Pristimerin inhibits glioma progression by targeting AGO2 and PTPN1 expression via miR-542-5p

Pristimerin Exerts Pharmacological Effects Through Multiple Signaling Pathways: A Comprehensive Review

Pristimerin, a natural triterpenoid isolated from the plants of southern snake vine and Maidenwood in the family Weseraceae, is anti-inflammatory, insecticidal, antibacterial, and antiviral substance and has been used for its cardioprotective and antitumor effects and in osteoporosis treatment. These qualities explain Pristimerin's therapeutic effects on different types of tumors and other diseases. More and more studies have shown that pristimerin acts in a wide range of biological activities and has shown great potential in various fields of modern and Chinese medicine. While Pristimerin's wide range of pharmacological effects have been widely studied by others, our comprehensive review suggests that its mechanism of action may be through affecting fundamental cellular events, including blocking the cell cycle, inducing apoptosis and autophagy, and inhibiting cell migration and invasion, or through activating or inhibiting certain key molecules in several cell signaling pathways, including nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian-targeted macromycin (PI3K/Akt/mTOR), mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), Jun amino-terminal kinase (JNK1/2/3), reactive oxygen species (ROS), wingless/integrin1 (Wnt)/β-catenin, and other signaling pathways. This paper reviews the research progress of Pristimerin's pharmacological mechanism of action in recent years to provide a theoretical basis for the molecular targeting therapy and further development and utilization of Pristimerin. It also provides insights into improved treatments and therapies for clinical patients and the need to explore pristimerin as a potential facet of treatment.

Gastric Inhibitory Polypeptide Receptor (GIPR) Overexpression Reduces the Tumorigenic Potential of Retinoblastoma Cells

Retinoblastoma (RB) is the most common malignant intraocular tumor in early childhood. Gene expression profiling revealed that the gastric inhibitory polypeptide receptor (GIPR) is upregulated following trefoil factor family peptide 1 (TFF1) overexpression in RB cells. In the study presented, we found this G protein-coupled transmembrane receptor to be co-expressed with TFF1, a new diagnostic and prognostic RB biomarker for advanced subtype 2 RBs. Functional analyses in two RB cell lines revealed a significant reduction in cell viability and growth and a concomitant increase in apoptosis following stable, lentiviral GIPR overexpression, matching the effects seen after TFF1 overexpression. In chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assays, GIPR-overexpressing RB cells developed significantly smaller CAM tumors. The effect of GIPR overexpression in RB cells was reversed by the GIPR inhibitor MK0893. The administration of recombinant TFF1 did not augment GIPR overexpression effects, suggesting that GIPR does not serve as a TFF1 receptor. Investigations of potential GIPR up- and downstream mediators suggest the involvement of miR-542-5p and p53 in GIPR signaling. Our results indicate a tumor suppressor role of GIPR in RB, suggesting its pathway as a new potential target for future retinoblastoma therapy.

The role of PTP1B (PTPN1) in the prognosis of solid tumors: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) played different role in different solid tumors, and was associated with the prognosis of solid tumors. However, the roles existed controversy. This meta-analysis was performed to determine whether PTP1B was relevant to the prognosis of solid tumors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A literature search in Web of Science, Embase and PubMed databases were performed up to November 1, 2021. A meta-analysis dealed with PTP1B assessment in solid tumors, providing clinical stages and survival comparisons according to the PTP1B status.

RESULTS

High PTP1B expression was significantly associated with later clinical stage of solid tumors (Odds ratio [OR] 2.25, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.71-2.98, P < .001). For solid tumors, the hazard ratio (HR) for disease free survival (DFS) detrimental with high PTP1B expression compared with low PTP1B expression was 1.07 (95%CI: 0.67-1.73, P = .77) with the obvious heterogeneity (P = .03, I2 = 66%). The HR of overall survival (OS) for solid tumors with high PTP1B expression versus low PTP1B expression was 1.26 (95%CI: 1.03-1.55, P = .03) with significant publication bias (t = 3.28, P = .005). Subgroup analysis indicated that the high expression of PTP1B was remarkably correlated with poor OS in colorectal carcinoma, only (HR = 1.43; 95%CI: 1.18-1.74; P = .003).

