Molecular Signaling of Natural Compounds in Oncology

A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Pharmaceutical Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2022) | Viewed by 8920

Special Issue Editors

Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Science and Technology, Konkuk University, Chungju 27478, Republic of Korea
Interests: pathology; oncology; cancer research; biotechnology; molecular cancer biology; cancer Immunotherapy
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Guest Editor
Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Science and Technology, Konkuk University, Chungju 27478, Korea
Interests: cancer; angiogenesis; metastasis; inflammation; animal science; microbiology; molecular signaling pathways; natural compounds; sulfur; tannin; drug development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The submission of manuscripts is invited to the Special Issue of “Molecular Signaling of Natural Compounds in Oncology”, which will contain a selection of papers dealing with molecular signaling of bioactive natural compounds in cancer treatment. Original research reports, review articles and commentaries are welcome.

Cancer treatment using natural compounds is known to be a good therapeutic method as it lacks adverse effects when compared with commercially available anticancer drugs. There are many natural compounds well known for their anticancer activities, and the reason behind their anticancer activity is the presence of active components. However, the signaling mechanism of these active compounds is still unclear in many cancers. Here, we aim for the elucidation of signaling pathways in cancer hallmarks with natural-compound-based cancer treatment, thereby taking a primary step for natural-compound-based anticancer drug development.

This Special Issue aims to cover all aspects of bioactive natural compounds including, but not limited to, in vitro and in vivo activities, clinical effects, mechanism of action, and signaling pathway elucidation. Papers dealing with product development of active single components in natural nutraceuticals and dietary supplements or their synergistic combination treatment with commercially available anticancer drugs are also welcome.

Dr. Nipin Sp
Dr. Dong Young Kang
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • natural compounds
  • molecular signaling pathways
  • cancer hallmarks
  • cell cycle arrest and apoptosis
  • tumor angiogenesis
  • tumor metastasis
  • cancer immunotherapy
  • synergistic combination
  • dietary supplements
  • anticancer drug development

