scholarly journals Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Pristimerin in Cancer Therapy: Recent Advances

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Run-Ze Chen ◽  
Fei Yang ◽  
Min Zhang ◽  
Zhi-Gang Sun ◽  
Nan Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Chinese Medicine ◽  
Traditional Chinese Medicine ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Quinone Methide ◽  
Molecular Signaling ◽  
Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Anti Cancer

Seeking an efficient and safe approach to eliminate tumors is a common goal of medical fields. Over these years, traditional Chinese medicine has attracted growing attention in cancer treatment due to its long history. Pristimerin is a naturally occurring quinone methide triterpenoid used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat various cancers. Recent studies have identified alterations in cellular events and molecular signaling targets of cancer cells under pristimerin treatment. Pristimerin induces cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and autophagy to exhibit anti-proliferation effects against tumors. Pristimerin also inhibits the invasion, migration, and metastasis of tumor cells via affecting cell adhesion, cytoskeleton, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, cancer stem cells, and angiogenesis. Molecular factors and pathways are associated with the anti-cancer activities of pristimerin. Furthermore, pristimerin reverses multidrug resistance of cancer cells and exerts synergizing effects with other chemotherapeutic drugs. This review aims to discuss the anti-cancer potentials of pristimerin, emphasizing multi-targeted biological and molecular regulations in cancers. Further investigations and clinical trials are warranted to understand the advantages and disadvantages of pristimerin treatment much better.

scholarly journals Functional antagonism of chromatin modulators regulates epithelial-mesenchymal transition

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. eabd7974
Author(s):  
Michela Serresi ◽  
Sonia Kertalli ◽  
Lifei Li ◽  
Matthias Jürgen Schmitt ◽  
Yuliia Dramaretska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Transcriptional Control ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Developmental Process ◽  
Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Chromatin Remodelers ◽  
Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Signature Genes ◽  
Chromatin Regulators ◽  
The Impact

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a developmental process hijacked by cancer cells to modulate proliferation, migration, and stress response. Whereas kinase signaling is believed to be an EMT driver, the molecular mechanisms underlying epithelial-mesenchymal interconversion are incompletely understood. Here, we show that the impact of chromatin regulators on EMT interconversion is broader than that of kinases. By combining pharmacological modulation of EMT, synthetic genetic tracing, and CRISPR interference screens, we uncovered a minority of kinases and several chromatin remodelers, writers, and readers governing homeostatic EMT in lung cancer cells. Loss of ARID1A, DOT1L, BRD2, and ZMYND8 had nondeterministic and sometimes opposite consequences on epithelial-mesenchymal interconversion. Together with RNAPII and AP-1, these antagonistic gatekeepers control chromatin of active enhancers, including pan-cancer-EMT signature genes enabling supraclassification of anatomically diverse tumors. Thus, our data uncover general principles underlying transcriptional control of cancer cell plasticity and offer a platform to systematically explore chromatin regulators in tumor-state–specific therapy.

scholarly journals Inhibition to Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Metastatic Potential In Colorectal Cancer Cell By Combination of Traditional Chinese Medicine Formulation Jiedu Sangen Decoction and PD-L1 Inhibitor

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
pp. 153473542097248
Author(s):  
Feiyu Shan ◽  
Leitao Sun ◽  
Leyin Zhang ◽  
Kaibo Guo ◽  
Qingying Yan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Colorectal Cancer ◽  
Colon Cancer ◽  
Chinese Medicine ◽  
Traditional Chinese Medicine ◽  
Cancer Cell ◽  
Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Laser Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Migration And Invasion ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Mesenchymal Transition

