Anticancer effect of triterpenes from Ganoderma lucidum in human prostate cancer cells

Modulating the tumor microenvironment: The role of traditional Chinese medicine in improving lung cancer treatment

The holistic approach of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been increasingly being focused on as a potential adjuvant to conventional lung cancer therapies in an attempt at modulating the tumor microenvironment (TME). Covering a diverse range of herbal medicine, acupuncture, and dietary therapy, TCM brings a unique perspective to influencing the TME. Importantly, the study has found the effects of specific TCM compounds, such as cantharidin, boehmenan, shikonin, and salidroside, on lung cancer in the TME. These compounds interact intricately with key apoptotic regulators, oxidative stress pathways, and inflammation-related mechanisms, suggesting their potential role in enhancing conventional therapies. TCM compounds could modulate a variety of cellular and molecular pathways, potentially inhibiting tumor proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. Besides, the practices of TCM alleviate the side effects of conventional treatments and enhance immune function, hence promoting the quality of life among lung cancer patients. In this regard, this review gives a contemporary account of the state of affairs on the part of TCM within the framework of the treatment of lung cancer with reference to its recent developments, and diverse roles.

Bone metastases of prostate cancer: Molecular mechanisms, targeted diagnosis and targeted therapy (Review)

Prostate cancer (PCa) is second only to lung cancer in terms of death among men worldwide. Advanced PCa frequently results in bone metastases, which occur in ~90% of patients and frequently result in severe skeleton‑related events. Currently, the treatment for this disease is limited to alleviating its clinical symptoms and cannot provide a complete cure. Therefore, the development of novel treatment strategies is particularly important. In recent years, numerous novel strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of PCa have emerged, resulting in good clinical efficacy. For example, strategies targeting prostate specific membrane antigen, poly ADP‑ribose polymerase and programmed cell death protein 1 have been applied to PCa‑induced bone metastasis, and have shown initial efficacy and great potential. Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the formation of bone metastases in patients with PCa is of importance for the effective management of this disease. The purpose of the present review is to comprehensively outline the roles of protein‑coding genes and non‑coding RNAs in the development of bone metastases of PCa to elucidate their significance in the management of PCa. The aim is to offer clinicians and researchers a comprehensive understanding of this topic.

Complementary therapies in the control of male lower urinary tract symptoms: A systematic review

OBJECTIVE

to evaluate diverse scientific evidence on the effectiveness of complementary therapies in the control of lower urinary tract symptoms in the adult and aged male population.

METHOD

a systematic review developed according to the PRISMA checklist. The search was performed in the CINAHL, Embase, LILACS, PEDro, PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases.

RESULTS

a total of 585 records were identified and 12 clinical trials were selected that met the inclusion criteria. The outcomes considered by the studies for analyzing effectiveness of the complementary therapies were validated questionnaires to assess the severity of the lower urinary tract symptoms (sensation of incomplete bladder emptying, frequent urination, intermittent flow, weak flow, pain or difficulty urinating, nocturia and urgency) and urodynamics parameters. The studies analyzed the complementary phytotherapy (n=8) and electroacupuncture (n=4) therapies. Six studies related to phytotherapy showed statistical significance. Electroacupuncture showed a significant improvement in the symptoms in two studies.

CONCLUSION

pytotherapy was effective to control the simptoms related to frequency, urgency, nocturia, incomplete emptying, intermittence, weak flow and effort to initiate urination. To confirm the effectiveness of electroacupuncture, research studies with well-designed methodologies will also be necessary to resolve the divergences between the studies of this review.

Current Advancements in Antitumor Properties and Mechanisms of Medicinal Components in Edible Mushrooms

Edible and medicinal fungi, a group of eukaryotic organisms with numerous varieties, including Coriolus versicolor, Ganoderma lucidum, Cordyceps sinensis, Pleurotus ostreatus, and Grifola frondosa, have been demonstrated to possess a board range of pharmaceutical properties, including anti-virus, anti-inflammation, and neuroprotection. Moreover, edible and medicinal fungi have been traditionally consumed as food to provide multiple nutrients and as drugs owing to having the activities of invigorating blood circulation, reinforcing the healthy qi, clearing away heat, and eliminating stasis for thousands of years in China. Malignant tumors, well-known as the second leading cause of death globally, accounted for nearly 10 million deaths in 2020. Thus, in-depth exploration of strategies to prevent and treat cancer is extremely urgent. A variety of studies have reported that the main bioactive components of edible and medicinal fungi, mainly polysaccharides and triterpenoids, exhibit diverse anticancer activities via multiple mechanisms, including inhibition of cell proliferation and metastasis, induction of apoptosis and autophagy, reversing multidrug resistance, and regulation of immune responses, thus suggesting their substantial potential in the prevention and treatment of cancer. Our review summarizes the research progress on the anticancer properties of edible and medicinal fungi and the underlying molecular mechanism, which may offer a better understanding of this field. Additionally, few studies have reported the safety and efficacy of extracts from edible and medicinal fungi, which may limit their clinical application. In summary, there is a need to continue to explore the use of those extracts and to further validate their safety and efficacy.

