Xanthohumol inhibits angiogenesis by suppressing nuclear factor-κB activation in pancreatic cancer

IGFBP7 promotes gastric cancer by facilitating epithelial-mesenchymal transition of gastric cells

Gastric cancer (GC) with high morbidity and mortality is one major cause of tumor-related death. Mechanisms underlying GC invasion and metastasis remain unclear. IGFBP7 exerted variable effects in different cancers and its role in GC is controversial. Here, IGFBP7 was found to be upregulated and elevated IGFBP7 expression represented a poorer overall survival in GC using bioinformatics analysis. Moreover, IGFBP7 was up-regulated in human GC specimens and promoted tumor growth in xenograft tumor animals. For GC cell lines, we found that IGFBP7 was also upregulated and facilitated the cell malignant behavior and EMT of GC cells, which may involve NF-κB and ERK signaling pathways. This research may provide new avenues for GC therapy.

Progression of unfolded protein response and ferroptosis in angiogenesis

Angiogenesis is the growth of new blood vessels on preexisting ones. It is the outcome of a multifactorial effect involving several cells, which can be brought on by different stress reactions.The accumulation of unfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum occurs when cells are stressed due to environmental changes, where physical or chemical stimuli induce endoplasmic reticulum stress, thereby activating the unfolded protein response (UPR), a homeostasis response designed to re-establish protein balance. Ferroptosis is a planned death of lipid peroxidation and anomalies in metabolism that is dependent on iron. Large concentrations of iron ions accumulate there, along with high concentrations of lipid peroxides and reactive oxygen species, all of which can contribute to the development of several diseases. Through the production of growth factors, adhesion factors, and inflammatory factors that trigger the start of angiogenesis, both UPR and Ferroptosis can be implicated in angiogenesis.To set the stage for further research on angiogenesis, this work concentrated on the effects of Ferroptosis and UPR on angiogenesis, respectively.

Flavonoids with Anti-Angiogenesis Function in Cancer

The formation of new blood vessels, known as angiogenesis, significantly impacts the development of multiple types of cancer. Consequently, researchers have focused on targeting this process to prevent and treat numerous disorders. However, most existing anti-angiogenic treatments rely on synthetic compounds and humanized monoclonal antibodies, often expensive or toxic, restricting patient access to these therapies. Hence, the pursuit of discovering new, affordable, less toxic, and efficient anti-angiogenic compounds is imperative. Numerous studies propose that natural plant-derived products exhibit these sought-after characteristics. The objective of this review is to delve into the anti-angiogenic properties exhibited by naturally derived flavonoids from plants, along with their underlying molecular mechanisms of action. Additionally, we summarize the structure, classification, and the relationship between flavonoids with their signaling pathways in plants as anti-angiogenic agents, including main HIF-1α/VEGF/VEGFR2/PI3K/AKT, Wnt/β-catenin, JNK1/STAT3, and MAPK/AP-1 pathways. Nonetheless, further research and innovative approaches are required to enhance their bioavailability for clinical application.

The Natural Product Parthenolide Inhibits Both Angiogenesis and Invasiveness and Improves Gemcitabine Resistance by Suppressing Nuclear Factor κB Activation in Pancreatic Cancer Cell Lines

We previously established pancreatic cancer (PaCa) cell lines resistant to gemcitabine and found that the activity of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) was enhanced upon the acquisition of gemcitabine resistance. Parthenolide, the main active ingredient in feverfew, has been reported to exhibit antitumor activity by suppressing the NF-κB signaling pathway in several types of cancers. However, the antitumor effect of parthenolide on gemcitabine-resistant PaCa has not been elucidated. Here, we confirmed that parthenolide significantly inhibits the proliferation of both gemcitabine-resistant and normal PaCa cells at concentrations of 10 µM and higher, and that the NF-κB activity is significantly inhibited, even by 1 µM parthenolide. In Matrigel invasion assays and angiogenesis assays, the invasive and angiogenic potentials were higher in gemcitabine-resistant than normal PaCa cells and were inhibited by a low concentration of parthenolide. Furthermore, Western blotting showed suppressed MRP1 expression in gemcitabine-resistant PaCa treated with a low parthenolide concentration. In a colony formation assay, the addition of 1 µM parthenolide improved the sensitivity of gemcitabine-resistant PaCa cell lines to gemcitabine. These results suggest that parthenolide may be used as a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of gemcitabine-resistant PaCa.

Phytochemicals Showing Antiangiogenic Effect in Pre-clinical Models and their Potential as an Alternative to Existing Therapeutics

Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from a pre-existing vascular network, is an important hallmark of several pathological conditions, such as tumor growth and metastasis, proliferative retinopathies, including proliferative diabetic retinopathy and retinopathy of prematurity, age-related macular degeneration, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and endometriosis. Putting a halt to pathology-driven angiogenesis is considered an important therapeutic strategy to slow down or reduce the severity of pathological disorders. Considering the attrition rate of synthetic antiangiogenic compounds from the lab to reaching the market due to severe side effects, several compounds of natural origin are being explored for their antiangiogenic properties. Employing pre-clinical models for the evaluation of novel antiangiogenic compounds is a promising strategy for rapid screening of antiangiogenic compounds. These studies use a spectrum of angiogenic model systems that include HUVEC two-dimensional culture, nude mice, chick chorioallantoic membrane, transgenic zebrafish, and dorsal aorta from rats and chicks, depending upon available resources. The present article emphasizes the antiangiogenic activity of the phytochemicals shown to exhibit antiangiogenic behavior in these well-defined existing angiogenic models and highlights key molecular targets. Different models help to get a quick understanding of the efficacy and therapeutics mechanism of emerging lead molecules. The inherent variability in assays and corresponding different phytochemicals tested in each study prevent their immediate utilization in clinical studies. This review will discuss phytochemicals discovered using suitable preclinical antiangiogenic models, along with a special mention of leads that have entered clinical evaluation.

Xanthohumol attenuates renal ischemia/reperfusion injury by inhibiting ferroptosis

Ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) is a notable contributor to kidney injury, but effective prevention and treatment options are limited. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of xanthohumol (XN), a kind of flavonoid, on renal IRI and its pathological process in rats. Rats and HK-2 cells were divided into five groups: Sham (control), IR [hypoxia-reoxygenation (HR)], IR (HR) + XN, IR (HR) + erastin or IR (HR) + XN + erastin. The effects of XN and erastin (a ferroptosis inducer) on IRI in rats were evaluated using blood urea nitrogen, plasma creatinine, glutathione, superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde kits, western blotting, cell viability assay, hematoxylin and eosin staining and reactive oxygen species (ROS) detection. Nrf2 small interfering (si)RNA was used to investigate the role of the Nrf2/heme oxygenase (HO)-1 axis in XN-mediated protection against HR injury. Cell viability, ROS levels and expression of ferroptosis-related proteins were analyzed. Following IR, renal function of rats was severely impaired and oxidative stress and ferroptosis levels significantly increased. However, XN treatment decreased renal injury and inhibited oxidative stress and ferroptosis in renal tubular epithelial cells. Additionally, XN upregulated the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway and Nrf2-siRNA reversed the renoprotective effect of XN. XN effectively decreased renal IRI by inhibiting ferroptosis and oxidative stress and its protective mechanism may be associated with the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.

