The bounty of nature for changing the cancer landscape.
The landscape of cancer has changed considerably in past several years, due mainly to aggressive screening, accumulation of data from basic and epidemiological studies, and the advances in translational research. Natural anticancer agents have always been a part and parcel of cancer research. The initial focus on natural anticancer agents was in context of their cancer chemopreventive properties but their ability to selectively target oncogenic signaling pathways has also been recognized. In light of the rapid advancements in our understanding of the role of microRNAs, cancer stem cells, and epigenetic events in cancer initiation and progression, a number of natural anticancer agents are showing promise in vitro, in vivo as well as in preclinical studies. Moreover, parent structures of natural agents are being extensively modified with the hope of improving efficacy, specificity, and bioavailability. In this article, we focus on two natural agents, 3,3'-diindolylmethane and garcinol, along with 3,4-difluorobenzo curcumin, a synthetic analog of natural agent curcumin. We showcase how these anticancer agents are changing cancer landscape by modulating novel microRNAs, epigenetic factors, and cancer stem cell markers. These activities are relevant and being appreciated for overcoming drug resistance and inhibition of metastases, the two overarching clinical challenges in modern medicine.
['Ahmad|Aamir|A|', 'Li|Yiwei|Y|', 'Sarkar|Fazlul H|FH|']
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor D045744:Cell Line, Tumor D003474:Curcumin D019587:Dietary Supplements D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition D006801:Humans D007211:Indoles D035683:MicroRNAs D009369:Neoplasms D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells D015398:Signal Transduction D013729:Terpenes
Epigenetic Garcinol CDF DIM miRNAs