Polyphenol compounds with anti-carcinogenic qualities: Effects of quercetin (flavonol), chrysin (flavon), kaempferol (flavanol), naringenin (flavanon) and hesperidin (flavanoid) on in vitro breast cancer

The Anticancer Potential of Kaempferol: A Systematic Review Based on In Vitro Studies

Given the heterogeneity of different malignant processes, planning cancer treatment is challenging. According to recent studies, natural products are likely to be effective in cancer prevention and treatment. Among bioactive flavonoids found in fruits and vegetables, kaempferol (KMP) is known for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. This systematic review aims to highlight the potential therapeutic effects of KMP on different types of solid malignant tumors. This review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Searches were performed in EMBASE, Medline/PubMed, Cochrane Collaboration Library, Science Direct, Scopus, and Google Scholar. After the application of study criteria, 64 studies were included. In vitro experiments demonstrated that KMP exerts antitumor effects by controlling tumor cell cycle progression, proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion, as well as by inhibiting angiogenesis. KMP was also able to inhibit important markers that regulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition and enhanced the sensitivity of cancer cells to traditional drugs used in chemotherapy, including cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil. This flavonoid is a promising therapeutic compound and its combination with current anticancer agents, including targeted drugs, may potentially produce more effective and predictable results.

The Effects of Quercetin on the Apoptosis of Human Breast Cancer Cell Lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231: A Systematic Review

This systematic review was performed with a focus on the effects of quercetin (QT) on the human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Google Scholar databases were searched up to May 2020 using relevant keywords. All articles written in English evaluating the effects of QT on the human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and/or MDA-MB-231 were eligible for the review. Totally, 31 articles were included in this review. Out of them, 23 studies investigated the effects of QT on MCF-7 cells and indicated that QT induces apoptosis in the cells. Of 15 studies that examined the effects of QT on MDA-MB-231 cells, 14 reports showed successful apoptosis. It is concluded that QT might be beneficial in the eliminating of breast cancer cells. However, further clinical trials are warranted to further verify these outcomes.

A Network Pharmacology Study on the Molecular Mechanisms of FDY003 for Breast Cancer Treatment

Herbal medicines have drawn considerable attention with regard to their potential applications in breast cancer (BC) treatment, a frequently diagnosed malignant disease, considering their anticancer efficacy with relatively less adverse effects. However, their mechanisms of systemic action have not been understood comprehensively. Based on network pharmacology approaches, we attempted to unveil the mechanisms of FDY003, an herbal drug comprised of Lonicera japonica Thunberg, Artemisia capillaris Thunberg, and Cordyceps militaris, against BC at a systemic level. We found that FDY003 exhibited pharmacological effects on human BC cells. Subsequently, detailed data regarding the biochemical components contained in FDY003 were obtained from comprehensive herbal medicine-related databases, including TCMSP and CancerHSP. By evaluating their pharmacokinetic properties, 18 chemical compounds in FDY003 were shown to be potentially active constituents interacting with 140 BC-associated therapeutic targets to produce the pharmacological activity. Gene ontology enrichment analysis using g:Profiler indicated that the FDY003 targets were involved in the modulation of cellular processes, involving the cell proliferation, cell cycle process, and cell apoptosis. Based on a KEGG pathway enrichment analysis, we further revealed that a variety of oncogenic pathways that play key roles in the pathology of BC were significantly enriched with the therapeutic targets of FDY003; these included PI3K-Akt, MAPK, focal adhesion, FoxO, TNF, and estrogen signaling pathways. Here, we present a network-perspective of the molecular mechanisms via which herbal drugs treat BC.

HLBT-100: a highly potent anti-cancer flavanone from Tillandsia recurvata (L.) L

BACKGROUND

The incidence and mortalities from cancers remain on the rise worldwide. Despite significant efforts to discover and develop novel anticancer agents, many cancers remain in the unmet need category. As such, efforts to discover and develop new and more effective and less toxic agents against cancer remain a top global priority. Our drug discovery approach is natural products based with a focus on plants. Tillandsia recurvata (L.) L. is one of the plants selected by our research team for further studies based on previous bioactivity findings on the anticancer activity of this plant.

METHODS

The plant biomass was extracted using supercritical fluid extraction technology with CO2 as the mobile phase. Bioactivity guided isolation was achieved by use of chromatographic technics combined with anti-proliferative assays to determine the active fraction and subsequently the pure compound. Following in house screening, the identified molecule was submitted to the US National Cancer Institute for screening on the NCI60 cell line panel using standard protocols. Effect of HLBT-100 on apoptosis, caspase 3/7, cell cycle and DNA fragmentation were assessed using standard protocols. Antiangiogenic activity was carried out using the ex vivo rat aortic ring assay.