The Potential of Plant-Derived Extracts and Compounds to Augment Anticancer Effects of Chemotherapeutic Drugs

Plant extracts comprise a complex mixture of natural compounds with diverse biological activities including anticancer activities. This has made the use of plant extracts a trending strategy in cancer treatment. In addition, plants' active constituents such as polyphenols could confer protective effects on normal cells against damage by free radicals as well as lessen the toxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs. Recently, many emerging studies revealed the combinatory uses of plant extracts and individual therapeutic compounds that could be a promising panacea in hampering multiple signaling pathways involved in cancer development and progression. Besides enhancing the therapeutic efficacy, this has also been proven to reduce the dosage of chemotherapeutic drugs used, and hence overcome multiple drug resistance and minimize treatment side effects. Notably, combined use of plant extracts with chemotherapeutics drugs was shown to enhance anticancer effects through modulating various signaling pathways, such as P13K/AKT, NF-κB, JNK, ERK, WNT/β-catenin, and many more. Hence, this review aims to comprehensively summarize both In Vitro and In Vivo mechanisms of actions of well-studied plant extracts, such as Ganoderma Lucidum, Korean red ginseng, Garcinia sp., curcumin, and luteolin extracts in augmenting anticancer properties of the conventional chemotherapeutic drugs from an extensive literature search of recent publications.

Biosynthetic pathways of triterpenoids and strategies to improve their Biosynthetic Efficiency

"Triterpenoids" can be considered natural products derived from the cyclization of squalene, yielding 3-deoxytriterpenes (hydrocarbons) or 3-hydroxytriterpenes. Triterpenoids are metabolites of these two classes of triterpenes, produced by the functionalization of their carbon skeleton. They can be categorized into different groups based on their structural formula/design. Triterpenoids are an important group of compounds that are widely used in the fields of pharmacology, food, and industrial biotechnology. However, inadequate synthetic methods and insufficient knowledge of the biosynthesis of triterpenoids, such as their structure, enzymatic activity, and the methods used to produce pure and active triterpenoids, are key problems that limit the production of these active metabolites. Here, we summarize the derivatives, pharmaceutical properties, and biosynthetic pathways of triterpenoids and review the enzymes involved in their biosynthetic pathway. Furthermore, we concluded the screening methods, identified the genes involved in the pathways, and highlighted the appropriate strategies used to enhance their biosynthetic production to facilitate the commercial process of triterpenoids through the synthetic biology method.

Natural Compounds in Sex Hormone-Dependent Cancers: The Role of Triterpenes as Therapeutic Agents

Sex hormone-dependent cancers currently contribute to the high number of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The study and elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying the progression of these tumors was a double-edged sword, leading to the expansion and development of new treatment options, with the cost of triggering more aggressive, therapy resistant relapses. The interaction of androgen, estrogen and progesterone hormones with specific receptors (AR, ER, PR) has emerged as a key player in the development and progression of breast, ovarian, prostate and endometrium cancers. Sex hormone-dependent cancers share a common and rather unique carcinogenesis mechanism involving the active role of endogenous and exogenous sex hormones to maintain high mitotic rates and increased cell proliferation thus increasing the probability of aberrant gene occurrence and accumulation highly correlated with abnormal cell division and the occurrence of malignant phenotypes. Cancer related hormone therapy has evolved, currently being associated with the blockade of other signaling pathways often associated with carcinogenesis and tumor progression in cancers, with promising results. However, despite the established developments, there are still several shortcomings to be addressed. Triterpenes are natural occurring secondary metabolites biosynthesized by various pathways starting from squalene cyclization. Due to their versatile therapeutic potential, including the extensively researched antiproliferative effect, these compounds are most definitely a cornerstone in the research and development of new natural/semisynthetic anticancer therapies. The present work thoroughly describes the ongoing research related to the antitumor activity of triterpenes in sex hormone-dependent cancers. Also, the current review highlights both the biological activity of various triterpenoid compounds and their featured mechanisms of action correlated with important chemical structural features.

