Potential chemotherapeutic effect of betalain against human non-small cell lung cancer through PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway

Extraction, stabilization, and health application of betalains: An update

Betalains are nitrogenous compounds principally produced by a select group of plants of the Caryophyllales order, characterized by the vibrant coloration on bracts, flowers, leaves, seeds, and fruits. Betalains are produced by tyrosine metabolism and derived from a common precursor: betalamic acid. They are categorized into two principal groups: betacyanins and betaxanthins. Their technological importance is of great interest to the food industry due to their role as a natural pigment. Still, in recent years, it also relied on its high biological potential such as free-radical scavenging, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-diabetic, among other applications. However, challenges related to their bioavailability and low stability have to be addressed. The review summarizes and analyses the most current advances in extraction methods to preserve their structure, the novel trends that guarantee their stability, and the most explored health applications of betalain extracts from various plant sources.

Beetroot peel flour: Characterization, betalains profile, in silico ADMET properties and in vitro biological activity

The use of vegetable residues as a source of bioactive components is a global trend. The production of flours reintroduces these materials into the productive chain and extend their shelf-life. Processing may reduce the diversity of pigments present in the fresh matter. We analysed a beetroot peel flour (BPF) that presented relevant protein and fibre contents and preserved the colour of the in natura beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) due to the presence of betacyanins and betaxanthins. The bioavailability, pharmacokinetics and mutagenicity of the pigments were predicted using bioinformatics. No mutagenicity was confirmed according to the OECD guidelines. A chemoprotective effect and cancer cell anti-clone activities were observed. BPF processing ensured a good nutritional value and maintained this product as a good source of bioactive compounds and of pigments with antitumor activity, suggesting this vegetable residue as a food industry pigments source for use in the elaboration of functional products.

Treatment strategies targeting the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mechanistic target of rapamycin pathway against triple-negative breast cancer

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an exceptionally aggressive subtype of breast cancer with a poor prognosis. TNBC patients have limited treatment options beyond conventional chemotherapy, and they face significant challenges associated with disease recurrence and resistance to chemotherapy. The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in cell proliferation, growth, metabolism, and survival. Its aberrant activation is closely linked to the development and progression of TNBC, as well as treatment response and drug resistance. Currently, numerous targeted drugs specifically inhibiting this signaling pathway are being developed and undergoing clinical trials. These include inhibitors targeting PI3K, AKT, or mTOR individually, as well as dual-target or multi-target inhibitors simultaneously targeting different components of this pathway. Encouragingly, some inhibitors have demonstrated promising potential in clinical trials. This review delves into the therapeutic potential of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway for TNBC and explores prospects for drug discovery.

Mechanisms of H2pmen-Induced cell death: Necroptosis and apoptosis in MDA cells, necrosis in MCF7 cells

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women around the world. Several cancer therapeutics have already been discovered and are being used to treat breast cancer. However, most of them cause severe side effects. H2pmen, a tetradentate ligand, was used in this study to investigate its cytotoxic effects on growth, viability, and induction of cell death in MCF7 and MDA cells. The cell viability was determined by treating cells with different concentrations of H2pmen. MTT assay was used to obtain an IC50, and the cells were then assayed for membrane damage, apoptotic induction, and metabolism. Protein expression of Bax, p53, Bcl2, and xIAP was identified using Western blot analysis. The gene expression of RIPK1, RIPK3, and MKLK was determined using qPCR. In MDA cells, H2pmen increases cytotoxicity, as evidenced by upregulated LDH and JC-10, and enhances apoptosis, indicated by upregulated caspase-3/7 and Bax. In contrast, MCF7 cells exhibit a more stable profile with downregulated LDH and Annexin V Activity. MCF7 cells also show reduced necroptosis and increased necrosis. These findings highlight that H2pmen induces varied cytotoxic effects across MDA and MCF7 cells, with MDA cells exhibiting more pronounced apoptosis and necroptosis alongside complex anti-apoptotic responses.

