Deguelin targets multiple oncogenic signaling pathways to combat human malignancies

Constructing a Prognostic Model for Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Risk Based on Genes Characterising the Differentiation of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells

Cancer is the most common malignancy, with over 2 million new cases and nearly 1.8 million deaths worldwide annually. Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the predominant subtype, accounting for the majority of cases. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), which originate from monocytes and typically differentiate into macrophages and granulocytes, possess potent immunosuppressive capabilities. MDSCs regulate immune responses in various pathological conditions and are strongly associated with poor prognosis in cancer patients. This study aims to elucidate the complex interplay between MDSCs, immune cells, and tumours in the NSCLC tumour microenvironment (TME). By integrating single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data with bulk RNA sequencing (Bulk RNA-seq) data, we identified MDSCs as the target cell population and used Monocle software (v2.22.0) to infer their developmental trajectories. We identified key genes associated with MDSCs differentiation processes and classified MDSCs into seven distinct states based on their functional roles. Furthermore, we constructed a prognostic risk model based on the impact of MDSCs differentiation on NSCLC prognosis, utilizing Elastic Net regression and multivariate Cox regression analysis of Bulk RNA-seq data. The model's performance and accuracy were validated using both internal and external validation sets. Additionally, we compared risk scores with clinical pathological features and the relationship between risk scores and key immune cells in the immune microenvironment, demonstrating the model's clinical predictive value. We also explored how prognostic genes contribute to poor prognosis in NSCLC. Moreover, small molecule compounds targeting these prognostic genes were screened, and their anti-tumour effects were evaluated as potential therapeutic strategies for NSCLC treatment. This study not only reveals the complex regulatory mechanisms of MDSCs in the NSCLC immune microenvironment but also successfully constructs a prognostic risk model based on MDSCs differentiation states. The model demonstrates excellent clinical performance in predicting patient prognosis, effectively identifying high-risk patients and providing robust support for individualized treatment and immunotherapy decisions. Through association analyses with key immune cells in the immune microenvironment and clinical pathological features, our model can assist clinicians in formulating more precise treatment plans based on patients' immune status and tumour characteristics. Furthermore, we identified small molecule compounds targeting these prognostic genes, providing novel and promising therapeutic targets for NSCLC, which could further enhance treatment efficacy and improve patients' survival quality.

Phytochemicals for the prevention and treatment of pancreatic cancer: Current progress and future prospects

Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, owing to its aggressive nature and suboptimal treatment options, emphasizing the need for novel therapeutic approaches. Emerging studies have exhibited promising results regarding the therapeutic utility of plant-derived compounds (phytochemicals) in pancreatic cancer. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the potential of phytochemicals in the treatment and prevention of pancreatic cancer. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses was applied to collect articles for this review. Scholarly databases, including PubMed, Scopus and ScienceDirect, were queried for relevant studies using the following keywords: phytochemicals, phenolics, terpenoids, alkaloids, sulfur-containing compounds, in vitro, in vivo, clinical studies, pancreatic cancer, tumour, treatment and prevention. Aggregate results pooled from qualified studies indicate phytochemicals can inhibit pancreatic cancer cell growth or decrease tumour size and volume in animal models. These effects have been attributed to various mechanisms, such as increasing proapoptotic factors, decreasing antiapoptotic factors, or inducing cell death and cell cycle arrest. Notable signalling pathways modulated by phytochemicals include the rat sarcoma/mitogen activated protein kinase, wingless-related integration site/β-catenin and phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin signal transduction pathways. Clinically, phytochemicals have been found to increase survival while being well-tolerated and safe, though research is scarce. While these promising results have produced great interest in this field, further in-depth studies are required to characterize the anticancer activities of phytochemicals before they can be utilized to prevent or treat pancreatic cancer in clinical practice. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed issue Natural Products and Cancer: From Drug Discovery to Prevention and Therapy. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v182.10/issuetoc.

