Emodin / MAPK Cancer Research Results

EMD, Emodin: Click to Expand ⟱
Features:
Organic compound isolated from rhubarb, buckthorn, knotweed. It has laxative, anticancer, antibacterial, antiinflammatory, and antiviral activities, and is used in traditional Chinese medicine.
Emodin, an anthraquinone derivative found in various plants (e.g., rhubarb, Polygonum cuspidatum).

Pathways:
- Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)
- Upregulation Bax downregulation of Bcl‑2, caspase activation and cyt_c release.
- Induce cell cycle arrest at various checkpoints (commonly G0/G1 or G2/M phases.
- Can inhibit NF‑κB activation
– MAPK Pathways
– PI3K/Akt Pathway
- Metalloproteinases (MMPs)

-ic50 cancer cells 10-50uM, normal cells higher(supports a therapeutic window)

Rank Pathway / Target Axis Direction Label Primary Effect Notes / Cancer Relevance Ref
1 Reactive oxygen species (ROS) ↑ ROS Driver Upstream cytotoxic trigger Emodin induces ROS in cancer cells; ROS increase is positioned upstream of mitochondrial dysfunction and death signaling. (ref)
2 Mitochondrial integrity (ΔΨm) ↓ ΔΨm Driver Mitochondrial dysfunction Emodin decreases mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), consistent with mitochondria-dependent killing. (ref)
3 Intrinsic apoptosis (caspase cascade) ↑ apoptosis (↑ caspases / ↑ PARP cleavage) Driver Execution-phase cell death Emodin activates caspase-dependent apoptosis with mitochondrial involvement in colon cancer models. (ref)
4 AMPK → AKT/mTOR axis ↑ AMPK / ↓ AKT-mTOR signaling Secondary Growth/metabolic suppression NSCLC study reports AMPK activation with inhibition of AKT/mTOR alongside apoptosis and ROS increase (consistent directionality). (ref)
5 NF-κB signaling ↓ NF-κB activation (↓ p65 nuclear translocation; ↓ IκBα phosphorylation/degradation) Secondary Reduced pro-survival/inflammatory transcription Emodin inhibits TNF-α–induced NF-κB activation by blocking IκBα phosphorylation/degradation and p65 nuclear activity. (ref)
6 STAT3 signaling ↓ STAT3 activation (↓ phosphorylation) Secondary Reduced survival/proliferation signaling HCC study shows emodin suppresses STAT3 activation (and discusses upstream kinase modulation), supporting directionality as STAT3↓. (ref)
7 HIF-1α hypoxia program ↓ HIF-1α (↓ biosynthesis; not via transcription/stability) Adaptive Reduced hypoxia tolerance Pancreatic cancer study: emodin decreases HIF-1α by decreasing biosynthesis (explicit mechanism stated). (ref)
8 Aerobic glycolysis (Warburg output) ↓ glycolysis (↓ ECAR / ↓ glycolytic dependence) Phenotypic Metabolic suppression Renal cancer paper reports emodin inhibits aerobic glycolysis (and links killing to a non-apoptotic death mode in that model). (ref)
9 HDAC inhibition (epigenetic enzyme activity) ↓ HDAC activity Secondary Epigenetic modulation Direct biochemical evidence: emodin inhibits HDAC activity in vitro (fast-on/slow-off kinetics reported). (ref)
10 NRF2 / HO-1 antioxidant response ↑ NRF2 / ↑ HO-1 (context-dependent stress response) Adaptive Counter-response to redox stress HCC model reports emodin increases NRF2 and HO-1 expression; interpret as adaptive/compensatory (not necessarily the cytotoxic driver). (ref)


MAPK, mitogen-activated protein kinase: Click to Expand ⟱
Source: CGL-CS
Type:
Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are a group of proteins involved in transmitting signals from the cell surface to the nucleus, playing a crucial role in various cellular processes, including growth, differentiation, and apoptosis (programmed cell death).

MAPK Pathways: The MAPK family includes several pathways, the most notable being:
1.ERK (Extracellular signal-Regulated Kinase): Often associated with cell proliferation and survival.
2.JNK (c-Jun N-terminal Kinase): Typically involved in stress responses and apoptosis.
3.p38 MAPK: Associated with inflammatory responses and apoptosis.

