Submit to IJMS Review for IJMS Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Role of Phytochemicals in Cancer Chemoprevention and Therapeutics

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Bioactives and Nutraceuticals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 15672

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Agata Kabała-Dzik

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Pathology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, ul. Ostrogórska 30, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland
Interests: natural bioactive compounds; honeybee products; flavonoids; polyphenols; chemoprevention; cell cycle; cancer biology; apoptosis; cytopathology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Phytochemicals are compounds found in plants. They are responsible for the taste, color and aroma of food, but also protect us from carcinogens by enhancing DNA repair pathways, which act as our antioxidant enzymes. Natural products, characterized by their extraordinary chemical diversity, have been intensively studied for over half a century for their therapeutic and chemopreventive potential. Numerous studies confirmed that natural agents exert direct effects on the fundamental characteristics of cancer progression and metastasis. The benefits of this approach have been demonstrated in clinical trials for breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers, among others.

The success of using natural agents to protect high-risk populations from cancer indicates the rationality of this approach. Dietary components such as CAPE, cucurbitacin B, isoflavones, catechins, lycopenes, benzyl isothiocyanate, phenyl isothiocyanate, and piperlongumine or capsaicin (and many others) have demonstrated inhibitory effects on cancer cells, while protecting healthy cells, indicating that they may serve as chemopreventive agents. Research on the activity of bioactive components cell signaling pathways (PI3K/Akt/mTOR, JAK/STAT, Fas, NF-кB, STAT3, MAPK, TNF, AMPK, Wnt/β-Catenin, Notch, mTOR, TRAIL, will be discussed in this Special Issue.

This Special Issue is dedicated to original research articles, short communications, and reviews related to the following topics, which cover the latest findings in the role of phytochemicals (and their activity mechanisms) in the prevention and treatment of cancer

Molecular influence of phytochemicals on carcinogenesis mechanism;
Chemoprevention by using phytochemicals. Protective role of phytochemicals and their extracts;
Mechanism of anti-cancer activity of phytochemicals.

Dr. Agata Kabala-Dzik
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

phytochemicals
chemoprevention
anti-cancer
natural agents
flavonoids
bioactive

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers

Research

Jump to: Review

16 pages, 3046 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Phytochemical α-Mangostin Inhibits Cervical Cancer Cell Proliferation and Tumor Growth by Downregulating E6/E7-HPV Oncogenes and KCNH1 Gene Expression

by Lorenza Díaz, Samantha V. Bernadez-Vallejo, Rafael Vargas-Castro, Euclides Avila, Karla A. Gómez-Ceja, Rocío García-Becerra, Mariana Segovia-Mendoza, Heriberto Prado-Garcia, Galia Lara-Sotelo, Javier Camacho, Fernando Larrea and Janice García-Quiroz

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(3), 3055; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24033055 - 3 Feb 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2850

Abstract

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide. The main factor associated with the onset and progression of this neoplasia is the human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. The HPV-oncogenes E6 and E7 are critical drivers of cellular transformation, promoting the expression of oncogenes such as KCNH1. The phytochemical α-mangostin (AM) is a potent antineoplastic and antiviral compound. However, its effects on HPV oncogenes and KCNH1 gene expression remain unknown. This study evaluated the effects of AM on cell proliferation, cell cycle distribution and gene expression, including its effects on tumor growth in xenografted mice. AM inhibited cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner, being the most sensitive cell lines those with the highest number of HPV16 copies. In addition, AM promoted G1-cell cycle arrest in CaSki cells, while led to cell death in SiHa and HeLa cells. Of interest was the finding of an AM-dependent decreased gene expression of E6, E7 and KCNH1 both in vitro and in vivo, as well as the modulation of cytokine expression, Ki-67, and tumor growth inhibition. On these bases, we suggest that AM represents a good option as an adjuvant for the treatment and prevention of cervical cancer. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Role of Phytochemicals in Cancer Chemoprevention and Therapeutics)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 6218 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Betulin Acid Ester Derivatives Inhibit Cancer Cell Growth by Inducing Apoptosis through Caspase Cascade Activation: A Comprehensive In Vitro and In Silico Study

by Paweł Pęcak, Marta Świtalska, Elwira Chrobak, Grzegorz Boryczka and Ewa Bębenek

