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Wu H, Ma T, He M, Xie W, Wang X, Lu L, Wang H, Cui Y. Cucurbitacin B modulates M2 macrophage differentiation and attenuates osteosarcoma progression via PI3K/AKT pathway. Phytother Res 2024; 38:2215-2233. [PMID: 38411031 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.8146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Osteosarcoma is a common malignant bone tumour characterised by an aggressive metastatic potential. The tumour microenvironment, particularly the M2-polarised macrophages, is crucial for tumour progression. Cucurbitacin B (CuB), a triterpenoid derivative, is recognised for its anti-inflammatory and antitumour properties. This study investigates CuB and its effect on M2 macrophage differentiation and osteosarcoma progression, aiming to contribute to new treatment strategies. In vitro, THP-1 monocytes were stimulated with PMA, IL-13 and IL-4 to induce differentiation into M2 macrophages. Additionally, the influence of CuB on the proliferation, migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells in the context of M2 macrophages was scrutinised. Crucial signalling pathways, especially the PI3K/AKT pathway, affected by CuB were identified and validated. In vivo, the osteosarcoma model was employed to gauge the effects of CuB on tumour weight, lung metastasis, angiogenesis, cell proliferation and M2 macrophage markers. The results showed that CuB inhibited M2 macrophage differentiation, leading to reduced proliferation, migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells. CuB manifested an inhibitory effect on the PI3K/AKT pathway during the differentiation of M2 macrophages. In mouse models, CuB markedly reduced the tumour weight and the number of lung metastases. It also reduced the expression of angiogenesis and cell proliferation markers in tumour tissues, decreased the quantity of M2 macrophages and their associated markers and pathway proteins. In conclusion, CuB impedes osteosarcoma progression by inhibiting M2 macrophage differentiation via the PI3K/AKT pathway, presenting the potential for therapeutic advancements in osteosarcoma treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Wu
- Department of Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Tianjun Ma
- Department of Bone and Joint Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Mei He
- Department of Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Wenkai Xie
- Department of Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Xueyan Wang
- Department of Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Liuping Lu
- Department of Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
- Department of Orthopaedics, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Ying Cui
- Department of Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
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Li QZ, Chen YY, Liu QP, Feng ZH, Zhang L, Zhang H. Cucurbitacin B suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma progression through inducing DNA damage-dependent cell cycle arrest. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 126:155177. [PMID: 38412667 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.155177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mortality rate of liver cancer ranks third in the world, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant tumor of the digestive tract. Cucurbitacin B (CuB), a natural compound extracted from Cucurbitaceae spp., is the main active component of Chinese patent medicine the Cucurbitacin Tablet, which has been widely used in the treatment of various malignant tumors in clinics, especially HCC. PURPOSE This study explored the role and mechanism of CuB in the suppression of liver cancer progression. METHODS Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and colony formation assays were used to detect the inhibitory function of CuB in Huh7, Hep3B, and Hepa1/6 hepatoma cells. Calcein-AM/propidium iodide (PI) staining and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) measurement assays were performed to determine cell death. Mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) was measured, and flow cytometry was performed to evaluate cell apoptosis and cell cycle. Several techniques, such as proteomics, Western blotting (WB), and ribonucleic acid (RNA) interference, were utilized to explore the potential mechanism. The animal experiment was performed to verify the results of in vitro experiments. RESULTS CuB significantly inhibited the growth of Huh7, Hep3B, and Hepa1/6 cells and triggered the cell cycle arrest in G2/M phage without leading to cell death, especially apoptosis. Knockdown of insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1), a target of CuB, did not reverse CuB elicited cell cycle arrest. CuB enhanced phosphorylated ataxia telangiectasia mutated (p-ATM) and phosphorylated H2A histone family member X (γ-H2AX) levels. Moreover, CuB increased p53 and p21 levels and decreased cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) expression, accompanied by