Antiproliferative Mechanisms of a Polyphenolic Combination of Kaempferol and Fisetin in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells

Fisetin and/or capecitabine causes changes in apoptosis pathways in capecitabine-resistant colorectal cancer cell lines

Capecitabine is recommended as one of the first-line chemotherapy treatments for advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer. Researches have been conducted on capecitabine's impact on the viability of human colon cancer cells and its potential to induce apoptosis. However, even in cases initially responsive to treatment, the development of acquired resistance significantly limits its efficacy. Challenges still exist in effectively treating patients with chemotherapy, and developing new cytotoxic drugs is hindered by drug resistance. Fisetin alters the cell cycle, inducing apoptosis, inhibiting cancer cell proliferation, and enhancing the therapeutic effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs. This work aims to create a plan for reversing capecitabine resistance. For this purpose, the role of capecitabine and/or fisetin combinations in cell proliferation and apoptosis has been determined in both wild-type and capecitabine-resistant HT29 cells (CR/HT29). We developed capecitabine-resistant cell line from wild-type HT29 cells. This study demonstrated the effects of capecitabine, fisetin, and their combinations on both resistant and wild-type cells through experiments including cell survival skills, cell proliferation, wound healing, colony formation, hoechst staining, and western blot analysis. We established capecitabine-resistant cell lines. P-gp expression increased in CR/HT29 cells. Capecitabine effects on a CR/HT29 cells less than wild-type HT29 cells. The combination of fisetin and capecitabine in cell proliferation caused greater reductions in wild-type HT29 cells than in capecitabine-resistant cells. Fisetin has also additive effects on the apoptotic pathway in CR/HT29 cells. This study provides new perspectives on the combination of capecitabine and/or flavonoid treatment in resistant cells.

The Chemopreventive Impact of Diet-Derived Phytochemicals on the Adipose Tissue and Breast Tumor Microenvironment Secretome

Cancer cells-derived extracellular vesicles can trigger the transformation of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSC) into a pro-inflammatory, cancer-associated adipocyte (CAA) phenotype. Such secretome-mediated crosstalk between the adipose tissue and the tumor microenvironment (TME) therefore impacts tumor progression and metastatic processes. In addition, emerging roles of diet-derived phytochemicals, especially epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) among other polyphenols, in modulating exosome-mediated metabolic and inflammatory signaling pathways have been highlighted. Here, we discuss how selected diet-derived phytochemicals could alter the secretome signature as well as the crosstalk dynamics between the adipose tissue and the TME, with a focus on breast cancer. Their broader implication in the chemoprevention of obesity-related cancers is also discussed.

Therapeutic potential of dietary bioactive compounds against anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins in breast cancer

Breast cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality among women worldwide. One of its defining features is resistance to apoptosis, driven by aberrant expression of apoptosis-related proteins, notably the overexpression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins. These proteins enable breast cancer cells to evade apoptosis and develop resistance to chemotherapy, underscoring their critical role as therapeutic targets. Diet plays a significant role in breast cancer risk, potentially escalating or inhibiting cancer development. Recognizing the limitations of current treatments, extensive research is focused on exploring bioactive compounds derived from natural sources such as plants, fruits, vegetables, and spices. These compounds are valued for their ability to exert potent anticancer effects with minimal toxicity and side effects. While literature extensively covers the effects of various dietary compounds in inducing apoptosis in cancer cells, comprehensive information specifically on how dietary bioactive compounds modulate anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein expression in breast cancer is limited. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the interaction between Bcl-2 proteins and caspases in the regulation of apoptosis, as well as the impact of dietary bioactive compounds on the modulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 in breast cancer. It further explores how these interactions influence breast cancer progression and treatment outcomes.

