Aristolochic Acid Affects Upper Tract Urothelial Cancer Behavior through the MAPK Pathway.

The prevalence of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) in Taiwan is relatively higher than thatin Western countries. Aristolochic acid (AA), which is widely used in traditional Chinese herbology, is now recognized to be one of the carcinogens for UTUC. Numerous UTUC patients have chronic kidney diseases or end-stage renal diseases; however, little literature hasreported on theoncogenic pathway of AA-related UTUC.

Proteomics Analysis of Tangeretin-Induced Apoptosis through Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Bladder Cancer Cells.

Tangeretin is one of the most abundant compounds in citrus peel, and studies have shown that it possesses anti-oxidant and anti-cancer properties. However, no study has been conducted on bladder cancer cells. Bladder cancer has the second highest mortality rate among urological cancers and is the fifth most common malignancy in the world.

Expression of Estrogen Receptor Beta Predicts Oncologic Outcome of pT3 Upper Urinary Tract Urothelial Carcinoma Better Than Aggressive Pathological Features.

Upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UT-UC) is rare and treatment options or prognostic markers are limited. There is increasing evidence indicating that urothelial carcinoma may be an endocrine-related cancer. The aim of this study was to analyze the prognostic effect of estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) on the outcome of UT-UC.

Cembranoids from the cultured soft coral Sinularia gibberosa.

An EtOAc extract of the cultured soft coral Sinularia gibberosa yielded a new cembrane-based diterpenoid, cugibberosene A (1), together with the previously reported three cembranoids (2-4). The structure determination was based on extensive NMR studies. The cytotoxic and antibacterial activities of theseisolated metabolites 1-4 were evaluated in vitro.

Triangulene C, a new cubitane-based diterpenoid from the soft coral Sinularia triangula.

A new cubitane-based diterpenoid, triangulene C (1), was isolated from the soft coral Sinularia triangula and its structure was elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data. Compound 1 was not cytotoxic (IC50 > 20 microg/mL) toward the four human cancer cell lines tested (HL60, MDA-MB-231, HCT-116 and DLD-1).

Two new cembrane-based diterpenoids from the marine soft coral Sinularia crassa.

Two new cembrane diterpenes, sicrassarines A and B, were isolated from the Taiwanese soft coral Sinularia crassa. The structures of the new metabolites were determined on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis, particularly mass spectroscopy and 2D NMR (¹H--¹H COSY, HMQC, HMBC, and NOESY) spectroscopy.

Tetrahydrofuran cembranoids from the cultured soft coral Lobophytum crassum.

Three new cembranoids, culobophylins A-C (1-3), along with two known compounds (4 and 5) were isolated from the cultured soft coral Lobophytum crassum. The structures of these compounds were elucidated on the basis of their spectroscopic data and comparison of the NMR data with those of known analogues. Among these metabolites, 2 is rarely found in cembranoids possessing an isopropyl moiety with an epoxide group.