Apoptosis and autophagy modulating dietary phytochemicals in cancer therapeutics: Current evidences and future perspectives

Abstract

The global incidence of cancer and cancer‐related mortality is expected to rise in recent years despite advancements in cancer diagnosis and therapeutics. Increasing evidences of decrypting molecular mechanisms underlying cancer progression have commanded the tremendous development of synthetic anticancer drugs. With limitations in the current conventional cancer therapeutic approaches, the non‐nutritive dietary phytochemicals have emerged as potent modulators of apoptosis and autophagy associated key signaling pathways in various cancer cells. The dynamic regulation of apoptosis and autophagy by phytochemicals in cancer are identified as promising therapeutic candidates with minimal cytotoxicity and enhanced biological activity. Dietary phytochemicals and their synthetic analogs have exhibited potency in the modulation of apoptosis and autophagy in several cancer cells as individuals or in combination with pre‐existing FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved anticancer drugs. In the current generation of medical science, developing precision and personalized medicine and their consumption as food supplements will hold high prevalence in cancer therapeutics. Hence understating the impact of dietary phytochemicals on human health and their molecular mechanism will thrive a new horizon in cancer therapeutics. Hence, this review has emphasized the role of apoptotic/autophagy modulating dietary phytochemicals in cancer therapy, their preclinical and clinical applications and the future direction of enhanced nano‐formulation for better clinical efficacy.

Effect of Regorafenib on P2X7 Receptor Expression and Different Oncogenic Signaling Pathways in a Human Breast Cancer Cell Line: A Potential of New Insight of the Antitumor Effects of Regorafenib

“…Apoptosis and autophagy are common types of programmed cell death, and their malfunction can contribute to tumor growth [8]. Autophagic cell death is mediated by the extensive degradation of organelles, which is dependent on autophagic flux [9].…”

Magnesium-Assisted Cisplatin Inhibits Bladder Cancer Cell Survival by Modulating Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway

“…The results of this study showed that combinatorial treatment with cisplatin and MgCl 2 promoted LC3-II expression, suggesting that autophagy had been induced (Figure 3A, Supplementary Figure S6). However, it should be noted that autophagy has a dual role in malignant cells, serving as both a tumor suppressor and promoter in a context-dependent manner (Patra et al, 2021;Luo et al, 2021). Therefore, attempts should be made to utilize the anti-cancer role of autophagy.…”

Phytochemicals: Potential Therapeutic Modulators of Radiation Induced Signaling Pathways

“…Furthermore, compounds like genistein, vanillin, hesperidin, eugenol, vinblastine, vincristine, orientin, and vicenin, ellagic acid, gallic acid, quercetin, trigonelline, myricetin, naringin, etc. exhibit potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, anti-mutagenic, and radioprotective activities [ 9 , 24 , 36 , 37 ]. Therefore, diverse clinical trials and further characterization of these compound are of paramount importance so far as the translational value is concerned.…”

“…Conversely, the inherent toxicity and high cost of synthetic r’ radioprotectors warrants the search for alternative radioprotective agents [ 8 ]. Recent reports have shown that naturally occurring compounds, especially phytochemicals, have the potential to modulate signaling pathways [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ]. Several epidemiological studies have shown that the intake of some phytochemicals can exert effects on several signalling pathways and reduce the risk associated with radiation damage [ 13 ].…”