CONCLUSIONS

High PTP1B expression is significantly associated with later clinical stage of solid tumors. The high expression of PTP1B is remarkably correlated with poor OS in colorectal carcinoma, only. There is no definite conclusion that PTP1B was, or not associated with DFS and OS of solid tumors because of heterogeneity and publication bias. Whether PTP1B can be used as a biomarker for predicting the prognosis of solid tumors needs further study.

MicroRNAs, Key Regulators in Glioma Progression as Potential Therapeutic Targets for Chinese Medicine

Gliomas are tumors of the primary central nervous system associated with poor prognosis and high mortality. The 5-year survival rate of patients with gliomas received surgery combined with chemotherapy or radiotherapy does not exceed 5%. Although temozolomide is commonly used in the treatment of gliomas, the development of resistance limits its use. MicroRNAs are non-coding RNAs involved in numerous processes of glioma cells, such as proliferation, migration and apoptosis. MicroRNAs regulate cell cycle, PI3K/AKT signal pathway, and target apoptosis-related genes (e.g., BCL6), angiogenesis-related genes (e.g., VEGF) and other related genes to suppress gliomas. Evidence illustrates that microRNAs can regulate the sensitivity of gliomas to temozolomide, cisplatin, and carmustine, thereby enhancing the efficacy of these agents. Moreover, traditional Chinese medicine (e.g., tanshinone IIA, xanthohumol, and curcumin) exert antiglioma effects by regulating the expression of microRNAs, and then microRNAs inhibit gliomas through influencing the process of tumors by targeting certain genes. In this paper, the mechanisms through which microRNAs regulate the sensitivity of gliomas to therapeutic drugs are described, and traditional Chinese medicine that can suppress gliomas through microRNAs are discussed. This review aims to provide new insights into the traditional Chinese medicine treatment of gliomas.

The multifaceted mechanisms of pristimerin in the treatment of tumors state-of-the-art

As a globally complicated disease, malignant tumor has long been posing a threat to human health with increasingly high morbidity and mortality. Notably, existing treatments for tumors like chemotherapy generally carry intolerable toxicity, necessitating novel agents balancing safety and potency. Among them, the anti-tumor potency of herbs, featuring few adverse effects and promising efficacy, has attracted much attention recently. Pristimerin, a Quinone formamide triterpenoid compound extracted from Celastraceae and Portulacaceae, carries pronounced anti-tumor activity. It applies to various malignant tumors, including breast cancer, bile duct cancer, gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, glioblastoma, colorectal cancer, oral squamous cell carcinoma, cervical cancer, and lung cancer. In state-of-the-art understanding, pristimerin, alone or combined, can inhibit tumor cell proliferation, induce tumor cell apoptosis, inhibit tumor migration and invasion, inhibit angiogenesis, induce tumor cell autophagy, regulate the occurrence of inflammation related tumors, enhance chemosensitivity and regulate tumor microenvironment and immune cells. Despite the abundance of pristimerin-based research, systematic reviews on its anti-tumor mechanism remain needed. This study presented the anti-tumor mechanism of pristimerin by literature review, which might serve as a reference for further research and clinical practice.

Critical roles of PTPN family members regulated by non-coding RNAs in tumorigenesis and immunotherapy

Since tyrosine phosphorylation is reversible and dynamic in vivo, the phosphorylation state of proteins is controlled by the opposing roles of protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) and protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPs), both of which perform critical roles in signal transduction. Of these, intracellular non-receptor PTPs (PTPNs), which belong to the largest class I cysteine PTP family, are essential for the regulation of a variety of biological processes, including but not limited to hematopoiesis, inflammatory response, immune system, and glucose homeostasis. Additionally, a substantial amount of PTPNs have been identified to hold crucial roles in tumorigenesis, progression, metastasis, and drug resistance, and inhibitors of PTPNs have promising applications due to striking efficacy in antitumor therapy. Hence, the aim of this review is to summarize the role played by PTPNs, including PTPN1/PTP1B, PTPN2/TC-PTP, PTPN3/PTP-H1, PTPN4/PTPMEG, PTPN6/SHP-1, PTPN9/PTPMEG2, PTPN11/SHP-2, PTPN12/PTP-PEST, PTPN13/PTPL1, PTPN14/PEZ, PTPN18/PTP-HSCF, PTPN22/LYP, and PTPN23/HD-PTP, in human cancer and immunotherapy and to comprehensively describe the molecular pathways in which they are implicated. Given the specific roles of PTPNs, identifying potential regulators of PTPNs is significant for understanding the mechanisms of antitumor therapy. Consequently, this work also provides a review on the role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in regulating PTPNs in tumorigenesis and progression, which may help us to find effective therapeutic agents for tumor therapy.

