Apigenin inhibits the growth of colorectal cancer through down-regulation of E2F1/3 by miRNA-215-5p

Apigenin Ameliorates H2O2-Induced Oxidative Damage in Melanocytes through Nuclear Factor-E2-Related Factor 2 (Nrf2) and Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase (PI3K)/Protein Kinase B (Akt)/Mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) Pathways and Reducing the Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in Zebrafish

Background: Apigenin is one of the natural flavonoids found mainly in natural plants, as well as some fruits and vegetables, with celery in particular being the most abundant. Apigenin has antioxidant, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects. In this research, we attempted to further investigate the effects of apigenin on the mechanism of repairing oxidative cell damage. The present study hopes to provide a potential candidate for abnormal skin pigmentation disorders. Methods: We used 0.4 mM H2O2 to treat B16F10 cells for 12 h to establish a model of oxidative stress in melanocytes, and then we gave apigenin (0.1~5 μM) to B16F10 cells for 48 h, and detected the expression levels of melanin synthesis-related proteins, dendritic regulation-related proteins, antioxidant signaling pathway- and Nrf2 signaling pathway-related proteins, autophagy, and autophagy-regulated pathways by immunoblotting using Western blotting. The expression levels of PI3K/Akt/mTOR proteins were measured by β-galactosidase staining and Western blotting for cellular decay, JC-1 staining for mitochondrial membrane potential, and Western blotting for mitochondrial fusion- and mitochondrial autophagy-related proteins. Results: Apigenin exerts antioxidant effects by activating the Nrf2 pathway, and apigenin up-regulates the expression of melanin synthesis-related proteins Tyr, TRP1, TRP2, and gp100, which are reduced in melanocytes under oxidative stress. By inhibiting the expression of senescence-related proteins p53 and p21, and delaying cellular senescence, we detected the mitochondrial membrane potential using JC-1, and found that apigenin improved the reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential in melanocytes under oxidative stress, and maintained the normal function of mitochondria. In addition, we further detected the key regulatory proteins of mitochondrial fusion and division, MFF, p-DRP1 (S637), and p-DRP1 (S616), and found that apigenin inhibited the down-regulation of fusion-associated protein, p-DRP1 (S637), and the up-regulation of division-associated proteins, MFF and p-DRP1 (S616), due to oxidative stress in melanocytes, and promoted the mitochondrial fusion and ameliorated the imbalance between mitochondrial division and fusion. We further detected the expression of fusion-related proteins OPA1 and Mitofusion-1, and found that apigenin restored the expression of the above fusion proteins under oxidative stress, which further indicated that apigenin promoted mitochondrial fusion, improved the imbalance between mitochondrial division and fusion, and delayed the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. Apigenin promotes the expression of melanocyte autophagy-related proteins and the key mitochondrial autophagy proteins BNIP3L/Nix under oxidative stress, and activates the PINK1/Parkin signaling pathway by up-regulating the expression of autophagy-related proteins, as well as the expression of PINK1 and Parkin proteins, to promote melanocyte autophagy and mitochondrial autophagy. Conclusions: Apigenin exerts anti-melanocyte premature aging and detachment effects by promoting melanin synthesis, autophagy, and mitochondrial autophagy in melanocytes, and inhibiting oxidative cell damage and senescence.

Potential therapeutic effects of apigenin for colorectal adenocarcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

Therapeutic management of colorectal cancer (CRC) does not yet yield promising long-term results. Therefore, there is a need for further investigation of possible therapeutic options. Various experiments have studied the effects of apigenin on CRC and have shown conflicting results. This systematic review and meta-analysis investigates the currently existing evidence on the effect of apigenin on CRC.

METHODS

Medline, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched for articles related to apigenin and its effect on CRC in the preclinical setting. Cell viability, growth inhibition, apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest for in-vitro, and body weight, tumor size, and mortality in in-vivo studies were extracted as outcomes.