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 3958 KiB  
Article
Ethyl P-Methoxycinnamate: An Active Anti-Metastasis Agent and Chemosensitizer Targeting NFκB from Kaempferia galanga for Melanoma Cells
by Subehan Lallo, Besse Hardianti, Sartini Sartini, Ismail Ismail, Dewi Laela and Yoshihiro Hayakawa
Life 2022, 12(3), 337; https://doi.org/10.3390/life12030337 - 24 Feb 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3153
Abstract
The most common type of skin cancer is melanoma. While significant advances in chemotherapy have occurred in a few instances, only marginal progress has been made in treating metastatic melanoma. Natural medicine has traditionally been used to treat various illnesses, including cancer. The [...] Read more.
The most common type of skin cancer is melanoma. While significant advances in chemotherapy have occurred in a few instances, only marginal progress has been made in treating metastatic melanoma. Natural medicine has traditionally been used to treat various illnesses, including cancer. The purpose of this study was to identify the active compound in Kaempferia galanga, which could be used to treat melanoma as an anti-metastasis and chemosensitizer agent. The active compound in K. galanga was isolated and identified using chromatography and spectroscopy techniques, and given six compounds. Inhibitory activity on NFκB activation and cell viability was determined using reporter assay methods. Among the isolated compounds, ethyl p-methoxycinnamate (EPMC) demonstrated potent NFκB inhibitory activity against melanoma cell B16F10- NFκB Luc2 with an IC50 of 88.7 μM. Further investigation was conducted by evaluating the anti-metastasis effect of EPMC in vitro by using wound-healing assays, invasion tests, and molecular mechanism assays using Western blotting. NFκB has been implicated in tumorigenesis through the PI3K/Akt/NFκB pathway. The results of this study indicated that EPMCs act as inhibitors of p38 and thereby Akt phosphorylation inhibitors at serine 473, inhibiting NFκB-dependent transcription. Further analysis with paclitaxel demonstrated that the combinations could sensitize to apoptosis in response to well-known chemotherapy agents. Additional studies were conducted using the human melanoma cancer cell line SK-Mel 28. Along with the induction of apoptosis, we observed an increase in p-γH2AX expression (a molecular marker for double strand breaks in DNA damage) in response to treatment with paclitaxel and EPMC. The result showed EPMC to be a potential, viable adjuvant for improving the clinical efficacy of anti-metastatic and cancer chemotherapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Signaling of Natural Compounds in Oncology)
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16 pages, 3503 KiB  
Article
The p53-Driven Anticancer Effect of Ribes fasciculatum Extract on AGS Gastric Cancer Cells
by Myeong-Jin Kim, Hye-Won Kawk, Sang-Hyeon Kim, Hyo-Jae Lee, Ji-Won Seo, Chang-Yeol Lee and Young-Min Kim
Life 2022, 12(2), 303; https://doi.org/10.3390/life12020303 - 17 Feb 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2444
Abstract
Cancer metastasis is directly related to the survival rate of cancer patients. Although cancer metastasis proceeds by the movement of cancer cells, it is fundamentally caused by its resistance to anoikis, a mechanism of apoptosis caused by the loss of adhesion of cancer [...] Read more.
Cancer metastasis is directly related to the survival rate of cancer patients. Although cancer metastasis proceeds by the movement of cancer cells, it is fundamentally caused by its resistance to anoikis, a mechanism of apoptosis caused by the loss of adhesion of cancer cells. Therefore, it was found that inhibiting cancer migration and reducing anoikis resistance are important for cancer suppression, and natural compounds can effectively control it. Among them, Ribes fasciculatum, which has been used as a medicinal plant, was confirmed to have anticancer potential, and experiments were conducted to prove various anticancer effects by extracting Ribes fasciculatum (RFE). Through various experiments, it was observed that RFE induces apoptosis of AGS gastric cancer cells, arrests the cell cycle, induces oxidative stress, and reduces mobility. It was also demonstrated that anoikis resistance was attenuated through the downregulation of proteins, such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Moreover, the anticancer effect of RFE depends upon the increase in p53 expression, suggesting that RFE is suitable for the development of p53-targeted anticancer materials. Moreover, through xenotransplantation, it was found that the anticancer effect of RFE confirmed in vitro was continued in vivo. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Signaling of Natural Compounds in Oncology)
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16 pages, 5109 KiB  
Article
Screening of Apoptosis Pathway-Mediated Anti-Proliferative Activity of the Phytochemical Compound Furanodienone against Human Non-Small Lung Cancer A-549 Cells
by Ahmed Al Saqr, El-Sayed Khafagy, Mohammed F. Aldawsari, Khaled Almansour and Amr S. Abu Lila
Life 2022, 12(1), 114; https://doi.org/10.3390/life12010114 - 13 Jan 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2467
Abstract
Furanodienone (FDN), a major bioactive component of sesquiterpenes produced from Rhizoma Curcumae, has been repeatedly acknowledged for its intrinsic anticancer efficacy against different types of cancer. In this study, we aimed to investigate the cytotoxic potential of furanodienone against human lung cancer [...] Read more.
Furanodienone (FDN), a major bioactive component of sesquiterpenes produced from Rhizoma Curcumae, has been repeatedly acknowledged for its intrinsic anticancer efficacy against different types of cancer. In this study, we aimed to investigate the cytotoxic potential of furanodienone against human lung cancer (NSCLC A549) cells in vitro, as well as its underlying molecular mechanisms in the induction of apoptosis. Herein, we found that FDN significantly inhibited the proliferation of A549 cells in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, treatment with FDN potentially triggered apoptosis in A549 cells via not only disrupting the nuclear morphology, but by activating capsase-9 and caspase-3 with concomitant modulation of the pro- and antiapoptotic gene expression as well. Furthermore, FDN revealed its competence in inducing cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase in A549 cells, which was associated with decreased expression of cyclin D1 and cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4), along with increased expression of CDK inhibitor p21Cip1. Intriguingly, FDN treatment efficiently downregulated the Wnt signaling pathway, which was correlated with increased apoptosis, as well as cell cycle arrest, in A549 cells. Collectively, FDN might represent a promising adjuvant therapy for the management of lung cancer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Signaling of Natural Compounds in Oncology)
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