Luteolin potentiates low-dose oxaliplatin-induced inhibitory effects on cell proliferation in gastric cancer by inducing G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis

Luteolin, a flavone ingredient: Anticancer mechanisms, combined medication strategy, pharmacokinetics, clinical trials, and pharmaceutical researches

Current pharmaceutical research is energetically excavating the pharmacotherapeutic role of herb-derived ingredients in multiple malignancies' targeting. Luteolin is one of the major phytochemical components that exist in various traditional Chinese medicine or medical herbs. Mounting evidence reveals that this phytoconstituent endows prominent therapeutic actions on diverse malignancies, with the underlying mechanisms, combined medication strategy, and pharmacokinetics elusive. Additionally, the clinical trial and pharmaceutical investigation of luteolin remain to be systematically delineated. The present review aimed to comprehensively summarize the updated information with regard to the anticancer mechanism, combined medication strategies, pharmacokinetics, clinical trials, and pharmaceutical researches of luteolin. The survey corroborates that luteolin executes multiple anticancer effects mainly by dampening proliferation and invasion, spurring apoptosis, intercepting cell cycle, regulating autophagy and immune, inhibiting inflammatory response, inducing ferroptosis, and pyroptosis, as well as epigenetic modification, and so on. Luteolin can be applied in combination with numerous clinical anticarcinogens and natural ingredients to synergistically enhance the therapeutic efficacy of malignancies while reducing adverse reactions. For pharmacokinetics, luteolin has an unfavorable oral bioavailability, it mainly persists in plasma as glucuronides and sulfate-conjugates after being metabolized, and is regarded as potent inhibitors of OATP1B1 and OATP2B1, which may be messed with the pharmacokinetic interactions of miscellaneous bioactive substances in vivo. Besides, pharmaceutical innovation of luteolin with leading-edge drug delivery systems such as host-guest complexes, nanoparticles, liposomes, nanoemulsion, microspheres, and hydrogels are beneficial to the exploitation of luteolin-based products. Moreover, some registered clinical trials on luteolin are being carried out, yet clinical research on anticancer effects should be continuously promoted.

Application of Luteolin in Neoplasms and Nonneoplastic Diseases

Researchers are amazed at the multitude of biological effects of 3',4',5,7-tetrahydroxyflavone, more commonly known as luteolin, as it simultaneously has antioxidant and pro-oxidant, as well as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and cancer-preventive, properties. The anticancer properties of luteolin constitute a mosaic of pathways due to which this flavonoid influences cancer cells. Not only is it able to induce apoptosis and inhibit cancer cell proliferation, but it also suppresses angiogenesis and metastasis. Moreover, luteolin succeeds in cancer cell sensitization to therapeutically induced cytotoxicity. Nevertheless, apart from its promising role in chemoprevention, luteolin exhibits numerous potential utilizations in patients with conditions other than neoplasms, which include inflammatory skin diseases, diabetes mellitus, and COVID-19. This review aims to present the multidimensionality of the luteolin's impact on both neoplastic and nonneoplastic diseases. When it comes to neoplasms, we intend to describe the complexity of the molecular mechanisms that underlay luteolin's anticancer effectiveness, as well as to prove the usefulness of integrating this flavonoid in cancer therapy via the analysis of recent research on breast, colon, and lung cancer. Regarding nonneoplastic diseases, this review aims to emphasize the importance of researching the potential of luteolin in areas such as diabetology, virology, and dermatology as it summarizes the most important discoveries in those fields regarding its application.

Antitumor effect of luteolin proven by patient-derived organoids of gastric cancer

Luteolin (Lut) has been shown to inhibit gastric cancer (GC); however, its efficacy compared to other clinical drugs has not been examined in human samples. This study aimed to elucidate the antitumor activity of Lut in GC patient-derived organoids (PDOs). PDOs were established from GC cancer tissues, and the characterization of tissues and PDOs was performed using whole-exome sequencing. Drug sensitivity tests were performed by treating PDOs with Lut, norcantharidin (NCTD), and carboplatin (CP). RNA sequencing of PDOs was performed to elucidate the antitumor mechanism of Lut, which was further verified in three GC cell lines. Eleven PDOs were successfully constructed, and were highly consistent with the pathophysiology and genetic changes in the corresponding tumors. The IC50s of Lut, NCTD, and CP of PDOs were 27.19, 23.9, and 37.87 μM, respectively. Lut treatment upregulated FOXO3, DUSP1, and CDKN1A expression and downregulated IL1R1 and FGFR4 expression in GC cell lines, which was consistent with the results of PDOs. We demonstrate that Lut exerted stronger antitumor effects than CP, but a similar effect to that of NCTD, which was obtained in an in vitro PDO system. Additionally, Lut exerted varying degrees of antitumor effects against the PDOs, thereby indicating that PDO may be a useful preclinical drug screening tool for personalized treatment.

Advances in the Mechanism of Luteolin against Hepatocellular Carcinoma Based on Bioinformatics and Network Pharmacology

As one of the most common malignant tumors, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a rising incidence rate and also seriously endangers human life and health. According to research reports, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, intake of aflatoxin in the diet, and the effects of alcohol and other chemicals can induce an increase in the incidence of liver cancer. However, in the current clinical treatment of HCC, most of the drugs are chemical drugs, which have relatively large side effects and are prone to drug resistance. Therefore, the development of natural compounds to treat HCC has become a new treatment strategy. Several studies have shown that flavonoids have shown outstanding effects and exhibit strong tumor growth inhibitory effects in vivo experimental studies. Luteolin, as a natural flavonoid, has anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-oxidation, immune regulation, and other pharmacological effects. The anti-cancer mechanism of luteolin mainly directly acts on tumor cells to inhibit their growth, induce cell apoptosis, reduce tumor tissue angiogenesis, regulate long non-coding RNA, affect immunogenic cell death, and regulate autophagy. As well as improving the curative effect of radiotherapy and chemotherapy and chemoprevention. In this study, we evaluated the function of luteolin in regulating cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion will summarize and analyze luteolin and its mechanism of regulating HCC to improve the role of luteolin in the clinical prevention and treatment of HCC.

