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Ni B, Xue K, Wang J, Zhou J, Wang L, Wang X, Liu T, Ye N, Jiang J. Integrating Chinese medicine into mainstream cancer therapies: a promising future. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1412370. [PMID: 38957318 PMCID: PMC11217489 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1412370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Malignant tumors are complex systemic chronic diseases and one of the major causes of human mortality. Targeted therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy are examples of mainstream allopathic medicine treatments that effective for intermediate and advanced malignant tumors. The ongoing use of conventional allopathic medicine has resulted in adverse responses and drug resistance, which have hampered its efficacy. As an important component of complementary and alternative medicine, Chinese medicine has been found to have antitumor effects and has played an important role in enhancing the therapeutic sensitivity of mainstream allopathic medicine, reducing the incidence of adverse events and improving immune-related functions. The combined application of adjuvant Chinese medicine and mainstream allopathic medicine has begun to gain acceptance and is gradually used in the field of antitumor therapy. Traditional natural medicines and their active ingredients, as well as Chinese patent medicines, have been proven to have excellent therapeutic efficacy and good safety in the treatment of various malignant tumors. This paper focuses on the mechanism of action and research progress of combining the above drugs with mainstream allopathic medicine to increase therapeutic sensitivity, alleviate drug resistance, reduce adverse reactions, and improve the body's immune function. To encourage the clinical development and use of Chinese herb adjuvant therapy as well as to provide ideas and information for creating safer and more effective anticancer medication combinations, the significant functions of Chinese herb therapies as adjuvant therapies for cancer treatment are described in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baoyi Ni
- Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Kaiyuan Xue
- Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Jia Wang
- Hongqi Hospital of Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, China
| | - Jilai Zhou
- Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Lankang Wang
- Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Xinmiao Wang
- Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ting Liu
- Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Naijing Ye
- Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiakang Jiang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
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Meng L, Zhang C, Yu P. Treating cancer through modulating exosomal protein loading and function: The prospects of natural products and traditional Chinese medicine. Pharmacol Res 2024; 203:107179. [PMID: 38615876 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2024.107179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Exosomes, small yet vital extracellular vesicles, play an integral role in intercellular communication. They transport critical components, such as proteins, lipid bilayers, DNA, RNA, and glycans, to target cells. These vesicles are crucial in modulating the extracellular matrix and orchestrating signal transduction processes. In oncology, exosomes are pivotal in tumor growth, metastasis, drug resistance, and immune modulation within the tumor microenvironment. Exosomal proteins, noted for their stability and specificity, have garnered widespread attention. This review delves into the mechanisms of exosomal protein loading and their impact on tumor development, with a focus on the regulatory effects of natural products and traditional Chinese medicine on exosomal protein loading and function. These insights not only offer new strategies and methodologies for cancer treatment but also provide scientific bases and directions for future clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Meng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China.
| | - Pei Yu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China.
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Ashrafizadeh M, Zhang W, Tian Y, Sethi G, Zhang X, Qiu A. Molecular panorama of therapy resistance in prostate cancer: a pre-clinical and bioinformatics analysis for clinical translation. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2024; 43:229-260. [PMID: 38374496 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-024-10168-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) is a malignant disorder of prostate gland being asymptomatic in early stages and high metastatic potential in advanced stages. The chemotherapy and surgical resection have provided favourable prognosis of PCa patients, but advanced and aggressive forms of PCa including CRPC and AVPC lack response to therapy properly, and therefore, prognosis of patients is deteriorated. At the advanced stages, PCa cells do not respond to chemotherapy and radiotherapy in a satisfactory level, and therefore, therapy resistance is emerged. Molecular profile analysis of PCa cells reveals the apoptosis suppression, pro-survival autophagy induction, and EMT induction as factors in escalating malignant of cancer cells and development of therapy resistance. The dysregulation in molecular profile of PCa including upregulation of STAT3 and PI3K/Akt, downregulation of STAT3, and aberrant expression of non-coding RNAs are determining factor for response of cancer cells to chemotherapy. Because of prevalence of drug resistance in PCa, combination therapy including co-utilization of anti-cancer drugs and nanotherapeutic approaches has been suggested in PCa therapy. As a result of increase in DNA damage repair, PCa cells induce radioresistance and RelB overexpression prevents irradiation-mediated cell death. Similar to chemotherapy, nanomaterials are promising for promoting radiosensitivity through delivery of cargo, improving accumulation in PCa cells, and targeting survival-related pathways. In respect to emergence of immunotherapy as a new tool in PCa suppression, tumour cells are able to increase PD-L1 expression and inactivate NK cells in mediating immune evasion. The bioinformatics analysis for evaluation of drug resistance-related genes has been performed.