Terpenoids as Potential Geroprotectors

Terpenes and terpenoids are the largest groups of plant secondary metabolites. However, unlike polyphenols, they are rarely associated with geroprotective properties. Here we evaluated the conformity of the biological effects of terpenoids with the criteria of geroprotectors, including primary criteria (lifespan-extending effects in model organisms, improvement of aging biomarkers, low toxicity, minimal adverse effects, improvement of the quality of life) and secondary criteria (evolutionarily conserved mechanisms of action, reproducibility of the effects on different models, prevention of age-associated diseases, increasing of stress-resistance). The number of substances that demonstrate the greatest compliance with both primary and secondary criteria of geroprotectors were found among different classes of terpenoids. Thus, terpenoids are an underestimated source of potential geroprotectors that can effectively influence the mechanisms of aging and age-related diseases.

Quercetin Synergistically Inhibit EBV-Associated Gastric Carcinoma with Ganoderma lucidum Extracts

Mycotherapy has been shown to improve the overall response rate during cancer treatment and reduce some chemotherapy-related adverse events. Ganoderma lucidum is a traditional mushroom used for pharmaceutical purposes. G. lucidum extracts (GLE) showed potential antitumor activities against several cancers. These tumor inhibitory effects of GLE were attributed to the suppression of the proliferation and metastasis of cancer cells. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated gastric carcinoma (EBVaGC) is defined as the monoclonal proliferation of carcinoma cells with latent EBV infection. The inhibitory effects of GLE against EBVaGC are questionable. The aim of this study was to investigate GLE as potential antitumor agents and a counterpart of quercetin (QCT) for the cotreatment in suppressing EBVaGC development. Therefore, this study conducted antitumor assays using a EBVaGC xenograft mice model and found that GLE could suppress tumor development. These inhibitory effects were significantly augmented by the low concentration of the quercetin (QCT) cotreatment in the xenograft mice. The addition of GLE in low concentrations synergistically reinforced QCT-induced apoptosis and EBV lytic reactivation. GLE contains various polysaccharides and triterpenes, such as ganoderic acid. Interestingly, the addition of ganoderic acid A (GAA) could produce similar bioactive effects like GLE in QCT-mediated antitumor activity. The GAA addition in low concentrations synergistically reinforced QCT-induced apoptosis and EBV lytic reactivation. GAA was sufficiently effective as much as GLE. Therefore, our results suggested that QCT-supplemented GLE could be a potential food adjunct for the prevention of EBVaGC development.

Therapeutic Effects of Ten Commonly Used Chinese Herbs and Their Bioactive Compounds on Cancers

Effective cancer therapy is one of the biggest global challenges. Conventional cancer therapies have been at the forefront of combating cancers, but more evidence showed considerable side effects, limiting their use. There are various new therapies in development, but combined approaches for treating cancer are much expected. Natural herbs had been traditionally in use for cancer therapy in most parts of the world. In this review, we have examined ten commonly used Chinese herbs that have, for centuries, shown effectiveness in treating cancers. They demonstrated the abilities to promote the apoptosis of cancer cells, inhibit their metastasis, activate the patient's anticancer immunity, and synergistically increase the efficacy of conventional chemotherapy and radiation therapy when used in combination. Clinical experiences had proved that these herbs and their bioactive compounds were effective against a plethora of cancers through a variety of mechanisms, effectively improving patients' quality of life without significant side effects. These advantages indicate that there are huge potentials in the development of Chinese herbs into cancer medicine as part of a promising, holistic cancer treatment modality.

Ganoderma tsugae Inhibits the SREBP-1/AR Axis Leading to Suppression of Cell Growth and Activation of Apoptosis in Prostate Cancer Cells

Recent research suggests that the activation of lipid biosynthesis (lipogenesis) is linked with prostate cancer (PCa) malignancy. Sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1) is a key transcriptional regulator controlling lipogenesis. Moreover, androgen receptor (AR) has been well defined to play an important role in lethal PCa aggressiveness from androgen-responsive to castration-resistant status. In this study, we showed that the quality-assured Ganoderma tsugae ethanol extract (GTEE), a Chinese natural and herbal product, significantly inhibited expression of SREBP-1 and its downstream genes associated with lipogenesis in PCa cells. Through inhibiting SREBP-1, GTEE reduced the levels of intracellular fatty acids and lipids in PCa cells. Importantly, GTEE also downregulated the expression of AR and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in both androgen-responsive and castration-resistant PCa cells. By blocking the SREBP-1/AR axis, GTEE suppressed cell growth and progressive behaviors, as well as activating the caspase-dependent apoptotic pathway in PCa cells. These data provide a new molecular basis of GTEE for the development of a potential therapeutic approach to treat PCa malignancy.