Propolis-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers halt breast cancer progression through miRNA-223 related pathways: an in-vitro/in-vivo experiment

The most frequent malignant tumor in women is breast cancer, and its incidence has been rising every year. Propolis has been used for its antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. The present study aimed to examine the effect of the Egyptian Propolis Extract (ProE) and its improved targeting using nanostructured lipid carriers (ProE-NLC) in Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma (EAC) bearing mice, the common animal model for mammary tumors. EAC mice were treated either with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), ProE, ProE-NLC, or a combination of ProE-NLC and 5-FU. Their effect on different inflammatory, angiogenic, proliferation and apoptotic markers, as well as miR-223, was examined. ProE and ProE-NLC have shown potential anti-breast cancer activity through multiple interrelated mechanisms including, the elevation of antioxidant levels, suppression of angiogenesis, inflammatory and mTOR pathways, and induction of the apoptotic pathway. All of which is a function of increased miRNA-223 expression. The efficiency of propolis was enhanced when loaded in nanostructured lipid carriers, increasing the effectiveness of the chemotherapeutic agent 5-FU. In conclusion, this study is the first to develop propolis-loaded NLC for breast cancer targeting and to recommend propolis as an antitumor agent against breast cancer or as an adjuvant treatment with chemotherapeutic agents to enhance their antitumor activity and decrease their side effects. Tumor targeting by ProE-NLC should be considered as a future therapeutic perspective in breast cancer.

A Newly Synthesized Derivative and a Natural Parent Molecule: Which Would Be More Beneficial as a Future Antitumor Candidate? Docking and In Vivo Study

Seeking for new effectual anticancer drugs is of great importance. In this study, a newly synthesized and well-characterized chromene derivative (ethyl 2-amino-4-phenyl-4H-benzo(h)chromene-3-carboxylate) "C" was prepared. Molecular docking studies were done. The new compound "C" in compare to the natural parent Quercetin "Q," as a well-known natural chromene derivative with antioxidant and antitumor activities, were tested for their antitumor activity against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC)-bearing mice. Both reduced ascites volume, decreased viable EAC cells, and prolonged EAC-bearing mice life span. They normalized troponin, creatine kinase-MB, lactate dehydrogenase, and urea levels, reversed liver enzyme activities towards normal, and increased antioxidant levels while reduced tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels. Compared to each other, the new synthetic derivative "C" showed stronger antineoplastic effects than the natural parent "Q" may via the anti-inflammatory activities. Therefore, the newly synthesized chromene derivative is more promising as a future antitumor candidate than the natural parent molecule "Quercetin." Finally, our results encourage researchers to pay more attention to developing more novel natural-based derivatives that would be more beneficial as future therapeutics than their natural parents.

Development of New Potential Anticancer Metal Complexes Derived from 2-Hydrazinobenzothiazole

Background:

Due to the side effects of clinically approved anticancer drugs there is a great need to explore and develop new metal-based anticancer drug molecules of high efficiency with less or no side effects.

Objective:

To synthesize new metal complexes of 2-hydrazinobenzothiazole (hbt) and to investigate their potential anticancer characteristics.

Methods:

New five complexes; [VO(hbt)2SO4].4H2O (1), [Ru(hbt)2Cl3(H2O)] (2), [M(hbt)2Cl2] [M(II) = Pd (3), Pt (4)] and [Ag(hbt)2].NO3 (5) were prepared and their structure was investigated by means of FTIR, 1H NMR, ESI-MS and UV-Vis spectra, elemental and thermal analysis, magnetic and molar conductance measurements. The ligand and its complexes were examined as anticancer agents against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) and human cancer cells (hepatocellular carcinoma Hep-G2, mammary gland breast cancer MCF-7 and colorectal carcinoma HCT-116). This feature is further supported by the DNAmetal complexes binding ability. In addition, anti-oxidation activity of the complexes was investigated.

Results:

Complex (5) shows the highest anticancer activity with IC50 of 5.15, 9.9, 13.1 and 17.7 µg/mL for EAC, HePG-2, MCF-7 and HCT-116, respectively. Complexes (2) and (3) show promising cytotoxicity against EAC and HePG-2 cells with IC50 5.49 and 16.2 µg/mL, respectively. While, complexes (1) and (4) show optimistic cytotoxicity against EAC with IC50 of 9.63 and 11.25 µg/mL, respectively. The order of DNA binding ability of the complexes is (5) > (3) > (2) > (1) > (4). Among the five complexes, complex (5) shows the best anti-oxidation activity.

Conclusion:

Complex (5) showed the highest DNA binding ability, anti-oxidation and anticancer activities.

Regression of murine Ehrlich ascites carcinoma using synthesized cobalt complex

Cisplatin as a chief chemotherapy has nephro-toxicity and so we have tried to develop a novel antitumor drug based on a combination of cobalt metal ion with an organic moiety. The antitumor activity of the complex was tested in vitro and in vivo against murine Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC). Antioxidant capacity and nucleic acids content were determined. Cobalt(ii) diacetyl monoxime-2-hydrazinopyridine complex significantly diminished tumor load. It decreased the tumor proliferation rate and obviously increased the life span of EAC-bearing mice. It reversed the haematological parameters back towards normal, reduced liver enzymes and urea, and increased albumin and total protein. Antioxidant parameters levels were reversed towards normal. An assessment was conducted by comparing these results with those obtained using the standard drug, cisplatin. The results suggest that the cobalt complex can be considered as a potent anticancer agent as it showed appreciable antitumor activity in EAC-bearing mice that was almost analogous to that of the reference standard, cisplatin.