Effects of microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs on chemotherapy response in glioma

Glioma is the most prevalent invasive primary tumor of the central nervous system. Glioma cells can spread and infiltrate into normal surrounding brain tissues. Despite the standard use of chemotherapy and radiotherapy after surgery in glioma patients, treatment resistance is still a problem, as the underlying mechanisms are still not fully understood. Non-coding RNAs are widely involved in tumor progression and treatment resistance mechanisms. In the present review, we discuss the pathways by which microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs can affect resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, as well as offer potential therapeutic options for future glioma treatment.

Systematic understanding of anti-tumor mechanisms of Tamarixetin through network and experimental analyses

Tamarixetin, a flavonoid derived from Quercetin, was shown to possess anti-cancer properties in various types of cancer. However, the mechanism of action of this compound is not well understood. Observations from reverse docking and network pharmacology analysis, were validated by cell based studies to analyse the chemotherapeutic potential and elucidate the molecular mechanism of action of Tamarixetin in breast cancer. In silico analysis using reverse docking and PPI analysis clearly indicated that out of 35 proteins targeted by Tamarixetin, the top 3 hub genes, namely, AKT1, ESR1 and HSP90AA1, were upregulated in breast tumor tissues and more importantly showed strong negative correlation to breast cancer patient survival. Furthermore, the KEGG pathway analysis showed enrichment of target proteins of Tamarixetin in 33 pathways which are mainly involved in neoplastic signalling. In vitro cell-based studies demonstrated that Tamarixetin could inhibit cell proliferation, induce ROS and reduce mitochondrial membrane potential, leading to cell death. Tamarixetin induced cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase and inhibited the migration as well as the invasion of breast cancer cells. Taken together, the combination of in silico and in vitro approaches used in the present study clearly provides evidence for the chemotherapeutic potential of Tamarixetin in breast cancer.

MicroRNA Dysregulation in Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer biology is complex, and needs to be deciphered. The latest evidence reveals the significant role of non-coding RNAs, particularly microRNAs (miRNAs), as key regulatory factors in cancer. Therefore, the identification of altered miRNA patterns involved in prostate cancer will allow them to be used for development of novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Patients and Methods: We performed a miRNAs transcriptomic analysis, using microarray (10 matched pairs tumor tissue versus normal adjacent tissue, selected based on inclusion criteria), followed by overlapping with TCGA data. A total of 292 miRNAs were differentially expressed, with 125 upregulated and 167 downregulated in TCGA patients’ cohort with PRAD (prostate adenocarcinoma), respectively for the microarray experiments; 16 upregulated and 44 downregulated miRNAs were found in our cohort. To confirm our results obtained for tumor tissue, we performed validation with qRT-PCR at the tissue and plasma level of two selected transcripts, and finally, we focused on the identification of altered miRNAs involved in key biological processes. Results: A common signature identified a panel of 12 upregulated and 1 downregulated miRNA, targeting and interconnected in a network with the TP53, AGO2, BIRC5 gene and EGFR as a core element. Among this signature, the overexpressed transcripts (miR-20b-5p, miR-96-5p, miR-183-5p) and the downregulated miR-542-5p were validated by qRT-PCR in an additional patients’ cohort of 34 matched tumor and normal adjacent paired samples. Further, we performed the validation of the expression level for miR-20b-5p, miR-96-5p, miR-183-5p plasma, on the same patients’ cohort versus a healthy control group, confirming the overexpression of these transcripts in the PRAD group, demonstrating the liquid biopsy as a potential investigational tool in prostate cancer. Conclusion: In this pilot study, we provide evidence on miRNA dysregulation and its association with key functional components of the PRAD landscape, where an important role is acted by miR-20b-5p, miR-542-5p, or the oncogenic cluster miR-183-96-182.