Small molecule inhibitors targeting heat shock protein 90: An updated review

As a molecular chaperone, heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) plays important roles in the folding, stabilization, activation, and degradation of over 500 client proteins, and is extensively involved in cell signaling, proliferation, and survival. Thus, it has emerged as an important target in a variety of diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and viral infections. Therefore, targeted inhibition of HSP90 provides a valuable and promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of HSP90-related diseases. This review aims to systematically summarize the progress of research on HSP90 inhibitors in the last five years, focusing on their structural features, design strategies, and biological activities. It will refer to the natural products and their derivatives (including novobiocin derivatives, deguelin derivatives, quinone derivatives, and terpenoid derivatives), and to synthetic small molecules (including resorcinol derivatives, pyrazoles derivatives, triazole derivatives, pyrimidine derivatives, benzamide derivatives, benzothiazole derivatives, and benzofuran derivatives). In addition, the major HSP90 small-molecule inhibitors that have moved into clinical trials to date are also presented here.

Deguelin Restores Paclitaxel Sensitivity in Paclitaxel-Resistant Ovarian Cancer Cells via Inhibition of the EGFR Signaling Pathway

Background

Ovarian cancer is one of women's malignancies with the highest mortality among gynecological cancers. Paclitaxel is used in first-line ovarian cancer chemotherapy. Research on paclitaxel-resistant ovarian cancer holds significant clinical importance.

Methods

Cell viability and flow cytometric assays were conducted at different time and concentration points of deguelin and paclitaxel treatment. Immunoblotting was performed to assess the activation status of key signaling molecules important for cell survival and proliferation following treatment with deguelin and paclitaxel. The fluo-3 acetoxymethyl assay for P-glycoprotein transport activity assay and cell viability assay in the presence of N-acetyl-L-cysteine were also conducted.

Results

Cell viability and flow cytometric assays demonstrated that deguelin resensitized paclitaxel in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Cotreatment with deguelin and paclitaxel inhibited EGFR and its downstream signaling molecules, including AKT, ERK, STAT3, and p38 MAPK, in SKOV3-TR cells. Interestingly, cotreatment with deguelin and paclitaxel suppressed the expression level of EGFR via the lysosomal degradation pathway. Cotreatment did not affect the expression and function of P-glycoprotein. N-acetyl-L-cysteine failed to restore cell cytotoxicity when used in combination with deguelin and paclitaxel in SKOV3-TR cells. The expression of BCL-2, MCL-1, and the phosphorylation of the S155 residue of BAD were downregulated. Moreover, inhibition of paclitaxel resistance by deguelin was also observed in HeyA8-MDR cells.

Conclusion

Our research showed that deguelin effectively suppresses paclitaxel resistance in SKOV3-TR ovarian cancer cells by downregulating the EGFR and its downstream signaling pathway and modulating the BCL-2 family proteins. Furthermore, deguelin exhibits inhibitory effects on paclitaxel resistance in HeyA8-MDR ovarian cancer cells, suggesting a potential mechanism for paclitaxel resensitization that may not be cell-specific. These findings suggest that deguelin holds promise as an anticancer therapeutic agent for overcoming chemoresistance in ovarian cancer.

Targeting FBXO22 enhances radiosensitivity in non-small cell lung cancer by inhibiting the FOXM1/Rad51 axis

Radioresistance is a major constraint on the efficacy of lung cancer radiotherapy, but its mechanism has not been fully elucidated. Here, we found that FBXO22 was aberrantly highly expressed in lung cancer and that FBXO22 knockdown increased the radiosensitivity of lung cancer cells. Mechanistically, FBXO22 promoted Rad51 gene transcription by increasing the level of FOXM1 at the Rad51 promoter, thereby inducing the formation of lung cancer radioresistance. Furthermore, we found that deguelin, a potential inhibitor of FBXO22, enhanced radiosensitivity in an FBXO22/Rad51-dependent manner and was safely tolerated in vivo. Collectively, our results illustrate that FBXO22 induces lung cancer radioresistance by activating the FOXM1/Rad51 axis and provide preclinical evidence for the clinical translation of this critical target.

