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Singla M, Smriti, Gupta S, Behal P, Singh SK, Preetam S, Rustagi S, Bora J, Mittal P, Malik S, Slama P. Unlocking the power of nanomedicine: the future of nutraceuticals in oncology treatment. Front Nutr 2023; 10:1258516. [PMID: 38045808 PMCID: PMC10691498 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1258516] [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: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer, an intricate and multifaceted disease, is characterized by the uncontrolled proliferation of cells that can lead to serious health complications and ultimately death. Conventional therapeutic strategies mainly target rapidly dividing cancer cells, but often indiscriminately harm healthy cells in the process. As a result, there is a growing interest in exploring novel therapies that are both effective and less toxic to normal cells. Herbs have long been used as natural remedies for various diseases and conditions. Some herbal compounds exhibit potent anti-cancer properties, making them potential candidates for nutraceutical-based treatments. However, despite their promising efficacy, there are considerable limitations in utilizing herbal preparations due to their poor solubility, low bioavailability, rapid metabolism and excretion, as well as potential interference with other medications. Nanotechnology offers a unique platform to overcome these challenges by encapsulating herbal compounds within nanoparticles. This approach not only increases solubility and stability but also enhances the cellular uptake of nutraceuticals, allowing for controlled and targeted delivery of therapeutic agents directly at tumor sites. By harnessing the power of nanotechnology-enabled therapy, this new frontier in cancer treatment presents an opportunity to minimize toxicity while maximizing efficacy. In conclusion, this manuscript provides compelling evidence for integrating nanotechnology with nutraceuticals derived from herbal sources to optimize cancer therapy outcomes. We explore the roadblocks associated with traditional herbal treatments and demonstrate how nanotechnology can help circumvent these issues, paving the way for safer and more effective cancer interventions in future oncological practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madhav Singla
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Rajpura, Punjab, India
| | - Smriti
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Rajpura, Punjab, India
| | - Saurabh Gupta
- Department of Pharmacology, Chameli Devi Institute of Pharmacy, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Prateek Behal
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Rajpura, Punjab, India
| | - Sachin Kumar Singh
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India
- Faculty of Health, Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Sarvesh Rustagi
- School of Applied and Life Sciences, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Jutishna Bora
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Jharkhand, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India
| | - Pooja Mittal
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Rajpura, Punjab, India
| | - Sumira Malik
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Jharkhand, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India
- Department of Biotechnology, University Center for Research & Development (UCRD), Chandigarh University, Mohali, Punjab, India
| | - Petr Slama
- Laboratory of Animal Immunology and Biotechnology, Department of Animal Morphology, Physiology and Genetics, Faculty of Agri Sciences, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska, Brno, Czechia
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Liao Y, Gui Y, Li Q, An J, Wang D. The signaling pathways and targets of natural products from traditional Chinese medicine treating gastric cancer provide new candidate therapeutic strategies. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2023; 1878:188998. [PMID: 37858623 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.188998] [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: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the severe malignancies with high incidence and mortality, especially in Eastern Asian countries. Significant advancements have been made in diagnosing and treating GC over the past few decades, resulting in tremendous improvements in patient survival. In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has garnered considerable attention as an alternative therapeutic approach for GC due to its multicomponent and multitarget characteristics. Consequently, natural products found in TCM have attracted researchers' attention, as growing evidence suggests that these natural products can impede GC progression by regulating various biological processes. Nevertheless, their molecular mechanisms are not systematically uncovered. Here, we review the major signaling pathways involved in GC development. Additionally, clinical GC samples were analyzed. Moreover, the anti-GC effects of natural products, their underlying mechanisms and potential targets were summarized. These summaries are intended to facilitate further relevant research, and accelerate the clinical applications of natural products in GC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yile Liao
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Yu Gui
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Qingzhou Li
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Jun An
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Dong Wang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China.