Natural products in suppressing glioma progression: A focus on the role of microRNAs

Glioma is one of the most common malignancies of the central nervous system. Due to inadequate response to the current treatments available, glioma has been at the center of recent cancer studies searching for novel treatment strategies. This has prompted an intensive search using linkage studies and preliminary evidence to gain efficient insight into the mechanisms involved in the alleviation of the pathogenesis of glioma mediated by miRNAs, a group of noncoding RNAs that affect gene expression posttranscriptionally. Dysregulated expression of miRNAs can exacerbate the malignant features of tumor cells in glioma and other cancers. Natural products can exert anticancer effects on glioma cells by stimulating the expression levels of tumor suppressor miRNAs and repressing the expression levels of oncogenic miRNAs. In this review, we aimed to collect and analyze the literature addressing the roles of natural products in the treatment of glioma, with an emphasis on their involvement in the regulation of miRNAs.

The Role of MicroRNAs in Therapeutic Resistance of Malignant Primary Brain Tumors

Brain tumors in children and adults are challenging tumors to treat. Malignant primary brain tumors (MPBTs) such as glioblastoma have very poor outcomes, emphasizing the need to better understand their pathogenesis. Developing novel strategies to slow down or even stop the growth of brain tumors remains one of the major clinical challenges. Modern treatment strategies for MPBTs are based on open surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. However, none of these treatments, alone or in combination, are considered effective in controlling tumor progression. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are 18-22 nucleotide long endogenous non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level by interacting with 3'-untranslated regions (3'-UTR) of mRNA-targets. It has been proven that miRNAs play a significant role in various biological processes, including the cell cycle, apoptosis, proliferation, differentiation, etc. Over the last decade, there has been an emergence of a large number of studies devoted to the role of miRNAs in the oncogenesis of brain tumors and the development of resistance to radio- and chemotherapy. Wherein, among the variety of molecules secreted by tumor cells into the external environment, extracellular vesicles (EVs) (exosomes and microvesicles) play a special role. Various elements were found in the EVs, including miRNAs, which can be transported as part of these EVs both between neighboring cells and between remotely located cells of different tissues using biological fluids. Some of these miRNAs in EVs can contribute to the development of resistance to radio- and chemotherapy in MPBTs, including multidrug resistance (MDR). This comprehensive review examines the role of miRNAs in the resistance of MPBTs (e.g., high-grade meningiomas, medulloblastoma (MB), pituitary adenomas (PAs) with aggressive behavior, and glioblastoma) to chemoradiotherapy and pharmacological treatment. It is believed that miRNAs are future therapeutic targets in MPBTs and such the role of miRNAs needs to be critically evaluated to focus on solving the problems of resistance to therapy this kind of human tumors.

Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Pristimerin in Cancer Therapy: Recent Advances

Seeking an efficient and safe approach to eliminate tumors is a common goal of medical fields. Over these years, traditional Chinese medicine has attracted growing attention in cancer treatment due to its long history. Pristimerin is a naturally occurring quinone methide triterpenoid used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat various cancers. Recent studies have identified alterations in cellular events and molecular signaling targets of cancer cells under pristimerin treatment. Pristimerin induces cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and autophagy to exhibit anti-proliferation effects against tumors. Pristimerin also inhibits the invasion, migration, and metastasis of tumor cells via affecting cell adhesion, cytoskeleton, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, cancer stem cells, and angiogenesis. Molecular factors and pathways are associated with the anti-cancer activities of pristimerin. Furthermore, pristimerin reverses multidrug resistance of cancer cells and exerts synergizing effects with other chemotherapeutic drugs. This review aims to discuss the anti-cancer potentials of pristimerin, emphasizing multi-targeted biological and molecular regulations in cancers. Further investigations and clinical trials are warranted to understand the advantages and disadvantages of pristimerin treatment much better.

