Mechanistic role of pyroptosis in tumor microenvironment and tumor immunotherapy.

In recent decades, extraordinary attention has been devoted to cell death pathways principally because of multifaceted regulatory roles in normal developmental and pathophysiological processes. The removal of functionally defective, infected or potentially malignant cells is regulated by programmed cell death (PCD) cascades.  Pyroptotic cell death is a highly complicated pro-inflammatory form of cell death.

Regulatory role of circular RNAs in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

OSCC is a genomically complicated disease and advancements in the modern era of molecular oncology have enabled researchers to portray near-to-complete resolution of signaling landscape. Over the last two decades, overwhelming proof-of-concept has established mechanistic regulatory role of non-coding RNAs in carcinogenesis, including OSCC. Circular RNAs demonstrate a burgeoning facet of oncology research and molecular biologists are only beginning to appreciate and recognize the significance of circRNAs in the pathogenesis of OSCC.

Frontiers of Ferroptosis in Cancer Treatment.

Recent phenomenal advancements in genomic and proteomic technologies and rapid breakthroughs in the interpretation of large gene expression datasets have enabled scientists to comprehensively characterize the gene signatures involved in ferroptosis. Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of non-apoptotic cell death that has gained the worthwhile attention of both basic and clinical researchers. Ferroptosis has dichotomous, context-dependent functions both as a tumor suppressor and promoter of carcinogenesis.

Role of DNA Methyltransferases (DNMTs) in metastasis.

The DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) family constitutes a conserved set of DNA-modifying enzymes which have essential functions in the modulation of epigenetics. The fundamental role of epigenetic changes in carcinogenesis and metastasis is increasingly being appreciated. DNMTs (DNMT1, DNMT3A and DNMT3B) have been shown to drive metastasis.

Regulation of NLRP3 by non-coding RNAs in different cancers: interplay between non-coding RNAs and NLRP3 in carcinogenesis and metastasis.

NLRP3 (NOD-, LRR- and pyrin domain-containing protein 3) inflammasomes are multitasking intracellular sensors having characteristically unique ability to detect myriad of microbial motifs and endogenous danger signals which promote structural assembly of NLRP3 inflammasome thus enabling it to perform instrumental roles. Detailed mechanistic insights revealed that molecularly assembled NLRP3 inflammasomes stimulated caspase-1-driven release of the pro-inflammatory cytokines. NLRP3 has been shown to play fundamental role in the regulation of cancer progression and metastasis.

TRAIL mediated signaling in different cancers: cancer in the "Crosshairs".

Cancer is a therapeutically challenging disease because of its heterogeneous and multifaceted nature. Decades of research have sequentially and systematically enabled us to develop a sharper and better understanding of the heterogeneous nature of cancer. Genetic, genomic and proteomic studies have unraveled wide-ranging signaling cascades which play cornerstone role in disease onset and progression.

The protective role of melatonin against the effects of different doses of caffeine on the fetus.

Skeletal system and some organs development changes in rat fetuses with 30 and 60 mg/kg caffeine and melatonin's (10 mg/kg) protective role against rat fetuses were investigated. Groups (n = 4) were formed as Control, LDC, HDC, LDC+melatonin, HDC+melatonin and melatonin. Fetuses were taken by cesarean section and stained using dual skeletal staining method and FESEM.

Piceatannol mediated regulation of deregulated signaling pathways in different cancers: Tumbling of the ninepins of molecular oncology.

With the recent technological advancements, a new golden era of natural products drug discovery has dawned. Increasingly it is being realized that structural modularity of many pharmacologically active products derived natural sources allows a building-block approach which can be exploited for analysis of regulation of deregulated oncogenic protein networks in different cancers. Piceatannol has been shown to effectively modulate JAK/STAT, Wnt/β-catenin, mTOR pathway in different cancers.

Calcium based siRNA coating: a novel approach for knockdown of HER2 gene in MCF-7 cells using gold nanoparticles.

Surface functionalization of nanoparticles (NPs) for therapeutic siRNA delivery into cancer cells has gained interest. The present study was designed for surface functionalization of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for efficient siRNA delivery and knockdown in cancer cells. In order to achieve this objective, AuNPs were coated with HER2-siRNA in the presence of 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (11-MUA), calcium chloride (CaCl2) and polyethyleneimine (PEI) in alternate charge bearing successive layers.

