(±)-Gossypol induces apoptosis and autophagy in head and neck carcinoma cell lines and inhibits the growth of transplanted salivary gland cancer cells in BALB/c mice.

Racemic Gossypol [(±)-GOS], composed of both (-)-GOS and (+)-GOS, is a small BH3-mimetic polyphenol derived from cotton seeds. (±)-GOS has been employed and well tolerated by cancer patients. Head and neck carcinoma (HNC) represents one of the most fatal cancers worldwide, and a significant proportion of HNC expresses high levels of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 proteins. In this study, we demonstrate that (±)-GOS inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis and autophagy of human pharynx, tongue, and salivary gland cancer cell lines and of mouse salivary gland cancer cells (SALTO). (±)-GOS was able to: (a) decrease the ErbB2 protein expression; (b) inhibit the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and AKT; (c) stimulate p38 and JNK1/2 protein phosphorylation. (±)-GOS administration was safe in BALB/c mice and it reduced the growth of transplanted SALTO cells in vivo and prolonged mice median survival. Our results suggest the potential role of (±)-GOS as an antitumor agent in HNC patients.

In Vitro and In Vivo Anti-tumoral Effects of the Flavonoid Apigenin in Malignant Mesothelioma.

Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is a tumor arising from mesothelium. MM patients' survival is poor. The polyphenol 4',5,7,-trihydroxyflavone Apigenin (API) is a "multifunctional drug". Several studies have demonstrated API anti-tumoral effects. However, little is known on the in vitro and in vivo anti-tumoral effects of API in MM. Thus, we analyzed the in vitro effects of API on cell proliferation, cell cycle regulation, pro-survival signaling pathways, apoptosis, and autophagy of human and mouse MM cells. We evaluated the in vivo anti-tumor activities of API in mice transplanted with MM #40a cells forming ascites. API inhibited in vitro MM cells survival, increased reactive oxygen species intracellular production and induced DNA damage. API activated apoptosis but not autophagy. API-induced apoptosis was sustained by the increase of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, increase of p53 expression, activation of both caspase 9 and caspase 8, cleavage of PARP-1, and increase of the percentage of cells in subG1 phase. API treatment affected the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, JNK and p38 MAPKs in a cell-type specific manner, inhibited AKT phosphorylation, decreased c-Jun expression and phosphorylation, and inhibited NF-κB nuclear translocation. Intraperitoneal administration of API increased the median survival of C57BL/6 mice intraperitoneally transplanted with #40a cells and reduced the risk of tumor growth. Our findings may have important implications for the design of MM treatment using API.

The Potential Protective Effects of Polyphenols in Asbestos-Mediated Inflammation and Carcinogenesis of Mesothelium.

Malignant Mesothelioma (MM) is a tumor of the serous membranes linked to exposure to asbestos. A chronic inflammatory response orchestrated by mesothelial cells contributes to the development and progression of MM. The evidence that: (a) multiple signaling pathways are aberrantly activated in MM cells; (b) asbestos mediated-chronic inflammation has a key role in MM carcinogenesis; (c) the deregulation of the immune system might favor the development of MM; and (d) a drug might have a better efficacy when injected into a serous cavity thus bypassing biotransformation and reaching an effective dose has prompted investigations to evaluate the effects of polyphenols for the therapy and prevention of MM. Dietary polyphenols are able to inhibit cancer cell growth by targeting multiple signaling pathways, reducing inflammation, and modulating immune response. The ability of polyphenols to modulate the production of pro-inflammatory molecules by targeting signaling pathways or ROS might represent a key mechanism to prevent and/or to contrast the development of MM. In this review, we will report the current knowledge on the ability of polyphenols to modulate the immune system and production of mediators of inflammation, thus revealing an important tool in preventing and/or counteracting the growth of MM.