The Anticancer Effects and Therapeutic Potential of Kaempferol in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), a subtype of breast cancer, is an aggressive phenotype that lacks estrogen (ER), progesterone (PR), and human epidermal growth (HER-2) receptors, which is challenging to treat with standardized hormonal therapy. Kaempferol is a natural flavonoid with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and anticancer effects. Besides anti-tumorigenic, antiproliferative, and apoptotic effects, kaempferol protects non-cancerous cells. Kaempferol showed anti-breast cancer effects by inducing DNA damage and increasing caspase 3, caspase 9, and pAMT expression, modifying ROS production by Nrf2 modulation, inducing apoptosis by increasing cleaved PARP and Bax and downregulating Bcl-2 expression, inducing cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase; inhibiting immune evasion by modulating the JAK-STAT3 pathway; and inhibiting the angiogenic and metastatic potential of tumors by downregulating MMP-3 and MMP-9 levels. Kaempferol holds promise for boosting the efficacy of anticancer agents, complementing their effects, or reversing developed chemoresistance. Exploring novel TNBC molecular targets with kaempferol could elucidate its mechanisms and identify strategies to overcome limitations for clinical application. This review summarizes the latest research on kaempferol's potential as an anti-TNBC agent, highlighting promising but underexplored molecular pathways and delivery challenges that warrant further investigation to achieve successful clinical translation.

Kaempferol efficacy in metabolic diseases: Molecular mechanisms of action in diabetes mellitus, obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, steatohepatitis, and atherosclerosis

The incidence of metabolic diseases has progressively increased, which has a negative impact on human health and life safety globally. Due to the good efficacy and limited side effects, there is growing interest in developing effective drugs to treat metabolic diseases from natural compounds. Kaempferol (KMP), an important flavonoid, exists in many vegetables, fruits, and traditional medicinal plants. Recently, KMP has received widespread attention worldwide due to its good potential in the treatment of metabolic diseases. To promote the basic research and clinical application of KMP, this review provides a timely and comprehensive summary of the pharmacological advances of KMP in the treatment of four metabolic diseases and its potential molecular mechanisms of action, including diabetes mellitus, obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)/nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and atherosclerosis. According to the research, KMP shows remarkable therapeutic effects on metabolic diseases by regulating multiple signaling transduction pathways such as NF-κB, Nrf2, AMPK, PI3K/AKT, TLR4, and ER stress. In addition, the most recent literature on KMP's natural source, pharmacokinetics studies, as well as toxicity and safety are also discussed in this review, thus providing a foundation and evidence for further studies to develop novel and effective drugs from natural compounds. Collectively, our manuscript strongly suggested that KMP could be a promising candidate for the treatment of metabolic diseases.

Targeting colorectal cancer using dietary flavonols

Colorectal cancer is among the well-known forms of cancer and a prominent cause of cancer demises worldwide. In vitro experiments reinforced by animal studies, as well as epidemiological studies of human colorectal cancer propose that the growth of this disease can be moderated by eating aspects. Dietary intake including green vegetables and fruits may result in the reduction of colon cancer chances. The finding suggests that the combinations of dietary nutrients may deliver additive or synergistic effects and might be a powerful method to avoid or eradicate colon cancer beginning and/or development. Flavonols are one of the most widespread dietary nutrients of the polyphenols-flavonoids and major constituent of Allium and Brassicaceae vegetables. Flavonols present in vegetables of Allium and Brassicaceae family are kaempferol, myricetin, quercetin, and isorhamnetin. These flavonols are claimed to have antiproliferative activity in vivo and in vitro against colorectal cancer. The objective of this review is to summarize the role of flavonols obtained from dietary sources in the prevention and treatment of colorectal cancer.

The role of kaempferol in gynaecological malignancies: progress and perspectives

Kaempferol, a flavonoid derived from various herbs such as cocoyam, propolis, and grapefruit, has garnered interest due to its numerous pharmacological benefits, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-diabetic properties. Kaempferol has been shown to possess notable anti-tumour bioactivity, indicating potential for treating gynaecological malignancies. To date, numerous studies have demonstrated the potential of kaempferol to induce tumour cell apoptosis, inhibit proliferation, and prevent metastasis and invasion in several gynaecological malignancies, including breast, ovarian and endometrial cancers. However, there is currently insufficient research investigating the efficacy of kaempferol for the treatment of gynaecological malignancies, and a lack of systematic review of its mechanism of action. Therefore, this review is founded on a literature analysis of the anticancer effects of kaempferol on gynaecological malignancies. The goal is to provide valuable reference material for scientific researchers and medical practitioners.

