Piperine depresses the migration progression via downregulating the Akt/mTOR/MMP‑9 signaling pathway in DU145 cells

Roles and therapeutic potential of the SLC family in prostate cancer-literature review

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common malignancies in men worldwide. Despite advances in treatment, many patients develop resistance to conventional therapies. Solute carrier (SLC) proteins, as transmembrane transporters, have recently emerged as potential therapeutic targets due to their role in tumor metabolism and progression. This review summarizes the key roles of six SLC proteins in PCa, including their involvement in metabolic reprogramming, regulation of signaling pathways, and effects on the tumor microenvironment. Although targeting of SLC family members in prostate cancer remains an underexplored area, the growing body of evidence suggests that it holds potential for future development.

In vitro modulation the Notch pathway by piperine: A therapeutic strategy for docetaxel-resistant and non-resistant prostate cancer

Docetaxel (DTX) resistance poses a significant challenge in the treatment of prostate cancer (PCa), often leading to chemotherapy failure. This study investigates the ability of piperine, a compound derived from black pepper, to enhance the sensitivity of PCa cells to DTX and elucidates its underlying mechanism. We established a DTX-resistant PCa cell line, DU145/DTX, to conduct our experiments. Through a series of assays, including MTT for cell viability, flow cytometry for apoptosis, Transwell for cell migration and invasion, and western blot for protein expression analysis, we assessed the effects of piperine on these cellular functions and on the Notch signaling pathway components. Our results demonstrated that we successfully established the DTX-resistant PCa cell line DU145/DTX. Piperine effectively decreased the viability of both DU145 and its DTX-resistant counterpart, DU145/DTX, in a concentration and time-dependent manner when used alone and in combination with DTX. Notably, piperine also induced apoptosis and reduced the migration and invasion capabilities of these cells. At the molecular level, piperine down-regulated the Notch pathway by inhibiting Notch1 and Jagged1 signaling, as well as reducing the expression of downstream effectors Hey1 and hes family bHLH transcription factor 1. The study concludes that piperine's ability to modulate the Notch signaling pathway and induce apoptosis highlights its potential as a complementary treatment for DTX-resistant PCa, paving the way for the use of traditional Chinese medicinal compounds in modern oncology treatment strategies.

Anticancer Potential of the Principal Constituent of Piper nigrum, Piperine: A Comprehensive Review

Black pepper's main component, piperine, is a phytochemical that gives the spice its distinctively pungent flavor, which has made it a staple in human diets for decades and a widely used food item. In addition to its use as a culinary component and preservation agent, it is also employed in traditional medicine for a diverse range of objectives, a practice that has been substantiated by existing scientific investigations on its physiological impacts in the majority of instances. Piperine contains various bioactive effects, such as antibacterial activity, in addition to several physiological benefits that could help overall human health, such as immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, antimetastatic, anticancer, and many more properties that have been established. Clinical trials revealed that this phytochemical has exceptional antioxidant, anticancer, and drug availability-enhancing properties, as well as immunomodulatory potential. The different components of evidence indicate the therapeutic potential of piperine and underscore the importance of incorporating it into both broad health-promoting interventions and supplementary treatment pharmaceutical formulations. This inclusion can enhance the bioavailability of other therapeutic medications, including those used in chemotherapy.

High-Content Screening Pipeline for Natural Products Targeting Oncogenic Signaling in Melanoma

The incidence of melanoma, the most fatal dermatological cancer, has dramatically increased over the last few decades. Modern targeted therapy with kinase inhibitors induces potent clinical responses, but drug resistance quickly develops. Combination therapy improves treatment outcomes. Therefore, novel inhibitors targeting aberrant proliferative signaling in melanoma via the MAPK/ERK and PI3K/AKT pathways are urgently needed. Biosensors were combined that report on ERK/AKT activity with image-based high-content screening and HPLC-based activity profiling. An in-house library of 2576 plant extracts was screened on two melanoma cell lines with different oncogenic mutations leading to pathological ERK/AKT activity. Out of 140 plant extract hits, 44 were selected for HPLC activity profiling. Active thymol derivatives and piperamides from Arnica montana and Piper nigrum were identified that inhibited pathological ERK and/or AKT activity. The pipeline used enabled an efficient identification of natural products targeting oncogenic signaling in melanoma.