improving phosphorylated checkpoint kinase 1 (p-CHK1) level and suppressing cell division cycle 25C (CDC25C) protein level. Interestingly, these phenomena were partly abolished by a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) protector methylproamine (MPA). Animal studies showed that CuB also significantly suppressed tumor growth in BALB/c mice bearing Hepa1/6 cells. In tumor tissues, CuB reduced the expression levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and γ-H2AX but did not change the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxyuridine triphosphate (dUTP) nick-end labeling (TUNEL) level. CONCLUSION This study demonstrated for the first time that CuB could effectively impede HCC progression by inducing DNA damage-dependent cell cycle arrest without directly triggering cell death, such as necrosis and apoptosis. The effect was achieved through ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM)-dependent p53-p21-CDK1 and checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1)-CDC25C signaling pathways. These findings indicate that CuB may be used as an anti-HCC drug, when the current findings are confirmed by independent studies and after many more clinical phase 1, 2, 3, and 4 testings have been done.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi-Zhang Li
- Innovative Drug R&D Center, College of Life Sciences, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, Anhui 235000, China
| | - Yu-Ying Chen
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Qiu-Ping Liu
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Zhi-Hui Feng
- Innovative Drug R&D Center, College of Life Sciences, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, Anhui 235000, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Innovative Drug R&D Center, College of Life Sciences, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, Anhui 235000, China; Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
| | - Hong Zhang
- Innovative Drug R&D Center, College of Life Sciences, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, Anhui 235000, China.
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Liu C, Ji J, Li C. Cucurbitacin B Inhibits the Malignancy of Esophageal Carcinoma through the KIF20A/JAK/STAT3 Signaling Pathway. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CHINESE MEDICINE 2024; 52:275-289. [PMID: 38291583 DOI: 10.1142/s0192415x24500125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
This study intends to explore the effects of Cucurbitacin B (CuB) and KIF20A on esophageal carcinoma (ESCA). Data were downloaded from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The expression properties of KIF20A have been confirmed by GEPIA and ualcan from TCGA. The expression of KIF20A was determined using western blotting in ECA109 and KYSE150 cells after transfection with KIF20A, KIF20A siRNA, or numerical control siRNA (si-NC). Then, different concentrations of CuB were used to treat ECA109 and KYSE150 cells. CCK-8 and colony formation assays were used to measure cell viability, and a Transwell assay was utilized to assess cell migration and invasion ability. N-cadherin, E-cadherin, snail, p-Janus kinase 2 (JAK2), JAK2, p-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), and STAT3 expression levels were evaluated using western blot. KIF20A was higher expressed in ESCA than in normal cells, and its overexpression was associated with squamous cell carcinoma, TNM stage, and lymph nodal metastasis of ESCA patients. In ECA109 and KYSE150 cells, increased KIF20A facilitated cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, whereas the knockdown of KIF20A can reverse these effects with N-cadherin. Snail expression diminished and E-cadherin increased. Similarly, CuB treatment could inhibit cell proliferation, migration, and invasion concentration dependently. Furthermore, KIF20A accelerated the expression of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3, while the application of CuB inhibited KIF20A expression and attenuated the activation of the JAK/STAT3 pathway. These findings revealed that CuB could inhibit the growth, migration, and invasion of ESCA through downregulating the KIF20A/JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway, and CuB could serve as an essential medicine for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Liu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Huaian No. 1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu 223001, P. R. China
| | - Jian Ji
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Huaian No. 1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu 223001, P. R. China
| | - Chenglin Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Huaian No. 1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu 223001, P. R. China