RESULTS

Thirty-nine articles investigating colorectal adenocarcinoma were included in this meta-analysis. Thirty-seven of these studies had data for in vitro experiments, with eight studies having data for in vivo experiments. Six articles had both in vitro and in vivo assessments. Our analysis showed apigenin reduces cell viability and induces growth inhibition, apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest in in vitro studies. The few in vivo studies indicate that apigenin decreases tumor size while showing no effects on the body weight of animal colorectal adenocarcinoma models.

CONCLUSION

Our results demonstrated that apigenin, through reducing cell viability, inducing growth inhibition, apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest, and also by decreasing the tumor size, can be considered as a possible adjuvant agent in the management of colorectal adenocarcinoma. However, further in vivo studies are needed before any efforts to translate the current evidence into clinical studies.

Process, advances, and perspectives of graphene oxide-SELEX for the development of aptamer molecular probes: A comprehensive review

BACKGROUND

Aptamers are screened via the systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) and are widely used in molecular diagnostics and targeted therapies. The development of efficient and convenient SELEX technology has facilitated rapid access to high-performance aptamers, thereby advancing the aptamer industry. Graphene oxide (GO) serves as an immobilization matrix for libraries in GO-SELEX, making it suitable for screening aptamers against diverse targets.

RESULTS

This review summarizes the detailed steps involved in GO-SELEX, including monitoring methods, various sublibrary acquisition methods, and practical applications from its inception to the present day. In addition, the potential of GO-SELEX in the development of broad-spectrum aptamers is explored, and its current limitations for future development are emphasized. This review effectively promotes the application of the GO-SELEX technique by providing valuable insights and assisting researchers interested in conducting related studies.

SIGNIFICANCE AND NOVELTY

To date, no review on the topic of GO-SELEX has been published, making it challenging for researchers to initiate studies in this area. We believe that this review will broaden the SELEX options available to researchers, ensuring that they can meet the growing demand for molecular probes in the scientific domain.

Apigenin and its combination with Vorinostat induces apoptotic-mediated cell death in TNBC by modulating the epigenetic and apoptotic regulators and related miRNAs

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a metastatic disease and a formidable treatment challenge as it does not respond to existing therapies. Epigenetic regulators play a crucial role in the progression and metastasis by modulating the expression of anti-apoptotic, pro-apoptotic markers and related miRNAs in TNBC cells. We have investigated the anti-TNBC potential of dietary flavonoid 'Apigenin' and its combination with Vorinostat on MDA-MB-231 cells. At Apigenin generated ROS, inhibited cell migration, arrested the cell cycle at subG0/G1 phases, and induced apoptotic-mediated cell death. Apigenin reduced the expression of the class-I HDACs at the transcriptomic and proteomic levels. In the immunoblotting study, Apigenin has upregulated pro-apoptotic markers and downregulated anti-apoptotic proteins. Apigenin inhibited the enzymatic activity of HDAC/DNMT and increased HAT activity. Apigenin has manifested its effect on miRNA expression by upregulating the tumor-suppressor miR-200b and downregulation oncomiR-21. Combination study reduced the growth of TNBC cells synergistically by modulating the expression of epigenetic and apoptotic regulators. Molecular docking and MD simulations explored the mechanism of catalytic inhibition of HDAC1 and HDAC3 and supported the in-vitro studies. The overall studies demonstrated an anti-TNBC potential of Apigenin and may help to design an effective strategy to treat metastatic phenotype of TNBC.

