A Comprehensive Review of Recent Advancements in Cancer Immunotherapy and Generation of CAR T Cell by CRISPR-Cas9

The experimental significance of isorhamnetin as an effective therapeutic option for cancer: A comprehensive analysis

Isorhamnetin (C16H12O7), a 3'-O-methylated derivative of quercetin from the class of flavonoids, is predominantly present in the leaves and fruits of several plants, many of which have traditionally been employed as remedies due to its diverse therapeutic activities. The objective of this in-depth analysis is to concentrate on Isorhamnetin by addressing its molecular insights as an effective anticancer compound and its synergistic activity with other anticancer drugs. The main contributors to Isorhamnetin's anti-malignant activities at the molecular level have been identified as alterations of a variety of signal transduction processes and transcriptional agents. These include ROS-mediated cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, inhibition of mTOR and P13K pathway, suppression of MEK1, PI3K, NF-κB, and Akt/ERK pathways, and inhibition of Hypoxia Inducible Factor (HIF)-1α expression. A significant number of in vitro and in vivo research studies have confirmed that it destroys cancerous cells by arresting cell cycle at the G2/M phase and S-phase, down-regulating COX-2 protein expression, PI3K, Akt, mTOR, MEK1, ERKs, and PI3K signaling pathways, and up-regulating apoptosis-induced genes (Casp3, Casp9, and Apaf1), Bax, Caspase-3, P53 gene expression and mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis pathway. Its ability to suppress malignant cells, evidence of synergistic effects, and design of drugs based on nanomedicine are also well supported to treat cancer patients effectively. Together, our findings establish a crucial foundation for understanding Isorhamnetin's underlying anti-cancer mechanism in cancer cells and reinforce the case for the requirement to assess more exact molecular signaling pathways relating to specific cancer and in vivo anti-cancer activities.

Therapeutic potential of CRISPR/CAS9 genome modification in T cell-based immunotherapy of cancer

Today, genome editing technologies like zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) are being used in clinical trials and the treatment of diseases like acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and cancer. CRISPR stands out as one of the most advanced tools for genome editing due to its simplicity and cost-effectiveness. It can selectively modify specific locations in the genome, offering new possibilities for treating human diseases. The CRISPR system uses ribonucleic acid-deoxyribonucleic acid (RNA-DNA) recognition to combat infections, regulate gene expression, and treat cancer. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, which uses T lymphocytes to eliminate cancer cells, can be improved by combining it with CRISPR technology. However, there are challenges in using CAR-T cells, including a lack of quantity and quality, exhaustion, neurotoxicity, cytokine release syndrome (CRS), B cell aplasia, tumor lysis syndrome, and anaphylaxis. Preclinical studies on CRISPR-edited CAR-T cells show promising results and targeting detrimental regulatory genes can enhance cancer treatment in the future.

TRAFfic signals: High-throughput CAR discovery in NK cells reveals novel TRAF-binding endodomains that drive enhanced persistence and cytotoxicity

Natural killer (NK) cells are a promising alternative therapeutic platform to CAR T cells given their favorable safety profile and potent killing ability. However, CAR NK cells suffer from limited persistence in vivo , which is, in part, thought to be the consequence of limited cytokine signaling. To address this challenge, we developed an innovative high-throughput screening strategy to identify CAR endodomains that could drive enhanced persistence while maintaining potent cytotoxicity. We uncovered a family of TRAF-binding endodomains that outperform benchmarks in primary NK cells along dimensions of persistence and cytotoxicity, even in low IL-2 conditions. This work highlights the importance of cell-type-specific cell therapy engineering and unlocks a wide range of high-throughput molecular engineering avenues in NK cells.

Study of MDM2 as Prognostic Biomarker in Brain-LGG Cancer and Bioactive Phytochemicals Inhibit the p53-MDM2 Pathway: A Computational Drug Development Approach

An evaluation of the expression and predictive significance of the MDM2 gene in brain lower-grade glioma (LGG) cancer was carried out using onco-informatics pipelines. Several transcriptome servers were used to measure the differential expression of the targeted MDM2 gene and search mutations and copy number variations. GENT2, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis, Onco-Lnc, and PrognoScan were used to figure out the survival rate of LGG cancer patients. The protein–protein interaction networks between MDM2 gene and its co-expressed genes were constructed by Gene-MANIA tool. Identified bioactive phytochemicals were evaluated through molecular docking using Schrödinger Suite Software, with the MDM2 (PDB ID: 1RV1) target. Protein–ligand interactions were observed with key residues of the macromolecular target. A molecular dynamics simulation of the novel bioactive compounds with the targeted protein was performed. Phytochemicals targeting MDM2 protein, such as Taxifolin and (-)-Epicatechin, have been shown with more highly stable results as compared to the control drug, and hence, concluded that phytochemicals with bioactive potential might be alternative therapeutic options for the management of LGG patients. Our once informatics-based designed pipeline has indicated that the MDM2 gene may have been a predictive biomarker for LGG cancer and selected phytochemicals possessed outstanding interaction results within the macromolecular target’s active site after utilizing in silico approaches. In vitro and in vivo experiments are recommended to confirm these outcomes.