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Ashrafizadeh M, Mohan CD, Rangappa S, Zarrabi A, Hushmandi K, Kumar AP, Sethi G, Rangappa KS. Noncoding RNAs as regulators of STAT3 pathway in gastrointestinal cancers: Roles in cancer progression and therapeutic response. Med Res Rev 2023; 43:1263-1321. [PMID: 36951271 DOI: 10.1002/med.21950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Gastrointestinal (GI) tumors (cancers of the esophagus, gastric, liver, pancreas, colon, and rectum) contribute to a large number of deaths worldwide. STAT3 is an oncogenic transcription factor that promotes the transcription of genes associated with proliferation, antiapoptosis, survival, and metastasis. STAT3 is overactivated in many human malignancies including GI tumors which accelerates tumor progression, metastasis, and drug resistance. Research in recent years demonstrated that noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) play a major role in the regulation of many signaling pathways including the STAT3 pathway. The major types of endogenous ncRNAs that are being extensively studied in oncology are microRNAs, long noncoding RNAs, and circular RNAs. These ncRNAs can either be tumor-promoters or tumor-suppressors and each one of them imparts their activity via different mechanisms. The STAT3 pathway is also tightly modulated by ncRNAs. In this article, we have elaborated on the tumor-promoting role of STAT3 signaling in GI tumors. Subsequently, we have comprehensively discussed the oncogenic as well as tumor suppressor functions and mechanism of action of ncRNAs that are known to modulate STAT3 signaling in GI cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milad Ashrafizadeh
- Department of General Surgery and Institute of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Digestive System Tumors, Carson International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chakrabhavi D Mohan
- Department of Studies in Molecular Biology, University of Mysore, Manasagangotri, India
| | - Shobith Rangappa
- Adichunchanagiri Institute for Molecular Medicine, Adichunchanagiri University, Nagamangala Taluk, India
| | - Ali Zarrabi
- Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Istinye University, Istanbul, Sariyer, Turkey
| | - Kiavash Hushmandi
- Division of Epidemiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Alan Prem Kumar
- NUS Centre for Cancer Research (N2CR), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Gautam Sethi
- NUS Centre for Cancer Research (N2CR), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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Yu Z, Liang S, Ji L, Cheng Y, Yan W, Gao R, Zhang F. Network pharmacological analysis and experimental study of cucurbitacin B in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Mol Divers 2023:10.1007/s11030-023-10713-8. [PMID: 37615817 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-023-10713-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a malignant tumor with a high incidence and poor prognosis. Cucurbitacin B (CuB) is a tetracyclic triterpenoid small-molecule compound extracted from plants, such as Cucurbitaceae and Brassicaceae, which has powerful anticancer effects. However, the effect and mechanism of CuB on OSCC remain unclear. Within the framework of the current study, network pharmacology was used to analyze the relationship between CuB and OSCC. The network pharmacology analysis showed that CuB and OSCC share 134 common targets; among them, PIK3R1, SRC, STAT3, AKT1, and MAPK1 are the key targets. The molecular docking analysis showed that CuB binds five target proteins. The results of the enrichment analysis showed that CuB exerted effects on OSCC through various pathways; of these pathways, PI3K-AKT was the most important pathway. The results of the in vitro cell experiments showed that CuB could inhibit the proliferation and migration of SCC25 and CAL27 cells, block the cell cycle in the G2 phase, induce cell apoptosis, and regulate the protein expression of the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. The results of the in vivo animal experiments showed that CuB could inhibit 4NQO-induced oral cancer in mice. Therefore, network pharmacology, molecular docking, cell experiments, and animal experiments showed that CuB could play a role in OSCC by regulating multiple targets and pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenyuan Yu
- Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Prevention and New Materials, Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Shuang Liang
- Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Prevention and New Materials, Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Lanting Ji
- Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Prevention and New Materials, Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - YaHsin Cheng
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan
| | - Wenpeng Yan
- Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Prevention and New Materials, Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Ruifang Gao
- Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Prevention and New Materials, Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Fang Zhang
- Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Prevention and New Materials, Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China.