Luteolin enhances erlotinib’s cell proliferation inhibitory and apoptotic effects in glioblastoma cell lines

The epidermal growth factor (EGFR) receptor is frequently overexpressed in glioblastoma multiforme IV (GBM). Increased expression of EGFR leads to increased proliferation, decreased apoptosis, and increased resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. A small molecule called erlotinib inhibits EGFR receptors by binding to their adenosine triphosphate (ATP) binding sites. It is FDA approved to treat a variety of EGFR-mediated cancers. Several clinical trials have explored a combination of erlotinib with other agents to treat glioblastoma since it is believed that erlotinib would benefit patients with GBM with EGFR mutations or expression. Luteolin, a natural flavonoid, inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis in cancer cells. We investigated the combined effects of erlotinib and luteolin on proliferation and apoptosis on glioblastoma cell lines overexpressing EGFR or glioma cells expressing truncated EGFR (ΔEGFR). In a concentration-dependent fashion, the combination of luteolin and erlotinib reduced cell proliferation (p < 0.05) and induced apoptosis by cleaving PARP and increasing caspase expression. In addition, the combination of luteolin and erlotinib reduced the phosphorylation of downstream EGFR cell signaling molecules such as Akt, NF kappa B, and STAT3 in a concentration-dependent manner. These findings suggest that combining luteolin with erlotinib offers a potential treatment strategy for glioblastoma multiforme IV.

Anisi Stellati Fructus, a Significant Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Herb and Its Bioactivity against Gastric Cancer

Anisi stellati fructus (ASF) is the fruit of Illicium verum Hook F. (Chinese star anise), which is native to many countries, and is a significant Chinese medicinal herb. Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the major fatal types of cancers with multiple stages and a poor prognosis. The present review aims to discuss the bioactive properties of ASF and its phytocompounds against GC, with a particular insight into the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways involved in its anti-GC mechanism. Furthermore, it highlights the potential mechanism of action of major phytocompounds of ASF against GC. Clinical studies (in vitro and in vivo) regarding the action of ASF and its major bioactive compounds such as quercetin, luteolin, kaempferol, d-limonene, and honokiol against GC were reviewed. For this review, search of literature was performed in Science, PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Scopus related to ASF and its phytocompounds, from which only relevant studies were chosen. Major bioactive compounds of ASF and their extracts have proven to be effective against GC due to the mechanistic action of these compounds involving signaling pathways that target cancer cell apoptosis, proliferation, and tumor metastasis in GC cells. Existing reports of these compounds and their combinatory effects with other modern anticancer agents have also been reviewed. From its traditional use to its role as an anticancer agent, ASF and its bioactive phytocompounds have been observed to be effective in modern research, specifically against GC. However, further studies are required for the identification of molecular targets and pharmacokinetic potential and for the formulation of anti-GC drugs.

Uncovering the mechanisms of dandelion against triple-negative breast cancer using a combined network pharmacology, molecular pharmacology and metabolomics approach

BACKGROUND

Taraxacum mongolicum, also called dandelion, has been used for thousands of years as a remedy for mammary abscess, mammary gland hyperplasia, and various other diseases afflicting the breast. In modern pharmacological research, dandelion has been proven to be effective against triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, the mechanisms of this anti-tumor effect have not been fully elucidated.

PURPOSE

The aim of this investigation was to understand the multi-target mechanisms through which dandelion counteracts TNBC via a network pharmacology strategy as well as to validate its effectiveness by means of molecular pharmacology and metabolomics assessments.

METHODS

A liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer (LC-Q-TOF/MS) was employed to identify the absorbed components of dandelion in rat plasma. The network pharmacology-based prediction was utilized to uncover the potential mechanisms through which dandelion counteracts TNBC, during which potential targets were identified and pathway enrichment analysis was performed. Subsequently, TNBC cells and 4T1 tumor-bearing mice were used to further verify the molecular mechanisms of dandelion.

RESULTS

Twelve active compounds were identified in rat plasma, which were connected with 50 TNBC-related targets. The pathway enrichment showed that dandelion could treat TNBC through regulating a series of biological processes involving cell cycle and metabolism. Experimentally, flow cytometry analysis revealed that dandelion could arrest the G0/G1 and G2/M cell cycles in 4T1 cells. Further western blot analysis evidenced that the protein expression of kinase 6 (CDK6) as well as cyclins B1 and B2 in mice tumor tissue were suppressed by dandelion. In addition, cell metabolomics analysis revealed the changes in the endogenous metabolite levels that result from dandelion treatments, such as the downregulation of arginine and spermine levels. All these findings were consistent with the predicted targets and pathways.

CONCLUSION

This study comprehensively demonstrates the multi-target mechanisms of dandelion against TNBC using network pharmacology, molecular pharmacology, and metabolomics approaches. These findings will provide important stepping stones for further mechanism investigations and may lead to the development of highly effective dandelion-based treatments for TNBC.