Impaired AGO2/miR-185-3p/NRP1 axis promotes colorectal cancer metastasis

Increasing evidence suggests that global downregulation of miRNA expression is a hallmark of human cancer, potentially due to defects in the miRNA processing machinery. In this study, we found that the protein expression of Argonaute 2 (AGO2), a key regulator of miRNA processing, was downregulated in colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues, which was also consistent with the findings of the Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC). Furthermore, the correlation between the levels of AGO2 and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers (E-cadherin and vimentin) indicated that reduced levels of AGO2 promoted EMT in CRC. Low expression of AGO2 was an indicator of a poor prognosis among CRC patients. Knockdown of AGO2 in CRC cells promoted migration, invasion and metastasis formation in vitro and in vivo but had no influence on proliferation. To provide detailed insight into the regulatory roles of AGO2, we performed integrated transcriptomic, quantitative proteomic and microRNA sequencing (miRNA-seq) analyses of AGO2 knockdown cells and the corresponding wild-type cells and identified neuropilin 1 (NRP1) as a new substrate of AGO2 via miR-185-3p. Our data provided evidence that knockdown of AGO2 resulted in a reduction of miR-185-3p expression, leading to the upregulation of the expression of NRP1, which is a direct target of miR-185-3p, and elevated CRC cell metastatic capacity. Inhibition of NRP1 or treatment with a miR-185-3p mimic successfully rescued the phenotypes of impaired AGO2, which suggested that therapeutically targeting the AGO2/miR-185-3p/NRP1 axis may be a potential treatment approach for CRC.

Combination of Sodium Cantharidinate with Cisplatin Synergistically Hampers Growth of Cervical Cancer

Background

Sodium cantharidinate (SC) has been broadly applied in lung cancer treatment in China, while its specific function in cervical cancer (CC), a great contributor to death of female reproductive system cancers, remains unclear. Our research evaluated the anti-tumor effects of SC in CC and the mechanism involved.

Methods

First, cisplatin (DDP)-resistant Caski-1 and ME180 cell lines were developed and treated with SC. The effects of SC on CC cell growth were then evaluated. Subsequently, the genes targeted by SC were predicted via the bioinformatics website. The correlations between PTPN1 expression and tumor stage, lymph node metastasis and tumor differentiation were examined. We further conducted rescue experiments by overexpressing PTPN1 in CC cells, followed by SC and cisplatin treatments. The activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway in CC cells, and the effect of SC on the growth and drug resistance of Caski-1 cells in vivo were investigated.

Results

The sensitivity of Caski-1 and ME180 cells to DDP was increased after SC treatment, which also enhanced the inhibitory effect of DDP on the cell growth. By prediction, we found that SC could target PTPN1. Patients with high expression of PTPN1 had higher clinical stage, lymph node metastasis and lower tumor differentiation. SC inhibited PTPN1 expression. Overexpression of PTPN1 attenuated the effect of SC. Furthermore, PTPN1 activated the PI3K/AKT pathway. Moreover, SC treatment inhibited the growth and drug resistance of Caski-1 cells in vivo.

Conclusion

SC promotes drug sensitivity of CC cells to DDP by targeting PTPN1, thereby impairing the PI3K/AKT pathway.

Pristimerin Suppresses Trophoblast Cell Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition via miR-542-5p/EGFR Axis

Background

Ectopic pregnancy (EP) is an ectopic embryo implantation occurred outside the uterine cavity. Nowadays, more attention have garnered in fast and effective treatment with less side effects. Pristimerin is known as the clinical application for anti-cancer, and the effect on EP therapy is still unclear.

Materials and Methods

Trophoblast cell line HTR-8/SVneo was used; then, we performed cell counting kit-8 assay, wound healing assay, flow cytometry and real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis (RT-PCR) to detect the cell viability, migration ability, apoptosis and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) under pristimerin treatment. In addition, public bioinformatic database was used to discover the connection between molecular and genes. Finally, we used miRNA transfection and RT-PCR techniques to determine the underlying molecular mechanism.

Results

We revealed that pristimerin inhibited trophoblast cells proliferation, migration and EMT, while induced trophoblast cell apoptosis. Furthermore, expression of miR-542-5p, AGO2 and EGFR was suppressed in HTR-8/SVneo cells post pristimerin treatment, and miR-542-5p silence showed the same effect. Combing pristimerin treatment and miR-542-5p silence showed a synergistic action.

