The molecular crosstalk between innate immunity and DNA damage repair/response: Interactions and effects in cancers.

DNA damage can lead to erroneous alterations and mutations which in turn can result into wide range of disease condition including aging, severe inflammation, and, most importantly, cancer. Due to the constant exposure to high-risk factors such as exogenous and endogenous DNA-damaging agents, cells may experience DNA damage impairing stability and integrity of the genome. These perturbations in DNA structure can arise from several mutations in the genome. Therefore, DNA Damage Repair/Response (DDR) detects and then corrects these potentially tumorigenic problems by inducing processes such as DNA repair, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, etc. Additionally, DDR can activate signaling pathways related to immune system as a protective mechanism against genome damage. These protective machineries are ignited and spread through a network of molecules including DNA damage sensors, transducers, kinases and downstream effectors. In this review, we are going to discuss the molecular crosstalk between innate immune system and DDR, as well as their potential effects on cancer pathophysiology.

The Protective Role of miR-125b in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Unraveling Tumor-Suppressive Mechanisms.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as crucial regulators of gene expression, playing pivotal roles in various biological processes, including cancer development and progression. Among them, miR-125b has garnered significant attention due to its multifaceted functional roles in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Extensive research has revealed that miR-125b plays a dual role in HCC, acting as both a tumor suppressor and an oncogene depending on the context. As a tumor suppressor, miR-125b exerts its inhibitory effects on HCC by targeting key oncogenic pathways and genes involved in cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis. Its downregulation in HCC is frequently observed and correlates with aggressive tumor characteristics and poor prognosis. Conversely, miR-125b can also function as an oncogene in specific HCC subtypes or under certain conditions. It has been shown to promote HCC growth, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance by targeting tumor suppressor genes, modulating the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process, and enhancing cancer stem cell-like properties. The upregulation of miR-125b in HCC has been associated with advanced disease stages and unfavorable clinical outcomes. Furthermore, the dysregulation of miR-125b expression in HCC is influenced by a complex network of regulatory mechanisms. Understanding these regulatory mechanisms is crucial for deciphering the precise functional roles of miR-125b in HCC and exploring its potential as a diagnostic biomarker or therapeutic target. In the current review study, we comprehensively elucidated the diverse functional roles of miR-125b in HCC, providing a comprehensive overview of its regulatory mechanisms and impact on key cellular processes involved in HCC progression.

Interaction between lncRNAs and RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) influences DNA damage response in cancer chemoresistance.

The DNA damage response (DDR) is a crucial cellular signaling pathway activated in response to DNA damage, including damage caused by chemotherapy. Chemoresistance, which refers to the resistance of cancer cells to the effects of chemotherapy, poses a significant challenge in cancer treatment. Understanding the relationship between DDR and chemoresistance is vital for devising strategies to overcome this resistance and improve treatment outcomes. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a class of RNA molecules that do not code for proteins but play important roles in various biological processes, including cancer development and chemoresistance. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are a group of proteins that bind to RNA molecules and regulate their functions. The interaction between lncRNAs and RBPs has been found to regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level, thereby influencing various cellular processes, including DDR signaling pathways. Multiple studies have demonstrated that lncRNAs can interact with RBPs to modulate the expression of genes involved in cancer chemoresistance by impacting DDR signaling pathways. Conversely, RBPs can regulate the expression and function of lncRNAs involved in DDR. Exploring these interactions can provide valuable insights for the development of innovative therapeutic approaches to overcome chemoresistance in cancer patients. This review article aims to summarize recent research on the interaction between lncRNAs and RBPs during cancer chemotherapy, with a specific focus on DDR pathways.

The potential therapeutic effects of Galbanic acid on cancer.

Galbanic acid (GBA), as a natural compound has potential anticancer properties. It has been documented that GBA shows promising therapeutic potential against various types of cancer, including breast, lung, colon, liver, and prostate cancer. Several mechanisms involve im anti-tumor effects of GBA include apoptosis induction, cell cycle arrest, inhibition of angiogenesis, suppression of metastasis, and modulation of immune responses. Furthermore, the synergistic effects of GBA along with chemotherapeutic agents led to has enhancing efficiency with reduction in toxicity. Moreover, GBA through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties possess indirect anti-tumor effects. In this review, we will summarize the anti-tumor effects of GBA acid along with involve mechanisms.

Xanthomicrol: Effective therapy for cancer treatment.