Nanovaccines: An effective therapeutic approach for cancer therapy

Cancer vaccines hold considerable promise for the immunotherapy of solid tumors. Nanomedicine offers several strategies for enhancing vaccine effectiveness. In particular, molecular or (sub) cellular vaccines can be delivered to the target lymphoid tissues and cells by nanocarriers and nanoplatforms to increase the potency and durability of antitumor immunity and minimize negative side effects. Nanovaccines use nanoparticles (NPs) as carriers and/or adjuvants, offering the advantages of optimal nanoscale size, high stability, ample antigen loading, high immunogenicity, tunable antigen presentation, increased retention in lymph nodes, and immunity promotion. To induce antitumor immunity, cancer vaccines rely on tumor antigens, which are administered in the form of entire cells, peptides, nucleic acids, extracellular vesicles (EVs), or cell membrane-encapsulated NPs. Ideal cancer vaccines stimulate both humoral and cellular immunity while overcoming tumor-induced immune suppression. Herein, we review the key properties of nanovaccines for cancer immunotherapy and highlight the recent advances in their development based on the structure and composition of various (including synthetic and semi (biogenic) nanocarriers. Moreover, we discuss tumor cell-derived vaccines (including those based on whole-tumor-cell components, EVs, cell membrane-encapsulated NPs, and hybrid membrane-coated NPs), nanovaccine action mechanisms, and the challenges of immunocancer therapy and their translation to clinical applications.

Stage-specific treatment of colorectal cancer: A microRNA-nanocomposite approach

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the leading causes of cancer mortality. The lifetime risk of developing CRC is about 5% in adult males and females. CRC is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage, and at this point therapy has a limited impact on cure rates and long-term survival. Novel and/or improved CRC therapeutic options are needed. The involvement of microRNAs (miRNAs) in cancer development has been reported, and their regulation in many oncogenic pathways suggests their potent tumor suppressor action. Although miRNAs provide a promising therapeutic approach for cancer, challenges such as biodegradation, specificity, stability and toxicity, impede their progression into clinical trials. Nanotechnology strategies offer diverse advantages for the use of miRNAs for CRC-targeted delivery and therapy. The merits of using nanocarriers for targeted delivery of miRNA-formulations are presented herein to highlight the role they can play in miRNA-based CRC therapy by targeting different stages of the disease.

From strings to signals: Unraveling the impact of miRNAs on diagnosis, and progression of colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) stands as the third most prevalent ailment globally and represents the primary cause of mortality associated with cancer. Significant advancements have been made in the clinical management of patients with CRC, encompassing the development of more streamlined methodologies and a diverse array of biomarkers utilized for prognostic, diagnostic, and predictive objectives. MicroRNAs (miRNAs, miRs) play a key role in the development of CRC by modulating the expression of their target genes, which govern a number of metabolic and cellular processes. They are related to malignant traits such as enhanced invasive and proliferative capacity, evasion of apoptosis, cell cycle aberration, and promotion of angiogenesis through dysregulation in their function. This review's objectives were to examine miRNA biogenesis, provide an updated list of oncogenic and tumor suppressor miRNAs, and discuss the likely causes of miRNA dysregulation in CRC. Additionally, we discuss the diagnostic and predictive functions of miRNAs in CRC and summarize their biological significance and clinical potential.

Identification of a novel prognostic signature composed of 3 cuproptosis-related transcription factors in colon adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Since the mechanism of cuproptosis was recently revealed, many molecules related to this pathway have been widely concerned and exploited to have prognostic potential. However, it is still unknown whether the transcription factors related to cuproptosis could be competent as tumor biomarkers of colon adenocarcinoma (COAD).

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the prognostic potential of cuproptosis-related transcription factors in COAD, and validate the representative molecule.

METHODS

Transcriptome data and patients' clinical parameters were obtained from the TCGA and GEO database. 19 cuproptosis genes were identified through literature consulting. Cuproptosis-related transcription factors were screened by COX regression analyses. Multivariate Cox regression was applied to construct the signature. Prognostic effects were evaluated by Kaplan Meier survival analyses and ROC analyses. KEGG, GO, and ssGSEA analyses were performed for function prediction. 48 COAD tissues were collected for immunohistochemistry stain to observe the expression level and prognostic value of E2F3. qRT-PCR was performed to detect mRNA expression levels, while cell viability assay was applied to detect the response of COAD cells to elesclomol treatment.

