Masoud Youssefi; Majid Eslami; Mohsen Karbalaei; Masoud Keikha; Kiarash Ghazvini
Abstract
Cancer is defined as uncontrolled cell division, which could spread or invade various tissues. There are more than 200 types of cancer, including breast, skin, lung, colon, and prostate cancer, and lymphoma, the symptoms and indications of which vary depending on the type of tissues. Cancer has several ...
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Cancer is defined as uncontrolled cell division, which could spread or invade various tissues. There are more than 200 types of cancer, including breast, skin, lung, colon, and prostate cancer, and lymphoma, the symptoms and indications of which vary depending on the type of tissues. Cancer has several treatments with different applications. For instance, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery or their combination are common treatment modalities for cancer. However, a complete cure for cancer has not been achieved yet. On the other hand, novel drugs for cancer treatment are not efficient due to the ability of cancer cells to develop resistance against chemotherapeutic agents. Recently, natural compounds have been reported to improve the efficiency of cancer treatment. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are natural compounds that could be used as dietary supplements in cancer patients. PUFAs are classified into two main categories, including n-3 and n-6 PUFAs. According to the literature, n-3 PUFAs exert protective effects against cancer through the induction of apoptotic pathways and suppressing cell proliferation, while n-6 PUFAs cause tumor formation by inducing cell growth and proliferation. Using PUFAs in combination with chemotherapeutic agents is considered to be an effective approach to the treatment of cancer patients through increasing cancer cell death. This review aimed to discuss the interactive effects of the structure and function of PUFAs on cancer and cell processes through various signaling pathways.
Zahra Ahmadi; Sahar Roomiani; Niloofar Bemani; Milad Ashrafizadeh
Abstract
In recent decades, special attention has been paid to cell death mechanisms, with the exception of apoptosis. This could be due to the resistance of cells, particularly cancer cells, to apoptosis. Among novel pathways, autophagy and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress have attracted the attention of researchers. ...
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In recent decades, special attention has been paid to cell death mechanisms, with the exception of apoptosis. This could be due to the resistance of cells, particularly cancer cells, to apoptosis. Among novel pathways, autophagy and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress have attracted the attention of researchers. A large number of antitumor drugs have been developed based on their modulatory effects on autophagy and ER stress. On the other hand, ER stress could stimulate autophagy and apoptosis, which is indicative of the dual role of this pathway. Therefore, the monitoring of these pathways could contribute to the treatment of pathological conditions. Among the multiple synthetic and natural modulators of autophagy and ER stress, natural agents are used more extensively owing to their few side-effects, valuable biological activities, and cost-efficiency. Honokiol as a lignin extracted from the bark of magnolia tree. This compound has been reported to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and antitumor effects. The present study aimed to first introduce honokiol, autophagy, and ER stress and assess the modulatory effects of honokiol on the autophagy and ER stress mechanisms so as to demonstrate the therapeutic efficacy of this natural compound.