The Hepatic Antisteatosis Effect of Xanthohumol in High-Fat Diet-Fed Rats Entails Activation of AMPK as a Possible Protective Mechanism

Obesity is the leading cause of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by provoking hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Low activity of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is linked to obesity, liver injury, and NAFLD. This study involves examining if the anti-steatosis effect of Xanthohumol (XH) in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed rats involves the regulation of AMPK. Adult male rats were divided into five groups (n = 8 each) as control (3.85 kcal/g); XH (control diet + 20 mg/kg), HFD (4.73 kcl/g), HFD + XH (20 mg/kg), and HFD + XH (30 mg/kg) + compound c (cc) (0.2 mg/kg). All treatments were conducted for 12 weeks. Treatment with XH attenuated the gain in body weight, fat pads, fasting glucose, and insulin in HFD rats. It also lowered serum leptin and free fatty acids (FFAs) and improved glucose and insulin tolerances in these rats. It also attenuated the increase in serum livers of liver marker enzymes and reduced serum and hepatic levels of triglycerides (TGs), cholesterol (CHOL), FFAs, as well as serum levels of low-density lipoproteins cholesterol (LDL-c) oxidized LDL-c. XH also reduced hepatic levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), nuclear accumulation of NF-κB, and the levels of tumor necrosis-factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) while stimulating the nuclear levels of Nrf2 and total levels of glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) in these HFD-fed rats. At the molecular levels, XH increased hepatic mRNA expression and phosphorylation of AMPK (Thr72) and reduced the expression of lipogenic genes SREBP1c and ACC-1. In concomitance, XH reduced hepatic liver droplet accumulation, reduced the number of apoptotic nuclei, and improved the structures of nuclei, mitochondria, and rough endoplasmic reticulum. Co-treatment with CC, an AMPK inhibitor, completely abolished all these effects of XH. In conclusion, XH attenuates obesity and HFD-mediated hepatic steatosis by activating hepatic AMPK.

Xanthohumol alleviates palmitate-induced inflammation and prevents osteoarthritis progression by attenuating mitochondria dysfunction/NLRP3 inflammasome axis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent chronic degenerative joint disease worldwide. Obesity has been linked to OA, and increased free fatty acid levels (e.g., palmitate) contribute to inflammatory responses and cartilage degradation. Xanthohumol (Xn), a bioactive prenylated chalcone, was shown to exhibit antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-obesity capacities in multiple diseases. However, a clear description of the preventive effects of Xn on obesity-associated OA is unavailable. This study aimed to assess the chondroprotective function of Xn on obesity-related OA. The in vitro levels of inflammatory and ECM matrix markers in human chondrocytes were assessed after the chondrocytes were treated with PA and Xn. Additionally, in vivo cartilage degeneration was assessed following oral administration of HFD and Xn. This study found that Xn treatment completely reduces the inflammation and extracellular matrix degradation caused by PA. The proposed mechanism involves AMPK signaling pathway activation by Xn, which increases mitochondrial biogenesis, attenuates mitochondrial dysfunction, and inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome and the NF-κB signaling pathway induced by PA. In summary, this study highlights that Xn could decrease inflammation reactions and the degradation of the cartilage matrix induced by PA by inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome and attenuating mitochondria dysfunction in human chondrocytes.

Anticancer Potential of Natural Chalcones: In Vitro and In Vivo Evidence

There is no doubt that significant progress has been made in tumor therapy in the past decades. However, the discovery of new molecules with potential antitumor properties still remains one of the most significant challenges in the field of anticancer therapy. Nature, especially plants, is a rich source of phytochemicals with pleiotropic biological activities. Among a plethora of phytochemicals, chalcones, the bioprecursors of flavonoid and isoflavonoids synthesis in higher plants, have attracted attention due to the broad spectrum of biological activities with potential clinical applications. Regarding the antiproliferative and anticancer effects of chalcones, multiple mechanisms of action including cell cycle arrest, induction of different forms of cell death and modulation of various signaling pathways have been documented. This review summarizes current knowledge related to mechanisms of antiproliferative and anticancer effects of natural chalcones in different types of malignancies including breast cancers, cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, lung cancers, renal and bladder cancers, and melanoma.

Chalcone Derivative CX258 Suppresses Colorectal Cancer via Inhibiting the TOP2A/Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling

The deregulation in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is associated with many human cancers, particularly colorectal cancer (CRC) and, therefore, represents a promising target for drug development. We have screened over 300 semisynthetic and natural compounds using a Wnt reporter assay and identified a family of novel chalcone derivatives (CXs) that inhibited Wnt signaling and CRC cell proliferation. Among them, we selected CX258 for further in vitro and in vivo study to investigate the molecular mechanisms. We found that CX258 significantly inhibited β-catenin expression and nuclear translocation, inducing cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase in CRC cells. Additionally, CX258 reduced the expression of DNA Topoisomerase II alpha (TOP2A) in CRC cells. Moreover, knocking down TOP2A by siRNAs inhibited the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, a finding suggesting that CX258 inhibited Wnt/β-catenin signaling and CRC cell proliferation at least partially by modulating TOP2A. Further studies showed that CDK1 that interacts with TOP2A was significantly reduced after TOP2A knockdown. We demonstrated that CX258 significantly inhibited DLD-1 CRC cell xenografts in SCID mice. In summary, we identified CX258 as a promising candidate for colorectal cancer treatment by targeting the TOP2A/Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

A comprehensive review of the benefits of drinking craft beer: Role of phenolic content in health and possible potential of the alcoholic fraction

Currently, there is greater production and consumption of craft beer due to its appreciated sensory characteristics. Unlike conventional beer, craft beers provide better health benefits due to their varied and high content of phenolic compounds (PCs) and also due to their alcohol content, but the latter is controversial. The purpose of this paper was to report on the alcoholic fraction and PCs present in craft beers and their influence on health. Despite the craft beer boom, there are few studies on the topic; there is a lot of field to explore. The countries with the most research are the United States > Italy > Brazil > United Kingdom > Spain. The type and amount of PCs in craft beers depends on the ingredients and strains used, as well as the brewing process. It was determined that it is healthier to be a moderate consumer of alcohol than to be a teetotaler or heavy drinker. Thus, studies in vitro, with animal models and clinical trials on cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, diabetes and obesity, osteoporosis and even the immune system suggest the consumption of craft beer. However, more studies with more robust designs are required to obtain more generalizable and conclusive results. Finally, some challenges in the production of craft beer were detailed and some alternative solutions were mentioned.