Cancer treatment is one of the main challenges of global health. For decades, researchers have been trying to find anti-cancer compounds with minimal side effects. In recent years, flavonoids, as a group of polyphenolic compounds, have attracted the attention of researchers due to their beneficial effects on health. Xanthomicrol is one of the flavonoids that has the ability to inhibit growth, proliferation, survival and cell invasion and ultimately tumor progression. Xanthomicrol, as active anti-cancer compounds, can be effective in the prevention and treatment of cancer. Therefore, the use of flavonoids can be suggested as a treatment along with other medicinal agents. It is obvious that additional investigations in cellular levels and animal models are still needed. In this review article, the effects of xanthomicrol on various cancers have been reviewed.

An evaluation on potential anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of Crocin.

Crocin, an active ingredient derived from saffron, is one of the herbal components that has recently been considered by researchers. Crocin has been shown to have many anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and therefore can be used to treat various diseases. It has been shown that Crocin has a positive effect on the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and kidney disease. In addition, the role of this substance in COVID-19 pandemic has been identified. In this review article, we tried to have a comprehensive review of the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of Crocin in different diseases and different tissues. In conclusion, Crocin may be helpful in pathological conditions that are associated with inflammation and oxidative stress.

Potential tumor marker for hepatocellular carcinoma identification: PI3K and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TGF-ß, IL-1, and IL-6).

OBJECTIVES: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of liver cancer, is a leading cause of tumor-associated mortality worldwide. Diagnosis based upon non-invasive criteria is currently challenged by the need for molecular information that requires tissue or liquid biopsies. The progression of HCC is often associated with chronic inflammation, expression levels of inflammatory mediators, chemokine, and cytokines. In this study, we try to evaluate the PI3K and pro-inflammatory cytokines, TGF-ß, IL-1, and IL-6 expression level in patients with liver cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The kupffer cells were isolated from patient's specimens. Real-time PCR was applied to evaluate the expression level of PI3K in cell lines or tumors. The concentrations of TGF-ß, IL-1, and IL-6 were measured by the quantitative ELISA kit. RESULTS: PI3K mRNA expression in cancer cells was increased markedly vs. normal cells. The ELISA results demonstrated over expression of TGF-ß, IL-1, and IL-6 in patients and positive correlation between tumor size and stage. DISCUSSION: This study suggests that targeting the expression level of PI3K and pro-inflammatory chemokine and cytokines, TGF-ß, IL-1, and IL-6, may be a potential diagnostic strategy in HCC patients.

Vascular mimicry: A potential therapeutic target in breast cancer.

Treating breast cancer, especially in the invasive state, is one of the challenges in treating cancer. Invasion and metastasis are factors in the failure of breast cancer treatments. One of the causes of this failure is the formation of new blood vessels to nourish the tumor cells. Although many drugs target the formation of blood vessels, the therapeutic results, especially in breast cancer, have not been very successful and even recurrence of the disease has been observed. Therefore, it can be concluded that other mechanisms are involved in feeding and delivering oxygen to tumor cells, the most important of which is the vascular mimicry (VM). The ability of cancer cells to organize themselves into vascular-like structures for the obtain of nutrients and oxygen independently of normal blood vessels or angiogenesis named Vasculogenic mimicry. In this review article, we tried to review the formation VM and the therapeutic potential of targeting VM formation in the treatment of breast cancer.

Dapagliflozin attenuates high glucose-induced endothelial cell apoptosis and inflammation through AMPK/SIRT1 activation.

Hyperglycaemia is a major cause of pathophysiological processes such as oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in diabetes. Dapagliflozin (DAPA), a novel hypoglycaemic drug, has been shown to have anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects in multiple experimental studies. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of DAPA in the hyperglycaemic condition to identify associated molecular mechanisms. human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) endothelial cells were treated with 40 mM glucose for 72 h to establish an in vitro high glucose (HG) condition model, and then additional groups co-treated with or without DAPA before glucose treatment. Then, cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS), pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α), apoptosis, and SIRT1 expression were measured. The results showed that DAPA pretreatment resulted in increased cell viability. Additionally, DAPA pretreatment decreased endothelial ROS, IL-6, and TNF-α levels in endothelial cells subjected to HG conditions. Moreover, DAPA pretreatment significantly prevented HG-induced apoptosis and caspase-3 activity in HUVECs. Furthermore, DAPA increased the expression of SIRT1, PGC-1α, and increased the phosphorylation levels of AMPK (p-AMPK) in a set of HG conditions in HUVECs. However, the endothelial protective effects of DAPA were abolished when cells were subjected to the SIRT1 inhibitor (EX-527) and AMPK inhibitor (Compound C). These findings suggest that DAPA can abrogate HG-induced endothelial cell dysfunction by AMPK/SIRT1 pathway up-regulation. Therefore, suggesting that the activation of AMPK/SIRT1 axis by DAPA may be a novel target for the treatment of HG-induced endothelial cell injury.