Piperine Attenuates Lithocholic Acid-Stimulated Interleukin-8 by Suppressing Src/EGFR and Reactive Oxygen Species in Human Colorectal Cancer Cells

Piperine, a natural alkaloidal pungent product present in pepper plants, possesses the properties of anti-inflammatory and anti-metastasis. Lithocholic acid is a monohydroxy-5beta-cholanic acid with an alpha-hydroxy substituent at position 3; it is a secondary bile acid that plays a pivotal role in fat absorption, and has been discovered to mediate colorectal cancer (CRC) cell invasion and migration. However, the effect of piperine on angiogenesis has been poorly investigated. In the current study, we examined the role of piperine on LCA-stimulated angiogenesis by measuring interleukin-8 (IL-8) expression; moreover, we revealed the potential molecular mechanisms in CRC cells. Here, we showed that piperine inhibited LCA-stimulated endothelial EA.hy926 cell angiogenesis in a conditioned medium obtained from colorectal HCT-116 cells. Experiments with an IL-8 neutralizer showed that IL-8 present in the conditioned medium was the major angiogenic factor. Piperine inhibited LCA-stimulated ERK1/2 and AKT via the Src/EGFR-driven ROS signaling pathway in the colorectal cell line (HCT-116). Through mutagenesis and inhibitory studies, we revealed that ERK1/2 acted as an upstream signaling molecule in AP-1 activation, and AKT acted as an upstream signaling molecule in NF-κB activation, which in turn attenuated IL-8 expression. Taken together, we demonstrated that piperine blocked LCA-stimulated IL-8 expression by suppressing Src and EGFR in human CRC HCT-116 cells, thus remarkably attenuating endothelial EA.hy926 cell tube formation.

Molecular and pharmacological aspects of piperine as a potential molecule for disease prevention and management: evidence from clinical trials

BACKGROUND

Piperine is a type of amide alkaloid that exhibits pleiotropic properties like antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective and enhancing bioavailability and fertility-related activities. Piperine has the ability to alter gastrointestinal disorders, drug-metabolizing enzymes, and bioavailability of several drugs. The present review explores the available clinical and preclinical data, nanoformulations, extraction process, structure-activity relationships, molecular docking, bioavailability enhancement of phytochemicals and drugs, and brain penetration properties of piperine in the prevention, management, and treatment of various diseases and disorders.

MAIN BODY

Piperine provides therapeutic benefits in patients suffering from diabetes, obesity, arthritis, oral cancer, breast cancer, multiple myeloma, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, cerebral stroke, cardiovascular diseases, kidney diseases, inflammatory diseases, and rhinopharyngitis. The molecular basis for the pleiotropic activities of piperine is based on its ability to regulate multiple signaling molecules such as cell cycle proteins, anti-apoptotic proteins, P-glycoprotein, cytochrome P450 3A4, multidrug resistance protein 1, breast cancer resistance protein, transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 proinflammatory cytokine, nuclear factor-κB, c-Fos, cAMP response element-binding protein, activation transcription factor-2, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma, Human G-quadruplex DNA, Cyclooxygenase-2, Nitric oxide synthases-2, MicroRNA, and coronaviruses. Piperine also regulates multiple signaling pathways such as Akt/mTOR/MMP-9, 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase-activated NLR family pyrin domain containing-3 inflammasome, voltage-gated K+ current, PKCα/ERK1/2, NF-κB/AP-1/MMP-9, Wnt/β-catenin, JNK/P38 MAPK, and gut microbiota.

SHORT CONCLUSION

Based on the current evidence, piperine can be the potential molecule for treatment of disease, and its significance of this molecule in the clinic is discussed.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Anticancer Applications and Pharmacological Properties of Piperidine and Piperine: A Comprehensive Review on Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Perspectives

Piperine and piperidine are the two major alkaloids extracted from black pepper (Piper nigrum); piperidine is a heterocyclic moiety that has the molecular formula (CH₂)₅NH. Over the years, many therapeutic properties including anticancer potential of these two compounds have been observed. Piperine has therapeutic potential against cancers such as breast cancer, ovarian cancer, gastric cancer, gliomal cancer, lung cancer, oral squamous, chronic pancreatitis, prostate cancer, rectal cancer, cervical cancer, and leukemia. Whereas, piperidine acts as a potential clinical agent against cancers, such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, and ovarian cancer, when treated alone or in combination with some novel drugs. Several crucial signalling pathways essential for the establishment of cancers such as STAT-3, NF-κB, PI3k/Aκt, JNK/p38-MAPK, TGF-ß/SMAD, Smac/DIABLO, p-IκB etc., are regulated by these two phytochemicals. Both of these phytochemicals lead to inhibition of cell migration and help in cell cycle arrest to inhibit survivability of cancer cells. The current review highlights the pharmaceutical relevance of both piperine and piperidine against different types of cancers.

