Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
8.1
4.9
Journals
IJMS
Special Issues
The Role of Natural Products in Cancer Therapy and Prevention
ijms-logo
Submit to IJMS Review for IJMS Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

The Role of Natural Products in Cancer Therapy and Prevention

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Bioactives and Nutraceuticals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 June 2024) | Viewed by 4113

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Valentina Pagliara

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Via Salvador Allende, 84081 Baronissi, Italy
Interests: biochemistry; lemon peel polyphenol extract; Annurca apple polyphenols; colon cancer; matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-2/9; cell invasiveness; natural anti-metastatic agent

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Historically, the identification and study of natural products (NPs) derived from natural resources, such as microbes and plants from terrestrial and marine environments, has led to important contributions in pharmacotherapy. Nowadays, NPs play a major role in cancer treatment by modulating the cancer microenvironment and different signaling pathways: cell death pathways (apoptosis and autophagy), cell growth, proliferation and differentiation pathways, remodeling of extracellular matrices pathways (metastasis formation), and inflammatory processes. The rapid development of resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs and their undesirable side effects makes it necessary to continue to advance the discovery and development of novel drugs with greater therapeutic efficiency and fewer side effects for cancer therapy.

I invite researchers to contribute original research articles as well as review articles to this Special Issue, which will increase knowledge and new perspectives about new strategies in the isolation and characterization of new bioactive natural compounds, new biological targets, and pharmacological effects.

Dr. Valentina Pagliara
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • natural products
  • cell invasiveness
  • natural anti-metastatic agent
  • signaling pathways
  • cancer therapy

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

23 pages, 24942 KiB  
Article
Kuwanon C Inhibits Tumor Cell Proliferation and Induces Apoptosis by Targeting Mitochondria and Endoplasmic Reticulum
by Gangxiang Yuan, Peng Qian, Lin Chen and Ningjia He
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(15), 8293; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25158293 - 30 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1391
Abstract
Kuwanon C is a unique flavonoid found in the mulberry family, characterized by two isopentenyl groups. While previous research has focused on various properties of kuwanon C, such as antioxidant, hypoglycemic, antimicrobial, food preservation, skin whitening, and nematode lifespan extension, little attention has [...] Read more.
Kuwanon C is a unique flavonoid found in the mulberry family, characterized by two isopentenyl groups. While previous research has focused on various properties of kuwanon C, such as antioxidant, hypoglycemic, antimicrobial, food preservation, skin whitening, and nematode lifespan extension, little attention has been given to its potential role in oncological diseases. In this study, we investigate the antitumor effect of kuwanon C in cervical cancer cells and elucidate its specific mechanism of action. We assessed the antitumor effects of kuwanon C using various experimental techniques, including cell proliferation assay, wound healing assays, EdU 488 proliferation assay, mitochondrial membrane potential assay, ROS level assay, cell cycle, apoptosis analysis, and studies on kuwanon C target sites and molecular docking. The results revealed that kuwanon C significantly impacted the cell cycle progression of HeLa cells, disrupted their mitochondrial membrane potential, and induced a substantial increase in intracellular ROS levels. Moreover, kuwanon C exhibited notable anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects on HeLa cells, surpassing the performance of commonly used antitumor drugs such as paclitaxel and cisplatin. Notably, kuwanon C demonstrated superior efficacy while also being more easily accessible compared to paclitaxel. Our study demonstrates that kuwanon C exerts potent antitumor effects by its interaction with the mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum membranes, induces a significant production of ROS, disrupts their normal structure, inhibits cell cycle progression, and stimulates apoptotic signaling pathways, ultimately resulting in the death of HeLa tumor cells. As an isopentenyl compound derived from Morus alba, kuwanon C holds great promise as a potential candidate for the development of effective antitumor drugs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Natural Products in Cancer Therapy and Prevention)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

12 pages, 2361 KiB  
Article
Fermented Wheat Germ Protein with Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor AR42 Demonstrates Enhanced Cytotoxicity against Lymphoma Cells In Vitro and In Vivo
by Joshua F. Meckler, Daniel J. Levis, Yanguo Kong, Robert T. O’Donnell, Daniel P. Vang and Joseph M. Tuscano
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(14), 7866; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25147866 - 18 Jul 2024
Viewed by 899
Abstract
Current treatments for lymphoma are plagued by substantial toxicity and the inability to overcome drug resistance, leading to eventual relapse and rationalizing the development of novel, less toxic therapeutics and drug combinations. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis) are a broad class of epigenetic modulators [...] Read more.
Current treatments for lymphoma are plagued by substantial toxicity and the inability to overcome drug resistance, leading to eventual relapse and rationalizing the development of novel, less toxic therapeutics and drug combinations. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis) are a broad class of epigenetic modulators that have been studied in multiple tumor types, including lymphoma. Currently, HDACis are FDA-approved for treating relapsed T-cell lymphomas and multiple myeloma, with ongoing trials in other lymphomas and solid tumors. As single agents, HDACis frequently elicit toxic side effects and have limited efficacy; therefore, many current treatment strategies focus on combinations to boost efficacy while attempting to minimize toxicity. Fermented wheat germ extract (FWGE) is a complementary agent that has shown efficacy in several malignancies, including lymphoma. Here, we utilize a more potent FWGE derivative, known as fermented wheat germ protein (FWGP), in combination with the HDACi AR42, to assess for enhanced activity. We report increased in vitro killing, cell cycle arrest, and in vivo efficacy for this combination compared to each agent alone with minimal toxicity, suggesting a potentially new, minimally toxic treatment modality for lymphoma. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Natural Products in Cancer Therapy and Prevention)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 8718 KiB  
Article
Oleate Promotes Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cell Migration by Enhancing Filopodia Formation through a PLD/Cdc42-Dependent Pathway
by Zhiqiang Guo, Karl-Frédérik Bergeron and Catherine Mounier
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(7), 3956; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25073956 - 2 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1379
Abstract
Breast cancer, particularly triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), poses a global health challenge. Emerging evidence has established a positive association between elevated levels of stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) and its product oleate (OA) with cancer development and metastasis. SCD1/OA leads to alterations in migration [...] Read more.
Breast cancer, particularly triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), poses a global health challenge. Emerging evidence has established a positive association between elevated levels of stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) and its product oleate (OA) with cancer development and metastasis. SCD1/OA leads to alterations in migration speed, direction, and cell morphology in TNBC cells, yet the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. To address this gap, we aim to investigate the impact of OA on remodeling the actin structure in TNBC cell lines, and the underlying signaling. Using TNBC cell lines and bioinformatics tools, we show that OA stimulation induces rapid cell membrane ruffling and enhances filopodia formation. OA treatment triggers the subcellular translocation of Arp2/3 complex and Cdc42. Inhibiting Cdc42, not the Arp2/3 complex, effectively abolishes OA-induced filopodia formation and cell migration. Additionally, our findings suggest that phospholipase D is involved in Cdc42-dependent filopodia formation and cell migration. Lastly, the elevated expression of Cdc42 in breast tumor tissues is associated with a lower survival rate in TNBC patients. Our study outlines a new signaling pathway in the OA-induced migration of TNBC cells, via the promotion of Cdc42-dependent filopodia formation, providing a novel insight for therapeutic strategies in TNBC treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Natural Products in Cancer Therapy and Prevention)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-3
Back to TopTop