An insight into novel therapeutic potentials of taxifolin

Taxifolin is a flavonoid compound, originally isolated from the bark of Douglas fir trees, which is often found in foods such as onions and olive oil, and is also used in commercial preparations, and has attracted the interest of nutritionists and medicinal chemists due to its broad range of health-promoting effects. It is a powerful antioxidant with excellent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and other pharmacological activities. This review focuses on the breakthroughs in taxifolin for the treatment of diseases from 2019 to 2022 according to various systems of the human body, such as the nervous system, immune system, and digestive system, and on the basis of this review, we summarize the problems of current research and try to suggest solutions and future research directions.

Dual role of Nrf2 in cancer: molecular mechanisms, cellular functions and therapeutic interventions

BACKGROUND

Nrf2 regulates oxidative stress, which is essential for cellular function. Fundamental initiation of Nrf2 in many malignancies increases prosurvival genes & endorses tumour cell propagation via metabolic reprogramming, suppression of tumour programmed cell death, & increased cancer stem cell self-renewal potential. More specifically, Nrf2 has been associated with cancer cell chemoresistance, radioresistance & inflammation-induced carcinogenesis.  METHODS AND RESULTS: Many Nrf2 inhibitors have been revealed for tumour treatment and targeting Nrf2 could be an effective cancer therapeutic method. Before spreading, cancer cells adapt to their surroundings. Cancer cells usually have mutations in tumor suppressor genes. In a variety of malignancies, somatic mutations & other anomalies in the Nrf2 genes, as well as renowned cancer suppressor genes including TP53, CDKN2A, PTEN & PIK3CA, have been found. In tumour cells, somatic mutations in the Nrf2 genes, as well as additional mechanisms that affect Nrf2 binding, and produce aberrant Nrf2 activation. Uncontrolled Nrf2 causes tumour cells to become resistant to antineoplastic drugs & reactive oxygen species (ROS), as well as guiding them toward metabolic reprogramming.  CONCLUSIONS: As a result, Nrf2 has been studied as potential malignancy treatment target. We covered the pathways, mechanisms, and dual characteristics of Nrf2 in malignancy in this article. We also discussed how Nrf2 inhibitors are targeted against cancer in this review.

Taxifolin inhibits breast cancer cells proliferation, migration and invasion by promoting mesenchymal to epithelial transition via β-catenin signaling

AIM

To investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of taxifolin on proliferation, migration and invasion of highly aggressive breast cancer in vitro and in vivo.

MAIN METHODS

The antineoplastic activity of taxifolin was evaluated in MDA-MB-231 and 4 T1 cells by crystal violet assay and colony formation assay. The effects of taxifolin on migration and invasion were determined by wound healing assay and Transwell assay, respectively. mRNA and protein expression of genes were assayed respectively with qRT-PCR and western blot, and the protein expression and location was also detected by immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry. β-catenin overexpression was performed with adenovirus infection. The effects of taxifolin on growth and metastasis of breast cancer in vivo were investigated in BALB/c mice bearing 4T1 xenografts.

KEY FINDINGS

We found that taxifolin had the potential to inhibit proliferation, migration and invasion of highly aggressive breast cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, taxifolin promoted the MET process, the reversed process of EMT, as evaluated by EMT markers and EMT-transcriptional factors in breast cancer cell lines. Meanwhile, the protein and mRNA expressions of β-catenin were dose-dependently downregulated by taxifolin, and overexpression of β-catenin by adenoviruses abrogated these beneficial effects of taxifolin above-mentioned. Furthermore, within a 4T1 xenograft mouse model, taxifolin markedly inhibited the growth of primary tumors and reduced lung metastasis of breast cancer.

SIGNIFICANCE

Our findings provide a theoretical foundation for the possibility of taxifolin used as a promising agent in the clinical treatment of highly aggressive breast cancer patients.

Discovery of new chromen-4-one derivatives as telomerase inhibitors through regulating expression of dyskerin

A series of new trimethoxyphenyl-4H-chromen derivatives as telomerase inhibitors through regulation dyskerin were designed and synthesised. The anticancer activity assay in vitro showed that compound 5i 3-(4-(4-isonicotinoylpiperazin-1-yl)butoxy)-5,7-dimethoxy-2-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-4H-chromen-4-one exhibited high activity against Hela, SMMC-7721, SGC-7901, U87 and HepG2 cell lines. Compound 5i also showed potent inhibitory activity against telomerase. The further results confirmed this title compound could significantly improve pathological changes induced rat hepatic tumor in vivo. Preliminary mechanisms showed that compound 5i inhibited telomerase activity through decrease expression of dyskerin.

Current research on anti-breast cancer synthetic compounds

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer for females and its incidence tends to increase year by year.