Conclusion

Pristimerin could be an effective treatment to block embryo implantation by miR-542-5p and EGFR down-regulation.

Terpenoids, Cannabimimetic Ligands, beyond the Cannabis Plant

Medicinal use of Cannabis sativa L. has an extensive history and it was essential in the discovery of phytocannabinoids, including the Cannabis major psychoactive compound-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC)-as well as the G-protein-coupled cannabinoid receptors (CBR), named cannabinoid receptor type-1 (CB1R) and cannabinoid receptor type-2 (CB2R), both part of the now known endocannabinoid system (ECS). Cannabinoids is a vast term that defines several compounds that have been characterized in three categories: (i) endogenous, (ii) synthetic, and (iii) phytocannabinoids, and are able to modulate the CBR and ECS. Particularly, phytocannabinoids are natural terpenoids or phenolic compounds derived from Cannabis sativa. However, these terpenoids and phenolic compounds can also be derived from other plants (non-cannabinoids) and still induce cannabinoid-like properties. Cannabimimetic ligands, beyond the Cannabis plant, can act as CBR agonists or antagonists, or ECS enzyme inhibitors, besides being able of playing a role in immune-mediated inflammatory and infectious diseases, neuroinflammatory, neurological, and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as in cancer, and autoimmunity by itself. In this review, we summarize and critically highlight past, present, and future progress on the understanding of the role of cannabinoid-like molecules, mainly terpenes, as prospective therapeutics for different pathological conditions.

LncRNA SNHG11 Promotes Proliferation, Migration, Apoptosis, and Autophagy by Regulating hsa-miR-184/AGO2 in HCC

Background

The most common malignant tumor of the digestive system is HCC. However, the mechanism and pathogenesis of HCC occurrence and progress are still unknown. LncRNA is closely related to the occurrence and progress of HCC. It is important to investigate the effect and role of lncRNA in HCC.

Materials and Methods

LncRNA microarray assay was used to screen the differential expression profile of lncRNA. SNHG11, miR-184 and GO2 expression was analyzed by RT-PCR. The ability of SNHG11 to serve as a sponge for miRNA and the fact that miR-184 directly targets mRNA were revealed by dual luciferase assay and RIP. Apoptosis and autophagy related proteins were detected by Western blot. Cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and apoptosis were detected by CCK-8 assay, wound healing assay, transwell assay, and flow cytometry.

Results

LncRNA microarray assay and RT-PCR results revealed that the expression of SNHG11 was increased in HCC tumor tissues and also upregulated in HCC cells. SNHG11 had a connection with poor survival rate in HCC. In addition, dual luciferase assay and RIP results revealed that SNHG11 serves as a sponge for miR-184 and miR-184 directly targets AGO2. Pearson correlation analysis showed that SNHG11 with miR-184 and miR-184 with AGO2 were negative correlations, and SNHG11 with AGO2 was a positive correlation. Cell function assay and Western blot showed SNHG4/miR-184/AGO2 regulatory loop was critical for HCC cell proliferation, migration, apoptosis, and autophagy.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrated that the expression of SNHG11 is higher in HCC; moreover, SNHG11 promotes proliferation, migration, apoptosis, and autophagy by regulating AGO2 via miR-184 in HCC. Our verification of the role of SNHG11 may provide a novel biomarker for the diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis of HCC.

Anti-Cancer Effects of Pristimerin and the Mechanisms: A Critical Review

As a quinonemethide triterpenoid extracted from species of the Celastraceae and Hippocrateaceae, pristimerin has been shown potent anti-cancer effects. Specifically, it was found that pristimerin can affect many tumor-related processes, such as apoptosis, autophagy, migration and invasion, vasculogenesis, and drug resistance. Various molecular targets or signaling pathways are also involved, such as cyclins, reactive oxygen species (ROS), microRNA, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and PI3K/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathways. In this review, we will focus on the research about pristimerin-induced anti-cancer activities to achieve a deeper understanding of the targets and mechanisms, which offer evidences suggesting that pristimerin can be a potent anti-cancer drug.