Saucerneol attenuates nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells proliferation and metastasis through selectively targeting Grp94

Heat shock proteins as hallmarks of cancer: insights from molecular mechanisms to therapeutic strategies

Heat shock proteins are essential molecular chaperones that play crucial roles in stabilizing protein structures, facilitating the repair or degradation of damaged proteins, and maintaining proteostasis and cellular functions. Extensive research has demonstrated that heat shock proteins are highly expressed in cancers and closely associated with tumorigenesis and progression. The "Hallmarks of Cancer" are the core features of cancer biology that collectively define a series of functional characteristics acquired by cells as they transition from a normal state to a state of tumor growth, including sustained proliferative signaling, evasion of growth suppressors, resistance to cell death, enabled replicative immortality, the induction of angiogenesis, and the activation of invasion and metastasis. The pivotal roles of heat shock proteins in modulating the hallmarks of cancer through the activation or inhibition of various signaling pathways has been well documented. Therefore, this review provides an overview of the roles of heat shock proteins in vital biological processes from the perspective of the hallmarks of cancer and summarizes the small-molecule inhibitors that target heat shock proteins to regulate various cancer hallmarks. Moreover, we further discuss combination therapy strategies involving heat shock proteins and promising dual-target inhibitors to highlight the potential of targeting heat shock proteins for cancer treatment. In summary, this review highlights how targeting heat shock proteins could regulate the hallmarks of cancer, which will provide valuable information to better elucidate and understand the roles of heat shock proteins in oncology and the mechanisms of cancer occurrence and development and aid in the development of more efficacious and less toxic novel anticancer agents.

Network pharmacology, molecular docking and experimental study of CEP in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The Stephania cephalantha Hayata is an important traditional medicinal plant widely used in traditional medicine to treat cancer. Cepharanthine (CEP) was extracted from the roots of Stephania cephalantha Hayata. It has been found to exhibit anticancer activity in different types of cancer cells. Nevertheless, the activity of CEP against nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and its underlying mechanism warrant further investigation.

AIMS OF THE STUDY

NPC is an invasive and highly metastatic malignancy that affects the head and neck region. This research aimed to investigate the pharmacological properties and underlying mechanism of CEP against NPC, aiming to offer novel perspectives on treating NPC using CEP.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In vitro, the pharmacological activity of CEP against NPC was evaluated using the CCK-8 assay. To predict and elucidate the anticancer mechanism of CEP against NPC, we employed network pharmacology, conducted molecular docking analysis, and performed Western blot experiments. In vivo validation was performed through a nude mice xenograft model of human NPC, Western blot and immunohistochemical (IHC) assays to confirm pharmacological activity and the mechanism.

RESULTS

In a dose-dependent manner, the proliferation and clonogenic capacity of NPC cells were significantly inhibited by CEP. Additionally, NPC cell migration was suppressed by CEP. The results obtained from network pharmacology experiments revealed that anti-NPC effect of CEP was associated with 8 core targets, including EGFR, AKT1, PIK3CA, and mTOR. By performing molecular docking, the binding capacity of CEP to the candidate core proteins (EGFR, AKT1, PIK3CA, and mTOR) was predicted, resulting in docking energies of -10.0 kcal/mol for EGFR, -12.4 kcal/mol for PIK3CA, -10.8 kcal/mol for AKT1, and -8.6 kcal/mol for mTOR. The Western blot analysis showed that CEP effectively suppressed the expression of EGFR and the phosphorylation levels of downstream signaling proteins, including PI3K, AKT, mTOR, and ERK. After CEP intervention, a noteworthy decrease in tumor size, without inducing any toxicity, was observed in NPC xenograft nude mice undergoing in vivo treatment. Additionally, IHC analysis demonstrated a significant reduction in the expression levels of EGFR and Ki-67 following CEP treatment.

CONCLUSION

CEP exhibits significant pharmacological effects on NPC, and its mechanistic action involves restraining the activation of the EGFR/PI3K/AKT pathway. CEP represents a promising pharmaceutical agent for addressing and mitigating NPC.