Phytochemicals targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) for the prevention and treatment of HNSCC: A review

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) develops from the mucosal epithelium of the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx, and is the most common malignancy of the head and neck, the incidence of which continues to rise. The epidermal growth factor receptor is thought to play a key role in the pathogenesis of HNSCC. Inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor has been identified as an effective target for the treatment of HNSCC. Many phytochemicals have emerged as potential new drugs for the treatment of HNSCC. A systematic search was conducted for research articles published in PubMed, and Medline on relevant aspects. This review provides an overview of the available literature and reports highlighting the in vitro effects of phytochemicals on epidermal growth factor in various HNSCC cell models and in vivo in animal models and emphasizes the importance of epidermal growth factor as a current therapeutic target for HNSCC. Based on our review, we conclude that phytochemicals targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor are potentially effective candidates for the development of new drugs for the treatment of HNSCC. It provides an idea for further development and application of herbal medicines for cancer treatment.

The natural flavonoid compound deguelin suppresses sperm (Sus Scrofa) functions through abnormal activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway

Deguelin is a natural flavonoid extracted from plants belonging to the Lonchocarpus, Derris, or Tephrosia genera. It inhibits AKT activity in tumors and has the potential to be used as a treatment for malignant tumors. However, the risks associated with the use of deguelin on male fertility have not yet been explained in detail. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effects of deguelin on sperm functions during capacitation. First, boar spermatozoa were exposed to different concentrations of deguelin (0.1, 1, 10, 50, and 100 μM). Next, sperm functional assessments, such as sperm motility, capacitation status, intracellular ATP level, and cell viability, were performed. The expression levels of PI3K/AKT-related proteins and the phosphorylation of their tyrosine residues were also evaluated by western blotting. No significant difference was observed in cell viability; however, deguelin considerably decreased sperm motility and motion kinematics in a dose-dependent manner. Although no significant difference was observed in the capacitation status, acrosome reaction decreased at high concentrations of deguelin (50 and 100 μM). Furthermore, intracellular ATP levels were significantly decreased in all deguelin treatment groups compared with those in the control group. Results of western blotting revealed that deguelin substantially diminished tyrosine phosphorylation. Interestingly, in contrast to previous studies showing that deguelin inhibits AKT activity, our results showed that it increased the expression of PI3K/AKT pathway-related proteins. Collectively, these findings indicate that deguelin exerts negative effects on sperm functions due to abnormal PI3K/AKT signaling activation. We believe that this is the first study to provide evidence that deguelin can regulate sperm functions independent of PI3K/AKT pathway inhibition. Furthermore, its detrimental effects on male fertility should be considered while developing or using deguelin as a therapeutic agent.

Withaferin A: A Pleiotropic Anticancer Agent from the Indian Medicinal Plant Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal

Cancer represents the second most deadly disease and one of the most important public health concerns worldwide. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immune therapy are the major types of treatment strategies that have been implemented in cancer treatment. Unfortunately, these treatment options suffer from major limitations, such as drug-resistance and adverse effects, which may eventually result in disease recurrence. Many phytochemicals have been investigated for their antitumor efficacy in preclinical models and clinical studies to discover newer therapeutic agents with fewer adverse effects. Withaferin A, a natural bioactive molecule isolated from the Indian medicinal plant Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal, has been reported to impart anticancer activities against various cancer cell lines and preclinical cancer models by modulating the expression and activity of different oncogenic proteins. In this article, we have comprehensively discussed the biosynthesis of withaferin A as well as its antineoplastic activities and mode-of-action in in vitro and in vivo settings. We have also reviewed the effect of withaferin A on the expression of miRNAs, its combinational effect with other cytotoxic agents, withaferin A-based formulations, safety and toxicity profiles, and its clinical potential.

Biological impact and therapeutic perspective of targeting PI3K/Akt signaling in hepatocellular carcinoma: Promises and Challenges