Naringenin in combination with quercetin/fisetin shows synergistic anti-proliferative and migration reduction effects in breast cancer cell lines

INTRODUCTION & AIM

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers with a high mortality rate among women worldwide. Quercetin/fisetin and naringenin, three well-known flavonoids, have been used to fight against various cancers. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible synergism of quercetin/fisetin with naringenin on MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines.

METHODS

In this study, cultured MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were treated with different concentrations of quercetin/fisetin individually and in combination with naringenin. MTT assay and scratch assay was employed to determine cell viability and migration respectively. Real-time PCR was used to study the expression level of apoptosis genes and miR-1275 (tumor suppressor miRNA) and mir-27a-3p (oncogenic miRNA).

RESULTS

A synergism effect of quercetin/fisetin and naringenin (CI < 1) was observed for both cell lines. Combination therapies were significantly more effective in cell growth reduction, migration suppression and apoptosis induction than single therapies. Gene expression analysis revealed the upregulation of miR-1275 and downregulation miR-27a-3p.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that quercetin/fisetin enhances the anti-proliferative and anti-migratory activities in combination with naringenin in MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell lines. Therefore, the combination of Que/Fis and Nar can be proposed as a promising therapeutic strategy for further investigations.

The anticancer mechanism of action of selected polyphenols in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)

Breast cancer is a leadingcause of cancer-related deaths in women globally, with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) being an aggressive subtype that lacks targeted therapies and is associated with a poor prognosis. Polyphenols, naturally occurring compounds in plants, have been investigated as a potential therapeutic strategy for TNBC. This review provides an overview of the anticancer effects of polyphenols in TNBC and their mechanisms of action. Several polyphenols, including resveratrol, quercetin, kaempferol, genistein, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, apigenin, fisetin, hesperetin and luteolin, have been shown to inhibit TNBC cell proliferation, induce cell cycle arrest, promote apoptosis, and suppress migration/invasion in preclinical models. The molecular mechanisms underlying their anticancer effects involve the modulation of several signalling pathways, such as PI3K/Akt, MAPK, STATT, and NF-κB pathways. Polyphenols also exhibit synergistic effects with chemotherapy drugs, making them promising candidates for combination therapy. The review also highlights clinical trials investigating the potential use of polyphenols, individually or in combination therapy, against breast cancer. This review deepens the under-standing of the mechanism of action of respective polyphenols and provides valuable insights into the potential use of polyphenols as a therapeutic strategy for TNBC, and lays the groundwork for future research in this area.

Kaempferol and Fisetin-Related Signaling Pathways Induce Apoptosis in Head and Neck Cancer Cells

Despite the relative effectiveness of standard cancer treatment strategies, head and neck cancer (HNC) is still considered one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity. While selected bioactive compounds of plant origin reveal a pro-apoptotic effect, kaempferol and fisetin flavonols have been reported as potential anti-cancer agents against malignant neoplasms. To date, their exact role in signaling pathways of head and neck cancer cells is largely unknown. Based on the various methods of cytotoxicity testing, we elucidated that kaempferol and fisetin inhibit proliferation, reduce the capacity of cell migration, and induce apoptosis in SCC-9, SCC-25, and A-253 HNC cells in a dose-dependent manner in vitro (p < 0.05, fisetin IC₅₀ values of 38.85 µM, 62.34 µM, and 49.21 µM, and 45.03 µM, 49.90 µM, and 47.49 µM for kaempferol-SCC-9, SCC-25, and A-253, respectively). The obtained results showed that exposure to kaempferol and fisetin reduces Bcl-2 protein expression, simultaneously leading to the arrest in the G2/M and S phases of the cell cycle. Kaempferol and fisetin inhibit cell proliferation by interfering with the cell cycle, which is strongly associated with the induction of G2/M arrest, and induce apoptosis by activating caspase-3 and releasing cytochrome c in human HNC cells. In addition, investigating flavonols, by inhibiting anti-apoptotic proteins from the Bcl-2 family and damaging the mitochondrial transmembrane potential, increased the level of cytochrome c. While flavonols selectively induce apoptosis of head and neck cancer cells, they may support oncological therapy as promising agents. The discovery of new derivatives may be a breakthrough in the search for effective chemotherapeutic agents with less toxicity and thus fewer side effects.