RESULTS

A novel signature based on 3 prognostic transcription factors related to cuproptosis was successfully established and verified. Patients in the low-risk group tended to have better overall survival and lower immune phenotype scores than those in the high-risk group. Meanwhile, we also constructed a nomogram based on this signature and predict 10 candidate compounds targeting this signature. As an essential member of this signature, E2F3 was confirmed to be overexpressed in COAD tissues and was associated with poor prognosis of COAD patients. Importantly, CuCl2 and cuproptosis inducer elesclomol treatment could increase the expression of E2F3 in COAD cell while the overexpression of E2F3 significantly enhanced the resistance of COAD cells to elesclomol treatment.

CONCLUSION

Our research has identified a new prognostic biomarker and provides some innovative insights into the diagnosis and therapy of patients with COAD.

E2F3 accelerates the stemness of colon cancer cells by activating the STAT3 pathway

Introduction

Colon cancer is one of the most prevalent malignancies and causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Thus, further research is required to explicate the latent molecular mechanisms and look for novel biomarkers. E2F3 has been confirmed to be an oncogene in a variety of cancers. However, the particular regulation of E2F3 in colon cancer needs further investigation.

Methods

The self-renewal ability was detected through a sphere formation assay. The tumorigenic ability was measured through nude mice in vivo assay. The protein expression of genes was examined through a Western blot. The expression of E2F3 in tumor tissues was detected through an IHC assay. The resistance to cisplatin was assessed through the CCK-8 assay. The cell migration and invasion abilities were measured after upregulating or suppressing E2F3 through the Transwell assay.

Results

Results uncovered that E2F3 was upregulated in spheroid cells. In addition, E2F3 facilitates stemness in colon cancer. Moreover, E2F3 facilitated colon cancer cell migration and invasion. Finally, it was revealed that E2F3 affected the STAT3 pathway to modulate stemness in colon cancer. E2F3 served as a promoter regulator in colon cancer, aggravating tumorigenesis and stemness in colon cancer progression through the STAT3 pathway.

Conclusion

E2F3 may be a useful biomarker for anticancer treatment in colon cancer.

Flavonoids nanostructures promising therapeutic efficiencies in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer is among the frequently diagnosed cancers with high mortality rates around the world. Polyphenolic compounds such as flavonoids are secondary plant metabolites which exhibit anti-cancer activities along with anti-inflammatory effects. However, due to their hydrophobicity, sensitivity to degradation and low bioavailability, therapeutic effects have shown poor therapeutic effect. Nano delivery systems such as nanoliposomes, nanomicelles, silica nanoparticles have been investigated to overcome these difficulties. This review provides a summary of the efficiency of certain flavonoids and polyphenols (apigenin, genistein, resveratrol, quercetin, silymarin, catechins, luteolin, fisetin, gallic acid, rutin, and curcumin) on colorectal cancer models. It comprehensively discusses the influence of nano-formulation of flavonoids on their biological functions, including cellular uptake rate, bioavailability, solubility, and cytotoxicity, as well as their potential for reducing colorectal cancer tumor size under in vivo situations.

Apigenin alleviates oxidative stress-induced myocardial injury by regulating SIRT1 signaling pathway

Apigenin is a natural flavonoid which is widely found in vegetables and fruits. However, the mechanism of apigenin in oxidative stress-induced myocardial injury has not been fully elucidated. We established an isoproterenol (Iso)-induced myocardial injury mouse model and a hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced H9c2 cell injury model, followed by pretreatment with apigenin to explore its protective effects. Apigenin can significantly alleviate isoproterenol-induced oxidative stress, cell apoptosis and myocardial remodeling in vivo. Apigenin pretreatment can also significantly improve cardiomyocyte morphology, decrease H/R induced oxidative stress, and attenuate cell apoptosis and inflammation in vitro. Further mechanism study revealed that apigenin treatment reversed isoprenaline and H/R-induced decrease of Sirtuin1 (SIRT1). Molecular docking results proved that apigenin can form hydrogen bond with 230 Glu, a key site of SIRT1 activation, indicating that apigenin is an agonist of SIRT1. Moreover, SIRT1 knockdown by siRNA significantly reversed the protective effect of apigenin in H/R-induced myocardial injury. In conclusion, apigenin protects cardiomyocyte function from oxidative stress-induced myocardial injury by modulating SIRT1 signaling pathway, which provides a new potential therapeutic natural compound for the clinical treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Phytochemicals, Biological Activities, Molecular Mechanisms, and Future Prospects of Plantago asiatica L