Xanthohumol-Enriched Beer Does Not Exert Antitumorigenic Effects on HeLa Cell Line In Vivo

Xanthohumol is a hop-derived flavonoid that has been widely examined for its health-protecting and antitumorigenic properties, but not yet in a natural beer matrix. The aim of the study was to investigate the antitumorigenic potential of a xanthohumol-enriched beer in vivo. Four groups of 4 × 10 nude mice were formed. Following the injection of HeLa tumorigenic cell lines, the treatment groups were administered a xanthohumol supplementation for 100 days, either dissolved in beer or in an ethanolic solution with the same alcohol strength as beer. The control groups received un-supplemented material. The terminal tumor masses, liver weights, and plasma antioxidant capacities (FRAP and ABTS methods) were measured. For the statistical analysis, a two-way ANOVA test was performed (p < 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in tumor size between the groups. Xanthohumol did not induce higher levels of plasma antioxidant capacity, neither in beer nor in the water-ethanol matrix. The terminal liver weights were significantly higher in the control group receiving the unsupplemented ethanol solution. Xanthohumol dissolved in beer or in the water-alcohol matrix did not have a protective effect on tumor growth, nor did it have a positive effect on plasma antioxidant capacity either. However, beer with added xanthohumol had a less harmful effect on the liver compared to the supplemented water-ethanol solution. Our results indicate the possible negative countereffect of ethanol; however, further investigations are needed.

Chalcones: Promising therapeutic agents targeting key players and signaling pathways regulating the hallmarks of cancer

The need for innovative anticancer treatments with high effectiveness and low toxicity is urgent due to the development of malignancies that are resistant to chemotherapeutic agents and the poor specificity of existing anticancer treatments. Chalcones are 1,3-diaryl-2-propen-1-ones, which are the precursors for flavonoids and isoflavonoids. Chalcones are readily available from a wide range of natural resources and consist of very basic chemical scaffolds. Because the ease with which the synthesis it allows for the production of several chalcone derivatives. Various in-vitro and in-vivo studies indicate that naturally occurring and synthetic chalcone derivatives exhibit promising biological activities against cancer hallmarks such as proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion, metastasis, inflammation, stemness, and regulation of cancer epigenetics. According to their structure and functional groups, chalcones derivatives and their hybrid compounds exert a broad range of biological activities through targeting key elements and signaling molecules relevant to cancer progression. This review will provide valuable insights into the latest updates of chalcone groups as anticancer agents and extensively discuss their underlying molecular mechanisms of action.

Discovery of new cyanopyridine/chalcone hybrids as dual inhibitors of EGFR/BRAF V600E with promising antiproliferative properties

As dual EGFR and BRAF^V600E inhibitors, 2-(3-cyano-4,6-bis(aryl)-2-oxo-1,2-dihydropyridine-1-yl)-N-(4-cinnamoylphenyl) acetamide derivatives 8-20 were developed. Compounds 8, 12, and 13 showed strong antiproliferative activity when the target compounds were synthesized and tested in vitro against four cancer cell lines. These hybrids have a dual inhibition activity on EGFR and BRAF^V600E , according to in vitro studies. The EGFR was inhibited by compounds 8, 12, and 13 with IC₅₀ values between 89 and 110 nM, which were equivalent to those of erlotinib (IC₅₀  = 80 nm). Compound 13 was found to be an effective inhibitor of the proliferation of cancer cells (GI₅₀  = 0.72 µM) and demonstrated hopeful inhibitory activity of BRAF^V600E (IC₅₀  = 58 nm), which is superior to erlotinib (IC₅₀  = 65 nm). Compound 13 caused apoptosis and showed cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1phase in a study on the MCF-7 cell line. The new compounds can fit tightly into the active sites of EGFR and BRAF^V600E kinases, according to molecular docking analyses.

The therapeutic potential of natural products for treating pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most malignant tumors of the digestive tract, with the poor prognosis and low 5-year survival rate less than 10%. Although surgical resection and chemotherapy as gemcitabine (first-line treatment) has been applied to the pancreatic cancer patients, the overall survival rates of pancreatic cancer are quite low due to drug resistance. Therefore, it is of urgent need to develop alternative strategies for its treatment. In this review, we summarized the major herbal drugs and metabolites, including curcumin, triptolide, Panax Notoginseng Saponins and their metabolites etc. These compounds with antioxidant, anti-angiogenic and anti-metastatic activities can inhibit the progression and metastasis of pancreatic cancer. Expecting to provide comprehensive information of potential natural products, our review provides valuable information and strategies for pancreatic cancer treatment.

Heterologous biosynthesis of isobavachalcone in tobacco based on in planta screening of prenyltransferases

Isobavachalcone (IBC) is a prenylated chalcone mainly distributed in some Fabaceae and Moraceae species. IBC exhibits a wide range of pharmacological properties, including anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer activities. In this study, we attempted to construct the heterologous biosynthesis pathway of IBC in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). Four previously reported prenyltransferases, including GuILDT from Glycyrrhiza uralensis, HlPT1 from Humulus lupulus, and SfILDT and SfFPT from Sophora flavescens, were subjected to an in planta screening to verify their activities for the biosynthesis of IBC, by using tobacco transient expression with exogenous isoliquiritigenin as the substrate. Only SfFPT and HlPT1 could convert isoliquiritigenin to IBC, and the activity of SfFPT was higher than that of HlPT1. By co-expression of GmCHS8 and GmCHR5 from Glycine max, endogenous isoliquiritigenin was generated in tobacco leaves (21.0 μg/g dry weight). After transformation with a multigene vector carrying GmCHS8, GmCHR5, and SfFPT, de novo biosynthesis of IBC was achieved in transgenic tobacco T₀ lines, in which the highest amount of IBC was 0.56 μg/g dry weight. The yield of IBC in transgenic plants was nearly equal to that in SfFPT transient expression experiments, in which substrate supplement was sufficient, indicating that low IBC yield was not attributed to the substrate supplement. Our research provided a prospect to produce valuable prenylflavonoids using plant-based metabolic engineering.

A novel angiogenesis-based molecular signature related to prognosis and tumor immune interactions of pancreatic cancer

Angiogenesis, a hallmark of cancer, is related to prognosis, tumor progression, and treatment response. Nevertheless, the correlation of angiogenesis-based molecular signature with clinical outcome and immune cell infiltration has not been thoroughly studied in pancreatic cancer. In this study, multiple bioinformatics methods were combined to evaluate prognosis, immune cell infiltration, and the alterations of angiogenesis-related genes (ARGs) in PC samples, and further establish a novel angiogenesis-related gene signature. Moreover, the protein and mRNA expression levels of four angiogenesis risk genes were determined by Human Protein Atlas (HPA) database and qPCR analysis, respectively. Here, we recognized two distinct angiogenesis subtypes and two gene subtypes, and revealed the critical roles of ARGs in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), clinical features, and prognosis. Consequently, we established an ARGs score to predict prognosis and therapeutic response of PC patients, and validated its robust predictive ability. Additionally, the ARGs score was markedly associated with clinical outcomes, tumor mutation burden (TMB), and chemotherapeutic drug sensitivity. In brief, our findings imply that the ARGs score is a robust prognostic indicator and may contribute to the development of effective individualized therapies for PC.

