The cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of daidzein on MIA PaCa-2 human pancreatic carcinoma cells and HT-29 human colon cancer cells

Inhibitory effect of daidzein on the calcium-activated chloride channel TMEM16A and its anti-lung adenocarcinoma activity

TMEM16A is highly expressed in a variety of tumor cells and is involved in the growth and metastasis of malignancies. It has been established that down-regulation of TMEM16A expression or functional activity can inhibit tumor cells growth. However, there is a lack of targeted inhibitors with high efficiency and low toxicity. Here, we identified a novel inhibitor daidzein from dozens of natural product molecules. Whole-cell patch clamp data indicated that daidzein inhibits TMEM16A channel in a dose-dependent manner, with IC50 of 1.39 ± 0.59 μM. Western blot result showed that daidzein can also reduce the expression of TMEM16A protein in LA795 cells. These results indicated that the inhibitory effects of daidzein exert on TMEM16A in two ways, both inhibiting TMEM16A current and decreasing its protein expression. In addition, the putative binding sites of daidzein on TMEM16A are G608, G628, and K839 through molecular docking. Moreover, daidzein concentration-dependently reduced cell viability and cell migration, causing G1/S cell cycle arrest in vitro. It was also confirmed that daidzein can effectively inhibit the growth of LA795 lung adenocarcinoma cells implanted nude mice in vivo. In conclusion, daidzein can be used as a lead compound for the development of therapeutic drugs for lung adenocarcinoma.

Study on the Potential Molecular Mechanism of Xihuang Pill in the Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer Based on Network Pharmacology and Bioinformatics

Objective

We aimed to analyze the possible molecular mechanism of Xihuang pill (XHP) in the treatment of pancreatic cancer based on methods of network pharmacology, molecular docking, and bioinformatics.

Methods

The main active components and targets were obtained through the TCMSP database, the BATMAN-TCM database, and the Chemistry database. The active ingredients were screened according to the “Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion” (ADME) principle and supplemented with literature. We searched GeneCards, OMIM, TTD, and DrugBank databases for pancreatic cancer targets. The targets of disease and ingredients were intersected to obtain candidate key targets. Then, we constructed a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network for protein interaction analysis and a composition-key target map to obtain essential effective ingredients. Metascape was used to perform functional enrichment analysis to screen critical targets and pathways. The expression and prognosis of key targets were examined and analyzed, and molecular docking was carried out.

Results

A total of 52 active ingredients of XHP, 121 candidate targets, and 52 intersecting targets were obtained. The core active ingredients of XHP for the treatment of pancreatic cancer were quercetin, 17-β-estradiol, ursolic acid, and daidzein. The core targets were EGFR, ESR1, MAPK1, MAPK8, MAPK14, TP53, and JUN, which were highly expressed genes of pancreatic cancer. Among them, EGFR and MAPK1 were significantly correlated with the survival of pancreatic cancer patients. The key pathway was the EGFR/MAPK pathway. The molecular docking results indicated that four active compositions had good binding ability to key targets.

Conclusion

The molecular mechanism of XHP for the treatment of pancreatic cancer involved multiple components, multiple targets, and multiple pathways. This research theoretically elucidated the ameliorative effect of XHP against pancreatic cancer and might provide new ideas for further research on the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Nanoformulations to Enhance the Bioavailability and Physiological Functions of Polyphenols

Polyphenols are micronutrients that are widely present in human daily diets. Numerous studies have demonstrated their potential as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents, and for cancer prevention, heart protection and the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. However, due to their vulnerability to environmental conditions and low bioavailability, their application in the food and medical fields is greatly limited. Nanoformulations, as excellent drug delivery systems, can overcome these limitations and maximize the pharmacological effects of polyphenols. In this review, we summarize the biological activities of polyphenols, together with systems for their delivery, including phospholipid complexes, lipid-based nanoparticles, protein-based nanoparticles, niosomes, polymers, micelles, emulsions and metal nanoparticles. The application of polyphenol nanoparticles in food and medicine is also discussed. Although loading into nanoparticles solves the main limitation to application of polyphenolic compounds, there are some concerns about their toxicological safety after entry into the human body. It is therefore necessary to conduct toxicity studies and residue analysis on the carrier.

Flavonoids in Cancer and Apoptosis

Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally. Although, there are many different approaches to cancer treatment, they are often painful due to adverse side effects and are sometimes ineffective due to increasing resistance to classical anti-cancer drugs or radiation therapy. Targeting delayed/inhibited apoptosis is a major approach in cancer treatment and a highly active area of research. Plant derived natural compounds are of major interest due to their high bioavailability, safety, minimal side effects and, most importantly, cost effectiveness. Flavonoids have gained importance as anti-cancer agents and have shown great potential as cytotoxic anti-cancer agents promoting apoptosis in cancer cells. In this review, a summary of flavonoids and their effectiveness in cancer treatment targeting apoptosis has been discussed.