Plantago asiatica L. has been used as a vegetable and nutritious food in Asia for thousands of years. According to recent phytochemical and pharmacological research, the active compositions of the plant contribute to various health benefits, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and anticancer. This article reviews the 87 components of the plant and their structures, as well as their biological activities and molecular research progress, in detail. This review provides valuable reference material for further study, production, and application of P. asiatica, as well as its components in functional foods and therapeutic agents.

Using omics approaches to dissect the therapeutic effects of Chinese herbal medicines on gastrointestinal cancers

Chinese herbal medicines offer a rich source of anti-cancer drugs. Differences between the pharmacology of Chinese herbal medicines and modern synthetic chemicals hinder the development of drugs derived from herbal products. To address this challenge, novel omics approaches including transcriptomics, proteomics, genomics, metabolomics, and microbiomics have been applied to dissect the pharmacological benefits of Chinese herbal medicines in cancer treatments. Numerous Chinese herbal medicines have shown potential anti-tumor effects on different gastrointestinal (GI) cancers while eliminating the side effects associated with conventional cancer therapies. The present study aimed to provide an overview of recent research focusing on Chinese herbal medicines in GI cancer treatment, based on omics approaches. This review also illustrates the potential utility of omics approaches in herbal-derived drug discovery. Omics approaches can precisely and efficiently reveal the key molecular targets and intracellular interaction networks of Chinese herbal medicines in GI cancer treatment. This study summarizes the application of different omics-based approaches in investigating the effects and mechanisms of Chinese herbal medicines in GI cancers. Future research directions are also proposed for this area of study.

A Review of the Effects of Olive Oil-Cooking on Phenolic Compounds

The fate of phenolic compounds in oil and food during cooking vary according to the type of cooking. From a nutritional point of view, reviews largely suggest a preference for using extra-virgin olive oil at a low temperature for a short time, except for frying and microwaving, for which there appears to be no significant advantages compared to olive oil. However, due to the poorly pertinent use of terminology, the different protocols adopted in studies aimed at the same objective, the different type and quality of oils used in experiments, and the different quality and quantity of PC present in the used oils and in the studied vegetables, the evidence available is mainly contradictory. This review tries to reanalyse the main experimental reports on the fate, accessibility and bioavailability of phenolic compounds in cooking oils and cooked vegetables, by considering different cooking techniques and types of oil and foods, and distinguishing experimental findings obtained using oil alone from those in combination with vegetables. The re-analysis indicates that incomplete and contradictory observations have been published in the last few years and suggests that further research is necessary to clarify the impact of cooking techniques on the phenolic compounds in oil and vegetables during cooking, especially when considering their nutritional properties.

The Role of m6A Epigenetic Modification in the Treatment of Colorectal Cancer Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

Tumor immunotherapy, one of the efficient therapies in cancers, has been called to the scientific community's increasing attention lately. Among them, immune checkpoint inhibitors, providing entirely new modalities to treat cancer by leveraging the patient's immune system. They are first-line treatments for varieties of advanced malignancy, such as melanoma, gastrointestinal tumor, esophageal cancer. Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) treatment has been successful in different cancers, drug resistance and relapses are common, such as in colorectal cancer. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the efficacy of immune checkpoint therapy for cancer patients who do not respond or lowly response to current treatments. N6-methyladenosine (m6A), as a critical regulator of transcript expression, is the most frequently internal modification of mRNA in the human body. Recently, it has been proposed that m6A epigenetic modification is a potential driver of tumor drug resistance. In this report, we will briefly outline the relevant mechanisms, general treatment status of immune checkpoint inhibitors in colorectal cancer, how m6A epigenetic modifications regulate the response of ICIs in CRC and provide new strategies for overcoming the resistance of ICIs in CRC.