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6
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Dai S, Wang C, Zhao X, Ma C, Fu K, Liu Y, Peng C, Li Y. Cucurbitacin B: A review of its pharmacology, toxicity, and pharmacokinetics. Pharmacol Res 2023; 187:106587. [PMID: 36460279 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2022.106587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Cucurbitacin B (CuB, C32H46O8), the most abundant and active member of cucurbitacins, which are highly oxidized tetracyclic triterpenoids. Cucurbitacins are widely distributed in a variety of plants and mainly isolated from plants in the Cucurbitaceae family. CuB is mostly obtained from the pedicel of Cucumis melo L. Modern pharmacological studies have confirmed that CuB has a broad range of pharmacological activities, with significant therapeutic effects on a variety of diseases including inflammatory diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes mellitus, and cancers. In this study the PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases were searched from 1986 to 2022. After inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, 98 out of 2484 articles were selected for a systematic review to comprehensively summarize the pharmacological activity, toxicity, and pharmacokinetic properties of CuB. The results showed that CuB exhibits potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, hypoglycemic, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, and anti-cancer activities mainly via regulating various signaling pathways, such as the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (JAK/STAT3), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2/antioxidant responsive element (Nrf2/ARE), nuclear factor (NF)-κB, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt, cancerous inhibitor of protein phosphatase-2A/protein phosphatase-2A (CIP2A/PP2A), Wnt, focal adhesion kinase (FAK), Notch, and Hippo-Yes-associated protein (YAP) pathways. Studies of its toxicity and pharmacokinetic properties showed that CuB has non-specific toxicity and low bioavailability. In addition, derivatives and clinical applications of CuB are discussed in this paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Cheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - XingTao Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Cheng Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Ke Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Yanfang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Cheng Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China.
| | - Yunxia Li
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China.
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Tuli HS, Rath P, Chauhan A, Ranjan A, Ramniwas S, Sak K, Aggarwal D, Kumar M, Dhama K, Lee EHC, Yap KCY, Capinpin SM, Kumar AP. Cucurbitacins as Potent Chemo-Preventive Agents: Mechanistic Insight and Recent Trends. Biomolecules 2022; 13:biom13010057. [PMID: 36671442 PMCID: PMC9855938 DOI: 10.3390/biom13010057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cucurbitacins constitute a group of cucumber-derived dietary lipids, highly oxidized tetracyclic triterpenoids, with potential medical uses. These compounds are known to interact with a variety of recognized cellular targets to impede the growth of cancer cells. Accumulating evidence has suggested that inhibition of tumor cell growth via induction of apoptosis, cell-cycle arrest, anti-metastasis and anti-angiogenesis are major promising chemo-preventive actions of cucurbitacins. Cucurbitacins may be a potential choice for investigations of synergism with other drugs to reverse cancer cells' treatment resistance. The detailed molecular mechanisms underlying these effects include interactions between cucurbitacins and numerous cellular targets (Bcl-2/Bax, caspases, STAT3, cyclins, NF-κB, COX-2, MMP-9, VEGF/R, etc.) as well as control of a variety of intracellular signal transduction pathways. The current study is focused on the efforts undertaken to find possible molecular targets for cucurbitacins in suppressing diverse malignant processes. The review is distinctive since it presents all potential molecular targets of cucurbitacins in cancer on one common podium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hardeep Singh Tuli
- Department of Biotechnology, Maharishi Markandeshwar Engineering College, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Mullana-Ambala 133207, India
- Correspondence: (H.S.T.); (A.P.K.)
| | - Prangya Rath
- Amity Institute of Environmental Sciences, Amity University, Noida 201303, India
| | - Abhishek Chauhan
- Amity Institute of Environmental Toxicology, Safety and Management, Amity University, Noida 201303, India
| | - Anuj Ranjan
- Academy of Biology and Biotechnology, Southern Federal University, 344090 Rostov-on-Don, Russia
| | - Seema Ramniwas
- University Centre for Research and Development, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chandigarh University, Mohali 140413, India
| | | | - Diwakar Aggarwal
- Department of Biotechnology, Maharishi Markandeshwar Engineering College, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Mullana-Ambala 133207, India
| | - Manoj Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, Maharishi Markandeshwar University Sadopur, Ambala 134007, India
| | - Kuldeep Dhama
- Division of Pathology, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly 243122, India
| | - E Hui Clarissa Lee
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117600, Singapore
- NUS Centre for Cancer Research (N2CR), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077, Singapore
| | - Kenneth Chun-Yong Yap
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117600, Singapore
- NUS Centre for Cancer Research (N2CR), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077, Singapore
| | - Sharah Mae Capinpin
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117600, Singapore
- NUS Centre for Cancer Research (N2CR), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077, Singapore
| | - Alan Prem Kumar
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117600, Singapore
- NUS Centre for Cancer Research (N2CR), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077, Singapore
- Correspondence: (H.S.T.); (A.P.K.)