Cancer progression results from activation of various signaling networks. Among these, PI3K/Akt signaling contributes to proliferation, invasion, and inhibition of apoptosis. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a primary liver cancer with high incidence rate, especially in regions with high prevalence of viral hepatitis infection. Autoimmune disorders, diabetes mellitus, obesity, alcohol consumption, and inflammation can also lead to initiation and development of HCC. The treatment of HCC depends on the identification of oncogenic factors that lead tumor cells to develop resistance to therapy. The present review article focuses on the role of PI3K/Akt signaling in HCC progression. Activation of PI3K/Akt signaling promotes glucose uptake, favors glycolysis and increases tumor cell proliferation. It inhibits both apoptosis and autophagy while promoting HCC cell survival. PI3K/Akt stimulates epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and increases matrix-metalloproteinase (MMP) expression during HCC metastasis. In addition to increasing colony formation capacity and facilitating the spread of tumor cells, PI3K/Akt signaling stimulates angiogenesis. Therefore, silencing PI3K/Akt signaling prevents aggressive HCC cell behavior. Activation of PI3K/Akt signaling can confer drug resistance, particularly to sorafenib, and decreases the radio-sensitivity of HCC cells. Anti-cancer agents, like phytochemicals and small molecules can suppress PI3K/Akt signaling by limiting HCC progression. Being upregulated in tumor tissues and clinical samples, PI3K/Akt can also be used as a biomarker to predict patients' response to therapy.

Nontargeted metabolomics study and pharmacodynamic evaluation of bidirectional fermentation for Ganoderma lucidum with Marsdenia tenacissima

Lung cancer is one of the malignant tumors with the fastest incidence rate and mortality growth and the greatest threat to human health and life. Marsdenia tenacissima is an antitumor of Chinese medicine. However, Marsdenia tenacissima has low bioavailability in the human body and most of its main active substances are aglycones, such as Tenacigenin A, Tenacigenin B. This study aims to produce biotransformation products rich in pungent saponins by using Marsdenia tenacissima as a fermentation medium of Ganoderma lucidum. Non-targeted metabolomics analysis was carried out on the fermentation products after the optimization process. A total of 249 differential metabolites were detected, and the content of saponins increased from 0.1% to 0.41% and most of them were tenacigenin. Furthermore, the biotransformation of C₂₁ steroidal glycosides in Marsdenia tenacissima was the central reaction in this fermentation process. Pharmacodynamics resewed that the anticancer effect of Marsdenia tenacissima was significantly enhanced after fermentation, mainly through inhibiting the growth and apoptosis of cancer cells.

Anticancer effects of natural phytochemicals in anaplastic thyroid cancer (Review)

Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is an aggressive and lethal malignancy having a dismal prognosis. Phytochemicals are bioactive components obtained from plants that have been proven useful to treat numerous diseases. Phytochemicals are also an important source of novel anticancer drugs and an important area of research due to the numerous available candidates that can potentially treat cancers. This review discusses naturally occurring phytochemicals and their derivatives that show promising anticancer effects in anaplastic thyroid cancer. Anticancer effects include cell growth inhibition, induction of apoptosis, promoting cell cycle arrest, suppressing angiogenesis, modulating autophagy, and increasing the production of reactive oxygen species. Phytochemicals are not only prospective candidates in the therapy of anaplastic thyroid cancer but also exhibit potential as adjuvants to improve the anticancer effects of other drugs. Although some phytochemicals have excellent anticancer properties, drug resistance observed during the use of resveratrol and artemisinin in different anaplastic thyroid cancer cell lines is still a problem. Anaplastic thyroid cancer cells have several biological, clinical, and drug-resistance features that differ from differentiated thyroid cancer cells. Phytochemicals such as resveratrol and quercetin exhibit different biological effects in anaplastic thyroid cancer and differentiated thyroid cancer. Tumor cells depend on increased aerobic glycolysis by mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation to provide energy for their rapid growth, invasiveness, and drug resistance. Phytochemicals can alter signaling cascades, modulate the metabolic properties of cancer cells, and influence the mitochondrial membrane potential of anaplastic thyroid cancer cells. These findings enrich our knowledge of the anticancer effects of phytochemicals and highlight alternative therapies to prevent drug resistance in anaplastic thyroid cancer.