Molecular Dynamics Simulation and Pharmacoinformatic Integrated Analysis of Bioactive Phytochemicals from Azadirachta indica (Neem) to Treat Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic hormonal and metabolic disorder in which our body cannot generate necessary insulin or does not act in response to it, accordingly, ensuing in discordantly high blood sugar (glucose) levels. Diabetes mellitus can lead to systemic dysfunction in the multiorgan system, including cardiac dysfunction, severe kidney disease, lowered quality of life, and increased mortality risk from diabetic complications. To uncover possible therapeutic targets to treat diabetes mellitus, the in silico drug design technique is widely used, which connects the ligand molecules with target proteins to construct a protein-ligand network. To identify new therapeutic targets for type 2 diabetes mellitus, Azadirachta indica is subjected to phytochemical screening using in silico molecular docking, pharmacokinetic behavior analysis, and simulation-based molecular dynamic analysis. This study has analyzed around 63 phytochemical compounds, and the initial selection of the compounds was made by analyzing their pharmacokinetic properties by comparing them with Lipinski’s rule of 5. The selected compounds were subjected to molecular docking. The top four ligand compounds were reported along with the control drug nateglinide based on their highest negative molecular binding affinity. The protein-ligand interaction of selected compounds has been analyzed to understand better how compounds interact with the targeted protein structure. The results of the in silico analysis revealed that 7-Deacetyl-7-oxogedunin had the highest negative docking score of −8.9 Kcal/mol and also demonstrated standard stability in a 100 ns molecular dynamic simulation performed with insulin receptor ectodomain. It has been found that these substances may rank among the essential supplementary antidiabetic drugs for treating type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is suggested that more in vivo and in vitro research studies be carried out to support the conclusions drawn from this in silico research strategy.

Immunotherapy for Prostate Cancer: A Current Systematic Review and Patient Centric Perspectives

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men worldwide, making up 21% of all cancer cases. With 345,000 deaths per year owing to the disease, there is an urgent need to optimize prostate cancer care. This systematic review collated and synthesized findings of completed Phase III clinical trials administering immunotherapy; a current clinical trial index (2022) of all ongoing Phase I-III clinical trial records was also formulated. A total of four Phase III clinical trials with 3588 participants were included administering DCVAC, ipilimumab, personalized peptide vaccine, and the PROSTVAC vaccine. In this original research article, promising results were seen for ipilimumab intervention, with improved overall survival trends. A total of 68 ongoing trial records pooling in 7923 participants were included, spanning completion until June 2028. Immunotherapy is an emerging option for patients with prostate cancer, with immune checkpoint inhibitors and adjuvant therapies forming a large part of the emerging landscape. With various ongoing trials, the characteristics and premises of the prospective findings will be key in improving outcomes in the future.

Advanced implications of nanotechnology in disease control and environmental perspectives

Nanotechnology encompasses a wide range of devices derived from biology, engineering, chemistry, and physics, and this scientific field is composed of great collaboration among researchers from several fields. It has diverse implications notably smart sensing technologies, effective disease diagnosis, and sometimes used in treatment. In medical science, the implications of nanotechnology include the development of elements and devices that interact with the body at subcellular (i.e., molecular) levels exhibiting high sensitivity and specificity. There is a plethora of new chances for medical science and disease treatment to be discovered and exploited in the rapidly developing field of nanotechnology. In different sectors, nanomaterials are used just because of their special characteristics. Their large surface area of them enables higher reactivity with greater efficiency. Furthermore, special surface chemistry is displayed by nanomaterials which compare to conventional materials and facilitate the nanomaterials to decrease pollutants efficiently. Recently, nanomaterials are used in some countries to reduce the levels of contaminants in water, air, and soil. Moreover, nanomaterials are used in the cosmetics and medical industry, and it develops the drug discovery (DD) system. Among a huge number of nanomaterials, Cu, Ag, TiO₂, ZnO, Fe₃O₄, and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are extensively used in different industries for various purposes. This extensive review study has introduced the major scientific and technical features of nanotechnology, as well as some possible clinical applications and positive feedback in environmental waste management and drug delivery systems.