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Nisar S, Masoodi T, Prabhu KS, Kuttikrishnan S, Zarif L, Khatoon S, Ali S, Uddin S, Akil AAS, Singh M, Macha MA, Bhat AA. Natural products as chemo-radiation therapy sensitizers in cancers. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 154:113610. [PMID: 36030591 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a devastating disease and is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Surgery, chemotherapy (CT), and/or radiation therapy (RT) are the treatment of choice for most advanced tumors. Unfortunately, treatment failure due to intrinsic and acquired resistance to the current CT and RT is a significant challenge associated with poor patient prognosis. There is an urgent need to develop and identify agents that can sensitize tumor cells to chemo-radiation therapy (CRT) with minimal cytotoxicity to the healthy tissues. While many recent studies have identified the underlying molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets for CRT failure, using small molecule inhibitors to chemo/radio sensitize tumors is associated with high toxicity and increased morbidity. Natural products have long been used as chemopreventive agents in many cancers. Combining many of these compounds with the standard chemotherapeutic agents or with RT has shown synergistic effects on cancer cell death and overall improvement in patient survival. Based on the available data, there is strong evidence that natural products have a robust therapeutic potential along with CRT and their well-known chemopreventive effects in many solid tumors. This review article reports updated literature on different natural products used as CT or RT sensitizers in many solid tumors. This is the first review discussing CT and RT sensitizers together in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabah Nisar
- Depertment of Human Genetics-Precision Medicine in Diabetes, Obesity and Cancer Program, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Tariq Masoodi
- Laboratory of Cancer immunology and genetics, Sidra Medicine, Qatar
| | - Kirti S Prabhu
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar
| | - Shilpa Kuttikrishnan
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar
| | - Lubna Zarif
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar
| | - Summaiya Khatoon
- Depertment of Human Genetics-Precision Medicine in Diabetes, Obesity and Cancer Program, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Shahid Ali
- International Potato Center (CIP), Shillong, Meghalaya, India
| | - Shahab Uddin
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar; Laboratory Animal Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Ammira Al-Shabeeb Akil
- Depertment of Human Genetics-Precision Medicine in Diabetes, Obesity and Cancer Program, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Mayank Singh
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, AIIMS, New Delhi, India.
| | - Muzafar A Macha
- Watson-Crick Centre for Molecular Medicine, Islamic University of Science and Technology, Awantipora, Jammu & Kashmir, India.
| | - Ajaz A Bhat
- Depertment of Human Genetics-Precision Medicine in Diabetes, Obesity and Cancer Program, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar.
