Potential therapeutic target for polysaccharide inhibition of colon cancer progression

Food-derived polysaccharides and anti-obesity effects through enhancing adipose thermogenesis: structure-activity relationships, mechanisms, and regulation of gut microecology

Polysaccharides represent a crucial and extensively utilized bioactive fraction in natural products, which are employed in the treatment of metabolic disorders due to their significant therapeutic potential. Recently, food-derived polysaccharides (FPs) have emerged as significant substances in obesity management, valued for their ability to activate thermogenic fat. This review discusses the correlation between the structural features of FPs and their efficacy in combating obesity. Moreover, the molecular mechanism by which FPs regulate thermogenic fat and how the intestinal microecology induces thermogenic fat activity is elucidated. The anti-obesity effects of FPs depend on their structure, including molecular weight, composition, linkages, conformation, and branching. Furthermore, FPs regulate fat thermogenesis via multiple mechanisms, including AMPK, p38, AKT, PGC-1α-FNDC5/irisin, and miRNA signaling pathways. Importantly, gut microbiota, together with its associated metabolites and gut-derived hormones, are pivotal in the regulatory control of brown fat by FPs. This work provides an in-depth examination of how adipose tissue thermogenesis contributes to the anti-obesity effects of FPs, shedding light on their potential in preventing obesity and informing the formulation of natural weight-loss remedies.

Characterization and Modeling of Marine Bacillus cereus Strain MSS1 Exopolysaccharide and Its Antagonistic Effect on Colon Cancer

Microbial polysaccharides are a significant group of functional phytochemicals. Numerous studies have shown the advantageous pharmacological impacts of polysaccharides, including their effectiveness against cancer. A halophilic bacterial strain obtained from coastal sediments produced exopolysaccharides (EPS). The strain was morphologically recognized and further confirmed as Bacillus cereus strain MSS1 using 16S rDNA analysis, with accession number OR133726. The heteropolysaccharides were purified and fractionated with a DEAE-cellulose column, and the preliminary chemical analysis of the most potent fraction (EPSMSS1) indicated that the four different monosaccharides were mannuronic acid, xylose, fructose, and glucuronic acid, with a molar ratio of 1:1:2:0.5, respectively. The highest production was 12.76 g/l using a Box-Behnken design. It showed antibacterial activity, antioxidant activity, and antibiofilm activity. The 3D architecture of the EPSMSS1 of Bacillus cereus strain MSS1 is being described, predicted, and aligned against other bacterial species. These studies offer valuable insights into optimizing efficiency. Therefore, the EPSMSS1 fraction was shown to have anticancer activity and significant anticancer activities in a dose-dependent manner, with an IC50 value of 20.1 µg/ml. Subsequently, various apoptotic markers, such as cytochrome c, BAX, BCl2, and the BAX/BCL2 ratio, were assessed. Our findings demonstrate that EPSMSS1 triggers the activation of apoptotic protein BAX, enhances the generation of cytochrome c, reduces the expression of antiapoptotic protein BCl2, and distorts the BAX/BCL2 ratio in EPSMSS1-treated HCT-116 cells relative to untreated cells. The anticancer efficacy of EPSMSS1 was verified through the assessment of cell cycle progression using flow cytometry. It has been found that EPSMSS1 pauses the cell cycle in the G1/S phase, causing apoptosis. The main motivation behind this study was EPSMSS1, an innovative marine polysaccharide with remarkable biological activity, especially anti-cancer properties.

In Vitro Inhibition of Colon Cancer Stem Cells by Natural Polysaccharides Obtained from Wheat Cell Culture

Natural polysaccharides (PSs) have shown inhibitory effects on differentiated cancer cells (DCCs), but their activity against cancer stem cells (CSCs) remains poorly understood. Here, we report that PSs from wheat cell cultures (WCCPSs) inhibit the proliferation of both DCCs and CSCs derived from HCT-116 colorectal cancer cells. Among them, NA and DC fractions showed the strongest anti-CSC activity. NA, rich in xylose, was effective at lower concentrations, while DC, enriched in xylose and galacturonic acid (GalUA), exhibited higher potency, with a lower IC50 and preferential activity against CSCs at higher doses. WCCPSs reduced β-catenin levels, and some fractions also downregulated Ep-CAM, CD44, and c-Myc. Notably, DC increased caspase-3 without inducing cytochrome C and caspase-8 overexpression, suggesting a mechanism promoting CSC differentiation rather than apoptosis. Correlation analysis linked xylose content to reduced c-Myc expression, and GalUA levels to increased caspase-3. These results suggest that WCCPS bioactivity may be related to their monosaccharide composition. Overall, our findings support the potential of wheat-derived PSs as CSC-targeting agents that suppress self-renewal and promote differentiation, offering a promising approach to reduce tumor aggressiveness and recurrence.

Acetylated Dendrobium huoshanense polysaccharide: a novel inducer of apoptosis in colon cancer cells via Fas-FasL pathway activation and metabolic reprogramming

Introduction

Not all polysaccharides function as antitumor drugs, nor do they universally possess the same advantages regarding safety and biocompatibility. Those polysaccharides that are effective antitumor agents typically demonstrate superior safety profiles and biocompatibility compared to synthetic anticancer drugs, which can exhibit high toxicity and harmful side effects. Dendrobium huoshanense polysaccharide (DHP) has been recognized for its potential bioactive properties, particularly in anti-tumor treatment. This study investigates the effects of DHP on the proliferation and apoptosis of HCT116 colon cancer cells.

