A Combination of Rosa Canina Extracts and Gold Complex Favors Apoptosis of Caco-2 Cells by Increasing Oxidative Stress and Mitochondrial Dysfunction

Antitumoral melatonin-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers

Aim: Cancer constitutes the second leading cause of death worldwide, with conventional therapies limited by significant side effects. Melatonin (MEL), a natural compound with antitumoral properties, suffers from instability and low solubility. To overcome these issues, MEL was encapsulated into nanostructured lipid carriers (MEL-NLC) containing rosehip oil to enhance stability and boost its antitumoral activity. Methods: MEL-NLC were optimized by a design of experiments approach and characterized for their physicochemical properties. Stability and biopharmaceutical behavior were assessed, along with interaction studies and in vitro antitumoral efficacy against various cancer cell lines. Results: Optimized MEL-NLC exhibited desirable physicochemical characteristics, including small particle size and sustained MEL release, along with long-term stability. In vitro studies demonstrated that MEL-NLC selectively induced cytotoxicity in several cancer cell lines while sparing healthy cells. Conclusion: MEL-NLC represent a promising alternative for cancer, combining enhanced stability and targeted antitumoral activity, potentially overcoming the limitations of conventional treatments.

Dually Active Apigenin-Loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carriers for Cancer Treatment

Purpose

Cancer is one of the major causes of death worldwide affecting more than 19 million people. Traditional cancer therapies have many adverse effects and often result in unsatisfactory outcomes. Natural flavones, such as apigenin (APG), have demonstrated excellent antitumoral properties. However, they have a low aqueous solubility. To overcome this drawback, APG can be encapsulated in nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC). Therefore, we developed dual NLC encapsulating APG (APG-NLC) with a lipid matrix containing rosehip oil, which is known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Methods

Optimisation, physicochemical characterisation, biopharmaceutical behaviour, and therapeutic efficacy of this novel nanostructured system were assessed.

Results

APG-NLC were optimized obtaining an average particle size below 200 nm, a surface charge of -20 mV, and an encapsulation efficiency over 99%. The APG-NLC released APG in a sustained manner, and the results showed that the formulation was stable for more than 10 months. In vitro studies showed that APG-NLC possess significant antiangiogenic activity in ovo and selective antiproliferative activity in several cancer cell lines without exhibiting toxicity in healthy cells.

Conclusion

APG-NLC containing rosehip oil were optimised. They exhibit suitable physicochemical parameters, storage stability for more than 10 months, and prolonged APG release. Moreover, APG-NLC were internalised inside tumour cells, showing the capacity to cause cytotoxicity in cancer cells without damaging healthy cells.

Pro-Oxidant and Cytotoxic Effects of Tucum-Do-Cerrado (Bactris setosa Mart.) Extracts in Colorectal Adenocarcinoma Caco-2 Cells

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. Bioactive natural compounds can act in cancer chemoprevention as tumor growth inhibitors. Tucum-do-cerrado (Bactris setosa Mart.) is a Brazilian fruit that contains several phenolic compounds. This study investigated the effect of tucum aqueous extract in Caco-2 cells in comparison to primary human intestinal organoids and fibroblasts. Cells were exposed to 0.5 and 1 mg/ml of tucum aqueous extract for 24 h. ROS production, mRNA levels for SOD1 and SOD2, CAT, GPX1, NFE2L2, HIF1A and NOS2 were evaluated in Caco-2 cells exposed to tucum extract. Cell viability of Caco-2 cells was decreased upon tucum extract exposure. Mitochondrial ROS levels increased in Caco-2 cells exposed to tucum extract. The mRNA levels of SOD1, SOD2, CAT, GPX, NFE2L2 and HIF1A were downregulated in Caco-2 cells exposed to tucum extract, while NOS2 mRNA levels remained unchanged. Protein levels of SOD2, CAT and NRF2 remained unchanged in Caco-2 cells treated with tucum extract, indicating that catalase and SOD2 cellular functions may be unaffected by the tucum extract at 24 h, of exposure. Aqueous extract of tucum-do-cerrado may induce cellular toxicity in a cancer cell-specific manner, possibly through increased mitochondrial ROS production and gene expression regulation.

Depression and anxiety in recurrent giant cell tumor of bone

Giant cell tumor of bone (GCTB) is a benign neoplasia more frequently encountered in young females. The pathogenic and evolutionary dynamics of the disease is strongly influenced by the presence of depression and cellular mechanisms, especially proinflammatory and immune. Although it is not a malignant tumor, it is often recurrent, which determines a high level of depression, anxiety, and fear of the patients. Cytokine mechanisms, especially through increased tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), as well as the involvement of the receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B (RANK)–RANK ligand (RANK-L) system, can be correlated with the risk of malignancy. Unfavorable evolution is associated with persistent pain, difficulties of movement and body dysmorphic symptoms. The diagnosis is based mainly on histopathological (HP) assessment. The patients can be treated with pharmacological agents (Denosumab), surgery with tumor excision, reconstruction or osteosynthesis, and radiotherapy. Patients with GCTB require HP and imaging evaluations, especially of relapses, to detect the risk of metastasis or malignancy, simultaneously with psychological and psychiatric monitoring to detect depression, addictive behaviors, and suicide risk. It is necessary to evaluate in a multidisciplinary team to avoid unfavorable oncological and psychiatric developments. Through its clinical, HP, and therapeutic features, GCTB has multiple connections with the psychological and psychopathological dimension.