Design, Synthesis and Gene Modulation Insights into Pigments Derived from Tryptophan-Betaxanthin, Which Act against Tumor Development in Caenorhabditis elegans

The use of betalains, which are nitrogenous plant pigments, by the food industry is widespread and reflects their safety after intake. The recent research showed outstanding results for L-tryptophan-betaxanthin, a phytochemical present in traditional Chinese medicine, as an antitumoral agent when the activity was evaluated in the animal model Caenorhabditis elegans. Thus, L-tryptophan-betaxanthin is now presented as a lead compound, from which eleven novel structurally related betaxanthins have been designed, biotechnologically produced, purified, and characterized. The antitumoral effect of the derived compounds was evaluated on the JK1466 tumoral strain of C. elegans. All the tested molecules significantly reduced the tumoral gonad sizes in a range between 31.4% and 43.0%. Among the novel compounds synthesized, tryptophan methyl ester-betaxanthin and tryptophan benzyl ester-betaxanthin, which are the first betalains to contain an ester group in their structures, caused tumor size reductions of 43.0% and 42.6%, respectively, after administration to the model animal. Since these were the two most effective molecules, their mechanism of action was investigated by microarray analysis. Differential gene expression analysis showed that tryptophan methyl ester-betaxanthin and tryptophan benzyl ester-betaxanthin were able to down-regulate the key genes of the mTOR pathway, such as daf-15 and rict-1.

Phosphorylation of Bcl-2 by JNK confers gemcitabine resistance in lung cancer cells by reducing autophagy-mediated cell death

The most common cancer-related death in the world is non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Gemcitabine (GEM) is a common and effective first-line chemotherapeutic drug for the treatment of NSCLC. However, the long-term use of chemotherapeutic drugs in patients usually induces cancer cell drug resistance, leading to poor survival, and prognosis. In this study, to observe and explore the key targets and potential mechanisms of NSCLC resistance to GEM, we first cultured lung cancer CL1-0 cells in a GEM-containing medium to induce CL1-0 cells to develop GEM resistance. Next, we compared protein expression between the parental and GEM-R CL1-0 cell groups. We observed significantly lower expression of autophagy-related proteins in GEM-R CL1-0 cells than in parental CL1-0 cells, indicating that autophagy is associated with GEM resistance in CL1-0 cells. Furthermore, a series of autophagy experiments revealed that GEM-R CL1-0 cells had significantly reduced GEM-induced c-Jun N-terminal kinase phosphorylation, which further affected the phosphorylation of Bcl-2, thereby reducing the dissociation of Bcl-2 and Beclin-1 and ultimately reducing the generation of GEM-induced autophagy-dependent cell death. Our findings suggest that altering the expression of autophagy is a promising therapeutic option for drug-resistant lung cancer.

EPN3 plays oncogenic role in non-small cell lung cancer by activating the JAK1/2-STAT3 pathway

The effect of Epsin 3 (EPN3) on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has not yet been clearly elucidated. This study identified the exact function of EPN3 on NSCLC progression. EPN3 expression in NSCLC patients were analyzed based on the Cancer Genome Atlas database. Kaplan-Meier analysis was implemented to research the effect of EPN3 on patients' survival. EPN3 expression in clinical tissues of 62 NSCLC cases was monitored by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry and Western blot. A549 and H1299 cells were transfected with EPN3 shRNA and treated by RO8191 (20 μM). Proliferation was researched by cell counting kit-8 and 5-ethnyl-2 deoxyuridine assays. Apoptosis was monitored by flow cytometry. Migration and invasion was assessed by Transwell experiment. EPN3 effect on A549 cell in vivo growth was researched using nude mice. RO8191 (200 μg) was intratumoral injected into mice. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot was implemented to monitor protein expression in cells and xenograft tumor tissues. EPN3 was abnormally up-regulated in NSCLC patients and cells, indicating a lower overall survival. Loss of EPN3 weakened proliferation, migration and invasion, induced apoptosis, and repressed epithelial-mesenchymal transition in NSCLC cells. Loss of EPN3 inactivated the JAK1/2-STAT3 pathway in NSCLC cells. RO8191 treatment reversed the inhibition of EPN3 knockdown on the malignant phenotype of NSCLC cells. RO8191 intratumoral injection reversed the suppression of EPN3 silencing on NSCLC cell in vivo growth. EPN3 acted as an oncogene in NSCLC via activating the JAK1/2-STAT3 pathway. EPN3 may be a promising target for NSCLC treatment.

