Honokiol combined with curcumin sensitizes multidrug-resistant human lung adenocarcinoma A549/DDP cells to cisplatin

Updated progression of honokiol in lung cancer treatment

OBJECTIVES

Despite significant advancements in innovative therapy, lung cancer continues to have an unexpectedly low 5-year survival rate. This necessitates the urgent development of novel and effective therapies. One such potential therapy is Honokiol (HNK, C18H18O2), a biphenolic natural compound isolated from the leaves and bark of Magnolia plant species. The objective of this review is to examine the various studies supporting the anti-lung cancer effects of HNK and its potential use in the treatment of lung cancer.

KEY FINDINGS

Emerging research has shown that HNK possesses a range of pharmacological characteristics that make it a promising agent in the fight against lung cancer. Specifically, HNK has been found to regulate various molecular targets, including the activation of pro-apoptotic factors and the suppression of anti-apoptotic proteins and different transcription factors. It also downregulates various enzymes, chemokines, cell surface adhesion molecules, and cell cycle proteins. Additionally, HNK inhibits the activity of protein tyrosine kinases and serine/threonine kinases. These effects contribute to its ability to efficiently prevent the progression of lung cancer, either solely or in combination with other therapeutic strategies. Furthermore, several nanotechnologies have been employed to modify HNK for the treatment of lung cancer, enhancing its potential efficacy.

SUMMARY

In summary, Honokiol (HNK) is a biphenolic natural compound with significant anti-lung cancer properties. Its pharmacological characteristics, including the regulation of various molecular targets and the inhibition of key enzymes and kinases, make it a promising agent for the treatment of lung cancer. Emerging research supports its ability to prevent the progression of lung cancer, either alone or in combination with other therapies. Additionally, nanotechnologies have been used to modify HNK, potentially enhancing its efficacy in the treatment of lung cancer. This review highlights the various studies documenting the anti-lung cancer effects of HNK, underscoring its potential as a novel and effective therapy for this deadly disease.

Panax notoginseng improves the sensitivity of non-small cell lung cancer to cisplatin by inhibiting Akt signaling

BackgroundCisplatin (DDP) resistance is a major challenge in the management of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Panax notoginseng has anticancer effects on a variety of solid tumors, but data on NSCLC and DDP resistance are lacking.ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Panax notoginseng on DDP resistance in NSCLC in vitro and in vivo and explore the mechanisms involved.MethodsA 1 g/mL Panax notoginseng extract was prepared to treat the A549 and DDP-resistant A549/DDP cell lines. Cell proliferation was assessed using the CCK-8 assay, and apoptosis was measured via Annexin V-FITC/PI staining and flow cytometry. Glucose uptake, ATP production, and lactate levels were evaluated. Protein levels of p-AKT, GLUT1, HKII, and cleaved-caspase-3 were analyzed by Western blot. IGF1 was used to activate the Akt pathway. In vivo, A549/DDP cells were inoculated into nude mice to establish subcutaneous tumors, and tumor growth and apoptosis were assessed.ResultsPanax notoginseng inhibited A549/DDP cell proliferation, enhanced DDP-induced apoptosis, and reduced glucose uptake, ATP, and lactate levels (all p < 0.05). Combined treatment decreased p-AKT, GLUT1, and HKII expression while increasing cleaved-caspase-3(p < 0.05). IGF1 reversed these effects, indicating Akt pathway involvement (p < 0.05). In vivo, Panax notoginseng and DDP significantly suppressed tumor growth and increased apoptosis in tumors, confirming enhanced chemosensitivity (p < 0.05).ConclusionPanax notoginseng can improve the sensitivity of A549/DDP cells to DDP by inhibiting the effects of TRIM46 and Akt signaling pathways on glycolysis in vivo and in vitro.

The Prospects of Curcumin in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Therapeutics

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, being responsible for approximately 2 million deaths in 2022 [...].