Inhibitors: Targeting the MAPK pathway has become a strategy in cancer therapy. For example, BRAF inhibitors (like vemurafenib) are used in treating melanoma with BRAF mutations.
Altered Expression Levels:
Overexpression: Many cancers exhibit overexpression of MAPK pathway components, such as RAS, BRAF, and MEK. This overexpression can lead to increased signaling activity, promoting cell proliferation and survival.
Downregulation: In some cases, negative regulators of the MAPK pathway (e.g., MAPK phosphatases) may be downregulated, leading to enhanced MAPK signaling.
The expression levels of MAPK pathway components can serve as biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment response. For example, high levels of phosphorylated ERK (p-ERK) may indicate active MAPK signaling and poor prognosis in certain cancers.

Numerous reports indicate that the MAPK pathway plays a major role in tumor progression and invasion, while inhibition of MAPK signaling reduces invasion.
Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
5224- EMD,    Emodin Isolated from Polygoni cuspidati Radix Inhibits TNF-α and IL-6 Release by Blockading NF-κB and MAP Kinase Pathways in Mast Cells Stimulated with PMA Plus A23187
NF-kB↓, p‑IKKα↓, p‑MAPK↓, ERK↓,
5223- EMD,    Emodin inhibits colon cancer by altering BCL-2 family proteins and cell survival pathways
- in-vitro, CRC, DLD1 - in-vitro, Nor, CCD841
tumCV↓, Apoptosis↑, selectivity↑, Casp↑, Bcl-2↓, MMP↓, TumCD↑, MAPK↓, JNK↓, PI3K↓, Akt↓, NF-kB↓, STAT↓, Diff↓, P53↑, PARP↓,
1322- EMD,    The versatile emodin: A natural easily acquired anthraquinone possesses promising anticancer properties against a variety of cancers
- Review, Var, NA
Apoptosis↑, TumCP↓, ROS↑, TumAuto↑, EMT↓, TGF-β↓, DNAdam↑, ER Stress↑, TumCCA↑, ATP↓, NF-kB↓, CYP1A1↑, STAC2↓, JAK↓, PI3K↓, Akt↓, MAPK↓, FASN↓, HER2/EBBR2↓, ChemoSen↑, eff↑, ChemoSen↑, angioG↓, VEGF↓, MMP2↓, eNOS↓, FOXD3↑, MMP9↓, TIMP1↑,

Showing Research Papers: 1 to 3 of 3

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 3

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress ⓘ

CYP1A1↑, 1,   ROS↑, 1,  

Mitochondria & Bioenergetics ⓘ

ATP↓, 1,   MMP↓, 1,  

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis ⓘ

FASN↓, 1,  

Cell Death ⓘ

Akt↓, 2,   Apoptosis↑, 2,   Bcl-2↓, 1,   Casp↑, 1,   JNK↓, 1,   MAPK↓, 2,   p‑MAPK↓, 1,   TumCD↑, 1,  

Kinase & Signal Transduction ⓘ

FOXD3↑, 1,   HER2/EBBR2↓, 1,  

Transcription & Epigenetics ⓘ

tumCV↓, 1,  

Protein Folding & ER Stress ⓘ

ER Stress↑, 1,  

Autophagy & Lysosomes ⓘ

TumAuto↑, 1,  

DNA Damage & Repair ⓘ

DNAdam↑, 1,   P53↑, 1,   PARP↓, 1,  

Cell Cycle & Senescence ⓘ

TumCCA↑, 1,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State ⓘ

Diff↓, 1,   EMT↓, 1,   ERK↓, 1,   PI3K↓, 2,   STAT↓, 1,  

Migration ⓘ

MMP2↓, 1,   MMP9↓, 1,   STAC2↓, 1,   TGF-β↓, 1,   TIMP1↑, 1,   TumCP↓, 1,  

Angiogenesis & Vasculature ⓘ

angioG↓, 1,   eNOS↓, 1,   VEGF↓, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling ⓘ

p‑IKKα↓, 1,   JAK↓, 1,   NF-kB↓, 3,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance ⓘ

ChemoSen↑, 2,   eff↑, 1,   selectivity↑, 1,  

Clinical Biomarkers ⓘ

HER2/EBBR2↓, 1,  
Total Targets: 43

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Total Targets: 0

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: MAPK, mitogen-activated protein kinase
3 Emodin
Query results interpretion may depend on "conditions" listed in the research papers.
Such Conditions may include : 
  -low or high Dose
  -format for product, such as nano of lipid formations
  -different cell line effects
  -synergies with other products 
  -if effect was for normal or cancerous cells

Filter Conditions: Pro/AntiFlg:%  IllCat:%  CanType:%  Cells:%  prod#:75  Target#:181  State#:%  Dir#:1
  wNotes=0  sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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