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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, 518055, Guangdong, China
- Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- 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, 518055, Guangdong, China
| | - Yu Tian
- 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, 518055, Guangdong, China
| | - Gautam Sethi
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Xianbin Zhang
- 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, 518055, Guangdong, China.
| | - Aiming Qiu
- Department of Geriatrics, the Fifth People's Hospital of Wujiang District, Suzhou, China.
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Goncharov AP, Vashakidze N, Kharaishvili G. Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition: A Fundamental Cellular and Microenvironmental Process in Benign and Malignant Prostate Pathologies. Biomedicines 2024; 12:418. [PMID: 38398019 PMCID: PMC10886988 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12020418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a crucial and fundamental mechanism in many cellular processes, beginning with embryogenesis via tissue remodulation and wound healing, and plays a vital role in tumorigenesis and metastasis formation. EMT is a complex process that involves many transcription factors and genes that enable the tumor cell to leave the primary location, invade the basement membrane, and send metastasis to other tissues. Moreover, it may help the tumor avoid the immune system and establish radioresistance and chemoresistance. It may also change the normal microenvironment, thus promoting other key factors for tumor survival, such as hypoxia-induced factor-1 (HIF-1) and promoting neoangiogenesis. In this review, we will focus mainly on the role of EMT in benign prostate disease and especially in the process of establishment of malignant prostate tumors, their invasiveness, and aggressive behavior. We will discuss relevant study methods for EMT evaluation and possible clinical implications. We will also introduce clinical trials conducted according to CONSORT 2010 that try to harness EMT properties in the form of circulating tumor cells to predict aggressive patterns of prostate cancer. This review will provide the most up-to-date information to establish a keen understanding of the cellular and microenvironmental processes for developing novel treatment lines by modifying or blocking the pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aviv Philip Goncharov
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Pathology, Palacky University, University Hospital, 779 00 Olomouc, Czech Republic; (A.P.G.); (N.V.)
| | - Nino Vashakidze
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Pathology, Palacky University, University Hospital, 779 00 Olomouc, Czech Republic; (A.P.G.); (N.V.)
| | - Gvantsa Kharaishvili
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Pathology, Palacky University, University Hospital, 779 00 Olomouc, Czech Republic; (A.P.G.); (N.V.)
- Department of Human Morphology and Pathology, Medical Faculty, David Tvildiani Medical University, Tbilisi 0159, Georgia
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Xie Z, Lin M, He X, Dong Y, Chen Y, Li B, Chen S, Lv G. Chemical Constitution, Pharmacological Effects and the Underlying Mechanism of Atractylenolides: A Review. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28103987. [PMID: 37241729 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28103987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Atractylenolides, comprising atractylenolide I, II, and III, represent the principal bioactive constituents of Atractylodes macrocephala, a traditional Chinese medicine. These compounds exhibit a diverse array of pharmacological properties, including anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and organ-protective effects, underscoring their potential for future research and development. Recent investigations have demonstrated that the anti-cancer activity of the three atractylenolides can be attributed to their influence on the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. Additionally, the TLR4/NF-κB, PI3K/Akt, and MAPK signaling pathways primarily mediate the anti-inflammatory effects of these compounds. Atractylenolides can protect multiple organs by modulating oxidative stress, attenuating the inflammatory response, activating anti-apoptotic signaling pathways, and inhibiting cell apoptosis. These protective effects extend to the heart, liver, lung, kidney, stomach, intestine, and nervous system. Consequently, atractylenolides may emerge as clinically relevant multi-organ protective agents in the future. Notably, the pharmacological activities of the three atractylenolides differ. Atractylenolide I and III demonstrate potent anti-inflammatory and organ-protective properties, whereas the effects of atractylenolide II are infrequently reported. This review systematically examines the literature on atractylenolides published in recent years, with a primary emphasis on their pharmacological properties, in order to inform future development and application efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyi Xie
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Huzhou 313200, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of TCM for Innovative R & D and Digital Intelligent Manufacturing of TCM Great Health Products, Huzhou 313200, China
| | - Minqiu Lin
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Huzhou 313200, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of TCM for Innovative R & D and Digital Intelligent Manufacturing of TCM Great Health Products, Huzhou 313200, China
| | - Xinglishang He
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Huzhou 313200, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of TCM for Innovative R & D and Digital Intelligent Manufacturing of TCM Great Health Products, Huzhou 313200, China
| | - Yingjie Dong
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Huzhou 313200, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of TCM for Innovative R & D and Digital Intelligent Manufacturing of TCM Great Health Products, Huzhou 313200, China
| | - Yigong Chen
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Bo Li
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Huzhou 313200, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of TCM for Innovative R & D and Digital Intelligent Manufacturing of TCM Great Health Products, Huzhou 313200, China
| | - Suhong Chen
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Huzhou 313200, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of TCM for Innovative R & D and Digital Intelligent Manufacturing of TCM Great Health Products, Huzhou 313200, China
| | - Guiyuan Lv
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
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