Antiangiogenic and antitumor potential of berbamine, a natural CaMKIIγ inhibitor, against glioblastoma

Targeting glioma with heteroaromatic alkaloids: A review of potential therapeutics

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), classified as a grade IV astrocytoma, is the most aggressive and deadly form of glioma, characterized by rapid progression, extensive genetic heterogeneity, and resistance to conventional therapies. Despite advancements in surgical techniques, radiation therapy, and the frontline chemotherapeutic agent temozolomide, the prognosis for GBM patients remains poor, with a median survival of 15 months and a 5-year survival rate of approximately 7 %. The absence of effective long-term treatments underscores the urgent, unmet clinical need for novel therapeutic strategies to improve patient outcomes. Natural products, particularly alkaloids, have garnered attention as a rich source of bioactive compounds with diverse pharmacological properties. Alkaloids, a structurally diverse group of natural products, are renowned for their chemotherapeutic properties and ability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), making them promising candidates for glioma therapy. This review systematically examines all reported heteroaromatic alkaloids with documented anti-glioma activities, highlighting their mechanisms of action where available. By providing a comprehensive resource, it aims to facilitate the identification and optimisation of alkaloid-based compounds for glioma-targeted drug discovery. Additionally, this review emphasizes the importance of incorporating natural products into the drug development pipeline to address the pressing challenges associated with glioma, particularly GBM treatment.

A Comprehensive Appraisal of Bisbenzylisoquinoline Alkaloids Isolated From Genus Cyclea for Anticancer Potential

The pharmaceutical industry and academia are continuously searching for novel and effective anticancer lead compounds to ensure patient safety, provide a cure, and surpass all other obstacles. Given the indeterminate nature of cancer etiology, the importance of drugs capable of targeting multiple pathways cannot be overstated. Among naturally occurring compounds, bisbenzylisoquinoline (BBIQ) alkaloids, such as berberine, tetrandrine, chelidonine, and berbamine, have demonstrated significant anticancer potential by modulating diverse signaling pathways. Several of these compounds are currently in clinical trials, highlighting their relevance in cancer treatment. This review emphasizes the need for further investigation into the anticancer properties of BBIQ alkaloids, particularly those isolated from eight Cyclea species in India. With around 27 BBIQ alkaloids identified, these compounds hold promise, especially in combating multidrug resistance-a critical challenge in cancer therapy. Given the rising cancer incidence, these alkaloids warrant a deeper exploration of their therapeutic potential.

Bibliometric study of the application of the chicken embryo chorioallantoic membrane model in cancer research: the top 100 most cited articles

The chicken embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model has played a crucial role in various aspects of cancer research. The purpose of this study is to help researchers clarify the research direction and prospects of the CAM model. A bibliometric analysis was conducted on the top 100 most cited articles on use of the CAM model in tumour research, retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database. Tools such as Bibliometrix, VOSviewer, CiteSpace and Excel were utilized for the visualization network analysis. The 100 articles analysed were mainly from the USA, China and European countries such as Germany and France. Tumour research involving CAM model experiments demonstrated reliability and scientific rigor (average citation count = 156.2). The analysis of keywords, topics and subject areas revealed that the applications of this model ranged from the biological characteristics of tumours to molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways, to recent developments in nanotechnology and clinical applications. Additionally, nude mouse experiments have been more frequently performed in recent years. We conclude that the CAM model is efficient, simple and cost-effective, and has irreplaceable value in various aspects of cancer research. In the future, the CAM model can further contribute to nanotechnology research.

Modulation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 signaling pathways in cancer angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis by natural compounds: a comprehensive and critical review

Tumor cells employ multiple signaling mediators to escape the hypoxic condition and trigger angiogenesis and metastasis. As a critical orchestrate of tumorigenic conditions, hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) is responsible for stimulating several target genes and dysregulated pathways in tumor invasion and migration. Therefore, targeting HIF-1 pathway and cross-talked mediators seems to be a novel strategy in cancer prevention and treatment. In recent decades, tremendous efforts have been made to develop multi-targeted therapies to modulate several dysregulated pathways in cancer angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis. In this line, natural compounds have shown a bright future in combating angiogenic and metastatic conditions. Among the natural secondary metabolites, we have evaluated the critical potential of phenolic compounds, terpenes/terpenoids, alkaloids, sulfur compounds, marine- and microbe-derived agents in the attenuation of HIF-1, and interconnected pathways in fighting tumor-associated angiogenesis and invasion. This is the first comprehensive review on natural constituents as potential regulators of HIF-1 and interconnected pathways against cancer angiogenesis and metastasis. This review aims to reshape the previous strategies in cancer prevention and treatment.

