAD were downregulated. Moreover, inhibition of paclitaxel resistance by deguelin was also observed in HeyA8-MDR cells.

Conclusion

Our research showed that deguelin effectively suppresses paclitaxel resistance in SKOV3-TR ovarian cancer cells by downregulating the EGFR and its downstream signaling pathway and modulating the BCL-2 family proteins. Furthermore, deguelin exhibits inhibitory effects on paclitaxel resistance in HeyA8-MDR ovarian cancer cells, suggesting a potential mechanism for paclitaxel resensitization that may not be cell-specific. These findings suggest that deguelin holds promise as an anticancer therapeutic agent for overcoming chemoresistance in ovarian cancer.

Antioxidant curcumin induces oxidative stress to kill tumor cells (Review)

Curcumin is a plant polyphenol in turmeric root and a potent antioxidant. It binds to antioxidant response elements for gene regulation by nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, thereby suppressing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and exerting anti-inflammatory, anti-infective and other pharmacological effects. Of note, curcumin induces oxidative stress in tumors. It binds to several enzymes in tumors, such as carbonyl reductases, glutathione S-transferase P1 and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate to induce mitochondrial damage, increase ROS production and ultimately induce tumor cell death. However, the instability and poor pharmacokinetic profile of curcumin in vivo limit its clinical application. Therefore, the effects of curcumin in vivo may be enhanced through its combination with drugs, derivative development and nanocarriers. In the present review, the mechanisms of curcumin that induce tumor cell death through oxidative stress are discussed. In addition, the methods used to enhance the antitumor activity of curcumin are described. Finally, the existing knowledge on the functions of curcumin in tumors, particularly in terms of oxidative stress, are summarized to facilitate future curcumin research.

Targeting FBXO22 enhances radiosensitivity in non-small cell lung cancer by inhibiting the FOXM1/Rad51 axis

Radioresistance is a major constraint on the efficacy of lung cancer radiotherapy, but its mechanism has not been fully elucidated. Here, we found that FBXO22 was aberrantly highly expressed in lung cancer and that FBXO22 knockdown increased the radiosensitivity of lung cancer cells. Mechanistically, FBXO22 promoted Rad51 gene transcription by increasing the level of FOXM1 at the Rad51 promoter, thereby inducing the formation of lung cancer radioresistance. Furthermore, we found that deguelin, a potential inhibitor of FBXO22, enhanced radiosensitivity in an FBXO22/Rad51-dependent manner and was safely tolerated in vivo. Collectively, our results illustrate that FBXO22 induces lung cancer radioresistance by activating the FOXM1/Rad51 axis and provide preclinical evidence for the clinical translation of this critical target.

Intestinal deguelin drives resistance to acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in female mice

Acetaminophen (APAP) overdose is a leading cause of drug-induced liver injury (DILI), with gender-specific differences in susceptibility. However, the mechanism underlying this phenomenon remains unclear. Our study reveals that the gender-specific differences in susceptibility to APAP-induced hepatotoxicity are due to differences in the gut microbiota. Through microbial multi-omics and cultivation, we observed increased gut microbiota-derived deguelin content in both women and female mice. Administration of deguelin was capable of alleviating hepatotoxicity in APAP-treated male mice, and this protective effect was associated with the inhibition of hepatocyte oxidative stress. Mechanistically, deguelin reduced the expression of thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) in hepatocytes with APAP treatment through direct interaction. Pharmacologic suppression of TSHR expression using ML224 significantly increased hepatic glutathione (GSH) in APAP-treated male mice. These findings suggest that gut microbiota-derived deguelin plays a crucial role in reducing APAP-induced hepatotoxicity in female mice, offering new insights into therapeutic strategies for DILI.

Phytochemicals for the prevention and treatment of pancreatic cancer: Current progress and future prospects

Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, owing to its aggressive nature and suboptimal treatment options, emphasizing the need for novel therapeutic approaches. Emerging studies have exhibited promising results regarding the therapeutic utility of plant-derived compounds (phytochemicals) in pancreatic cancer. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the potential of phytochemicals in the treatment and prevention of pancreatic cancer. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses was applied to collect articles for this review. Scholarly databases, including PubMed, Scopus and ScienceDirect, were queried for relevant studies using the following keywords: phytochemicals, phenolics, terpenoids, alkaloids, sulfur-containing compounds, in vitro, in vivo, clinical studies, pancreatic cancer, tumour, treatment and prevention. Aggregate results pooled from qualified studies indicate phytochemicals can inhibit pancreatic cancer cell growth or decrease tumour size and volume in animal models. These effects have been attributed to various mechanisms, such as increasing proapoptotic factors, decreasing antiapoptotic factors, or inducing cell death and cell cycle arrest. Notable signalling pathways modulated by phytochemicals include the rat sarcoma/mitogen activated protein kinase, wingless-related integration site/β-catenin and phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin signal transduction pathways. Clinically, phytochemicals have been found to increase survival while being well-tolerated and safe, though research is scarce. While these promising results have produced great interest in this field, further in-depth studies are required to characterize the anticancer activities of phytochemicals before they can be utilized to prevent or treat pancreatic cancer in clinical practice.

