Natural Products for Cancer Prevention and Interception: Preclinical and Clinical Studies and Funding Opportunities

Gnetin C in Cancer and Other Diseases: What Do We Know So Far?

Stilbenes are a class of natural polyphenols with multiple positive pharmacologic assets such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects. While monomeric stilbenes, represented mostly by resveratrol and pterostilbene, have been studied intensely in the last two decades, oligomeric compounds, which may have better prospects of becoming potent nutraceuticals, are much less studied. The goal of this review is to compile all available literature to date on the beneficial pharmacologic effects of Gnetin C, a resveratrol dimer, in cancer and other diseases. While studies have shown the beneficial effects of Gnetin C, as a single compound or a component of melinjo seed extract, through cellular models, in vivo preclinical studies are still lacking. This is except for prostate cancer, where various animal models, including xenografts and transgenic mice, have been used to evaluate Gnetin C's more potent anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects compared to resveratrol and its monomeric analogs. Since Gnetin C's safety has already been demonstrated in healthy volunteers, it is now logical to evaluate its efficacy for prostate cancer chemoprevention, interception and therapy in clinical trials.

Cancer prevention: past challenges and future directions

Almost 70 years have passed since the molecular mechanism of carcinogenesis was hypothesized to involve multiple gene mutations. More than 1,000 cancer-related genes, including oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, accelerate carcinogenesis by altering molecular functions and gene expression through mutations and epigenetic changes and have been shown to cause multistep carcinogenesis in several organ cancers. The elucidation of cancer-related gene abnormalities has led to the development of molecular-targeted therapies that focus on driver molecules, known as precision medicine, in addition to conventional treatments such as surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Now that the mechanism of cancer development has been largely elucidated, options for cancer treatment and its outcomes have improved, and cancer research is moving to the next stage: cancer prevention. Cancer prevention using chemicals was first proposed approximately 50 years ago. It is the concept of stabilizing, arresting, or reverting precancerous lesions to normal tissues using synthetic vitamin A analogs (retinoids). Cancer chemoprevention is now considered to consist of three elements: "primary prevention," which prevents the development of tumors and prevents benign tumors converting into more malignant ones; "secondary prevention," which aims for early detection through cancer screening and treatment; and "tertiary prevention," which reduces the risk of recurrence and extends the time until death from cancer through treatment. Consequently, there is no clear boundary between the prevention and treatment strategies. Therefore, chemoprevention targets the entire process, from normal cells to precancerous lesions, malignant progression of tumors, and death by cancer. Basic and clinical research has revealed that cancer prevention is influenced by race, regional, and national differences, as well as individual differences such as genetic factors, environmental factors, and lifestyle habits. This review provides an overview of the progress made in cancer prevention and summarizes future directions.

Histone Acyl Code in Precision Oncology: Mechanistic Insights from Dietary and Metabolic Factors

Cancer etiology involves complex interactions between genetic and non-genetic factors, with epigenetic mechanisms serving as key regulators at multiple stages of pathogenesis. Poor dietary habits contribute to cancer predisposition by impacting DNA methylation patterns, non-coding RNA expression, and histone epigenetic landscapes. Histone post-translational modifications (PTMs), including acyl marks, act as a molecular code and play a crucial role in translating changes in cellular metabolism into enduring patterns of gene expression. As cancer cells undergo metabolic reprogramming to support rapid growth and proliferation, nuanced roles have emerged for dietary- and metabolism-derived histone acylation changes in cancer progression. Specific types and mechanisms of histone acylation, beyond the standard acetylation marks, shed light on how dietary metabolites reshape the gut microbiome, influencing the dynamics of histone acyl repertoires. Given the reversible nature of histone PTMs, the corresponding acyl readers, writers, and erasers are discussed in this review in the context of cancer prevention and treatment. The evolving 'acyl code' provides for improved biomarker assessment and clinical validation in cancer diagnosis and prognosis.