Luteolin mediated targeting of protein network and microRNAs in different cancers: Focus on JAK-STAT, NOTCH, mTOR and TRAIL-mediated signaling pathways.

There has always been a keen interest of basic and clinical researchers to search for cancer therapeutics having minimum off-target effects and maximum anticancer activities. In accordance with this approach, there has been an explosion in the field of natural products research in the past few decades because of extra-ordinary list of natural extracts and their biologically and pharmacologically active constituents having significant medicinal properties. Apparently, luteolin-mediated anticancer effects have been investigated in different cancers but there is superfluousness of superficial data.

The Prowess of Andrographolide as a Natural Weapon in the War against Cancer.

There has been a paradigm shift in our understanding about the multifaceted nature of cancer, and a wealth of information has revealed that single-target drugs are not good enough to provide satisfactory clinical outcomes and therapeutic effects for complex diseases which involve multiple factors. Therefore, there has been a reignition to search for natural products having premium pharmacological activities aim to efficiently target multiple deregulated cellular signaling pathways. Andrographolide, a diterpene lactone from was brought into to the limelight because of its ability to inhibit cancer cell proliferation and induce apoptosis.

TRAIL mediated signaling as a double-edged sword in pancreatic cancer: Analysis of brighter and darker sides of the pathway.

Genetic, genomic and proteomic studies have refined our concepts related to underlying mechanisms of pancreatic cancer. Increasingly sophisticated knowledge has started to shed light on the fact that pancreatic cancer harbored multiple epigenetic and genetic alterations and revealed complicated and dense tumor microenvironments. Our rapidly evolving knowledge about pancreatic cancer has helped us in identification of myriad of underlying mechanisms which play instrumental role in disease onset, drug resistance and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT).

EGCG Mediated Targeting of Deregulated Signaling Pathways and Non-Coding RNAs in Different Cancers: Focus on JAK/STAT, Wnt/β-Catenin, TGF/SMAD, NOTCH, SHH/GLI, and TRAIL Mediated Signaling Pathways.

Decades of research have enabled us to develop a better and sharper understanding of multifaceted nature of cancer. Next-generation sequencing technologies have leveraged our existing knowledge related to intra- and inter-tumor heterogeneity to the next level. Functional genomics have opened new horizons to explore deregulated signaling pathways in different cancers.

Focusing on the brighter side of Sevoflurane: Realizing true potential of an anesthetic agent as a regulator of cell signaling pathways and microRNAs in different cancers.

Reconceptualization of different anesthetics as anticancer agents has opened new horizons for a better and sharper analysis of true potential of Sevoflurane as a promising and frontline candidate in the pipeline of anticancer agents. Sevoflurane mediated regulation of cell signaling pathways and non-coding RNAs has leveraged our understanding to another level. There have been remarkable advancements in unraveling mechanistic insights related to the ability of sevoflurane to modulate microRNAs in different cancers.

Gene variants of TCF7L2 are histopathologically important in colorectal cancers but do not have direct association with MYC expression.

Rapidly accumulating preclinical and clinical studies have helped us to unveil underlying mechanisms of colorectal cancer development and progression. Deregulated signaling pathways play instrumental role in carcinogenesis, drug resistance and metastasis. Wnt signaling cascade has attracted considerable attention in colorectal cancer as many ground-breaking researches have highlighted central role of Wnt pathway in pathogenesis of colorectal cancer.

Recent updates on true potential of an anesthetic agent as a regulator of cell signaling pathways and non-coding RNAs in different cancers: Focusing on the brighter side of propofol.

There has always been a quest to search for synthetic and natural compounds having premium pharmacological properties and minimum off-target and/or side effects. Therefore, in accordance with this approach, scientists have given special attention to the molecules having remarkable ability to target oncogenic protein network, restore drug sensitivity and induce apoptosis in cancer cells. The mechanisms through which general anesthetics modulated wide-ranging deregulated cell signaling pathways and non-coding RNAs remained unclear.

Regulation of signaling pathways by Ampelopsin (Dihydromyricetin) in different cancers: exploring the highways and byways less travelled.