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Zhang H, Zhao B, Wei H, Zeng H, Sheng D, Zhang Y. Cucurbitacin B controls M2 macrophage polarization to suppresses metastasis via targeting JAK-2/STAT3 signalling pathway in colorectal cancer. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2022; 287:114915. [PMID: 34954267 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.114915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Cucurbitacin B (CuB), extracted from muskmelon pedicel, is a widely available triterpenoid molecule that exerts influence on various biological activities. Modern pharmacological studies have found that cucurbitacin B has many kinds of pharmacological anti-tumor and anti-metastasis functions. AIM OF THE STUDY To explore the mechanism of anti-tumor and anti-metastasis effect of cucurbitacin B. MATERIALS AND METHODS The effect of cucurbitacin B on the growth of HCT116 and CT-26 was detected by CCK8; apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry and colony formation; the expression of apoptosis-related protein Bax, Bcl-2 and Cleaved-caspase-3 were examined by western Blot. To explore the underlying mechanism of cucurbitacin B against tumor, the Western blot, Immunofluorescence staining, Microscale Thermophoresis assays were used. Multiple molecular biology experiments were applied to validate the effect of polarization of cucurbitacin B-induced macrophages. The supernatant of Cucurbitacin B-induced macrophages and colon cells were co-cultured in vitro, and then transwell and wound healing assay were employed to the related phenotypes. C57BL/6 and BALB/c murine colon cancer model were also used to study the drug effects in vivo. RESULTS Cucurbitacin B distinctly induced the apoptosis of CRC cells. It was observed that cucurbitacin B not only inhibited the phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT3, but also the translocation from the cytosol to the nucleus. Meanwhile, we observed that cucurbitacin B is bound to STAT3. Further experimentation demonstrated that cucurbitacin B reduced the polarization of M2 macrophage by down-regulating JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. Cucurbitacin B-induced M2-like macrophages were found to diminish the migration of CRC cells. In vitro study suggested that cucurbitacin inhibited the CRC cells proliferation via JAK2/STAT3 and suppressed the cell migration by suppressing M2-like macrophages polarization. Consistent with in vitro results, the cucurbitacin B therapy significantly inhibited tumor growth and metastasis in mice. Moreover, in vivo the treatment with cucurbitacin B enhanced anti-tumor immunity by regulating M2-like macrophages and promoted the expression of CD4 and CD8 in tumor microenvironment. CONCLUSION Our results proved that cucurbitacin B might be a potential candidate agent for adjuvant therapy in the process of CRC growth and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoyue Zhang
- Institute of Colorectal Disease Center of Nanjing Hospital of Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210000, China
| | - Bei Zhao
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - HuiZhen Wei
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Hairong Zeng
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Dongya Sheng
- Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- Institute of Colorectal Disease Center of Nanjing Hospital of Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210000, China.
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Silva VR, Santos LDS, Dias RB, Quadros CA, Bezerra DP. Emerging agents that target signaling pathways to eradicate colorectal cancer stem cells. Cancer Commun (Lond) 2021; 41:1275-1313. [PMID: 34791817 PMCID: PMC8696218 DOI: 10.1002/cac2.12235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. The modern concept of cancer biology indicates that cancer is formed of a small population of cells called cancer stem cells (CSCs), which present both pluripotency and self-renewal properties. These cells are considered responsible for the progression of the disease, recurrence and tumor resistance. Interestingly, some cell signaling pathways participate in CRC survival, proliferation, and self-renewal properties, and most of them are dysregulated in CSCs, including the Wingless (Wnt)/β-catenin, Notch, Hedgehog, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR), phosphatidyl-inositol-3-kinase/Akt/mechanistic target of rapamycin (PI3K/Akt/mTOR), and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)/Smad pathways. In this review, we summarize the strategies for eradicating CRC stem cells by modulating these dysregulated pathways, which will contribute to the study of potential therapeutic schemes, combining conventional drugs with CSC-targeting drugs, and allowing better cure rates in anti-CRC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valdenizia R Silva
- Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IGM-FIOCRUZ/BA), Salvador, Bahia, 40296-710, Brazil
| | - Luciano de S Santos
- Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IGM-FIOCRUZ/BA), Salvador, Bahia, 40296-710, Brazil
| | - Rosane B Dias
- Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IGM-FIOCRUZ/BA), Salvador, Bahia, 40296-710, Brazil
| | - Claudio A Quadros
- São Rafael Hospital, Rede D'Or/São Luiz, Salvador, Bahia, 41253-190, Brazil.,Bahia State University, Salvador, Bahia, 41150-000, Brazil
| | - Daniel P Bezerra
- Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IGM-FIOCRUZ/BA), Salvador, Bahia, 40296-710, Brazil
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