Molecular and therapeutic effect of CRISPR in treating cancer

Cancer has become one of the common causes of mortality around the globe due to mutations in the genome which allows rapid growth of cells uncontrollably without repairing DNA errors. Cancers could arise due alterations in DNA repair mechanisms (errors in mismatch repair genes), activation of oncogenes and inactivation of tumor suppressor genes. Each cancer type is different and each individual has a unique genetic change which leads them to cancer. Studying genetic and epigenetic alterations in the genome leads to understanding the underlying features. CAR T therapy over other immunotherapies such as monoclonal antibodies, immune checkpoint inhibitors, cancer vaccines and adoptive cell therapies has been widely used to treat cancer in recent days and gene editing has now become one of the promising treatments for many genetic diseases. This tool allows scientists to change the genome by adding, removing or altering genetic material of an organism. Due to advance in genetics and novel molecular techniques such as CRISPR, TALEN these genes can be edited in such a way that their original function could be replaced which in turn improved the treatment possibilities and can be used against malignancies and even cure cancer in future along with CAR T cell therapy due to the specific recognition and attacking of tumor.

A Comprehensive Analysis and Anti-Cancer Activities of Quercetin in ROS-Mediated Cancer and Cancer Stem Cells

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) induce carcinogenesis by causing genetic mutations, activating oncogenes, and increasing oxidative stress, all of which affect cell proliferation, survival, and apoptosis. When compared to normal cells, cancer cells have higher levels of ROS, and they are responsible for the maintenance of the cancer phenotype; this unique feature in cancer cells may, therefore, be exploited for targeted therapy. Quercetin (QC), a plant-derived bioflavonoid, is known for its ROS scavenging properties and was recently discovered to have various antitumor properties in a variety of solid tumors. Adaptive stress responses may be induced by persistent ROS stress, allowing cancer cells to survive with high levels of ROS while maintaining cellular viability. However, large amounts of ROS make cancer cells extremely susceptible to quercetin, one of the most available dietary flavonoids. Because of the molecular and metabolic distinctions between malignant and normal cells, targeting ROS metabolism might help overcome medication resistance and achieve therapeutic selectivity while having little or no effect on normal cells. The powerful bioactivity and modulatory role of quercetin has prompted extensive research into the chemical, which has identified a number of pathways that potentially work together to prevent cancer, alongside, QC has a great number of evidences to use as a therapeutic agent in cancer stem cells. This current study has broadly demonstrated the function-mechanistic relationship of quercetin and how it regulates ROS generation to kill cancer and cancer stem cells. Here, we have revealed the regulation and production of ROS in normal cells and cancer cells with a certain signaling mechanism. We demonstrated the specific molecular mechanisms of quercetin including MAPK/ERK1/2, p53, JAK/STAT and TRAIL, AMPKα1/ASK1/p38, RAGE/PI3K/AKT/mTOR axis, HMGB1 and NF-κB, Nrf2-induced signaling pathways and certain cell cycle arrest in cancer cell death, and how they regulate the specific cancer signaling pathways as long-searched cancer therapeutics.

Plasmid DNA for Therapeutic Applications in Cancer

Recently, the interest in using nucleic acids for therapeutic applications has been increasing. DNA molecules can be manipulated to express a gene of interest for gene therapy applications or vaccine development. Plasmid DNA can be developed to treat different diseases, such as infections and cancer. In most cancers, the immune system is limited or suppressed, allowing cancer cells to grow. DNA vaccination has demonstrated its capacity to stimulate the immune system to fight against cancer cells. Furthermore, plasmids for cancer gene therapy can direct the expression of proteins with different functions, such as enzymes, toxins, and cytotoxic or proapoptotic proteins, to directly kill cancer cells. The progress and promising results reported in animal models in recent years have led to interesting clinical results. These DNA strategies are expected to be approved for cancer treatment in the near future. This review discusses the main strategies, challenges, and future perspectives of using plasmid DNA for cancer treatment.

Investigating the Anticancer Potential of Salvicine as a Modulator of Topoisomerase II and ROS Signaling Cascade

Salvicine is a new diterpenoid quinone substance from a natural source, specifically in a Chinese herb. It has powerful growth-controlling abilities against a broad range of human cancer cells in both in vitro and in vivo environments. A significant inhibitory effect of salvicine on multidrug-resistant (MDR) cells has also been discovered. Several research studies have examined the activities of salvicine on topoisomerase II (Topo II) by inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling. As opposed to the well-known Topo II toxin etoposide, salvicine mostly decreases the catalytic activity with a negligible DNA breakage effect, as revealed by several enzymatic experiments. Interestingly, salvicine dramatically reduces lung metastatic formation in the MDA-MB-435 orthotopic lung cancer cell line. Recent investigations have established that salvicine is a new non-intercalative Topo II toxin by interacting with the ATPase domains, increasing DNA-Topo II interaction, and suppressing DNA relegation and ATP hydrolysis. In addition, investigations have revealed that salvicine-induced ROS play a critical role in the anticancer-mediated signaling pathway, involving Topo II suppression, DNA damage, overcoming multidrug resistance, and tumor cell adhesion suppression, among other things. In the current study, we demonstrate the role of salvicine in regulating the ROS signaling pathway and the DNA damage response (DDR) in suppressing the progression of cancer cells. We depict the mechanism of action of salvicine in suppressing the DNA-Topo II complex through ROS induction along with a brief discussion of the anticancer perspective of salvicine.