RESULTS

A flavonoid of the flavanone class was isolated from T. recurvata (L.) L. with potent anticancer activity. The molecule was code named as HLBT-100 (also referred to as HLBT-001). The compound inhibited brain cancer (U87 MG), breast cancer (MDA-MB231), leukemia (MV4-11), melanoma (A375), and neuroblastoma (IMR-32) with IC50 concentrations of 0.054, 0.030, 0.024, 0.003 and 0.05 µM, respectively. The molecule also exhibited broad anticancer activity in the NCI60 panel inhibiting especially hematological, colon, CNS, melanoma, ovarian, breast and prostate cancers. Twenty-three of the NCI60 cell lines were inhibited with GI50 values <0.100 µM. In terms of potential mechanisms of action, the molecule demonstrated effect on the cell cycle as evidenced by the accumulation of cells with 

CONCLUSION

This paper describes for the first time the anticancer activity of HLBT-100 isolated from T. recurvate (L.) L. The broad and selective anticancer activity of HLBT-100 as evidenced by its potent activity against IMR-32, CNS cancer cell line while not active against neuro-2a, a normal CNS cell line. The activity demonstrated by HLBT-100 in these studies makes the molecule a potential candidate for further development targeting especially those cancers that remain in the unmet need category such as glioblastoma multiforme and acute myeloid leukemia in addition to other cancers.

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Key Words

• Angiogenesis
• Anticancer
• Ball Moss
• Flavanone
• Tillandsia recurvata

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Affiliation(s)

Henry I. C. Lowe Bio-Tech R&D Institute, University of the West Indies, 6 St. Johns Close, Mona, Jamaica Educational & Scientific LLC, 725 W Lombard St, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 725 W Lombard St, Baltimore, MD USA
Ngeh J. Toyang Educational & Scientific LLC, 725 W Lombard St, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 725 W Lombard St, Baltimore, MD USA
Charah T. Watson Bio-Tech R&D Institute, University of the West Indies, 6 St. Johns Close, Mona, Jamaica
Kenneth N. Ayeah Educational & Scientific LLC, 725 W Lombard St, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 725 W Lombard St, Baltimore, MD USA
Joseph Bryant Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 725 W Lombard St, Baltimore, MD USA

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In Silico docking studies of selected flavonoids--natural healing agents against breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer is the serious health concern in India causing the highest mortality rate in females, which occurs due to uncontrolled cell division and can be metastasize to other parts of the human body. Interactions with estrogen receptor (ER) alpha are mainly responsible for the malignant tumors with regulation of the transcription of various genes as a transcription factor. Most of the drugs currently used for the breast cancer treatment produce various side effects and hence we focused on natural compounds which do not exhibit any toxic effect against normal human cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Structure of human ER was retrieved from the Protein Data Bank and the structures of flavonoid compounds have been collected from PubChem database. Molecular docking and drug likeness studies were performed for those natural compounds to evaluate and analyze the anti-breast cancer activity.

RESULTS

Finally two compounds satisfying the Lipinski's rule of five were reported. The two compounds also exhibited highest binding affinity with human ER greater than 10.5 Kcal/mol.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study can be implemented in the drug designing pipeline.

The chemopreventive effect of the dietary compound kaempferol on the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line is dependent on inhibition of glucose cellular uptake

Our aim was to investigate the effect of several dietary polyphenols on glucose uptake by breast cancer cells. Uptake of (3)H-deoxy-D-glucose ((3)H-DG) by MCF-7 cells was time-dependent, saturable, and inhibited by cytochalasin B plus phloridzin. In the short-term (26 min), myricetin, chrysin, genistein, resveratrol, kaempferol, and xanthohumol (10-100 µM) inhibited (3)H-DG uptake. Kaempferol was found to be the most potent inhibitor of (3)H-DG uptake [IC50 of 4 µM (1.6-9.8)], behaving as a mixed-type inhibitor. In the long-term (24 h), kaempferol (30 µM) was also able to inhibit (3)H-DG uptake, associated with a 40% decrease in GLUT1 mRNA levels. Interestingly enough, kaempferol (100 µM) revealed antiproliferative (sulforhodamine B and (3)H-thymidine incorporation assays) and cytotoxic (extracellular lactate dehydrogenase activity determination) properties, which were mimicked by low extracellular (1 mM) glucose conditions and reversed by high extracellular (20 mM) glucose conditions. Finally, exposure of cells to kaempferol (30 µM) induced an increase in extracellular lactate levels over time (to 731 ± 32% of control after a 24 h exposure), due to inhibition of MCT1-mediated lactate cellular uptake. In conclusion, kaempferol potently inhibits glucose uptake by MCF-7 cells, apparently by decreasing GLUT1-mediated glucose uptake. The antiproliferative and cytotoxic effect of kaempferol in these cells appears to be dependent on this effect.