Xanthohumol exerts anti-inflammatory effects in an in vitro model of mechanically stimulated cementoblasts

Xanthohumol (XN) is a prenylated plant polyphenol that naturally occurs in hops and its products, e.g. beer. It has shown to have anti-inflammatory and angiogenesis inhibiting effects and it prevents the proliferation of cancer cells. These effects could be in particular interesting for processes within the periodontal ligament, as previous studies have shown that orthodontic tooth movement is associated with a sterile inflammatory reaction. Based on this, the study evaluates the anti-inflammatory effect of XN in cementoblasts in an in vitro model of the early phase of orthodontic tooth movement by compressive stimulation. XN shows a concentration-dependent influence on cell viability. Low concentrations between 0.2 and 0.8 µM increase viability, while high concentrations between 4 and 8 µM cause a significant decrease in viability. Compressive force induces an upregulation of pro-inflammatory gene (Il-6, Cox2, Vegfa) and protein (IL-6) expression. XN significantly reduces compression related IL-6 protein and gene expression. Furthermore, the expression of phosphorylated ERK and AKT under compression was upregulated while XN re-established the expression to a level similar to control. Accordingly, we demonstrated a selective anti-inflammatory effect of XN in cementoblasts. Our findings provide the base for further examination of XN in modulation of inflammation during orthodontic therapy and treatment of periodontitis.

Xanthohumol: An underestimated, while potent and promising chemotherapeutic agent in cancer treatment

Today, there is a growing interest nowadays in the use of herbal substances as cancer therapeutic agents. Over recent years, Xanthohumol (XTL) has been brought out as a prenylated chalcone that is found in hops (Humulus lupulus) and beer. XTL is being investigated for its potential properties, and it has been found to have various biological effects, including anti-microbial, anti-viral, and immunomodulatory. Other than these biological effects, it has also been found that XTL exerts anti-tumor effects. In the beginning, XTL, by modulating cell signaling pathways, including ERK, AKT, NF-κB, AMPK, Wnt/β-catenin, and Notch signaling in cancer cells, inhibits tumor cell functions. Moreover, XTL, by inducing apoptotic pathways, either intrinsic or extrinsic, promotes cancer cell death and arrests the cell cycle. Furthermore, XTL inhibits metastasis, angiogenesis, cancer stemness, drug resistance, cell respiration, etc., which results in tumor aggressiveness inhibition. XTL has low solubility in water, and it has been hypothesized that some modifications, including biotinylation, can improve its pharmacogenetic characteristics. Additionally, XTL derivates such as dihydroXTL and tetrahydroXTL can be helpful for more anti-tumor activities. Using XTL with other anti-tumor agents is another approach to overcome tumor cell resistance. XTL or its derivatives, it is believed, might provide novel chemotherapeutic methods in future cancer therapy.

The importance of natural chalcones in ischemic organ damage: Comprehensive and bioinformatic analysis review

Over the last few decades, extensive research has been conducted, yielding a detailed account of thousands of newly discovered compounds of natural origin and their biological activities, all of which have the potential to be used for a wide range of therapeutic purposes. There are multiple research papers denoting the central objective of chalcones, which have been shown to have therapeutic potential against various forms of ischemia. The various aspects of chalcones are discussed in this review regarding molecular mechanisms involved in the promising anti-ischemic potential of these chalcones. The main mechanisms involved in these protective effects are Nrf2/Akt activation and NF-κB/TLR4 suppression. Furthermore, in-silico studies were carried out to discover the probable binding of these chalcones to Keap-1 (an inhibitor of Nrf2), Akt, NF-κB, and TLR4 protein molecules. Besides, network pharmacology analysis was conducted to predict the interacting partners of these signals. The obtained results indicated that Nrf2, Akt, NF-κB, and TLR4 are involved in the beneficial anti-ischemic actions of chalcones. Conclusively, the present findings show that chalcones as anti-ischemic agents have a valid rationale. The discussed studies will provide a comprehensive viewpoint on chalcones and can help to optimize their effects in different ischemia. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Ischemic organ damage is an unavoidable pathological condition with a high worldwide incidence. According to the current research progress, natural chalcones have been proved to treat and/or prevent various types of ischemic organ damage by alleviating oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis by different molecular mechanisms. This article displays the comprehensive research progress and the molecular basis of ischemic organ damage pathophysiology and introduces natural chalcones' mechanism in the ischemic organ condition.

Xanthohumol targets the JNK1/2 signaling pathway in apoptosis of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is one of the most aggressive malignant tumors of the head and neck. Xanthohumol (Xn) is a compound extracted in a high concentration from the hard resin of hops (Humulus lupulus L.), the basic raw material of beer. This study investigated the apoptotic effect and anticancer properties of Xn in human NPC cell lines. Our study demonstrated that at the concentration 40 μM, Xn significantly reduced cell viability and promoted cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase in two cell lines. The results indicated that Xn induced apoptosis in NPC cell lines through annexin V/propidium iodide staining, chromatin condensation, and apoptosis-related pathways. Xn upregulated the expression of apoptosis-related proteins, namely DR5, cleaved RIP, caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9, PARP, Bim, and Bak, and it downregulated the expression of Bcl-2. Xn upregulated the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and the inhibition of JNK clearly resulted in decreasing expression of Xn-activated cleaved caspase-3 and PARP. Our research provides sufficient evidence to confirm that Xn induces the MAPK JNK pathway to promote apoptosis of NPC and is expected to become a safe and acceptable treatment option for human NPC.

Inverse Molecular Docking Elucidating the Anticarcinogenic Potential of the Hop Natural Product Xanthohumol and Its Metabolites

Natural products from plants exert a promising potential to act as antioxidants, antimicrobials, anti-inflammatory, and anticarcinogenic agents. Xanthohumol, a natural compound from hops, is indeed known for its anticarcinogenic properties. Xanthohumol is converted into three metabolites: isoxanthohumol (non-enzymatically) as well as 8- and 6-prenylnaringenin (enzymatically). An inverse molecular docking approach was applied to xanthohumol and its three metabolites to discern their potential protein targets. The aim of our study was to disclose the potential protein targets of xanthohumol and its metabolites in order to expound on the potential anticarcinogenic mechanisms of xanthohumol based on the found target proteins. The investigated compounds were docked into the predicted binding sites of all human protein structures from the Protein Data Bank, and the best docking poses were examined. Top scoring human protein targets with successfully docked compounds were identified, and their experimental connection with the anticarcinogenic function or cancer was investigated. The obtained results were carefully checked against the existing experimental findings from the scientific literature as well as further validated using retrospective metrics. More than half of the human protein targets of xanthohumol with the highest docking scores have already been connected with the anticarcinogenic function, and four of them (including two important representatives of the matrix metalloproteinase family, MMP-2 and MMP-9) also have a known experimental correlation with xanthohumol. Another important protein target is acyl-protein thioesterase 2, to which xanthohumol, isoxanthohumol, and 6-prenylnaringenin were successfully docked with the lowest docking scores. Moreover, the results for the metabolites show that their most promising protein targets are connected with the anticarcinogenic function as well. We firmly believe that our study can help to elucidate the anticarcinogenic mechanisms of xanthohumol and its metabolites as after consumption, all four compounds can be simultaneously present in the organism.