The role of SOX family in cancer stem cell maintenance: With a focus on SOX2.

The role of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in cancer incidence, drug resistance, and relapse after chemotherapy has been discussed and it has been confirmed that CSCs are extremely important and so, are suitable for therapeutic targeting. Sox families play an important role in carcinogenesis and dis-regulation of SOXs molecules has been observed in different types of cancers. The members of this family have been shown to play an important role in the maintenance of CSCs. In this article, we have tried to evaluate the role of different family members in CSCs maintenance, review various studies in this field and provide a perspective view on this issue. Also, due to the important role and many studies in the field of SOX2 molecule in CSCs, we try to have more focus on this molecule and examine the potential of these molecules for therapeutic targeting.

Effect of Apatinib plus melatonin on vasculogenic mimicry formation by cancer stem cells from breast cancer cell line.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) is one of the most important causes of breast cancer metastasis and resistance against drugs. The cancer stem cells (CSCs) are known as essential factors for VM formation. In this study, the effects of melatonin, Apatinib, and a combination of Apatinib/melatonin on VM formation were investigated by breast CSCs from breast cancer cell line. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The percentage of CSCs was determined in two breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) by flow cytometry. The effects of Apatinib, melatonin, and a combination of Apatinib/melatonin were evaluated on proliferation and viability, migration and invasion, apoptosis, and VM formation in MDA-MB-231 cells. Moreover, expression levels of the involved proteins in cancer cell proliferation and viability, CSCs, migration and invasion, and VM formation were evaluated by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blotting methods. RESULTS: Results of the present study showed that melatonin and Apatinib reduced survival rate of CSCs in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Apatinib, melatonin, and a combination of Apatinib/melatonin inhibited proliferation of breast CSCs (P ≤ 0.001). Formation of VM was decreased in the MDA-MB-231 cancer cell line treated with Apatinib and combination of Apatinib/melatonin. Apatinib and combination of Apatinib/melatonin reduced invasion of breast CSCs (P ≤ 0.0001). Expression of vascular endothelial VE-cadherin, ephrinA2 receptor (EPHA2), p-PI3K/phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K) and phospho-AKT (p-AKT)/AKT ratios was decreased under the influence of Apatinib and a combination of Apatinib/melatonin (P ≤ 0.01). CONCLUSION: Apatinib or a combination of Apatinib/melatonin may be used to manage patients with breast cancer. However, further studies are needed to identify anti-cancer mechanisms of melatonin and Apatinib for better management of the patients with breast cancer.

Potential Therapeutic Effects of Melatonin Mediate via miRNAs in Cancer.

miRNAs are evolutionarily conserved non-coding ribonucleic acids with a length of between 19 and 25 nucleotides. Because of their ability to regulate gene expression, miRNAs have an important function in the controlling of various biological processes, such as cell cycle, differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. Owing to the long-standing regulative potential of miRNAs in tumor-suppressive pathways, scholars have recently paid closer attention to the expression profile of miRNAs in various types of cancer. Melatonin, an indolic compound secreted from pineal gland and some peripheral tissues, has been considered as an effective anti-tumor hormone in a wide spectrum of cancers. Furthermore, it induces apoptosis, inhibits tumor metastasis and invasion, and also angiogenesis. A growing body of evidence indicates the effects of melatonin on miRNAs expression in broad spectrum of diseases, including cancer. Due to the long-term effects of the regulation of miRNAs expression, melatonin could be a promising therapeutic factor in the treatment of cancers via the regulation of miRNAs. Therefore, in this review, we will discuss the effects of melatonin on miRNAs expression in various types of cancers.