Background: Jiedu Sangen Decoction (JSD), a traditional Chinese medicine formula, has been widely applied in the treatment of gastrointestinal cancer, especially in colorectal cancer. Our study mainly aimed to assess the combined efficacy of Jiedu Sangen aqueous extract (JSAE) and a PD-L1 inhibitor (PI) in colon cancer cells migration and invasion, along with epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and then provide deep insights into the potential mechanism. Methods: We explored the inhibitory effects on invasion and metastasis and the reverse effect on EMT process in CT-26 colon cancer cell via Transwell migration assay, Matrigel invasion assay and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Furthermore, regulation in expression of EMT-related proteins and molecular biomarkers and underlying signal pathway proteins were detected through Western blotting and IHC. Results: The combination of JSD and PD-L1 inhibitor could inhibit migration, invasive ability and EMT of CT-26 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Meanwhile, JSD combined with PD-L1 inhibitor could also remarkably reverse EMT and metastasis in vivo. In addition, the protein expression of N-cadherin, Slug, Snail, Vimentin was down-regulated along with E-cadherin s up-regulation with the combination of JSD and PD-L1 inhibitor, while that of PI3K/AKT was notably down-regulated. Conclusions: These findings indicated that JSAE and a PD-L1 inhibitor could drastically inhibit the migration and invasion of colorectal cancer by reversing EMT through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

scholarly journals The epithelial-mesenchymal transcription factor SNAI1 represses transcription of the tumor suppressor miRNA let-7 in cancer

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Wang ◽  
E Chirshev ◽  
N Hojo ◽  
T Suzuki ◽  
A Bertucci ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ovarian Cancer ◽  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Tumor Burden ◽  
Cell Phenotype ◽  
Mesenchymal Transition

AbstractWe aimed to determine the mechanism of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-induced stemness in cancer cells. Cancer relapse and metastasis are caused by rare stem-like cells within tumors. Studies of stem cell reprogramming have linked let-7 repression and acquisition of stemness with the EMT factor, SNAI1. The mechanisms for the loss of let-7 in cancer cells are incompletely understood. In four carcinoma cell lines from breast cancer, pancreatic cancer and ovarian cancer and in ovarian cancer patient-derived cells, we analyzed stem cell phenotype and tumor growth via mRNA, miRNA, and protein expression, spheroid formation, and growth in patient-derived xenografts. We show that treatment with EMT-promoting growth factors or SNAI1 overexpression increased stemness and reduced let-7 expression, while SNAI1 knockdown reduced stemness and restored let-7 expression. Rescue experiments demonstrate that the pro-stemness effects of SNAI1 are mediated via let-7. In vivo, nanoparticle-delivered siRNA successfully knocked down SNAI1 in orthotopic patient-derived xenografts, accompanied by reduced stemness and increased let-7 expression, and reduced tumor burden. Chromatin immunoprecipitation demonstrated that SNAI1 binds the promoters of various let-7 family members, and luciferase assays revealed that SNAI1 represses let-7 transcription. In conclusion, the SNAI1/let-7 axis is an important component of stemness pathways in cancer cells, and this study provides a rationale for future work examining this axis as a potential target for cancer stem cell-specific therapies.Novelty and ImpactThis study provides new insight into molecular mechanisms by which EMT transcription factor SNAI1 exerts its pro-stemness effects in cancer cells, demonstrating its potential as a stem cell-directed target for therapy. In vitro and in vivo, mesoporous silica nanoparticle-mediated SNAI1 knockdown resulted in restoration of let-7 miRNA, inhibiting stemness and reducing tumor burden. Our studies validate in vivo nanoparticle-delivered RNAi targeting the SNAI1/let-7 axis as a clinically relevant approach.

scholarly journals ACNPD: The Database for Elucidating the Relationships Between Natural Products, Compounds, Molecular Mechanisms, and Cancer Types

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaojie Tan ◽  
Jiahui Fu ◽  
Zhaoxin Yuan ◽  
Lingjuan Zhu ◽  
Leilei Fu
Keyword(s):  
Natural Products ◽  
Chinese Medicine ◽  
Traditional Chinese Medicine ◽  
Signaling Pathways ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Cancer Drugs ◽  
Internal Factors ◽  
Online Resource ◽  
Anti Cancer ◽  
Cancer Types