Function of selected natural antidiabetic compounds with potential against cancer via modulation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR cascade

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder with growing global incidence, as 387 million people were diagnosed in 2014 with an expected projection of 642 million in 2040. Several complications are associated with DM including heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, and cancer. The latter is the second leading cause of death worldwide accounting for one in every six deaths, with liver, pancreas, and endometrium cancers are the most abundant among patients with diabetes. Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway plays a vital role in developing a wide array of pathological disorders, among them diabetes and cancer. Natural secondary metabolites that counteract the deleterious effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and modulate PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway could be a promising approach in cancer therapy. Here, 717 medicinal plants with antidiabetic activities were highlighted along with 357 bioactive compounds responsible for the antidiabetic activity. Also, 43 individual plant compounds with potential antidiabetic activities against cancer via the modulation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR cascade were identified. Taken together, the available data give an insight of the potential of repurposing medicinal plants and/or the individual secondary metabolites with antidiabetic activities for cancer therapy.

Molecular Basis of Prostate Cancer and Natural Products as Potential Chemotherapeutic and Chemopreventive Agents

Prostate cancer is the second most common malignant cancer in males. It involves a complex process driven by diverse molecular pathways that closely related to the survival, apoptosis, metabolic and metastatic characteristics of aggressive cancer. Prostate cancer can be categorized into androgen dependent prostate cancer and castration-resistant prostate cancer and cure remains elusive due to the developed resistance of the disease. Natural compounds represent an extraordinary resource of structural scaffolds with high diversity that can offer promising chemical agents for making prostate cancer less devastating and curable. Herein, those natural compounds of different origins and structures with potential cytotoxicity and/or in vivo anti-tumor activities against prostate cancer are critically reviewed and summarized according to the cellular signaling pathways they interfere. Moreover, the anti-prostate cancer efficacy of many nutrients, medicinal plant extracts and Chinese medical formulations were presented, and the future prospects for the application of these compounds and extracts were discussed. Although the failure of conventional chemotherapy as well as involved serious side effects makes natural products ideal candidates for the treatment of prostate cancer, more investigations of preclinical and even clinical studies are necessary to make use of these medical substances reasonably. Therefore, the elucidation of structure-activity relationship and precise mechanism of action, identification of novel potential molecular targets, and optimization of drug combination are essential in natural medicine research and development.

Prostate cancer: Therapeutic prospect with herbal medicine

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in men worldwide. A geographic variation on the burden of the disease suggested that the environment, genetic makeup, lifestyle, and food habits modulate one's susceptibility to the disease. Although it has been generally thought to be an older age disease, and awareness and timely execution of screening programs have managed to contain the disease in the older population over the last decades, the incidence is still increasing in the population younger than 50. Existing treatment is efficient for PCa that is localized and responsive to androgen. However, the androgen resistant and metastatic PCa are challenging to treat. Conventional radiation and chemotherapies are associated with severe side effects in addition to being exorbitantly expensive. Many isolated phytochemicals and extracts of plants used in traditional medicine are known for their safety and diverse healing properties, including many with varying levels of anti-PCa activities. Many of the phytochemicals discussed here, as shown by many laboratories, inhibit tumor cell growth and proliferation by interfering with the components in the pathways responsible for the enhanced proliferation, metabolism, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis in the prostate cells while upregulating the mechanisms of cell death and cell cycle arrest. Notably, many of these agents simultaneously target multiple cellular pathways. We analyzed the available literature and provided an update on this issue in this review article.

Piperine Targets Different Drug Resistance Mechanisms in Human Ovarian Cancer Cell Lines Leading to Increased Sensitivity to Cytotoxic Drugs

Our goal was to examine the anticancer effects of piperine against the resistant human ovarian cancer cells and to explore the molecular mechanisms responsible for its anticancer effects. Our study used drug-sensitive ovarian cancer cell line W1 and its sublines resistant to paclitaxel (PAC) and topotecan (TOP). We analyzed the cytotoxic effect of piperine and cytostatic drugs using an MTT assay. The impact of piperine on protein expression was determined by immunofluorescence and Western blot. We also examined its effect on cell proliferation and migration. We noticed a different level of piperine resistance between cell lines. Piperine increases the cytotoxic effect of PAC and TOP in drug-resistant cells. We observed an increase in PTPRK expression correlated with decreased pTYR level after piperine treatment and downregulation of P-gp and BCRP expression. We also noted a decrease in COL3A1 and TGFBI expression in investigated cell lines and increased COL3A1 expression in media from W1PR2 cells. The expression of Ki67 protein and cell proliferation rate decreased after piperine treatment. Piperine markedly inhibited W1TR cell migration. Piperine can be considered a potential anticancer agent that can increase chemotherapy effectiveness in cancer patients.

