scholarly journals Genetic Modification Approaches for Parasporins Bacillus thuringiensis Proteins with Anticancer Activity

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (24) ◽  
pp. 7476
Author(s):  
Miguel O. Suárez-Barrera ◽  
Lydia Visser ◽  
Paola Rondón-Villarreal ◽  
Diego F. Herrera-Pineda ◽  
Juan S. Alarcón-Aldana ◽  
...  

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a bacterium capable of producing Cry toxins, which are recognized for their bio-controlling actions against insects. However, a few Bt strains encode proteins lacking insecticidal activity but showing cytotoxic activity against different cancer cell lines and low or no cytotoxicity toward normal human cells. A subset of Cry anticancer proteins, termed parasporins (PSs), has recently arisen as a potential alternative for cancer treatment. However, the molecular receptors that allow the binding of PSs to cells and their cytotoxic mechanisms of action have not been well established. Nonetheless, their selective cytotoxic activity against different types of cancer cell lines places PSs as a promising alternative treatment modality. In this review, we provide an overview of the classification, structures, mechanisms of action, and insights obtained from genetic modification approaches for PS proteins.

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meghan Fragis ◽  
Abdulmonem I. Murayyan ◽  
Suresh Neethirajan

Background: Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths among Canadian women. Cancer management through changes in lifestyle, such as increased intake of foods rich in dietary flavonoids, have been shown to decrease the risk associated with breast, liver, colorectal, and upper-digestive cancers in epidemiologic studies. Onions are high in flavonoid content and one of the most common vegetables. Additionally, onions are used in most Canadian cuisines.Methods: We investigated the effect of five prominent Ontario grown onion (Stanley, Ruby Ring, LaSalle, Fortress, and Safrane) extracts on two subtypes of breast cancer cell lines: a triple negative breast cancer line MDA-MB-231 and an ER+ breast cancer line MCF-7.Results: These onion extracts elicited strong anti-proliferative, anti-migratory, and cytotoxic activities on both the cancer cell lines. Flavonoids present in these onion extracts induced apoptosis, cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase, and a reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential at dose-dependent concentrations. Onion extracts were more effective against MDA-MB-231 compared to the MCF-7 cell line. Conclusion: In this study, we investigated the extracts synthesized from Ontario-grown onion varieties in inducing anti-migratory, cytostatic, and cytotoxic activities in two sub-types of human breast cancer cell lines. Anti-tumor activity of these extracts depends upon the varietal and can be formulated into nutraceuticals and functional foods for the wellbeing of cancer patients. Overall, the results suggest that onion extracts are a good source of flavonoids with anti-cancerous properties.Keywords: onion extracts; flavonoids; anti-proliferative; breast cancer; cytotoxic activity


Crystals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 184
Author(s):  
Menna El Gaafary ◽  
Tatiana Syrovets ◽  
Hany M. Mohamed ◽  
Ahmed A. Elhenawy ◽  
Ahmed M. El-Agrody ◽  
...  

The target compound 3-amino-1-(2,5-d ichlorophenyl)-8-methoxy-1H-benzo[f]-chromene-2-carbonitrile (4) was synthesized via a reaction of 6-methoxynaphthalen-2-ol (1), 2,5-dichlorobenzaldehyde (2), and malononitrile (3) in ethanolic piperidine solution under microwave irradiation. The newly synthesized β-enaminonitrile was characterized by FT-IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, mass spectroscopy, elemental analysis and X-ray diffraction data. Its cytotoxic activity was evaluated against three different human cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231, A549, and MIA PaCa-2 in comparison to the positive controls etoposide and camptothecin employing the XTT cell viability assay. The analysis of the Hirshfeld surface was utilized to visualize the reliability of the crystal package. The obtained results confirmed that the tested molecule revealed promising cytotoxic activities against the three cancer cell lines. Furthermore, theoretical calculations (DFT) were carried out with the Becke3-Lee-Yang-parr (B3LYP) level using 6-311++G(d,p) basis. The optimization geometry for molecular structures was in agreement with the X-ray structure data. The HOMO-LUMO energy gap of the studied system was discussed. The intermolecular-interactions were studied through analysis of the topological-electron-density(r) using the QTAIM and NCI methods. The novel compound exhibited favorable ADMET properties and its molecular modeling analysis showed strong interaction with DNA methyltransferase 1.


Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (8) ◽  
pp. 1911 ◽  
Author(s):  
Odette Concepción ◽  
Julio Belmar ◽  
Alexander F. de la Torre ◽  
Francisco M. Muñiz ◽  
Mariano W. Pertino ◽  
...  

Myrtenal is a natural monoterpene isolated from essential oils of several plants and their derivates have shown to have several biological properties including cytotoxicity. The cytotoxic activity of these derivates are being investigated for their antitumor effect leading to the development of potential anticancer agents. In this study, novels Myrtenyl grafted pseudo-peptides were designed, synthesized and functionally characterized as possible therapeutic agents for cancer treatment. Thirteen novel Myrtenyl grafted pseudo-peptides were prepared in high atom economy and efficiency by a classic Ugi-4CR and sequential post-modification. Their structures were confirmed by NMR, and ESI-MS, and its cytotoxic activity was evaluated in three cancer cell lines and primary CD4+ T cells at different proliferative cycles. Our results revealed that some of these compounds showed significant cytotoxicity against human gastric, breast and colon adenocarcinoma cells lines, but not against human dermal fibroblast cell line. Moreover, from the thirteen novel myrtenyl synthesized the compound (1R,5S)-N-{[1-(3-chlorophenyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl]methyl}-N-[2-(cyclohexylamino)-2–oxoethyl]-6,6-dimethylbicyclo[3.1.1]hept-2-ene-2-carboxamide (3b) proved to be the best candidate in terms of acceptable EC50, and Emax values in cancer cell lines and at inducing cytotoxicity in CD4+ T cells undergoing active proliferation, without affecting non-proliferating T cells. Overall, the synthesis and characterization of our Myrtenyl derivates revealed novel potential anticancer candidates with selective cytotoxic activity.


MedChemComm ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 120-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guilherme A. M. Jardim ◽  
Tiago T. Guimarães ◽  
Maria do Carmo F. R. Pinto ◽  
Bruno C. Cavalcanti ◽  
Kaio M. de Farias ◽  
...  

Naphthoquinone-based chalcone hybrids were synthesized and evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against four cancer cell lines and PBMC. Some of the hybrids exhibited promising anticancer activity with IC50 values < 1 μM.


Data in Brief ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
pp. 1033-1036 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Ngoc Thuy Pham ◽  
Jennette A. Sakoff ◽  
Quan V. Vuong ◽  
Michael C. Bowyer ◽  
Christopher J. Scarlett

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