10Z‑Hymenialdisine inhibits angiogenesis by suppressing NF‑κB activation in pancreatic cancer cell lines

10Z-Hymenialdisine is a natural product derived from the marine sponge Axinella carteri. 10Z-Hymenialdisine has anti-inflammatory effects exerted through NF-κB; however, it is unclear whether 10Z-Hymenialdisine has anti-angiogenic effects in cancer cells. In the present study, both the anti-angiogenic and antimetastatic effects of this compound in pancreatic cancer were investigated. It was initially confirmed that 10Z-Hymenialdisine significantly inhibited the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells. Next, using both reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and ELISA, it was demonstrated that 10Z-Hymenialdisine significantly suppressed the expression of VEGF and IL-8 mRNAs and proteins in pancreatic cancer. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that 10Z-Hymenialdisine inhibited NF-κB activity in pancreatic cancer cell lines. It was also identified that 10Z-Hymenialdisine inhibited tube formation in EA.hy926 cells. In vivo, 10Z-Hymenialdisine significantly inhibited the growth of BxPC-3 pancreatic cancer cells that were subcutaneously injected into model mice. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that 10Z-Hymenialdisine exerted anti-angiogenic effects by suppressing NF-κB activity and angiogenic factors, such as VEGF and IL-8, in pancreatic cancer cell lines. 10Z-Hymenialdisine has potential applications as a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Design and synthesis of novel quinazolinone–chalcone hybrids as potential apoptotic candidates targeting caspase-3 and PARP-1: in vitro, molecular docking, and SAR studies

Novel quinazolinone–chalcone hybrids as potential apoptotic candidates targeting caspase-3 and PARP-1.

Xanthohumol reduces inflammation and cell metabolism in HT29 primary colon cancer cells

Xanthohumol (XN) is a prenylated flavonoid known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and has been studied as an anti-cancer agent. In this study, we aimed at analysing the effect of XN on a primary colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line, HT29, on cell viability, inflammatory and antioxidant gene expression, and metabolism. For this purpose, cells were treated with 10 nM and 10 µM XN, and cell viability, H₂O₂ production, lipid peroxidation and gene expression of inflammatory, antioxidant, and mitochondrial-related genes, as well as protein levels of metabolic enzymes, were determined. Results showed no significant effects on cell viability and a general decrease in pro-inflammatory, antioxidant and mitochondrial biogenesis gene expression with the lower concentration of XN. Furthermore, glucose and oxidative metabolism enzymes were also reduced. These results suggest that XN treatment, at low doses, could stop the proliferation and progression of HT29 cells by downregulating inflammatory signals and cell metabolism.

Chalcones against the hallmarks of cancer: a mini-review

Chalcones (1,3-diphenylpropen-1-ones) are a class of flavonoids that have been shown a broad spectrum of biological activities with therapeutic potential. Naturally occurring chalcones or synthetic chalcone derivatives have been extensively investigated as anticancer compounds. Cancer is still among the leading causes of death globally, although cancer treatments have improved over the past decades. Most of chemotherapeutic drugs target proliferating tumor cells; however, the cancer cells capabilities are also associated to tumor surround microenvironment. Thereby, the search of new compounds with a broad antitumor activity is still a great challenge. The cytotoxicity mechanisms of chalcones are beyond apoptosis induction in tumor cells, which make them promising compound for cancer therapy. In this mini-review we summarized recent studies that describe the anticancer potential of chalcones related to some of hallmarks of cancer. We shed a light on sustaining proliferative signaling, tumor-promoting inflammation, activating invasion and metastasis, inducing angiogenesis and resisting cell death.

Natural Products: A Promising Therapeutics for Targeting Tumor Angiogenesis

Tumor-associated angiogenesis is a key target for anti-cancer therapy. The imbalance between pro-angiogenic and anti-angiogenic signals elicited by tumor cells or tumor microenvironment always results in activating "angiogenic switch". Tumor angiogenesis functions in multi-aspects of tumor biology, including endothelial cell apoptosis, tumor metastasis, and cancer stem cell proliferation. Numerous studies have indicated the important roles of inexpensive and less toxic natural products in targeting tumor angiogenesis-associated cytokines and apoptotic signaling pathways. Our current knowledge of tumor angiogenesis is based mainly on experiments performed on cells and animals, so we summarized the well-established models for angiogenesis both in vitro and in vivo. In this review, we classified and summarized the anti-angiogenic natural agents (Polyphenols, Polysaccharides, Alkaloids, Terpenoids, Saponins) in targeting various tumor types according to their chemical structures at present, and discussed the mechanistic principles of these natural products on regulating angiogenesis-associated cytokines and apoptotic signaling pathways. This review is to help understanding the recent progress of natural product research for drug development on anti-tumor angiogenesis.

An update on extra-oral bitter taste receptors

Bitter taste-sensing type 2 receptors (TAS2Rs or T2Rs), belonging to the subgroup of family A G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), are of crucial importance in the perception of bitterness. Although in the first instance, TAS2Rs were considered to be exclusively distributed in the apical microvilli of taste bud cells, numerous studies have detected these sensory receptor proteins in several extra-oral tissues, such as in pancreatic or ovarian tissues, as well as in their corresponding malignancies. Critical points of extra-oral TAS2Rs biology, such as their structure, roles, signaling transduction pathways, extensive mutational polymorphism, and molecular evolution, have been currently broadly studied. The TAS2R cascade, for instance, has been recently considered to be a pivotal modulator of a number of (patho)physiological processes, including adipogenesis or carcinogenesis. The latest advances in taste receptor biology further raise the possibility of utilizing TAS2Rs as a therapeutic target or as an informative index to predict treatment responses in various disorders. Thus, the focus of this review is to provide an update on the expression and molecular basis of TAS2Rs functions in distinct extra-oral tissues in health and disease. We shall also discuss the therapeutic potential of novel TAS2Rs targets, which are appealing due to their ligand selectivity, expression pattern, or pharmacological profiles.

Anticancer Activity of Natural and Synthetic Chalcones

Cancer is a condition caused by many mechanisms (genetic, immune, oxidation, and inflammatory). Anticancer therapy aims to destroy or stop the growth of cancer cells. Resistance to treatment is theleading cause of the inefficiency of current standard therapies. Targeted therapies are the most effective due to the low number of side effects and low resistance. Among the small molecule natural compounds, flavonoids are of particular interest for theidentification of new anticancer agents. Chalcones are precursors to all flavonoids and have many biological activities. The anticancer activity of chalcones is due to the ability of these compounds to act on many targets. Natural chalcones, such as licochalcones, xanthohumol (XN), panduretin (PA), and loncocarpine, have been extensively studied and modulated. Modification of the basic structure of chalcones in order to obtain compounds with superior cytotoxic properties has been performed by modulating the aromatic residues, replacing aromatic residues with heterocycles, and obtaining hybrid molecules. A huge number of chalcone derivatives with residues such as diaryl ether, sulfonamide, and amine have been obtained, their presence being favorable for anticancer activity. Modification of the amino group in the structure of aminochalconesis always favorable for antitumor activity. This is why hybrid molecules of chalcones with different nitrogen hetercycles in the molecule have been obtained. From these, azoles (imidazole, oxazoles, tetrazoles, thiazoles, 1,2,3-triazoles, and 1,2,4-triazoles) are of particular importance for the identification of new anticancer agents.

