Protection of Mitochondrial Potential and Activity by Oxyprenylated Phenylpropanoids

Joining up the scattered anticancer knowledge on auraptene and umbelliprenin: a meta-analysis

Auraptene (AUR) and umbelliprenin (UMB) are naturally occurring prenylated coumarins that have demonstrated promising anticancer effects across various human cancer cell lines. This meta-analysis aimed to systematically assess, compare, and quantify the anticancer efficacy of AUR and UMB by synthesizing evidence from in vitro studies. A comprehensive literature search identified 27 eligible studies investigating AUR or UMB against cancer cells. Mixed-effects models revealed significant negative associations between coumarin dose and viability for AUR (est. = - 2.27) and UMB (est. = - 3.990), underscoring their dose-dependent cytotoxicity. Meta-regression indicated slightly higher potency for UMB over AUR, potentially due to increased lipophilicity imparted by additional isoprenyl units. Machine learning approaches identified coumarin dose and cancer type as the most influential determinants of toxicity, while treatment duration and the specific coumarin displayed weaker effects. Moderate (AUR) to substantial (UMB) between-study heterogeneity was detected, although the findings proved robust. In summary, this meta-analysis establishes AUR and UMB as promising natural anticancer candidates with clear dose-toxicity relationships across diverse malignancies. The structural insights and quantifications of anticancer efficacy can inform forthcoming efforts assessing therapeutic potential in pre-clinical models and human trials.

Mitochondrial Targeting against Alzheimer's Disease: Lessons from Hibernation

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia worldwide and yet remains without effective therapy. Amongst the many proposed causes of AD, the mitochondrial cascade hypothesis is gaining attention. Accumulating evidence shows that mitochondrial dysfunction is a driving force behind synaptic dysfunction and cognitive decline in AD patients. However, therapies targeting the mitochondria in AD have proven unsuccessful so far, and out-of-the-box options, such as hibernation-derived mitochondrial mechanisms, may provide valuable new insights. Hibernators uniquely and rapidly alternate between suppression and re-activation of the mitochondria while maintaining a sufficient energy supply and without acquiring ROS damage. Here, we briefly give an overview of mitochondrial dysfunction in AD, how it affects synaptic function, and why mitochondrial targeting in AD has remained unsuccessful so far. We then discuss mitochondria in hibernation and daily torpor in mice, covering current advancements in hibernation-derived mitochondrial targeting strategies. We conclude with new ideas on how hibernation-derived dual mitochondrial targeting of both the ATP and ROS pathways may boost mitochondrial health and induce local synaptic protein translation to increase synaptic function and plasticity. Further exploration of these mechanisms may provide more effective treatment options for AD in the future.

Novel insights into the biomolecular mechanism of action of 4'-geranyloxyferulic acid, a colon cancer chemopreventive agent

In this manuscript the biomolecular mechanism of action of the natural colon cancer chemopreventive agent 4'-geranyloxyferulic acid in cultured Caco-2 cells has been investigated. It was first demonstrated how the application of this phytochemical led to a time- and dose-dependent decrease of cell viability and in parallel to a massive generation of reactive oxygen species and induction of caspases 3 and 9, finally providing apoptosis. This event is accompanied by deep modifications in key pro-apoptotic targets like CD95, DR4 and 5, cytochrome c, Apaf-1, Bcl-2, and Bax. Such effects can explain the large apoptosis recorded in Caco-2 cells treated with 4'-geranyloxyferulic acid.