Association between vitamin D deficiency and prevalence of metabolic syndrome in female population: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The increasing prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) especially in female population, has become a major problem in health care systems. In this regards, it is necessary to identify the risk factors. Vitamin D deficiency is now proposed as one of the possible risk factors for metabolic syndrome, we investigated the relationship between vitamin D status and MS in female. METHODS: We searched observational studies with keywords Vitamin D, metabolic syndrome, metabolic syndrome X, insulin-resistance syndrome, metabolic cardiovascular syndrome and Reaven Syndrome X and female in pubmed, scopus, science direct, cochrane, web of science, google scholar and SID databases, regardless of publication time. Two hundred ninety five studies were found, and finally only 12 articles were selected according to exclusion and inclusion criteria. RESULTS: In nine studies that reported the prevalence of MS, the prevalence of MS among women with vitamin D deficiency was higher than female with normal vitamin D (34.5 vs. 30.2%). The prevalence of abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high TG and HDL deficiency is higher in women with vitamin D deficiency. Also, the mean waist circumference, blood pressure, fast blood sugar (FBS), TG and BMI were higher. The most incident factor was high blood pressure (61.4 vs. 56.5%) and the lowest prevalence is associated with high FBS (32.2 vs. 33.5% in the other group). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of MS is significantly associated with vitamin D deficiency, and among related factors, HDL, TG and blood pressure are statistically associated with vitamin D status.

The potential therapeutic effects of melatonin on breast cancer: An invasion and metastasis inhibitor.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and its metastasis which generally observed at the last stage is the major cause of breast cancer-related death. Therefore, the agents that have the potential to prevent metastatic and invasive nature of breast cancer can open up new therapeutic strategies. Melatonin, a major hormone of pineal gland, is a powerful anti-cancer agent. There are growing evidence regarding the protective effect of melatonin against cancer invasion and metastasis. The anti-metastatic feature of melatonin accompanies with suppression of tumor proliferation, induction of tumor apoptosis, regulation of the cell cycle, modulating angiogenesis, impediment of invasion, and induction of cancer cells sensitivity to the chemotherapy agents. More recently, anti-metastatic effect of melatonin through affecting cancer stem cells and vascular mimicry has been identified. Thus, the aim of this review is to discuss the potential therapeutic effect of melatonin on breast cancer via modulating the cells invasion and metastasis.

Inhibitory effect of melatonin on hypoxia-induced vasculogenic mimicry via suppressing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in breast cancer stem cells.

Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) play an important role in breast cancer metastasis and anti- angiogenic drugs resistance. Hypoxia, the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and cancer stem cells (CSCs) are known as essential factors for VM formation. Also, melatonin is an amino acid-derived hormone with many anti-tumor effects. Despite the antitumor effects of melatonin, its effect on VM formation in breast cancer has not been considered yet, so we investigated the effect of melatonin on VM formation through EMT process under hypoxia conditions in breast CSCs. The CSCs percentage and VM formation were determined in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231, respectively. Also, analysis of HIF-1α expression under hypoxia in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cell lines was performed using Western blot. The effect of melatonin on the VM formation, invasion, and migration was also investigated. Moreover, the effect of melatonin on the expression EMT markers was evaluated. CD44+ CD24-phenotype as CSCs marker in MDA-MB-231 cell line, was 80.8%, while it was 11.1% in MCF-7 cell line. HIF-1α expression was up-regulated in the VM-positive breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231, and consequently, affected the expression of the EMT markers E-cadherin, vimentin, snail, and MMP9. Melatonin had significant effect on EMT and formations of VM in breast CSCs. Melatonin could prevent the formation of VM by affecting the important molecules involved in the formation of VM structures and the EMT. Moreover, our data clearly showed that, melatonin represents molecule with significant anti-cancer activities that may potentially optimize the management of breast cancer through the overcoming drug resistance in anti-angiogenic drugs.

Targeting cancer stem cells by melatonin: Effective therapy for cancer treatment.

Melatonin is a physiological hormone produced by the pineal gland. In recent decades, enormous investigations showed that melatonin can prompt apoptosis in cancer cells and inhibit tumor metastasis and angiogenesis in variety of malignancies such as ovarian, melanoma, colon, and breast cancer; therefore, its possible therapeutic usage in cancer treatment was confirmed. CSCs, which has received much attention from researchers in past decades, are major challenges in the treatment of cancer. Because CSCs are resistant to chemotherapeutic drugs and cause recurrence of cancer and also have the ability to be regenerated; they can cause serious problems in the treatment of various cancers. For these reasons, the researchers are trying to find a solution to destroy these cells within the tumor mass. In recent years, the effect of melatonin on CSCs has been investigated in some cancers. Given the importance of CSCs in the process of cancer treatment, this article reviewed the studies conducted on the effect of melatonin on CSCs as a solution to the problems caused by CSCs in the treatment of various cancers.

Human Amnion Membrane Proteins Prevent Doxorubicin-Induced Oxidative Stress Injury and Apoptosis in Rat H9c2 Cardiomyocytes.