Comparison of the Impact of Xanthohumol and Phenethyl Isothiocyanate and Their Combination on Nrf2 and NF-κB Pathways in HepG2 Cells In Vitro and Tumor Burden In Vivo

Background: Increasing evidence suggests that combinations of phytochemicals are more efficient than single components in the modulation of signaling pathways involved in cancer development. In this study, the impact of phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), indole-3-carbinol (I3C), xanthohumol, (X), and resveratrol (RES) and their combinations on the activation and expression of Nrf2 and NF-κB in human hepatocytes and HCC cells were evaluated. Methods: THLE-2 and HepG2 cells were exposed to single phytochemicals and their combinations for 24 h. The activation of Nrf2 and NF-κB, expression of their target genes, and effect on cells survival were assessed. The tumor burden was evaluated in mice carrying xenografts. Results: All phytochemicals enhanced the activation and expression of Nrf2 and its target genes SOD and NQO1 in HepG2 cells. The increased expression of NQO1 (~90%) was associated with increased ROS generation. X + PEITC downregulated NF-κB activation reducing binding of its active subunits to DNA resulting in diminished COX-2 expression. In contrast to single phytochemicals, X + PEITC induced apoptosis. Moderate reduction of tumor burden in mice carrying xenografts following X and PEITC or their combination was observed. Conclusions: Since Nrf2 is overexpressed in HCC its reduced activation together with diminished level of NF-κB by X + PEITC may be considered as a strategy to support conventional HCC therapy.

Xanthohumol from Hop: Hope for cancer prevention and treatment

Cancer is a major public health concern due to high mortality and poor quality of life of patients. Despite the availability of advanced therapeutic interventions, most treatment modalities are not efficacious, very expensive, and cause several adverse side effects. The factors such as drug resistance, lack of specificity, and low efficacy of the cancer drugs necessitate developing alternative strategies for the prevention and treatment of this disease. Xanthohumol (XN), a prenylated chalcone present in Hop (Humulus lupulus), has been found to possess prominent activities against aging, diabetes, inflammation, microbial infection, and cancer. Thus, this manuscript thoroughly reviews the literature on the anti-cancer properties of XN and its various molecular targets. XN was found to exert its inhibitory effect on the growth and proliferation of cancer cells via modulation of multiple signaling pathways such as Akt, AMPK, ERK, IGFBP2, NF-κB, and STAT3, and also modulates various proteins such as Notch1, caspases, MMPs, Bcl-2, cyclin D1, oxidative stress markers, tumor-suppressor proteins, and miRNAs. Thus, these reports suggest that XN possesses enormous therapeutic potential against various cancers and could be potentially used as a multi-targeted anti-cancer agent with minimal adverse effects.

Chalcone Derivatives: Role in Anticancer Therapy

Chalcones (1,3-diaryl-2-propen-1-ones) are precursors for flavonoids and isoflavonoids, which are common simple chemical scaffolds found in many naturally occurring compounds. Many chalcone derivatives were also prepared due to their convenient synthesis. Chalcones as weandhetic analogues have attracted much interest due to their broad biological activities with clinical potentials against various diseases, particularly for antitumor activity. The chalcone family has demonstrated potential in vitro and in vivo activity against cancers via multiple mechanisms, including cell cycle disruption, autophagy regulation, apoptosis induction, and immunomodulatory and inflammatory mediators. It represents a promising strategy to develop chalcones as novel anticancer agents. In addition, the combination of chalcones and other therapies is expected to be an effective way to improve anticancer therapeutic efficacy. However, despite the encouraging results for their response to cancers observed in clinical studies, a full description of toxicity is required for their clinical use as safe drugs for the treatment of cancer. In this review, we will summarize the recent advances of the chalcone family as potential anticancer agents and the mechanisms of action. Besides, future applications and scope of the chalcone family toward the treatment and prevention of cancer are brought out.

Molecular Mechanisms of Antiproliferative Effects of Natural Chalcones

Simple Summary

Despite the important progress in cancer treatment in the past decades, the mortality rates in some types of cancer have not significantly decreased. Therefore, the search for novel anticancer drugs has become a topic of great interest. Chalcones, precursors of flavonoid synthesis in plants, have been documented as natural compounds with pleiotropic biological effects including antiproliferative/anticancer activity. This article focuses on the knowledge on molecular mechanisms of antiproliferative action of chalcones and draws attention to this group of natural compounds that may be of importance in the treatment of cancer disease.

Abstract

Although great progress has been made in the treatment of cancer, the search for new promising molecules with antitumor activity is still one of the greatest challenges in the fight against cancer due to the increasing number of new cases each year. Chalcones (1,3-diphenyl-2-propen-1-one), the precursors of flavonoid synthesis in higher plants, possess a wide spectrum of biological activities including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer. A plethora of molecular mechanisms of action have been documented, including induction of apoptosis, autophagy, or other types of cell death, cell cycle changes, and modulation of several signaling pathways associated with cell survival or death. In addition, blockade of several steps of angiogenesis and proteasome inhibition has also been documented. This review summarizes the basic molecular mechanisms related to the antiproliferative effects of chalcones, focusing on research articles from the years January 2015–February 2021.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of chalcone-polyamine conjugates as novel vectorized agents in colorectal and prostate cancer chemotherapy

The aim of this study was to synthesize chalcone-polyamine conjugates in order to enhance bioavailability and selectivity of chalcone core towards cancer cells, using polyamine-based vectors. Indeed, it is well-known that polyamine transport system is upregulated in tumor cells. 3',4,4',5'-tetramethoxychalcone was selected as parent chalcone since it was found to be an efficient anti-proliferative agent on various cancer cells. A series of five chalcone-polyamine conjugates was obtained using the 4-bromopropyloxy-3',4',5'-trimethoxychalcone as a key intermediate. Chalcone core and polyamine tails were fused through an amine bond. These conjugates were found to possess a marked in vitro antiproliferative effect against colorectal (HT-29 and HCT-116) and prostate cancer (PC-3 and DU-145) cell lines. The most active conjugate (compound 8b) was then chosen for further biological evaluations to elucidate mechanisms responsible for its antiproliferative activity. Investigations on cell cycle distribution revealed that this conjugate can prevent the proliferation of human colorectal and prostate cancer cells by blocking the cell cycle at the G1 and G2 phase, respectively. Flow cytometry analysis revealed a sub-G1 peak, characteristic of apoptotic cell population and our inquiries highlighted apoptosis induction at early and later stages through several pro-apoptotic markers. Therefore, this chalcone-N1-spermidine conjugate could be considered as a promising agent for colon and prostatic cancer adjuvant therapy.

Xanthohumol for Human Malignancies: Chemistry, Pharmacokinetics and Molecular Targets

Xanthohumol (XH) is an important prenylated flavonoid that is found within the inflorescence of Humulus lupulus L. (Hop plant). XH is an important ingredient in beer and is considered a significant bioactive agent due to its diverse medicinal applications, which include anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, antiviral, antifungal, antigenotoxic, antiangiogenic, and antimalarial effects as well as strong anticancer activity towards various types of cancer cells. XH acts as a wide ranging chemopreventive and anticancer agent, and its isomer, 8-prenylnaringenin, is a phytoestrogen with strong estrogenic activity. The present review focuses on the bioactivity of XH on various types of cancers and its pharmacokinetics. In this paper, we first highlight, in brief, the history and use of hops and then the chemistry and structure–activity relationship of XH. Lastly, we focus on its prominent effects and mechanisms of action on various cancers and its possible use in cancer prevention and treatment. Considering the limited number of available reviews on this subject, our goal is to provide a complete and detailed understanding of the anticancer effects of XH against different cancers.