Piperine protects against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury by activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

Piperine (PIP) exerts numerous pharmacological effects and its involvement in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress (ERS)-led apoptosis has garnered attention. The present study focused on whether PIP played protective effects on hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced cardiomyocytes by repressing ERS-led apoptosis. The potential molecular mechanisms in association with the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway were investigated. Primary neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCMs) were isolated and randomized into four groups: Control + vehicle group, control + PIP group, H/R + vehicle group and H/R + PIP group. The H/R injury model was constructed by 4 h of hypoxia induction followed by 6 h of reoxygenation. A total of 10 µM PI3K/AKT inhibitor LY294002 was supplemented to the cells during the experiments. Cell viability and myocardial enzymes were detected to evaluate myocardial damage. A flow cytometry assay was performed to assess apoptotic response. Western blot analysis was performed to detect the expression of related proteins including PI3K, AKT, CHOP, GRP78 and cleaved caspase-12. The results showed that H/R markedly promoted myocardial damage as shown by the increased release of lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase levels, but a reduction in cell viability. In addition, ERS-induced apoptosis was markedly promoted by H/R in NRCMs, as shown by the increased apoptotic rates and expression of C/EBP-homologous protein, endoplasmic reticulum chaperone BiP and caspase-12. PIP administration reversed cell injury and ERS-induced apoptosis in H/R. Mechanistic studies concluded that the apoptosis-inhibitory contributions and cardio-favorable effects of PIP were caused partly by the activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, which was verified by LY294002 administration. To conclude, PIP can reduce ERS-induced apoptosis by activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway during the process of H/R injury, which could be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Overview of the Anticancer Potential of the "King of Spices" Piper nigrum and Its Main Constituent Piperine

The main limits of current anticancer therapy are relapses, chemoresistance, and toxic effects resulting from its poor selectivity towards cancer cells that severely impair a patient's quality of life. Therefore, the discovery of new anticancer drugs remains an urgent challenge. Natural products represent an excellent opportunity due to their ability to target heterogenous populations of cancer cells and regulate several key pathways involved in cancer development, and their favorable toxicological profile. Piper nigrum is one of the most popular spices in the world, with growing fame as a source of bioactive molecules with pharmacological properties. The present review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the anticancer potential of Piper nigrum and its major active constituents-not limited to the well-known piperine-whose undeniable anticancer properties have been reported for different cancer cell lines and animal models. Moreover, the chemosensitizing effects of Piper nigrum in association with traditional anticancer drugs are depicted and its toxicological profile is outlined. Despite the promising results, human studies are missing, which are crucial for supporting the efficacy and safety of Piper nigrum and its single components in cancer patients.

Two Natural Alkaloids Synergistically Induce Apoptosis in Breast Cancer Cells by Inhibiting STAT3 Activation

Breast cancer has become a worldwide threat, and chemotherapy remains a routine treatment. Patients are forced to receive continuous chemotherapy and suffer from severe side effects and poor prognosis. Natural alkaloids, such as piperine (PP) and piperlongumine (PL), are expected to become a new strategy against breast cancer due to their reliable anticancer potential. In the present study, cell viability, flow cytometry, and Western blot assays were performed to evaluate the suppression effect of PP and PL, alone or in combination. Data showed that PP and PL synergistically inhibited breast cancer cells proliferation at lower doses, while only weak killing effect was observed in normal breast cells, indicating a good selectivity. Furthermore, apoptosis and STAT3 signaling pathway-associated protein levels were analyzed. We demonstrated that PP and PL in combination inhibit STAT3 phosphorylation and regulate downstream molecules to induce apoptosis in breast cancer cells. Taken together, these results revealed that inactivation of STAT3 was a novel mechanism with treatment of PP and PL, suggesting that combination application of natural alkaloids may be a potential strategy for prevention and therapy of breast cancer.

Piperine-A Major Principle of Black Pepper: A Review of Its Bioactivity and Studies

Piperine is the main compound present in black pepper, and is the carrier of its specific pungent taste, which is responsible for centuries of human dietary utilization and worldwide popularity as a food ingredient. Along with the application as a food ingredient and food preservative, it is used in traditional medicine for many purposes, which has in most cases been justified by modern scientific studies on its biological effects. It has been confirmed that piperine has many bioactive effects, such as antimicrobial action, as well as many physiological effects that can contribute to general human health, including immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, antimetastatic, antitumor, and many other activities. Clinical studies demonstrated remarkable antioxidant, antitumor, and drug availability-enhancing characteristics of this compound, together with immunomodulatory potential. All these facts point to the therapeutic potential of piperine and the need to incorporate this compound into general health-enhancing medical formulations, as well as into those that would be used as adjunctive therapy in order to enhance the bioavailability of various (chemo)therapeutic drugs.