Potential of Gold Candidates against Human Colon Cancer

Development of novel metallodrugs with pharmacological profile plays a significant role in modern medicinal chemistry and drug design. Metal complexes have shown remarkable clinical results in current cancer therapy. Gold complexes have attained attention due to their high antiproliferative potential. Gold-based drugs are used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Gold-containing compounds with selective and specific targets are capable to assuage the symptoms of a range of human diseases. Gold (I) species with labile ligands (such as Cl in TEPAuCl) interact with isolated DNA; therefore, this biomolecule has been considered as a target for gold drugs. Gold (I) has a high affinity towards sulfur and selenium. Due to this, gold (I) drugs readily interact with cysteine or selenocysteine residue of the enzyme to form protein-gold(I) thiolate or protein-gold (I) selenolate complexes that lead to inhibition of the enzyme activity. Au(III) compounds due to their square-planner geometriesthe same as found in cisplatin, represent a good source for the development of anti-tumor agents. This article aims to review the most important applications of gold products in the treatment of human colon cancer and to analyze the complex interplay between gold and the human body.

Docosahexaenoic acid promotes the formation of autophagosomes in MCF-7 breast cancer cells through oxidative stress-induced growth inhibitor 1 mediated activation of AMPK/mTOR pathway

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is known to regulate autophagy in cancer cells. We explored whether oxidative stress-induced growth inhibitor 1 (OSGIN1) is involved in the regulation of autophagy by DHA in breast cancer cells and the possible mechanisms involved. DHA upregulated the levels of OSGIN1, LC3-II and SQSTM1/p62. By contrast, DHA dose-dependently decreased the levels of mTOR and p-mTOR^S2448 expression. Using GFP/RFP-LC3 fluorescence staining, we showed that cells treated with DHA showed a dose-dependent response in autophagic signals. OSGIN1 Overexpression mimicked DHA treatment in that LC3-II and GFP/RFP-LC3 signals as well as the expression of p-AMPKα^T172 and p-Raptor^S792 were significantly increased, whereas mTOR, p-mTOR^S2448, and p-ULK1^S757 expression were decreased. With knockdown of OSGIN1 expression, these outcomes were reversed. Moreover, OSGIN1 overexpression transiently elevated the accumulation of OSGIN1 and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the mitochondrial fraction and subsequently increased p-AMPKα^T172 and p-Raptor^S792 expression. Upon pretreatment with Mito-TEMPO, a scavenger of mitochondrial ROS, these outcomes were reversed. Taken together, these results suggest that DHA can transiently elevate the generation of ROS in mitochondria and promote autophagosome formation through activation of the p-AMPKα^T172/p-Raptor ^S792 and inactivation of the p-mTOR^S2448/p-ULK1^Ser757 signaling pathways, and these effects depend on OSGIN1 protein in MCF-7 cells.

Grape Stem Extracts with Potential Anticancer and Antioxidant Properties

The application of plant extracts for therapeutic purposes has been used in traditional medicine because plants contain bioactive compounds with beneficial properties for health. Currently, the use of these compounds that are rich in polyphenols for the treatment and prevention of diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, many of them related to oxidative stress, is gaining certain relevance. Polyphenols have been shown to have antimutagenic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, the objective of the present work was to study the potential effect of grape stem extracts (GSE), rich in phenolic compounds, in the treatment of cancer, as well as their role in the prevention of this disease associated with its antioxidant power. For that purpose, three cancer lines (Caco-2, MCF-7, and MDA-MB-231) were used, and the results showed that grape stem extracts were capable of showing an antiproliferative effect in these cells through apoptosis cell death associated with a modification of the mitochondrial potential and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Additionally, grape stem extracts showed an antioxidant effect on differentiated intestinal cells that could protect the intestine from diseases related to oxidative stress. Therefore, grape extracts contain bioactive principles with important biological properties and could be used as bio-functional food ingredients to prevent diseases or even to improve certain aspects of human health.

Transport, metabolism and remedial potential of functional food extracts (FFEs) in Caco-2 cells monolayer: A review

Caco-2, a human intestinal carcinoma cell line, has been used to test the absorption and transport mechanism of functional foods and drugs across the intestinal epithelium in order to study their antioxidant, anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities. Caco-2 cells represent the morphological and functional characteristics of small intestinal cells and capable of expressing brush borders, tight junctions, intestinal efflux and uptake transporters which regulate permeation of drugs and functional food extracts from intestinal lumen to systemic circulation. The integrity of the Caco-2 monolayer is controlled by establishing the TEER between 200 and 1000 O per cm². FFEs affect intestinal permeability by adjusting the tight junction proteins between the cells in order to maintain the epithelial barrier function. Because of the side effects of medicines, there is an increased interest in functional food extracts (FFEs) as drug substitutes. Functional foods undergo intricate transport processes and biotransformation after oral administration. Metabolism and transport studies of FFEs in Caco-2 cells are very important for determining their bioavailability. Functional foods and their constituents produce anti-proliferative and anti-cancer effects through apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and inhibition of various signal transduction pathways across Caco-2 cell lines. The current review has summarized the anti-inflammation, anticancer, antioxidant and cholesterol lowering potential of FFEs using Caco-2 cells through reducing local inflammatory signals, production of ROS and lipid accumulation. The transport, bioavailability, metabolism, mechanisms of actions, cellular pathways adopted by FFEs across Caco-2 cell lines are predominantly affected by their molecular weight, structures and physicochemical properties. These studies are beneficial for investigating the different mechanisms of action of FFEs in the human body.