The natural flavonoid compound deguelin suppresses sperm (Sus Scrofa) functions through abnormal activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway

Deguelin is a natural flavonoid extracted from plants belonging to the Lonchocarpus, Derris, or Tephrosia genera. It inhibits AKT activity in tumors and has the potential to be used as a treatment for malignant tumors. However, the risks associated with the use of deguelin on male fertility have not yet been explained in detail. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effects of deguelin on sperm functions during capacitation. First, boar spermatozoa were exposed to different concentrations of deguelin (0.1, 1, 10, 50, and 100 μM). Next, sperm functional assessments, such as sperm motility, capacitation status, intracellular ATP level, and cell viability, were performed. The expression levels of PI3K/AKT-related proteins and the phosphorylation of their tyrosine residues were also evaluated by western blotting. No significant difference was observed in cell viability; however, deguelin considerably decreased sperm motility and motion kinematics in a dose-dependent manner. Although no significant difference was observed in the capacitation status, acrosome reaction decreased at high concentrations of deguelin (50 and 100 μM). Furthermore, intracellular ATP levels were significantly decreased in all deguelin treatment groups compared with those in the control group. Results of western blotting revealed that deguelin substantially diminished tyrosine phosphorylation. Interestingly, in contrast to previous studies showing that deguelin inhibits AKT activity, our results showed that it increased the expression of PI3K/AKT pathway-related proteins. Collectively, these findings indicate that deguelin exerts negative effects on sperm functions due to abnormal PI3K/AKT signaling activation. We believe that this is the first study to provide evidence that deguelin can regulate sperm functions independent of PI3K/AKT pathway inhibition. Furthermore, its detrimental effects on male fertility should be considered while developing or using deguelin as a therapeutic agent.

Synthesis, anti-ferroptosis, anti-quorum sensing, antibacterial and DNA interaction studies of chromene-hydrazone derivatives

Nineteen chromene-hydrazone derivatives containing a variety of structural modifications on the hydrazone moiety were synthesized. Structure-activity correlations were investigated to determine the influence of structural variations on anti-ferroptosis, anti-quorum sensing, antibacterial, DNA cleavage and DNA binding properties. Ferroptosis inhibitory activity was determined by measuring the ability of the derivatives to reverse erastin-induced ferroptosis. Several of the derivatives were more effective than fisetin at inhibiting ferroptosis, with the thiosemicarbazone derivative being the most effective. Quorum sensing inhibition was evaluated using Vibrio harveyi, and both V. harveyi and Staphylococcus aureus were used to determine antibacterial activity. The semicarbazone and benzensulfonyl hydrazone derivatives showed moderate quorum sensing inhibition with IC₅₀ values of 27 μM and 22 μM, respectively, while a few aryl hydrazone and pyridyl hydrazone derivatives showed bacterial growth inhibition, with MIC values ranging from 3.9 to 125 μM. In addition, the interaction of the hydrazone derivatives with DNA was investigated by gel electrophoresis, UV-Vis spectroscopy and molecular docking. All of the derivatives cleaved plasmid DNA and showed favorable interaction with B-DNA through minor groove binding. Overall, this work highlights a broad range of pharmacological applications for chromene-hydrazone derivatives.

Transgelin-2 Involves in the Apoptosis of Colorectal Cancer Cells Induced by Tanshinone-IIA

Tanshinone IIA (TanIIA) is the main active ingredient in the fat-soluble components isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge. Our previous studies have convincingly proved that TanIIA is an effective drug against human colorectal carcinoma cells. In order to further demonstrate the effect of TanIIA on CRC, we carried out exploratory research about it in vivo and in vitro. The results demonstrated that TanIIA were observably more effective than control group in preventing tumor growth, and it has increased the survival time. Cancer cells viability and proliferation were accompanied by concentration and time dependent decline reached with TanIIA. We found that TanIIA altered the morphology of cytoskeleton and it could obviously induce apoptosis of colorectal cancer cells and block the cells in the G0/G1 phase. TanIIA also increased phosphorylation of p38MAPK, upregulated ATF-2 expression and downregulated Transgelin-2 expression, which could be reversed by SB203580, a p38MAPK-specific inhibitor. Our results suggested that TanIIA could induce apoptosis of colorectal cancer and block the cells in G0/G1 phase involved in downregulating the expression of Transgelin-2 through p38MAPK signal pathway.