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Zhang X, Gao R, Zhou Z, Sun J, Tang X, Li J, Zhou X, Shen T. Uncovering the mechanism of Huanglian-Wuzhuyu herb pair in treating nonalcoholic steatohepatitis based on network pharmacology and experimental validation. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2022; 296:115405. [PMID: 35644437 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2022.115405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE The Huanglian-Wuzhuyu herb pair (HWHP) is a classic Chinese herbal formula consisting of the root of Coptis chinensis Franch and dried, nearly mature scented fruit of Tetradium ruticarpum (A.Juss.) T.G.Hartley. It is widely utilized to treat gastrointestinal and liver diseases such as diarrhea, dysentery, cholestasis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). However, the mechanism of HWHP in treating NASH remains poorly understood. AIM OF THE STUDY This study investigated the mechanisms of HWHP in NASH treatment via network pharmacology and validated the results through in vivo experiment using mouse models. MATERIALS AND METHODS The compounds and targets corresponding to the active ingredients of HWHP were obtained from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) database. The genes associated with NASH were obtained from the DisGeNET database. Cytoscape software was employed to construct a "drug-ingredient-target-disease" network. Furthermore, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were employed to analyze the related signaling pathways affected by HWHP. Moreover, AutoDock software was used to assess the potential binding affinity between the key targets of the hub pathway and the bioactive compounds. Subsequently, in vivo experiment was conducted to verify the findings of network pharmacology. RESULTS A total of 41 active compounds and 198 targets of HWHP were screened, of which 51 common targets were related to NASH. GO functional enrichment analysis revealed that HWHP may affect NASH by modulating inflammatory response. KEGG pathway enrichment suggested that the NOD-like receptor (NLR) signaling pathway may play an important role in treating NASH. Molecular docking results demonstrated that most HWHP components were successfully docked to NLRP3 with good binding energy. In vivo experiments revealed that HWHP alleviated liver inflammation, improved liver steatosis, reduced TC, TG, LDL-C, ALT, and AST, decreased mRNA expressions of IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-α in the liver, and lowered the expressions of NLRP3, pro-IL-1β, and ASC protein. Also, immunohistochemical findings presented downregulation of caspase-1 and IL-1β by HWHP. CONCLUSIONS The results disclosed that HWHP ameliorates NASH in mice by reducing inflammation and liver steatosis via inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome. This study revealed the mechanism of HWHP in treating NASH through experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobo Zhang
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China.
| | - Rui Gao
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China.
| | - Zhen Zhou
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, TAS7000, Australia.
| | - Jiayi Sun
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China.
| | - Xuehua Tang
- Academic Department, Chengdu Hemoyunyin Medical Laboratory Co, Ltd, 611135, China.
| | - Jialiang Li
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China.
| | - Xin Zhou
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China.
| | - Tao Shen
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China.
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Pharmacological Mechanism of Ganlu Powder in the Treatment of NASH Based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking. DISEASE MARKERS 2022; 2022:7251450. [PMID: 35811658 PMCID: PMC9259220 DOI: 10.1155/2022/7251450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is a clinical syndrome characterized by liver steatosis, inflammation, and hepatocellular damage. Ganlu powder (GLP) is a classic traditional Chinese medicine prescription that has shown favorable treatment effects on NASH. However, the underlying therapeutic mechanisms are still poorly understood. This study is aimed at exploring the potential mechanism of GLP in the treatment of NASH via network pharmacology and molecular docking. PubMed and CNKI databases were used to identify the components of GLP. Swiss and STITCH databases were employed to obtain corresponding drug targets. NASH targets were adopted from the Therapeutic Target Database (TTD), DisGeNET, DrugBank, GeneCards, and MalaCards databases. Cytoscape software was utilized to construct “drug-ingredient-target-disease” networks and the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of GLP in NASH. AKT1 was identified as the key target. The GO functional enrichment analysis revealed that GLP might treat NASH by modulating the inflammatory response and regulating phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling. The KEGG analysis showed that GLP might treat NASH by regulating the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signal pathway by affecting the role of AKT1. According to the network pharmacology results, a virtual docking of active compounds with AKT1 was carried out, and the results indicated that the 7 components, berberine, epiberberine, jatrorrhizine, coptisine, palmatine, evodiamine, and rutecarpine, can bind stably with AKT1 and have higher binding energy than AKT1 inhibitors. The overall study findings suggest that GLP may treat NASH by regulating AKT1.
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Natural Compounds Targeting Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts against Digestive System Tumor Progression: Therapeutic Insights. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10030713. [PMID: 35327514 PMCID: PMC8945097 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10030713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are critical for cancer occurrence and progression in the tumor microenvironment (TME), due to their versatile roles in extracellular matrix remodeling, tumor–stroma crosstalk, immunomodulation, and angiogenesis. CAFs are the most abundant stromal component in the TME and undergo epigenetic modification and abnormal signaling cascade activation, such as transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and Wnt pathways that maintain the distinct phenotype of CAFs, which differs from normal fibroblasts. CAFs have been considered therapeutic targets due to their putative oncogenic functions. Current digestive system cancer treatment strategies often result in lower survival outcomes and fail to prevent cancer progression; therefore, comprehensive characterization of the tumor-promoting and -restraining CAF activities might facilitate the design of new therapeutic approaches. In this review, we summarize the enormous literature on natural compounds that mediate the crosstalk of CAFs with digestive system cancer cells, discuss how the biology and the multifaceted functions of CAFs contribute to cancer progression, and finally, pave the way for CAF-related antitumor therapies.