Escin inhibits angiogenesis by suppressing interleukin‑8 and vascular endothelial growth factor production by blocking nuclear factor‑κB activation in pancreatic cancer cell lines

Pancreatic cancer (PaCa) is one of the most aggressive types of cancer. Thus, the development of new and more effective therapies is urgently required. Escin, a pentacyclic triterpenoid from the horse chestnut, has been reported to exhibit antitumor potential by reducing cell proliferation and blocking the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway in several types of cancer. Our previous study reported that NF-κB enhanced the secretion of interleukin (IL)-8 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), thereby inducing angiogenesis in PaCa cell lines. In the present study, it was examined whether escin inhibited angiogenesis by blocking NF-κB activation in PaCa. It was initially confirmed that escin, at concentrations >10 µM, significantly inhibited the proliferation of several PaCa cell lines. Next, using immunocytochemical staining, it was found that escin inhibited the nuclear translocation of NF-κB. Furthermore, ELISA confirmed that NF-κB activity in the escin-treated PaCa cells was significantly inhibited and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR showed that the mRNA expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α-induced IL-8 and VEGF were significantly suppressed following escin treatment in the PaCa cell lines. ELISA also showed that escin decreased the secretion of IL-8 and VEGF from the PaCa cells. Furthermore, tube formation in immortalized human endothelial cells was inhibited following incubation with the supernatants from escin-treated PaCa cells. These results indicated that escin inhibited angiogenesis by reducing the secretion of IL-8 and VEGF by blocking NF-κB activity in PaCa. In conclusion, escin could be used as a novel molecular therapy for PaCa.

Xanthohumol: A Metabolite with Promising Anti-Neoplastic Potential

The overwhelming globalburden of cancer has posed numerous challenges and opportunities for developing anti-cancer therapies. Phytochemicalshave emerged as promising synergistic compounds with potential anti-cancer effects to supplement chemo- and immune-therapeutic regimens. Anti cancer synergistic effects have been investigated in the interaction between phytocompounds derived from flavonoids such as quercetin, apigenin, kaempferol, hesperidin, emodin etc., and conventional drugs. Xanthohumol is one of the prenylatedphytoflavonoid that has demonstrated key anti-cancer activities in in vitro (anti proliferation of cancer cell lines) and in vivo(animal models of xenograft tumours)studies, and has been explored from different dimensions for targeting cancer subtypes. In the last decade, xanthohumol has been investigated how it induces the anti-cancer effects at cellular and molecular level.The different signalling cascades and targets of xanthohumolare summarized in thisreview.Overall, this reviewsummarizes the current advances made in the field of natural compounds with special reference to xanthohumol and its promising anti-cancer effectsto inhibit tumour progression.The present review hasalso touched upon the potential of xanthohumol transitioning into a lead candidate from nano-therapy viewpoint along with the challenges which need to be addressed for extensive pre-clinical and clinical anti-cancer studies.

Prenylated flavonoids in foods and their applications on cancer prevention

Functional foods play an important role in health care and chronic diseases prevention, particularly cancer. Prenylated flavonoids are presented in many food resources. They are recognized as neutraceuticals due to their diverse health benefits. Up to now, more than 1000 prenylated flavonoids have been identified in plants. Their food resources are reviewed in this paper. Due to the good safety and cancer prevention effect of prenylated flavonoids, this paper reviews the cancer prevention activities and mechanisms reported in last decade. The structure-activity relationship is discussed. Due to the limited availability in nature, the heterologously biosynthetic technique of prenylated flavonoids is discussed in this review. Inclusion of dietary prenylated flavonoids into human diet is highly desirable. This paper combines the up-to-date information and give a clear image regarding prenylated flavonoids as neutraceuticals.

Xanthohumol, a Prenylated Chalcone Derived from Hops, Inhibits Growth and Metastasis of Melanoma Cells

Melanoma is one of the most aggressive and lethal cancers worldwide. Despite recent progress in melanoma therapy, the prognosis for metastasized melanoma continues to be poor. Xanthohumol (XN), a prenylated chalcone derived from hop cones, is known to possess a broad spectrum of chemopreventive and anticancer activities. However, few studies have analyzed functional XN effects on melanoma cells and there have been no previous in vivo studies of its effects on metastasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of XN on the tumorigenic and liver metastatic activity of melanoma cells. XN exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxic effects on human melanoma cell lines (Mel Ju; Mel Im) in vitro. Functional analysis in the subtoxic dose-range revealed that XN dose-dependently inhibited proliferation, colony formation, and migratory activity of melanoma cells. Subtoxic XN doses also induced markers of endoplasmic reticulum stress but inhibited the phosphorylation of the protumorigenic c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK). Furthermore, XN effects on hepatic metastasis were analyzed in a syngeneic murine model (splenic injection of murine B16 melanoma cells in C57/BL6 mice). Here, XN significantly reduced the formation of hepatic metastasis. Metastases formed in the liver of XN-treated mice revealed significantly larger areas of central necrosis and lower Ki67 expression scores compared to that of control mice. In conclusion, XN inhibits tumorigenicity of melanoma cells in vitro and significantly reduced hepatic metastasis of melanoma cells in mice. These data, in conjunction with an excellent safety profile that has been confirmed in previous studies, indicate XN as a promising novel agent for the treatment of hepatic (melanoma) metastasis.

Recent patents on therapeutic activities of xanthohumol: a prenylated chalconoid from hops (Humulus lupulus L.)

There is expanding proof that specific natural compounds found in plants have additional conventional medicinal properties. One such compound is xanthohumol (XN), which is being explored as an antimicrobial, anticarcinogenic, antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory agent - aside from its utilization in dealing with conditions like autism, bone and skin improvement and microbial infections, lipid-related illnesses, and so on. XN is reported to suppress the uncontrolled production of inflammatory mediators responsible for diseases including cardiovascular disease, neurodegeneration and tumors. Further, it is accounted to limit adipogenesis and control obesity by focusing on principal adipocyte marker proteins. It is most generally utilized in the brewing industry as an additive and flavoring agent to add bitterness and aroma to beer. Present investigation sum up the patents filed in most recent 2 years on development of different pharmaceutical mixes and strategies dependent on various therapeutic potentials of XN.

Nutrigenetics, nutrigenomics and phenotypic outcomes of dietary low-dose alcohol consumption in the suppression and induction of cancer development: evidence from in vitro studies

It is known that the intake of alcoholic beverages may impair genetic and epigenetic regulatory events with consequent crucial effects on cell phenotypes and that its association with selected genotypes can lead to a different risk of cancer in the population. The aim of this review is to pick up selected studies on this topic and recapitulate some of the biochemical and nutrigenetic/nutrigenomic aspects involved in the impact of dietary low-dose alcohol consumption on the switching-on or -off of tumorigenic pathways. These include i) the existence of predisposing or protective human genotypes and the relationship between dietary compounds and alcohol in the promotion or inhibition of carcinogenesis; ii) the effects of other components of alcoholic drinks in the modulation of the expression of oncogenes and oncosuppressors, the autophagic flux and the onset of apoptosis, with examples of their cytospecificity; and iii) the role of alcoholic beverage consumption within particular dietary regimens, including the Mediterranean diet. Taking all the data into account, several alcohol-associated bioactive dietary compounds appear capable to modulate peculiar intracellular pathways predisposing to or protecting from cancer. Advances in the nutrigenetic, nutrigenomic and nutriepigenetic knowledge complementing the biochemical and molecular approaches will help in unveiling their impact on health outcome.