Ampelopsin or Dihydromyricetin is gradually emerging as a high-quality natural product because of its ability to modulate wide-ranging signaling pathways. Ampelopsin (Dihydromyricetin) has been reported to effectively modulate growth factor receptor (VEGFR2 and PDGFRβ) mediated signaling,  TRAIL/TRAIL-R pathway, JAK/STAT and mTOR-driven signaling in different cancers. Ampelopsin (Dihydromyricetin) has also been shown to exert inhibitory effects on the versatile regulators which trigger EMT (Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition).

MicroRNA-143 as a new weapon against cancer: overview of the mechanistic insights and long non-coding RNA mediated regulation of miRNA-143 in different cancers.

Central dogma of molecular biology, a term coined by Francis Crick in 1958 was considered to be the cornerstone of molecular biology unless molecular biologists challenged the idea after ground-breaking discovery of non-coding RNAs. Discovery of microRNAs marked a new era and revolutionized our understanding related to puzzling mysteries about intermediate steps between transcription and translation. Technological advancements have spawned a multitude of platforms for profiling of long-noncoding RNAs and miRNAs in different cancers.

Antitumoral activity of Ficus carica L. on colorectal cancer cell lines.

In traditional medicine, Ficus carica (also known as fig) latex is recognized as a remedy with various therapeutic effects. In the present study we investigated the antitumor activity of Ficus carica extracts and latex. We evaluated the effects of increasing concentrations of Ficus carica extracts and latex on HCT-116 and HT-29 human colorectal cell proliferation using MTT assay and apoptosis induction by evaluating PARP cleavage by Western blot analysis.

Role of Autophagy in Breast Cancer Development and Progression: Opposite Sides of the Same Coin.

The term "autophagy", which means "self (auto) - eating (phagy)", describes a catabolic process that is evolutionarially conserved among all eukaryotes. Although autophagy is mainly accepted as a cell survival mechanism, it also modulates the process known as "type II cell death". AKT/mTOR pathway is an upstream activator of autophagy and it is tightly regulated by the ATG (autophagy-related genes) signaling cascade.

Natural Product Mediated Regulation of Death Receptors and Intracellular Machinery: Fresh from the Pipeline about TRAIL-Mediated Signaling and Natural TRAIL Sensitizers.

Rapidly developing resistance against different therapeutics is a major stumbling block in the standardization of therapy. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-mediated signaling has emerged as one of the most highly and extensively studied signal transduction cascade that induces apoptosis in cancer cells. Rapidly emerging cutting-edge research has helped us to develop a better understanding of the signaling machinery involved in inducing apoptotic cell death.

Regulation of Cell Signaling Pathways by Berberine in Different Cancers: Searching for Missing Pieces of an Incomplete Jig-Saw Puzzle for an Effective Cancer Therapy.

There has been a renewed interest in the identification of natural products having premium pharmacological properties and minimum off-target effects. In accordance with this approach, natural product research has experienced an exponential growth in the past two decades and has yielded a stream of preclinical and clinical insights which have deeply improved our knowledge related to the multifaceted nature of cancer and strategies to therapeutically target deregulated signaling pathways in different cancers. In this review, we have set the spotlight on the scientifically proven ability of berberine to effectively target a myriad of deregulated pathways.

Regulation of Kisspeptin mediated signaling by non-coding RNAs in different cancers: the beginning of a new era.

Kisspeptin-driven intracellular signaling has captured enormous attention because of its central role in cancer onset and progression. Wealth of information has helped us to develop a better understanding of the critical roles of Kisspeptin-mediated signaling in different cancers. However, astonishingly, we have not yet drilled down deep into the mysterious aspects associated with non-coding RNA mediated regulation of Kisspeptin-driven signaling.

Bioactivity evaluation and HPLC UV-VIS based quantification of antioxidant secondary metabolites from extract and fractions of Bistorta amplexicaulis rhizome.

Bistorta amplexicaulis is a popular medicinal plant and reported as rich source of antioxidant compounds. The present study was designed for antioxidant and anticancer potential of polarity based fractions of B. amplexicaulis and its correlation to the secondary metabolites quantified by HPLC-UV/VIS.