Deguelin Attenuates Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Cell Metastasis by Upregulating PTEN/KLF4/EMT Signaling Pathway

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common lung cancer and a major cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Deguelin plays a vital inhibitory role in NSCLC initiation and development. However, the downstream mechanism of deguelin-suppressed metastasis of NSCLC cells is still not completely understood. Interestingly, phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) and Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) also contribute to inhibition of metastasis in NSCLC cells. Here, we demonstrated that deguelin significantly upregulated PTEN and KLF4 expressions and PTEN positively upregulated KLF4 expression in NSCLC cells including A549 and PC9 cells. Moreover, overexpressions of PTEN and KLF4 inhibited the migration and invasion of NSCLC cells, an effect similar to that of deguelin. Furthermore, overexpressions of PTEN and KLF4 could suppress the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), an effect also similar to that of deguelin. Additionally, deguelin displayed a significant antitumor ability by upregulating PTEN and KLF4 expressions in mice model with NSCLC cells. Together, these results indicated that deguelin could be a potential therapeutic agent through upregulating PTEN and KLF4 expressions for NSCLC therapy.

Variation in Rotenone and Deguelin Contents among Strains across Four Tephrosia Species and Their Activities against Aphids and Whiteflies

Botanical pesticides have received increasing attention for sustainable control of insect pests. Plants from the genus Tephrosia are known to produce rotenone and deguelin. Rotenone is known to possess insecticidal activities against a wide range of pests, but deguelin’s activities remain largely inconclusive. On the other hand, the biosynthesis of rotenone and deguelin may vary in Tephrosia species. This study analyzed the rotenone and deguelin contents in 13 strains across 4 Tephrosia species over 4 growing seasons using HPLC. Our study shows that the species and even the strains within a species vary substantially in the biosynthesis of rotenone and deguelin, and their contents can be affected by the growing season. After identification of the LC₅₀ values of chemical rotenone and deguelin against Aphis gossypii (Glover) and Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), leaf extracts derived from the 13 strains were used to test their insecticidal activities against the 2 pests. The results showed that the extracts derived from 2 strains of T. vogelii had the highest insecticidal activity, resulting in 100% mortality of A. gossypii and greater than 90% mortality of B. tabaci. The higher mortalities were closely associated with the higher contents of rotenone and deguelin in the two strains, indicating that deguelin also possesses insecticidal activities. This is the first documentation of leaf extracts derived from 13 Tephrosia strains against 2 important pests of A. gossypii and B. tabaci. The strain variation and seasonal influence on the rotenone and deguelin contents call for careful attention in selecting appropriate strains and seasons to produce leaf extracts for the control of insect pests.

Pharmacological basis and new insights of deguelin concerning its anticancer effects

Deguelin is a rotenoid of the flavonoid family, which can be extracted from Lonchocarpus, Derris, or Tephrosia. It possesses the inhibition of cancer cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis through regulating the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) signaling pathway, the NF-κB signaling pathway, the Wnt signaling pathway, the adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling, activating the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, repression of Bmi1, targeting cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), targeting galectin-1, promotion of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β)/FBW7-mediated Mcl-1 destabilization and targeting mitochondria via down-regulating Hexokinases II-mediated glycolysis, PUMA-mediation, which are some crucial molecules which modulate closely cancer cell growth and metastasis. Deguelin inhibits tumor cell propagation and malignant transformation through targeting angiogenesis, targeting lymphangiogenesis, targeting focal adhesion kinase (FAK), inhibiting the CtsZ/FAK signaling pathway, targeting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), the NF-κB signaling pathway, regulating NIMA-related kinase 2 (NEK2). In addition, deguelin possesses other biological activities, such as targeting cell cycle arrest, modulation of autophagy, inhibition of hedgehog pathway, inducing differentiation of mutated NPM1 acute myeloid leukemia etc. Therefore, deguelin is a promising chemopreventive agent for cancer therapy.

Novel B, C-ring truncated deguelin derivatives reveals as potential inhibitors of cyclin D1 and cyclin E using molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulation

The overexpression of cyclin D1 and cyclin E due to their oncogenic potential and amplification has been associated with a higher mortality rate in many cancers. The deguelin is a natural compound, has shown promising anti-cancer activity by directly binding cyclin D1 and cyclin E and thus suppressing its function. The C7a atomic position of deguelin structure contains a proton that generates stabilized radical, as a result, decomposed deguelin reduces its structural stability and significantly decreases its biological activity. To design deguelin derivatives with the reduced potential side effect, series of B, C-ring truncated derivatives were investigated as cyclin D1 and cyclin E inhibitors. R-group-based enumeration was implemented in the deguelin scaffold using the R-group enumeration module of Schrödinger. Drug-Like filters like, REOS and PAINs series were applied to the enumerated compound library to remove compounds containing reactive functional groups. Further, screened compounds were docked within the ligand-binding cavity of cyclin D1 and cyclin E crystal structure, using Glide SP and XP protocol to obtain docking poses. Enrichment calculations were done using SchrÖdinger software, with 1000 decoy compounds (from DUD.E database) and 60 compounds (XP best poses) along with deguelin, to validate the docking protocol. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve indicates R² = 0.94 for cyclin D1 and R² = 0.79 for cyclin E, suggesting that the docking protocol is valid. Besides, we explored molecular dynamics simulation to probe the binding stability of deguelin and its derivatives within the binding cavity of cyclin D1 and cyclin E structures which are associated with the cyclin D1 and cyclin E inhibitory mechanism.

Natural Products, Alone or in Combination with FDA-Approved Drugs, to Treat COVID-19 and Lung Cancer

As a public health emergency of international concern, the highly contagious coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been identified as a severe threat to the lives of billions of individuals. Lung cancer, a malignant tumor with the highest mortality rate, has brought significant challenges to both human health and economic development. Natural products may play a pivotal role in treating lung diseases. We reviewed published studies relating to natural products, used alone or in combination with US Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs, active against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and lung cancer from 1 January 2020 to 31 May 2021. A wide range of natural products can be considered promising anti-COVID-19 or anti-lung cancer agents have gained widespread attention, including natural products as monotherapy for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 (ginkgolic acid, shiraiachrome A, resveratrol, and baicalein) or lung cancer (daurisoline, graveospene A, deguelin, and erianin) or in combination with FDA-approved anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents (cepharanthine plus nelfinavir, linoleic acid plus remdesivir) and anti-lung cancer agents (curcumin and cisplatin, celastrol and gefitinib). Natural products have demonstrated potential value and with the assistance of nanotechnology, combination drug therapies, and the codrug strategy, this "natural remedy" could serve as a starting point for further drug development in treating these lung diseases.

Interplay between SOX9 transcription factor and microRNAs in cancer

SOX transcription factors are critical regulators of development, homeostasis and disease progression and their dysregulation is a common finding in various cancers. SOX9 belongs to SOXE family located on chromosome 17. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) possess the capacity of regulating different transcription factors in cancer cells by binding to 3'-UTR. Since miRNAs can affect differentiation, migration, proliferation and other physiological mechanisms, disturbances in their expression have been associated with cancer development. In this review, we evaluate the relationship between miRNAs and SOX9 in different cancers to reveal how this interaction can affect proliferation, metastasis and therapy response of cancer cells. The tumor-suppressor miRNAs can decrease the expression of SOX9 by binding to the 3'-UTR of mRNAs. Furthermore, the expression of downstream targets of SOX9, such as c-Myc, Wnt, PI3K/Akt can be affected by miRNAs. It is noteworthy that other non-coding RNAs including lncRNAs and circRNAs regulate miRNA/SOX9 expression to promote/inhibit cancer progression and malignancy. The pre-clinical findings can be applied as biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis of cancer patients.

Zebrafish as a Useful Model to Study Oxidative Stress-Linked Disorders: Focus on Flavonoids

The zebrafish is considered one of the most versatile experimental animal models. The transparency of the embryos, the small size, the rapid development and the homology with higher vertebrates have made the zebrafish a valuable model also for drug screening. Its use is closely related for the determination of bioactivity, toxicity and off-target side effects of novel drug candidates, which also allows a thorough evaluation of new targets; thus, it may represent a suitable model for drug screening and the optimization of novel candidates. Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds widely present in fruits, vegetables and cereals. Polyphenols are important for both plants and humans, considering their involvement in defense mechanisms, particularly against oxidative stress. They protect plants from biotic and abiotic stressors and prevent or treat oxidative-based human diseases. For these reasons, polyphenols are used as nutraceuticals, functional foods and supplements by the pharmaceutical industry. Therefore, the most relevant findings on zebrafish as a useful experimental model to study oxidative stress-linked disorders, focusing on the biological activities of flavonoids, are here summarized and reviewed.