Doxorubicin (DOX) is widely used as an effective chemotherapy agent in cancer treatment. Cardiac toxicity in cancer treatment with DOX demand urgent attention and no effective treatment has been established for DOX-induced cardiomyopathy. It has been well documented that human amniotic membrane proteins (AMPs), extracted from amnion membrane (AM), have antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and cytoprotective properties. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the protective effects of AMPs against cardiotoxicity induced by DOX in cultured rat cardiomyocyte cells (H9c2). DOX-induced cell injury was evaluated using multi-parametric assay including thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide (MTT), the release of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), intracellular Ca2+ , reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, cellular antioxidant status, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), malondialdehyde (MDA), and NF-κB p65 DNA-binding activity. Moreover, expression profiling of apoptosis-related genes (P53, Bcl-2, and Bax) and Annexin V by flow cytometry were used for cell apoptosis detection. It was shown that AMPs pretreatment inhibited the cell toxicity induced by DOX. AMPs effectively attenuated the increased levels of LDH, Ca2+ , ROS, and MDA and also simultaneously elevated the ΔΨm and antioxidant status such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Catalase (CAT) in pretreated H9c2 cardiomyocytes. Besides, the activity of NF-kB p65 was reduced and the p53 and Bax protein levels were inhibited in these myocardial cells subjected to DOX. These findings provide the first evidence that AMPs potently suppressed DOX-induced toxicity in cardiomyocytes through inhibition of oxidative stress and apoptosis. Thus, AMPs can be a potential therapeutic agent against DOX cardiotoxicity.

The apatinib inhibits breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 in vitro by inducing apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and regulating nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers and leading causes of death in the women worldwide. The evidence shows efficacy of apatinib against breast cancer. Accordingly, the present study was conducted to investigate the effect of apatinib on apoptosis, cell cycle, and Mitogen­Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathways in the breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell line. METHODS: The effects of apatinib on viability, morphology, tumor spheroid, cell cycle, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells were evaluated in vitro. In addition, expression of proteins involved in NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways was evaluated using the western blotting analysis. RESULTS: Apatinib decreased viability, tumor spheroid, migration, and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells. Furthermore, apatinib altered morphology and regulated cell cycle which followed by apoptosis induction in MDA-MB-231 cells. Apatinib decreased expression of p-p65 and p65 proteins in NF-κB signaling pathways and increased expression of p38, p-p38, JNK, and p-JNK in MAPK signaling pathways. CONCLUSION: The results suggested that apatinib can inhibit proliferation, migration and invasion of breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 through inducing apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and regulating NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways.

A glimpse into molecular mechanisms of embryonic stem cells pluripotency: Current status and future perspective.

Embryonic stem cells have potential differentiation ability into a large variety of cell lineages and proved to be an effective therapeutic modality. However, prolonged in vitro and ex-vivo expansions impair embryonic stem cells multipotentiality, and thereby limit their clinical application. In the past few years, research collected attempts to explore new insights into the molecular mechanisms participate in the stemness capacity of embryonic stem cells. Along with these comments, modalities and strategies with the potential to maintain embryonic stem cells multipotentiality are of great interest. In this review, the authors attempted to discuss the pathways participating in the preservation of embryonic stem cells multipotentiality and emphasized the novel strategies that help to harness regenerative potential.

Anti-inflammatory activity of emu oil-based nanofibrous scaffold through downregulation of IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Background Inflammation is one of the most important responses of the body against infection or disease, and it protects tissues from injury; however, it causes redness, swelling, pain, fever and loss of function. The aim of this present study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of emu oil (Eu) formulated nanofibrous scaffold in HFFF2 fibroblast cells. Materials and methods Eu was formulated successfully in nanofibers through the electrospinning method. Besides, the morphological and structural properties of Eu nanofibres were evaluated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The MTT assay (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) was performed to evaluate the HFFF2 fibroblast cells' viability. Also, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to evaluate the anti-inflammatory signaling pathway in treated HFFF2 cells with Eu nanofiber. Results Our study showed that the Eu nanofiber increased the viability of fibroblast HFFF2 cells (p < 0.05). Also, the expression of interleukin1 (IL1), IL6 and tumor necrosis factor- alpha (TNF-α) pro-inflammatory cytokines genes were significantly decreased in treated HFFF2 cells with Eu nanofiber (p < 0.05). Conclusions In conclusion, Eu nanofiber scaffold potentially can reduce the inflammation process through downregulation of IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-α cytokines.