Antioxidant Capacity, Antitumor Activity and Metabolomic Profile of a Beetroot Peel Flour

In this study, a beetroot peel flour was made, and its in vitro antioxidant activity was determined in aqueous (BPFw) and ethanolic (BPFe) extracts. The influence of BPFw on breast cancer cell viability was also determined. A targeted betalain profile was obtained using high-resolution Q-Extractive Plus Orbitrap mass spectrometry (Obrtitrap-HRMS) alongside untargeted chemical profiling of BPFw using Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). BPFw and BPFe presented satisfactory antioxidant activities, with emphasis on the total phenolic compounds and ORAC results for BPFw (301.64 ± 0.20 mg GAE/100 g and 3032.78 ± 55.00 µmol T/100 g, respectively). The MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells presented reductions in viability when treated with BPFw, showing dose-dependent behavior, with MDA-MB-231 also showing time-dependent behavior. The chemical profiling of BPFw led to the identification of 9 betalains and 59 other compounds distributed amongst 28 chemical classes, with flavonoids and their derivates and coumarins being the most abundant. Three forms of betalain generated via thermal degradation were identified. However, regardless of thermal processing, the BPF still presented satisfactory antioxidant and anticancer activities, possibly due to synergism with other identified molecules with reported anticancer activities via different metabolic pathways.

Opuntia ficus-indica Fruit: A Systematic Review of Its Phytochemicals and Pharmacological Activities

The use of Opuntia ficus-indica fruits in the agro-food sector is increasing for a multiplicity of players. This renewed interest is, in part, due to its organoleptic characteristics, nutritional value and health benefits. Furthermore, industries from different sectors intend to make use of its vast array of metabolites to be used in different fields. This trend represents an economic growth opportunity for several partners who could find new opportunities exploring non-conventional fruits, and such is the case for Opuntia ficus-indica. O. ficus-indica originates from Mexico, belongs to the Cactaceae family and is commonly known as opuntia, prickly pear or cactus pear. The species produces flowers, cladodes and fruits that are consumed either in raw or in processed products. Recent publications described that consumption of the fruit improves human health, exhibiting antioxidant activity and other relevant pharmacological activities through enzymatic and non-enzymatic mechanisms. Thus, we provide a systematic, scientific and rational review for researchers, consumers and other relevant stakeholders regarding the chemical composition and biological activities of O. ficus-indica fruits.

Antitumor Effects of Ononin by Modulation of Apoptosis in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer through Inhibiting PI3K/Akt/mTOR Pathway

Lung cancer is a leading global cause of cancer-related death in both males and females. Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer type that can be difficult to control with conventional chemotherapeutic and surgical approaches resulting in a poor prognosis. Paclitaxel (PTX) is a commonly used chemotherapeutic drug for NSCLC, which can cause tissue injury in healthy cells and affect the quality of life in patients with cancer. In order to treat NSCLC, alternative medications with minimal or no side effects are highly needed. Ononin is an isoflavone glycoside extracted from Astragali Radix (AR) that has various pharmacological activities. Therefore, this study investigated whether ononin inhibits NSCLC progression and promotes apoptosis synergistically with PTX both in vitro and in vivo. Antitumorigenic properties of ononin were determined by MTT assay, colony formation assay, migratory capacity, and apoptotic marker expression in A549 and HCC827 cells. The combination of ononin with PTX increased the expression of apoptotic markers and ROS generation and inhibited cell proliferation through the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathways. Furthermore, ononin prevented the translocation of NF-κB from cytosol to the nucleus. Also, we used the xenograft NSCLC mice model to confirm the in vivo antitumorigenic efficacies of ononin by reduction of CD34 and Ki67 expressions. Based on the histological analysis, the cotreatment of PTX and ononin reduced PTX-induced liver and kidney damage. Overall, our findings suggested that the therapeutic index of PTX-based chemotherapy could be improved by reducing toxicity with increasing antitumor capabilities when combined with ononin.