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Chen D, Zhang R, Xie A, Yuan J, Zhang J, Huang Y, Zhang H, Zhang F. Clinical correlations and prognostic value of Nudix hydroxylase 10 in patients with gastric cancer. Bioengineered 2021; 12:9779-9789. [PMID: 34696672 PMCID: PMC8809933 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2021.1995104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common and lethal cancers worldwide. The Nudix hydroxylase (NUDT) genes have been reported to play notable roles in tumor progression. However, the role of NUDT10 in GC has not been reported. In this study, we investigated the expression of NUDT10 in GC and its association with clinicopathological characteristics. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and analyses of The Cancer Genome Atlas and Human Protein Atlas databases were performed to determine NUDT10 mRNA and protein expression. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to assess the diagnostic value of NUDT10 in patients with GC. We used Cox regression and the Kaplan-Meier method to assess the correlations between clinicopathological factors and survival outcomes of patients with GC. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to identify the underlying signaling pathways. NUDT10 mRNA and protein expression was significantly lower in GC tissues compared to normal tissues. Interestingly, higher NUDT10 expression was correlated with advanced tumor stage, deeper local invasion, and worse survival outcomes. Patients with higher NUDT10 expression had a significantly worse prognosis than those with lower NUDT10 expression. Multivariate analysis showed that high NUDT10 expression was an independent predictor of survival outcome. Several pathways, including mismatch repair, nucleotide excision repair, extracellular matrix receptor interaction, and cancer signaling, were identified as enriched pathways in GC through GSEA. To our knowledge, this study is the first to characterize NUDT10 expression in GC. Our study demonstrates that NUDT10 is a promising independent biomarker for GC prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diqun Chen
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Rouxin Zhang
- College of Science and Technology, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
| | - Aosi Xie
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Jinpeng Yuan
- Department of Abdominal Surgery, Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Jinhai Zhang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Yongjian Huang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Shantou Guorui Hospital, Shantou, China
| | - Hongxia Zhang
- Health Care Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
- CONTACT Hongxia Zhang Health Care Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China; Feiran Zhang Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Feiran Zhang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
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Gu Y, Tang S, Wang Z, Cai L, Lian H, Shen Y, Zhou Y. A pan-cancer analysis of the prognostic and immunological role of β-actin (ACTB) in human cancers. Bioengineered 2021; 12:6166-6185. [PMID: 34486492 PMCID: PMC8806805 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2021.1973220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Beta-actin (ACTB), a highly conserved cytoskeleton structural protein, has been regarded as a common housekeep gene and used as a reference gene for years. However, accumulating evidence indicates that ACTB is abnormally expressed in multiple cancers and hence changes the cytoskeleton to affect the invasiveness and metastasis of tumors. This study aimed to investigate the function and clinical significance of ACTB in pan-cancer. The role of ACTB for prognosis and immune regulation across 33 tumors was explored based on the datasets of gene expression omnibus and the cancer genome atlas. Differential expression of ACTB was found between cancer and adjacent normal tissues, and significant associations was found between ACTB expression and prognosis of tumor patients. In most cancers, ACTB expression was associated with immune cells infiltration, immune checkpoints and other immune modulators. Relevance between ACTB and metastasis and invasion was identified in various types of cancers by CancerSEA. Moreover, focal adhesion and actin regulation-associated pathways were included in the functional mechanisms of ACTB. The expression of ACTB was verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Knockdown of ACTB inhibited head and neck squamous carcinoma cell migration and invasion by NF-κB and Wnt/β-catenin pathways. Our first pan-cancer study of ACTB offers insight into the prognostic and immunological roles of ACTB across different tumors, indicating ACTB may be a potential biomarker for poor prognosis and immune infiltration in cancers, and the role of ACTB as a reference gene in cancers was challenged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxi Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Research Unit of Oral Carcinogenesis and Management, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shouyi Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Research Unit of Oral Carcinogenesis and Management, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Research Unit of Oral Carcinogenesis and Management, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Luyao Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Research Unit of Oral Carcinogenesis and Management, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Haosen Lian
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Research Unit of Oral Carcinogenesis and Management, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yingqiang Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Research Unit of Oral Carcinogenesis and Management, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Research Unit of Oral Carcinogenesis and Management, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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