How sesquiterpenes modulate signaling cascades in cancers.

Data obtained from high-throughput technologies has started to shed light on the interplay between signal transduction cascades and chromatin modifications thus adding another layer of complexity to the already complex regulation of the protein network. Based on the insights gleaned from almost a decade of research, it has now been convincingly revealed that sesquiterpenes effectively modulated different intracellular signaling cascades in different cancers. In this review we summarize how sesquiterpenes mediated Wnt, Shh, Notch and TRAIL induced signaling cascades.

Editorial.

To optimize treatment, we need to understand biology of different diseases in much more detail with emphasis on morphological, proteomic, genetic and epigenetic grounds. Keeping in view the facts and stimulating developments in molecular pathology, it is worthwhile to present an up-date on this topic.It is becoming progressively more understandable that exciting fields of pharmacogenomics and pharmacogenetics have revolutionized field of medicine.

Genetic variants in the tumor Necrosis Factor-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand (TRAIL) do not contribute but Death Receptor (DR4) genes may contribute to susceptibility to head and neck cancer in Pakistani population.

TRAIL mediated signaling in cancer cells has emerged as one amongst the most deeply studied molecular phenomenon. Recent breakthroughs have shown that overexpression of anti-apoptotic proteins, inactivation of pro-apoptotic proteins, transcriptional downregulation of TRAIL, DR4/DR5, degradation of DR/DR5 are some of the mechanisms which dramatically abrogate TRAIL induced apoptosis in cancer cells. Data obtained through genetic studies has highlighted highly polymorphic nature of DR4 and in accordance with this concept, we investigated the association between Head and Neck Cancer and polymorphisms in TRAIL (1595 C/T) and DR4 (C626G and A1322G) gene.

Editorial.

Cancer is a multifaceted disease and research over decades has sequentially broadened our understanding of the mechanisms which underlie its development, progression and resistance against wide ranging molecular therapeutics. Data obtained through in-vitro studies and xenografted mice based investigations clearly suggested that inactivation of tumor suppressor genes, overexpression of oncogenes, imbalance of pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins, loss of apoptosis, dysregulation of spatio-temporally controlled intracellular signaling cascades, epithelial to mesenchymal transition, intra-tumor heterogeneity are significantly involved in regulation of different steps of cancer. Recently emerging information is also shedding light on considerable role of microRNAs in cancer and we have seen an exponential growth in the list of tumor suppressor and oncogenic miRNAs.

Genetic variants in the tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and death receptor (DR4) genes contribute to susceptibility to colorectal cancer in pakistani population.

TRAIL mediated signaling in cancer cells has emerged as one amongst the most deeply studied molecular phenomenon. Data obtained through genetic studies has highlighted highly polymorphic nature of DR4 and in accordance with this concept, we aimed to investigate the association between Colorectal cancer and polymorphisms in TRAIL and DR4 gene. We selected 100 patients with colorectal cancer and 100 healthy, sex and age matched volunteers randomly.

Natural products are the future of anticancer therapy: Preclinical and clinical advancements of Viscum album phytometabolites.

Cancer is a multifaceted and genomically complex disease. Research over the years has gradually provided a near complete resolution of cancer landscape and it is now known that genetic/epigenetic mutations, inactivation of tumor suppressors, Overexpression of oncogenes, spatio-temporally dysregulated intracellular signaling cascades, epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), metastasis and loss of apoptosis are some of the most extensively studied biological mechanisms that underpin cancer development and progression. Increasingly it is being realized that current therapeutic interventions are becoming ineffective because of tumor heterogeneity and rapidly developing resistance against drugs.