Biocolorants in food: Sources, extraction, applications and future prospects

Color of a food is one of the major factors influencing its acceptance by consumers. At presently synthetic dyes are the most commonly used food colorant in food industry by providing more esthetically appearance and as a means to quality control. However, the growing concern about health and environmental due to associated toxicity with synthetic food colorants has accelerated the global efforts to replace them with safer and healthy food colorants obtained from natural resources (plants, microorganisms, and animals). Further, many of these biocolorants not only provide myriad of colors to the food but also exert biological properties, thus they can be used as nutraceuticals in foods and beverages. In order to understand the importance of nature-derived pigments as food colorants, this review provides a thorough discussion on the natural origin of food colorants. Following this, different extraction methods for isolating biocolorants from plants and microbes were also discussed. Many of these biocolorants not only provide color, but also have many health promoting properties, for this reason their physicochemical and biological properties were also reviewed. Finally, current trends on the use of biocolorants in foods, and the challenges faced by the biocolorants in their effective utilization by food industry and possible solutions to these challenges were discussed.

Insight into the Progress on Natural Dyes: Sources, Structural Features, Health Effects, Challenges, and Potential

(1) Background: Dyes play an important role in food, medicine, textile, and other industries, which make human life more colorful. With the increasing demand for food safety, the development of natural dyes becomes more and more attractive. (2) Methods: The literature was searched using the electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science, and SciFinder and this scoping review was carried out following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). (3) Results: 248 articles were included in this review. This review summarizes the research progress on natural dyes in the last ten years. According to structural features, natural dyes mainly include carotenoids, polyphenols, porphyrins, and alkaloids, and some of the newest dyes are summarized. Some pharmacological activities of carotenoids, anthocyanin, curcumin, and betalains in the last 10 years are summarized, and the biological effects of dyes regarding illumination conditions. The disadvantages of natural dyes, including sources, cost, stability, and poor bioavailability, limit their application. Here, some feasible strategies (potential resources, biotechnology, new extraction and separation strategies, strategies for improving stability) are described, which will contribute to the development and utilization of natural dyes. (4) Conclusion: Natural dyes show health benefits and potential in food additives. However, it is necessary for natural dyes to pass toxicity tests and quality tests and receive many regulatory approvals before their final entry into the market as food colorants or as drugs.

The RNA N6 -methyladenosine modulator HNRNPA2B1 is involved in the development of non-small cell lung cancer

The key N6  methyladenosine (m6 A) RNA methylation regulator is associated with multiple tumour progression. However, the m6 A-associated regulators that influence non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) development have not been fully clarified. The m6 A regulator expression pattern of NSCLC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset was identified. Aberrations of m6A modulators are related to NSCLC development via cBioPortal database. Furthermore, we found that IGF2BP2, IGF2BP3, HNRNPA2B1, and FTO are significantly correlated with advanced stage disease or clinical outcomes in NSCLC by UALCAN and Kaplan-Meier plot. Bioinformatics analysis showed that m6 A modulators (IGF2BP2, IGF2BP3, HNRNPA2B1, and FTO) are associated with immunomodulator and immune infiltration expression in NSCLC via the Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) database. The co-expression between these m6A-associated modulators was analysed by protein-protein interaction networks. Finally, we found that HNRNPA2B1 promotes NSCLC development in vitro by regulating cell proliferation and metastasis functions via Cell Counting Kit 8 (CCK8) and transwell assay. Our study showed that HNRNPA2B1 is a promising target and biomarker for cancer therapy in NSCLC.

Chinese Medicine Leptochloa chinensis Inhibits the Malignant Behaviors of Renal Cell Carcinoma 786-O Cells by Regulating the mTOR Pathway

BACKGROUND

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a common malignant tumor of the urinary system that seriously threatens human life and health. This study aims to explore the role of the traditional Chinese medicine Leptochloa chinensis in the pathogenesis of RCC. Meanwhile, this study also revealed the molecular biological mechanism of its antitumor activity.

METHODS

Human RCC 786-O cells were cultured in the RPMI-1640 medium, which contains different concentrations of Leptochloa chinensis (1,000, 3,000, and 9,000 μg/ml). MTT and flow cytometry assays were used to detect the viability of 786-O cells. Transwell and wound healing assays were used to detect cell metastasis. The protein expression was observed by western blot analysis.

RESULTS

Leptochloa can inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in RCC 786-O cells. In addition, Leptochloa can weaken the migration and invasion of 786-O cells. More importantly, Leptochloa can block the mTOR pathway by inhibiting the protein expression of p-mTOR. Moreover, the high concentration of Leptochloa chinensis has a better inhibitory effect on 786-O cells.

CONCLUSION

The traditional Chinese medicine Leptochloa chinensis inhibits the viability and metastasis of 786-O cells by blocking the mTOR pathway.