Examination of the differences between sulforaphane and sulforaphene in colon cancer: A study based on next-generation sequencing

Sulforaphane Inhibits IL-1β-Induced IL-6 by Suppressing ROS Production, AP-1, and STAT3 in Colorectal Cancer HT-29 Cells

Colorectal cancer (CRC) stands as a major cause of cancer-related mortality globally, accounting for approximately 881,000 deaths each year. Traditional approaches such as chemotherapy and surgery have been the primary treatment modalities, yet the outcomes for patients with metastatic CRC are often unsatisfactory. Recent research has focused on targeting the pathways involved in oxidative stress, inflammation, and metastasis to enhance the survival of CRC patients. Within this context, sulforaphane (SFN), a notable phytochemical found predominantly in cruciferous vegetables, has been recognized as a potential anticancer agent. However, the specific mechanisms through which SFN may exert its chemopreventive effects in CRC remain unclear. This study explores the impact of SFN on IL-1β-induced IL-6 activation and MAPK and AP-1 signaling in HT-29 cells. Our findings reveal that SFN treatment not only diminishes IL-1β-stimulated IL-6 expression but also reduces oxidative stress by curtailing reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Furthermore, it hinders the proliferation and invasiveness of HT-29 cells through the modulation of MAPK/AP-1 and STAT3 signaling pathways. These results indicate that SFN mitigates IL-1β-induced IL-6 expression in CRC cells by attenuating ROS production and disrupting MAPK/AP-1 signaling. This suggests that SFN holds significant potential as a chemotherapeutic agent for both treating and preventing CRC.

Testing sulforaphane as a strategy against toxic chemicals of public health concern by toxicogenomic data analysis: Friend or foe at the gene level - Colorectal carcinoma case study

Toxic metals (cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg) and arsenic (As)) and plastificators (bis (2 - ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP)) and bisphenol A (BPA)) have been suggested to aid in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) advancement. Sulforaphane (SFN), isothiocyanate from cruciferous vegetables, diminishes chemical carcinogenesis susceptibility, but has been shown to act as a friend or a foe depending on various factors. By conducting the mechanistic toxicogenomic data mining approach, this research aimed to determine if SFN can alleviate toxic-metal and/or phthalate/BPA mixture-induced CRC at the gene level. Comparative Toxicogenomics Database, ToppGene Suite portal, Cytoscape software, InteractiVenn and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database (GEO2R tool) was used. Among the mutual genes for all the investigated substances, SFN had a protective impact only through PTGS2. Other proposed protective SFN-targets included ABCA1, ALDH2, BMP2, DPYD, MYC, SLCO2A1, and SOD2, only in the case of phthalates/BPA exposure. The only additional gene relevant for SFN protection against the toxic metal mixture-induced CRC was ABCB1. Additionally, the majority of the top 15 molecular pathways extracted for SFN impact on phthalate and BPA mixture-linked CRC development were directly linked with cancer development, which was not the case with the toxic metal mixture. The current research has indicated that SFN is a more effective chemoprotective agent against CRC induced by phthalates/BPA mixture than by toxic-metal mixture. It has also presented the value of computational methods as a simple tool for directing further research, selecting appropriate biomarkers and exploring the mechanisms of toxicity.

Sulforaphene Attenuates Cutibacterium acnes-Induced Inflammation

Acne is a chronic inflammatory disease of the sebaceous gland attached to the hair follicles. Cutibacterium acnes is a major cause of inflammation caused by acne. It is well known that C. acnes secretes a lipolytic enzyme to break down lipids in sebum, and free fatty acids produced at this time accelerate the inflammatory reaction. There are several drugs used to treat acne; however, each one has various side effects. According to previous studies, sulforaphene (SFEN) has several functions associated with lipid metabolism, brain function, and antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities. In this study, we examined the effects of SFEN on bacterial growth and inflammatory cytokine production induced by C. acnes. The results revealed that SFEN reduced the growth of C. acnes and inhibited proinflammatory cytokines in C. acnes-treated HaCaT keratinocytes through inhibiting NF-κB-related pathways. In addition, SFEN regulated the expression level of IL-1α, a representative pro-inflammatory cytokine expressed in co-cultured HaCaT keratinocytes and THP-1 monocytes induced by C. acnes. In conclusion, SFEN showed antibacterial activity against C. acnes and controlled the inflammatory response on keratinocytes and monocytes. This finding means that SFEN has potential as both a cosmetic material for acne prevention and a pharmaceutical material for acne treatment.

Predicting sulforaphane-induced adverse effects in colon cancer patients via in silico investigation

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a significant global health burden that ranks as the third most diagnosed and second most common cause of cancer related deaths worldwide. New therapeutic strategies include chemoprevention and use of molecules which could prevent, suppress or reverse CRC progression such as sulforaphane (SFN). However, evidences about its safety in CRC patients are still lacking. The aim of this in silico investigation was to predict SFN-induced adverse effects in CRC patients by computational analysis. The study showed that 334 genes were consistently dysregulated in CRC (223 downregulated and 111 upregulated), while 38 were recognized as significant and might be used as predictive biomarkers for overall survival and metastasis (TCGA, GEO, R studio). Among them, SFN interacted with 86 genes, out of which 11 were marked as significant (correlate with overall prognosis and metastasis). Sulforaphane potentiates the overexpression of TIMP1, AURKA, and CEP55, and promotes inhibition of CRYAB, PLCE1, and MMP28, that might lead to the progression of CRC (CTD). Pathway enrichment analysis revealed that SFN stimulated Transcriptional activation of RUNX2, AURKA activation by TPX2, IL-10 signaling, while inhibited Differentiation of White and Brown Adipocyte process, an underlying pathway which inactivation led to obesity (Cytoscape ClueGo + CluePedia, DAVID). Thus, genome signature of CRC patients could serve as important factor when addressing the risk-to-benefit profile of SFN. Patients with colon cancer and increased expression of TIMP1, CCL20, SPP1, AURKA, CEP55, NEK2, SOX9 and CDK1, or downregulation of CRYAB, PLCE1, MMP28, BMP2 and PLAC8 may not be ideal candidates for SFN chemoprevention.