Intermedin Alleviates Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury and Enhances Neovascularization in Wistar Rats

Background

Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a major cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) and increases the risk of subsequently developing chronic kidney disease. Angiogenesis has been shown to play an important role in reducing renal injury after ischemia reperfusion. In this study, we investigated whether IMD could reduce renal IRI by promoting angiogenesis.

Methods

The kidneys of Wistar rats were subjected to 45 min of warm ischemia followed by 24 h of reperfusion. IMD was overexpressed in vivo using the vector pcDNA3.1-IMD transfected by an ultrasound-mediated system. The renal injury after ischemia reperfusion was assessed by detection of the serum creatinine concentration and histologic examinations of renal tissues stained by PAS and H&E. Real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to determine the mRNA and protein levels, respectively. Histological examinations were used to assess the expression of CD31, MMP2, MMP9, ET-1, VEGF and VEGFR2 in tissues.

Results

Renal function and renal histological damage were significantly ameliorated in IMD-transfected rats after ischemia reperfusion. Compared to the IRI, IMD significantly promoted angiogenesis. IMD also upregulated the protein and mRNA expression levels of VEGF and VEGFR2 and downregulated the expression level of MMP2, MMP9 and ET-1.

Conclusion

IMD could protect the kidney after renal ischemia-reperfusion injury by promoting angiogenesis and reducing the destruction of the perivascular matrix.

Functional network analysis reveals potential repurposing of β-blocker atenolol for pancreatic cancer therapy

BACKGROUND

The survival rate of patients with pancreatic cancer is low; therefore, continuous discovery and development of novel pancreatic cancer drugs are required. Functional network analysis is an integrated bioinformatics approach based on gene, target, and disease networks interaction, and it is extensively used in drug discovery and development.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to identify if atenolol, a selective adrenergic inhibitor, can be repurposed for the treatment of pancreatic cancer using functional network analysis.

METHODS

Direct target proteins (DTPs) and indirect target proteins (ITPs) were obtained from STITCH and STRING databases, respectively. Atenolol-mediated proteins (AMPs) were collected from DTPs and ITPs and further analyzed for gene ontology, KEGG pathway enrichment, genetic alterations, overall survival, and molecular docking.

RESULTS

We obtained 176 AMPs that consisted of 10 DTPs and 166 ITPs. Among the AMPs involved in the pancreatic cancer pathways, several AMPs such as MAPK1, RELA, MAPK8, STAT1, and STAT3 were identified. Genetic alterations in seven AMPs were identified in 0.9%-16% of patients. Patients with high mRNA levels of MAPK1, RELA, STAT3, GNB1, and MMP9 had significantly worse overall survival rates compared with patients with low expression. Molecular docking studies showed that RELA and MMP9 are potential target candidates of atenolol in the treatment of patients with pancreatic cancer.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, atenolol can potentially be repurposed to target pancreatic cancer cells by modulating MMP9 and NF-κB signaling. The results of this study need to be further validated in vitro and in vivo.

Xanthohumol microbiome and signature in healthy adults (the XMaS trial): a phase I triple-masked, placebo-controlled clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Natural products may provide a source for the discovery and development of adjunctive pharmacological interventions to modulate the inflammatory pathways contributing to chronic disease. Xanthohumol, a flavonoid from the hops plant (Humulus lupulus), has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and may act as a prebiotic to the intestinal microbiota. Xanthohumol is not currently approved as a drug by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but is available as a dietary supplement and ingredient in medical foods. To formally test the safety of xanthohumol, a phase I clinical trial ("XMaS") was designed and approved under an Investigational New Drug application to the US FDA. The main objective is to examine the clinical safety and subjective tolerability of xanthohumol in healthy adults compared to placebo. Additional aims are to monitor biomarkers related to inflammation, gut permeability, bile acid metabolism, routes, and in vivo products of xanthohumol metabolism, and to evaluate xanthohumol's impact on gut microbial composition.

METHODS

The safety and tolerability of xanthohumol in healthy adults will be evaluated in a triple-masked, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Participants will be randomized to either 24 mg/day of xanthohumol or placebo for 8 weeks. Blood cell counts, hepatic and renal function tests, electrolytes, and self-reported health-related quality of life measures will be collected every 2 weeks. Participants will be queried for adverse events throughout the trial. Xanthohumol metabolites in blood, urine, and stool will be measured. Biomarkers to be evaluated include plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha, various interleukins, soluble CD14, lipopolysaccharide-binding protein, fecal calprotectin, and bile acids to assess impact on inflammatory and gut permeability-related mechanisms in vivo. Stool samples will be analyzed to determine effects on the gut microbiome.

DISCUSSION

This phase I clinical trial of xanthohumol will assess safety and tolerability in healthy adults, collect extensive biomarker data for assessment of potential mechanism(s), and provide comparison data necessary for future phase II trials in chronic disease(s). The design and robustness of the planned safety and mechanistic evaluations planned provide a model for drug discovery pursuits from natural products.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03735420 . Registered on November 8, 2018.

Traditional Chinese medicine may be further explored as candidate drugs for pancreatic cancer: A review

Pancreatic cancer is a disease with a high mortality rate. Although survival rates for different types of cancers have improved in recent years, the five-year survival rate of pancreatic cancer stands at 8%. Moreover, the current first-line therapy, gemcitabine, results in low remission rates and is associated with drug resistance problems. Alternative treatments for pancreatic cancer such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy provide marginal remission and survival rates. This calls for the search of more effective drugs or treatments. Traditional Chinese medicine contains numerous bioactive ingredients some of which show activity against pancreatic cancer. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms of five types of traditional Chinese medicine monomers. In so-doing, we provide new potential drug candidates for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Implications of flavonoids as potential modulators of cancer neovascularity

PURPOSE

The formation of new blood vessels from previous ones, angiogenesis, is critical in tissue repair, expansion or remodeling in physiological processes and in various pathologies including cancer. Despite that, the development of anti-angiogenic drugs has great potential as the treatment of cancer faces many problems such as development of the resistance to treatment or an improperly selected therapy approach. An evaluation of predictive markers in personalized medicine could significantly improve treatment outcomes in many patients.

METHODS

This comprehensive review emphasizes the anticancer potential of flavonoids mediated by their anti-angiogenic efficacy evaluated in current preclinical and clinical cancer research.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

Flavonoids are important groups of phytochemicals present in common diet. Flavonoids show significant anticancer effects. The anti-angiogenic effects of flavonoids are currently a widely discussed topic of preclinical cancer research. Flavonoids are able to regulate the process of tumor angiogenesis through modulation of signaling molecules such as VEGF, MMPs, ILs, HIF or others. However, the evaluation of the anti-angiogenic potential of flavonoids within the clinical studies is not frequently discussed and is still of significant scientific interest.