Role of Flavonoids as Epigenetic Modulators in Cancer Prevention and Therapy

Epigenetic regulation involves reversible changes in histones and DNA modifications that can be inherited without any changes in the DNA sequence. Dysregulation of normal epigenetic processes can lead to aberrant gene expression as observed in many diseases, notably cancer. Recent insights into the mechanisms of DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs involved in altered gene expression profiles of tumor cells have caused a paradigm shift in the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches towards cancer. There has been a surge in search for compounds that could modulate the altered epigenetic landscape of tumor cells, and to exploit their therapeutic potential against cancers. Flavonoids are naturally occurring phenol compounds which are abundantly found among phytochemicals and have potentials to modulate epigenetic processes. Knowledge of the precise flavonoid-mediated epigenetic alterations is needed for the development of epigenetics drugs and combinatorial therapeutic approaches against cancers. This review is aimed to comprehensively explore the epigenetic modulations of flavonoids and their anti-tumor activities.

Influence of the Bioactive Diet Components on the Gene Expression Regulation

Diet bioactive components, in the concept of nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics, consist of food constituents, which can transfer information from the external environment and influence gene expression in the cell and thus the function of the whole organism. It is crucial to regard food not only as the source of energy and basic nutriments, crucial for living and organism development, but also as the factor influencing health/disease, biochemical mechanisms, and activation of biochemical pathways. Bioactive components of the diet regulate gene expression through changes in the chromatin structure (including DNA methylation and histone modification), non-coding RNA, activation of transcription factors by signalling cascades, or direct ligand binding to the nuclear receptors. Analysis of interactions between diet components and human genome structure and gene activity is a modern approach that will help to better understand these relations and will allow designing dietary guidances, which can help maintain good health.

Apigenin enhances apoptosis induction by 5-fluorouracil through regulation of thymidylate synthase in colorectal cancer cells

Although effective drugs have been developed, including 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) shows low therapeutic sensitivity resulting from the development of 5-FU resistance. Thymidylate synthase (TS) is a target protein of 5-FU, and elevated TS lowers the 5-FU sensitivity of CRC cells. Here, we tested the efficacy of several candidate phytochemicals against human CRC-derived HCT116 cells expressing wild-type tumor suppressor protein P53 and HT29 cells expressing mutant P53. Among them, we found that apigenin enhanced the inhibitory effect of 5-FU on cell viability. In addition, apigenin inhibited the upregulation of TS induced by 5-FU. Apigenin also potentiated 5-FU-induced apoptosis of HCT116 cells and enhanced cell cycle disruption. Furthermore, apigenin increased reactive oxygen species production, intracellular and intramitochondrial Ca²⁺ concentrations, and mitochondrial membrane potential upon cotreatment with 5-FU. Knockdown of forkhead box protein M, a transcription factor modulating 5-FU sensitivity, enhanced the potentiation of apoptosis by apigenin in HCT116 cells. Moreover, apigenin suppressed TS expression and inhibited the viability of 5-FU-resistant HCT116 cells. Therefore, apigenin may improve the therapeutic efficacy of 5-FU against CRC by suppressing TS, but apoptosis induction is mainly dependent on functional P53.

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Apigenin inhibits the upregulation of TS induced by 5-FU for apoptosis of CRC.

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FOXM1 silencing enhances the potentiation of apoptosis by apigenin.

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Suppressing TS and promoting P53 activity by apigenin reduce acquired 5-FU resistance.