In vivo antiangiogenic effect of nimbolide, trans-chalcone and piperine for use against glioblastoma

BACKGROUND

Angiogenesis is an important hallmark of Glioblastoma (GBM) marked by elevated vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) and its receptor 2 (VEGFR-2). As previously reported nimbolide (NBL), trans-chalcone (TC) and piperine (PPR) possess promising antiangiogenic activity in several cancers however, their comparative efficacy and mechanism of antiangiogenic activity in GBM against VEGFR-2 has not been elucidated.

METHODS

2D and 3D spheroids cultures of U87 (Uppsala 87 Malignant Glioma) were used for evaluation of non-cytotxoic dose for anti-angiogenic activity. The antiangiogenic effect was investigated by the GBM U87 cell line bearing chick CAM model. Excised U87 xenografts were histologically examined for blood vascular density by histochemistry. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the presence of avian and human VEGF-A and VEGFR-2 mRNA transcripts.

RESULTS

Using 2D and 3D spheroid models, the non-cytotoxic dose of NBL, TC and PPR was ≤ 11 µM. We found NBL, TC and PPR inhibit U87-induced neoangiogenesis in a dose-dependent manner in the CAM stand-alone model as well as in CAM U87 xenograft model. The results also indicate that these natural compounds inhibit the expression of notable angiogenic factors, VEGF-A and VEGFR-2. A positive correlation was found between blood vascular density and VEGF-A as well as VEGFR-2 transcripts.

CONCLUSION

Taken together, NBL, TC and PPR can suppress U87-induced neoangiogenesis via a reduction in VEGF-A and its receptor VEGFR-2 transcript expression at noncytotoxic concentrations. These phytochemicals showed their utility as adjuvants to GBM therapy, with Piperine demonstrating superior effectiveness among them all.

Synergistic Anticancer Effect of a Combination of Berbamine and Arcyriaflavin A against Glioblastoma Stem-like Cells

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive form of brain tumor. Relapse is frequent and rapid due to glioblastoma stem-like cells (GSCs) that induce tumor initiation, drug resistance, high cancer invasion, immune evasion, and recurrence. Therefore, suppression of GSCs is a powerful therapeutic approach for GBM treatment. Natural compounds berbamine and arcyriaflavin A (ArcA) are known to possess anticancer activity by targeting calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II gamma (CaMKIIγ) and cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4), respectively. In this study, we evaluated the effects of concurrent treatment with both compounds on GSCs. Combined treatment with berbamine and ArcA synergistically inhibited cell viability and tumorsphere formation in U87MG- and C6-drived GSCs. Furthermore, simultaneous administration of both compounds potently inhibited tumor growth in a U87MG GSC-grafted chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model. Notably, the synergistic anticancer effect of berbamine and ArcA on GSC growth is associated with the promotion of reactive oxygen species (ROS)- and calcium-dependent apoptosis via strong activation of the p53-mediated caspase cascade. Moreover, co-treatment with both compounds significantly reduced the expression levels of key GSC markers, including CD133, integrin α6, aldehyde dehydrogenase 1A1 (ALDH1A1), Nanog, Sox2, and Oct4. The combined effect of berbamine and ArcA on GSC growth also resulted in downregulation of cell cycle regulatory proteins, such as cyclins and CDKs, by potent inactivation of the CaMKIIγ-mediated STAT3/AKT/ERK1/2 signaling pathway. In addition, a genetic knockdown study using small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) targeting either CaMKIIγ or CDK4 demonstrated that the synergistic anticancer effect of the two compounds on GSCs resulted from dual inhibition of CaMKIIγ and CDK4. Collectively, our findings suggest that a novel combination therapy involving berbamine and ArcA could effectively eradicate GSCs.