Objectives: Cancer is well-known as a collection of diseases of uncontrolled proliferation of cells caused by mutated genes which are generated by external or internal factors. As the mechanisms of cancer have been constantly revealed, including cell cycle, proliferation, apoptosis and so on, a series of new emerging anti-cancer drugs acting on each stage have also been developed. It is worth noting that natural products are one of the important sources for the development of anti-cancer drugs. To the best of our knowledge, there is not any database summarizing the relationships between natural products, compounds, molecular mechanisms, and cancer types.Materials and methods: Based upon published literatures and other sources, we have constructed an anti-cancer natural product database (ACNPD) (http://www.acnpd-fu.com/). The database currently contains 521 compounds, which specifically refer to natural compounds derived from traditional Chinese medicine plants (derivatives are not considered herein). And, it includes 1,593 molecular mechanisms/signaling pathways, covering 10 common cancer types, such as breast cancer, lung cancer and cervical cancer.Results: Integrating existing data sources, we have obtained a large amount of information on natural anti-cancer products, including herbal sources, regulatory targets and signaling pathways. ACNPD is a valuable online resource that illustrates the complex pharmacological relationship between natural products and human cancers.Conclusion: In summary, ACNPD is crucial for better understanding of the relationships between traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and cancer, which is not only conducive to expand the influence of TCM, but help to find more new anti-cancer drugs in the future.

scholarly journals Traditional Chinese Medicine and regulatory roles on epithelial–mesenchymal transitions

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Bai ◽  
Wee Chiew Kwok ◽  
Jean-Paul Thiery
Keyword(s):  
Chinese Medicine ◽  
Traditional Chinese Medicine ◽  
Cancer Metastasis ◽  
Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Biological Process ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
The Third ◽  
Organ Fibrosis

Abstract Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a critical biological process allowing epithelial cells to de-differentiate into mesenchymal cells. Orchestrated signaling pathways cooperatively induce EMT and effect physiological, sometimes pathological outcomes. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been clinically prescribed for thousands of years and recent studies have found that TCM therapies can participate in EMT regulation. In this review, the historical discovery of EMT will be introduced, followed by a brief overview of its major roles in development and diseases. The second section will focus on EMT in organ fibrosis and tissue regeneration. The third section discusses EMT-induced cancer metastasis, and details how EMT contribute to distant dissemination. Finally, new EMT players are described, namely microRNA, epigenetic modifications, and alternative splicing. TCM drugs that affect EMT proven through an evidence-based research approach will be presented in each section.

scholarly journals α-Mangostin Suppresses the Viability and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition of Pancreatic Cancer Cells by Downregulating the PI3K/Akt Pathway

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qinhong Xu ◽  
Jiguang Ma ◽  
Jianjun Lei ◽  
Wanxing Duan ◽  
Liang Sheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pancreatic Cancer ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Complementary Alternative Medicine ◽  
Akt Pathway ◽  
Migration And Invasion ◽  
Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Matrigel Invasion ◽  
Pancreatic Cancer Cells

α-Mangostin, a natural product isolated from the pericarp of the mangosteen fruit, has been shown to inhibit the growth of tumor cells in various types of cancers. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unclear. Here, we report thatα-mangostin suppressed the viability and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of pancreatic cancer cells through inhibition of the PI3K/Akt pathway. Treatment of pancreatic cancer BxPc-3 and Panc-1 cells withα-mangostin resulted in loss of cell viability, accompanied by enhanced cell apoptosis, cell cycle arrest at G1 phase, and decrease of cyclin-D1. Moreover, Transwell and Matrigel invasion assays showed thatα-mangostin significantly reduced the migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells. Consistent with these results,α-mangostin decreased the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, N-cadherin, and vimentin and increased the expression of E-cadherin. Furthermore, we found thatα-mangostin suppressed the activity of the PI3K/Akt pathway in pancreatic cancer cells as demonstrated by the reduction of the Akt phosphorylation byα-mangostin. Finally,α-mangostin significantly inhibited the growth of BxPc-3 tumor mouse xenografts. Our results suggest thatα-mangostin may be potentially used as a novel adjuvant therapy or complementary alternative medicine for the management of pancreatic cancers.

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