Cucurbitacins as Potent Chemo-Preventive Agents: Mechanistic Insight and Recent Trends
Hardeep Singh Tuli,
Prangya Rath,
Abhishek Chauhan,
Anuj Ranjan,
Seema Ramniwas,
Katrin Sak,
Diwakar Aggarwal,
Manoj Kumar,
Kuldeep Dhama,
E Hui Clarissa Lee,
Kenneth Chun-Yong Yap,
Sharah Mae Capinpin,
Alan Prem Kumar
Affiliations
Hardeep Singh Tuli
Department of Biotechnology, Maharishi Markandeshwar Engineering College, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Mullana-Ambala 133207, India
Prangya Rath
Amity Institute of Environmental Sciences, Amity University, Noida 201303, India
Abhishek Chauhan
Amity Institute of Environmental Toxicology, Safety and Management, Amity University, Noida 201303, India
Anuj Ranjan
Academy of Biology and Biotechnology, Southern Federal University, 344090 Rostov-on-Don, Russia
Seema Ramniwas
University Centre for Research and Development, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chandigarh University, Mohali 140413, India
Katrin Sak
NGO Praeventio, 50407 Tartu, Estonia
Diwakar Aggarwal
Department of Biotechnology, Maharishi Markandeshwar Engineering College, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Mullana-Ambala 133207, India
Manoj Kumar
Department of Chemistry, Maharishi Markandeshwar University Sadopur, Ambala 134007, India
Kuldeep Dhama
Division of Pathology, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly 243122, India
E Hui Clarissa Lee
Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117600, Singapore
Kenneth Chun-Yong Yap
Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117600, Singapore
Sharah Mae Capinpin
Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117600, Singapore
Alan Prem Kumar
Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117600, Singapore
Cucurbitacins constitute a group of cucumber-derived dietary lipids, highly oxidized tetracyclic triterpenoids, with potential medical uses. These compounds are known to interact with a variety of recognized cellular targets to impede the growth of cancer cells. Accumulating evidence has suggested that inhibition of tumor cell growth via induction of apoptosis, cell-cycle arrest, anti-metastasis and anti-angiogenesis are major promising chemo-preventive actions of cucurbitacins. Cucurbitacins may be a potential choice for investigations of synergism with other drugs to reverse cancer cells’ treatment resistance. The detailed molecular mechanisms underlying these effects include interactions between cucurbitacins and numerous cellular targets (Bcl-2/Bax, caspases, STAT3, cyclins, NF-κB, COX-2, MMP-9, VEGF/R, etc.) as well as control of a variety of intracellular signal transduction pathways. The current study is focused on the efforts undertaken to find possible molecular targets for cucurbitacins in suppressing diverse malignant processes. The review is distinctive since it presents all potential molecular targets of cucurbitacins in cancer on one common podium.