Prominent Effects of Berbamine Hydrochloride on Alzheimer’s Disease Model Mice

Very few anti-Alzheimer’s disease (AD) drugs are clinically available at present due to the complex mechanism of Alzheimer’s disease. For the purpose of discovering potential anti-AD drugs in bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids, the anti-AD function and the mechanism of the function of berbamine hydrochloride (BBMH) were studied. Three kinds of AD model mice, double transgenic APP/PS1 AD mice, Gal-Alu AD mice induced by the intraperitoneal injection of d-galactose combined with the intragastric administration of aluminum trichloride, and Alu AD-like mice induced by stereotactic brain injection of aluminum trichloride, were administered with BBMH for 40 days at a dosage of 280 mg/kg/d. The effects of BBMH on the learning and memory behavior of the AD mice were studied through the Morris water maze experiment, and the influences of BBMH on the pathological features of AD, including the deposition of Aβ, the lesions of pyramidal cells (neurons), and the formation of neurofibrillary tangles, were studied by the immunohistochemical staining, hematoxylin-eosin staining, and silver staining of the brain tissues of the mice. The water maze experiment showed that BBMH could significantly improve the learning and memory abilities of three kinds of treated mice. Immunohistochemical staining showed that BBMH could significantly reduce the deposition of Aβ in the brain tissues of treated mice. Hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that BBMH could significantly alleviate the lesions of pyramidal cells in the hippocampal tissue of the mice. Silver staining showed that BBMH could significantly reduce the formation of neurofibrillary tangles in the hippocampal tissue of the mice. These results indicated that BBMH has significant anti-AD effects and the potential as an anti-AD drug. Western blot analysis of the brain tissue of the mice showed that the expression level of calpain, a Ca²⁺-dependent proteolytic enzyme, was significantly inhibited and the expression level of SelK, a selenoprotein mainly expressed in immune cells, was significantly increased. It is speculated that the anti-AD effect of BBMH is related to the improvement of the phagocytosis of microglial cells in brain tissues and macrophages migrated into the brain as well as the regulation of calcium homeostasis and calcium-dependent proteases in the brain tissues of the mice.

Recent advances in the therapeutic strategies of glioblastoma multiforme

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the most common, most formidable, and deadliest malignant types of primary astrocytoma with a poor prognosis. At present, the standard of care includes surgical tumor resection, followed by radiation therapy concomitant with chemotherapy and temozolomide. New developments and significant advances in the treatment of GBM have been achieved in recent decades. However, despite the advances, recurrence is often inevitable, and the survival of patients remains low. Various factors contribute to the difficulty in identifying an effective therapeutic option, among which are tumor complexity, the presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), and the presence of GBM cancer stem cells, prompting the need for improving existing treatment approaches and investigating new treatment alternatives for ameliorating the treatment strategies of GBM. In this review, we outline some of the most recent literature on the various available treatment options such as surgery, radiotherapy, cytotoxic chemotherapy, gene therapy, immunotherapy, phototherapy, nanotherapy, and tumor treating fields in the treatment of GBM, and we list some of the potential future directions of GBM. The reviewed studies confirm that GBM is a sophisticated disease with several challenges for scientists to address. Hence, more studies and a multimodal therapeutic approach are crucial to yield an effective cure and prolong the survival of GBM patients.

Regulation of Cell-Signaling Pathways by Berbamine in Different Cancers

Natural product research is a cornerstone of the architectural framework of clinical medicine. Berbamine is a natural, potent, pharmacologically active biomolecule isolated from Berberis amurensis. Berbamine has been shown to modulate different oncogenic cell-signaling pathways in different cancers. In this review, we comprehensively analyze how berbamine modulates deregulated pathways (JAK/STAT, CAMKII/c-Myc) in various cancers. We systematically analyze how berbamine induces activation of the TGF/SMAD pathway for the effective inhibition of cancer progression. We also summarize different nanotechnological strategies currently being used for proficient delivery of berbamine to the target sites. Berbamine has also been reported to demonstrate potent anti-cancer and anti-metastatic effects in tumor-bearing mice. The regulation of non-coding RNAs by berbamine is insufficiently studied, and future studies must converge on the identification of target non-coding RNAs. A better understanding of the regulatory role of berbamine in the modulation of non-coding RNAs and cell-signaling pathways will be advantageous in the effective translation of laboratory findings to clinically effective therapeutics.