Methods

DHP was extracted according to previously published experimental methods. The inhibitory effects of DHP were evaluated using IEC6, Caco-2, and HCT116 cell lines, with changes in cell morphology observed via transmission electron microscopy. After establishing the conditions for DHP administration, flow cytometry was employed to assess its effects on apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and mitochondrial membrane potential of HCT116 cells. Additionally, immunoprecipitation, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), Western blotting, and biomarker detection were utilized to investigate the mechanisms underlying DHP's inhibition of HCT116 cells and its impact on metabolic reprogramming.

Results

In the present study, we observed that DHP treatment at 600 μg/ml for 24 h reduced HCT116 cell viability to 54.87%. In contrast, the inhibitory effect of DHP on the viability of IEC6 and Caco-2 cells was relatively mild. The specific mechanism involves DHP activating the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway leading to the downregulation of key metabolic intermediates and enzymes such as uridine diphosphate N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) and ST6Gal-I. By inhibiting ST6Gal-I activity, DHP activates the Fas/FasL signaling pathway. Additionally, DHP-induced ROS production effectively triggers apoptosis in HCT116 cells.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrates that DHP effectively inhibits the proliferation and induces apoptosis in HCT116 colon cancer cells through the activation of the Fas-FasL signaling pathway and metabolic reprogramming. The selective inhibitory effect of DHP on HCT116 cells, the activation of both death receptor and mitochondrial apoptotic pathways, and the modulation of metabolic reprogramming provide novel insights into the potential therapeutic strategies for colon cancer.

Mushrooms as Nutritional Powerhouses: A Review of Their Bioactive Compounds, Health Benefits, and Value-Added Products

Mushrooms are known to be a nutritional powerhouse, offering diverse bioactive compounds that promote and enhance health. Mushrooms provide a distinguishable taste and aroma and are an essential source of vitamin D2, vitamin B complex, hydroxybenzoic acids (HBAs) and hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs), terpenes, sterols, and β-glucans. Edible mushroom varieties such as Hericium erinaceus, Ganoderma sp., and Lentinula edodes are recognized as functional foods due to their remarkable potential for disease prevention and promotion of overall health and well-being. These varieties have antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, cytoprotective, cholesterol-lowering, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties, as well as controlling blood pressure, being an immunity booster, and strengthening bone properties. In addition, they contain essential non-digestible oligosaccharides (NDOs) and ergothioneine, a potential substrate for gut microflora. Supplementing our daily meals with those can add value to our food, providing health benefits. Novel edible mushrooms are being investigated to explore their bioactive substances and their therapeutic properties, to benefit human health. The scientific community (mycologists) is currently studying the prospects for unlocking the full health advantages of mushrooms. This review aims to promote knowledge of mushroom culturing conditions, their nutritional potential, and the value-added products of 11 varieties.

Recent advances in polysaccharide-based drug delivery systems for cancer therapy: a comprehensive review

Cancer has a high rate of incidence and mortality throughout the world. Although several conventional approaches have been developed for the treatment of cancer, such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and thermal therapy, they have remarkable disadvantages which result in inefficient treatment of cancer. For example, immunogenicity, prolonged treatment, non-specificity, metastasis and high cost of treatment, are considered as the major drawbacks of chemotherapy. Therefore, there is a fundamental requirement for the development of breakthrough technologies for cancer suppression. Polysaccharide-based drug delivery systems (DDSs) are the most reliable drug carriers for cancer therapy. Polysaccharides, as a kind of practical biomaterials, are divided into several types, including chitosan, alginates, dextran, hyaluronic acid, cyclodextrin, pectin, etc. Polysaccharides are extracted from different natural resources (like herbal, marine, microorganisms, etc.). The potential features of polysaccharides have made them reliable candidates for therapeutics delivery to cancer sites; the simple purification, ease of modification and functionalization, hydrophilicity, serum stability, appropriate drug loading capacity, biocompatibility, bioavailability, biodegradability and stimuli-responsive and sustained drug release manner are considerable aspects of these biopolymers. This review highlights the practical applications of polysaccharides-based DDSs in pharmaceutical science and cancer therapy.

The Potential of Mushroom Extracts to Improve Chemotherapy Efficacy in Cancer Cells: A Systematic Review

Chemoresistance is a challenge in cancer treatment, limiting the effectiveness of chemotherapy. Mushroom extracts have shown potential as treatments for cancer therapies, offering a possible solution to overcome chemoresistance. This systematic review aimed to explore the role of mushroom extracts in enhancing chemotherapy and reversing chemoresistance in cancer cells. We searched the PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus databases, following the PRISMA guidelines, and registered on PROSPERO. The extracts acted by inhibiting the proliferation of cancer cells, as well as enhancing the effect of chemotherapy. The mechanisms by which they acted included regulating anti-apoptotic proteins, inhibiting the JAK2/STAT3 pathway, inhibiting the ERK1/2 pathway, modulating microRNAs and regulating p-glycoprotein. These results highlight the potential of mushroom extracts to modulate multiple mechanisms in order to improve the efficacy of chemotherapy. This work sheds light on the use of mushroom extracts as an aid to chemotherapy to combat chemoresistance. Although studies are limited, the diversity of mushrooms and their bioactive compounds show promising results for innovative strategies to treat cancer more effectively. It is crucial to carry out further studies to better understand the therapeutic potential of mushroom extracts to improve the efficacy of chemotherapy in cancer cells.