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(1), 196; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24010196 - 22 Dec 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1657

Abstract

Betulin, or naturally occurring triterpene, possesses promising antiproliferative activity. To further explore this potential, thirty-eight betulin acid ester derivatives modified at the C-28 position were tested for antitumor activities. Four human cancer cell lines, MV4-11 (leukemia), A549 (lung), PC-3 (prostate), MCF-7 (breast) as well as the normal BALB/3T3 (mouse fibroblasts) cell line were examined using MTT and SRB assays. A few derivatives exhibited strong antiproliferative activity with IC₅₀ values between 2 and 5 µM. Subsequent mechanistic studies revealed that some derivatives induced apoptosis by inducing caspase-3/7 activity. A strong structure–activity correlation of tested compounds has been proposed along with experimental and in silico pharmacokinetic properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Role of Phytochemicals in Cancer Chemoprevention and Therapeutics)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Review

Jump to: Research

26 pages, 409 KiB

Open AccessReview

Drug–Drug Interactions of Cannabidiol with Standard-of-Care Chemotherapeutics

by Tereza Buchtova, David Lukac, Zdenek Skrott, Katarina Chroma, Jiri Bartek and Martin Mistrik

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(3), 2885; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24032885 - 2 Feb 2023

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3954

Abstract

Cannabidiol (CBD) is an easily accessible and affordable Marijuana (Cannabis sativa L.) plant derivative with an extensive history of medical use spanning thousands of years. Interest in the therapeutic potential of CBD has increased in recent years, including its anti-tumour properties in various cancer models. In addition to the direct anticancer effects of CBD, preclinical research on numerous cannabinoids, including CBD, has highlighted their potential use in: (i) attenuating chemotherapy-induced adverse effects and (ii) enhancing the efficacy of some anticancer drugs. Therefore, CBD is gaining popularity as a supportive therapy during cancer treatment, often in combination with standard-of-care cancer chemotherapeutics. However, CBD is a biologically active substance that modulates various cellular targets, thereby possibly resulting in unpredictable outcomes, especially in combinations with other medications and therapeutic modalities. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of CBD interactions with selected anticancer chemotherapeutics, discuss the emerging mechanistic basis for the observed biological effects, and highlight both the potential benefits and risks of such combined treatments. Apart from the experimental and preclinical results, we also indicate the planned or ongoing clinical trials aiming to evaluate the impact of CBD combinations in oncology. The results of these and future trials are essential to provide better guidance for oncologists to judge the benefit-versus-risk ratio of these exciting treatment strategies. We hope that our present overview of this rapidly advancing field of biomedicine will inspire more preclinical and clinical studies to further our understanding of the underlying biology and optimize the benefits for cancer patients. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Role of Phytochemicals in Cancer Chemoprevention and Therapeutics)

26 pages, 1553 KiB

Open AccessReview

Therapeutic Effects of Green Tea Polyphenol (‒)-Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate (EGCG) in Relation to Molecular Pathways Controlling Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Apoptosis

by Daniela Mokra, Marta Joskova and Juraj Mokry

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(1), 340; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24010340 - 25 Dec 2022

Cited by 40 | Viewed by 6494

Abstract

(‒)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is the most abundant polyphenol in green tea. Thanks to multiple interactions with cell surface receptors, intracellular signaling pathways, and nuclear transcription factors, EGCG possesses a wide variety of anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antifibrotic, anti-remodelation, and tissue-protective properties which may be useful in the treatment of various diseases, particularly in cancer, and neurological, cardiovascular, respiratory, and metabolic disorders. This article reviews current information on the biological effects of EGCG in the above-mentioned disorders in relation to molecular pathways controlling inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell apoptosis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Role of Phytochemicals in Cancer Chemoprevention and Therapeutics)

► Show Figures