Onosma glomeratum Y. L. Liu polysaccharide alleviates LPS-induced pulmonary inflammation via NF-κB signal pathway

As a traditional Chinese medicinal and edible homologous plant, Onosma glomeratum Y. L. Liu has been used for treating lung diseases in Tibet. In this study, a pectin polysaccharide, OGY-LLPA, with a molecular weight of 62,184 Da, was isolated and characterized by GC-MS and NMR analysis. It mainly consists of galacturonic acid (GalA), galactose (Gal), rhamnose (Rha), and arabinose (Ara), with a linear main chain of galacturonic acid (homogalacturonan, HG) inserted by part of rhamnose galacturonic acid (rhamnogalacturonan, RG), attaching with arabinogalactan (AG) branches at RG-I. Both in the LPS-induced A549 cell model and LPS-induced pneumonia mouse model, OGY-LLPA demonstrated strong anti-inflammatory effects, even comparable to DEX, indicating its potential as an anti-pneumonia candidate agent. Moreover, low-dose OGY-LLPA alleviated LPS-induced pulmonary inflammation by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway. Overall, these findings could not only contribute to the utilization of Onosma glomeratum Y. L. Liu., but also provides a theoretical basis for the treatment of inflammation-related diseases.

The extraction and anti-inflammatory screening of Onosma glomeratum Y. L. Liu

"Zicao" has a long medicinal history and has a variety of pharmacological activities. As the main resource of "zicao" in Tibet, Onosma glomeratum Y. L. Liu (tuan hua dian zi cao), usually used for treating pneumonia in Tibet, has not been reported deeply. In order to determine the main anti-inflammatory active ingredients of Onosma glomeratum Y. L. Liu, in this study, the extracts enriched in naphthoquinones and polysaccharides were optimized prepared form Onosma glomeratum Y. L. Liu by ultrasonic extraction, and reflux extraction, respectively, with Box-Behnken design effect surface method. And their anti-inflammatory abilities were screened on LPS induced A549 cells model, for figuring out the anti-inflammatory active ingredients from Onosma glomeratum Y. L. Liu.The extract enriched naphthoquinone was obtained under following condition: extract with 85% ethanol in a liquid to material ratio of 1:40 g/mL at 30 °C for 30 minutes using ultrasound, leading to the extraction rate of total naphthoquinone as 0.98 ± 0.017%; the extract enriched polysaccharides was prepared as follows: extract 82 minutes at 100 °C with distilled water in a liquid to material ratio of 1:50 g/mL, with extraction rate of polysaccharide as 7.07 ± 0.02%.On the LPS-induced A549 cell model, the polysaccharide extract from Onosma glomeratum Y. L. Liu showed better anti-inflammatory effects than the naphthoquinone extract, indicating the extract enriched in polysaccharides is the anti-inflammatory extract of Onosma glomeratum Y. L. Liu, which could serve as a potential anti-inflammatory extract in medical and food industries in the future.

Curcumin and Its Analogs in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment: Challenges and Expectations

Researchers have made crucial advances in understanding the pathogenesis and therapeutics of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), improving our understanding of lung tumor biology and progression. Although the survival of NSCLC patients has improved due to chemoradiotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy, overall NSCLC recovery and survival rates remain low. Thus, there is an urgent need for the continued development of novel NSCLC drugs or combination therapies with less toxicity. Although the anticancer effectiveness of curcumin (Cur) and some Cur analogs has been reported in many studies, the results of clinical trials have been inconsistent. Therefore, in this review, we collected the latest related reports about the anti-NSCLC mechanisms of Cur, its analogs, and Cur in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents via the Pubmed database (accessed on 18 June 2022). Furthermore, we speculated on the interplay of Cur and various molecular targets relevant to NSCLC with discovery studio and collected clinical trials of Cur against NSCLC to clarify the role of Cur and its analogs in NSCLC treatment. Despite their challenges, Cur/Cur analogs may serve as promising therapeutic agents or adjuvants for lung carcinoma treatment.