Targeting mitochondrial metabolism for precision medicine in cancer

During decades, the research field of cancer metabolism was based on the Warburg effect, described almost one century ago. Lately, the key role of mitochondria in cancer development has been demonstrated. Many mitochondrial pathways including oxidative phosphorylation, fatty acid, glutamine, and one carbon metabolism are altered in tumors, due to mutations in oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, as well as in metabolic enzymes. This results in metabolic reprogramming that sustains rapid cell proliferation and can lead to an increase in reactive oxygen species used by cancer cells to maintain pro-tumorigenic signaling pathways while avoiding cellular death. The knowledge acquired on the importance of mitochondrial cancer metabolism is now being translated into clinical practice. Detailed genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic analysis of tumors are necessary to develop more precise treatments. The successful use of drugs targeting metabolic mitochondrial enzymes has highlighted the potential for their use in precision medicine and many therapeutic candidates are in clinical trials. However, development of efficient personalized drugs has proved challenging and the combination with other strategies such as chemocytotoxic drugs, immunotherapy, and ketogenic or calorie restriction diets is likely necessary to boost their potential. In this review, we summarize the main mitochondrial features, metabolic pathways, and their alterations in different cancer types. We also present an overview of current inhibitors, highlight enzymes that are attractive targets, and discuss challenges with translation of these approaches into clinical practice. The role of mitochondria in cancer is indisputable and presents several attractive targets for both tailored and personalized cancer therapy.

CNTN-1 Upregulation Induced by Low-Dose Cisplatin Promotes Malignant Progression of Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells via Activation of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition

Tumor metastasis and invasion are the main impediments to lung adenocarcinoma successful treatment. Previous studies demonstrate that chemotherapeutic agents can elevate the malignancy of cancer cells other than their therapeutic effects. In this study, the effects of transient low-dose cisplatin treatment on the malignant development of lung adenocarcinoma cells (A549) were detected, and the underlying epigenetic mechanisms were investigated. The findings showed that A549 cells exhibited epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-like phenotype along with malignant progression under the transient low-dose cisplatin treatment. Meanwhile, low-dose cisplatin was found to induce contactin-1 (CNTN-1) upregulation in A549 cells. Subsequently, we found that further overexpressing CNTN-1 in A549 cells obviously activated the EMT process in vitro and in vivo, and caused malignant development of A549 cells in vitro. Taken together, we conclude that low-dose cisplatin can activate the EMT process and resulting malignant progression through upregulating CNTN-1 in A549 cells. The findings provided new evidence that a low concentration of chemotherapeutic agents could facilitate the malignancy of carcinoma cells via activating the EMT process other than their therapeutic effects.

Deguelin Attenuates Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Cell Metastasis by Upregulating PTEN/KLF4/EMT Signaling Pathway

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common lung cancer and a major cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Deguelin plays a vital inhibitory role in NSCLC initiation and development. However, the downstream mechanism of deguelin-suppressed metastasis of NSCLC cells is still not completely understood. Interestingly, phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) and Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) also contribute to inhibition of metastasis in NSCLC cells. Here, we demonstrated that deguelin significantly upregulated PTEN and KLF4 expressions and PTEN positively upregulated KLF4 expression in NSCLC cells including A549 and PC9 cells. Moreover, overexpressions of PTEN and KLF4 inhibited the migration and invasion of NSCLC cells, an effect similar to that of deguelin. Furthermore, overexpressions of PTEN and KLF4 could suppress the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), an effect also similar to that of deguelin. Additionally, deguelin displayed a significant antitumor ability by upregulating PTEN and KLF4 expressions in mice model with NSCLC cells. Together, these results indicated that deguelin could be a potential therapeutic agent through upregulating PTEN and KLF4 expressions for NSCLC therapy.

Molecular biological mechanism of action in cancer therapies: Juglone and its derivatives, the future of development

Juglone (5 - hydroxy - 1, 4 - naphthalene diketone) is a kind of natural naphthoquinone, present in the roots, leaves, nut-hulls, bark and wood of walnut trees. Recent studies have found that Juglone has special significance in the treatment of cancer, which plays a significant role in the resistance of cancer cell proliferation, induction of cancer cell apoptosis, induction of autophagy, anti-angiogenesis and inhibition of cancer cell migration and invasion, etc. Additionally, its derivatives also play a tumor suppressive effect. In conclusion, Juglone and its derivatives have been identified as effective anticancer drugs. This paper reviews action mechanisms of Juglone and its derivatives in cancer treatment.