Parthenolide / Ca+2 Cancer Research Results

PTL, Parthenolide: Click to Expand ⟱
Features:
Parthenolide is a naturally occurring sesquiterpene lactone derived from the medicinal plant feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium).
-Micheliolide (MCL) is converted readily from parthenolide (PTL), and has better stability and solubility than PTL
-Parthenolide is a natural compound used to treat migraines and arthritis and found to act as a potent NF-κB signaling inhibitor.

Main activities include:
-Inhibition of NF-κB Signaling:
-Induction of Oxidative Stress (ROS): oxidative stress can overwhelm the antioxidant defenses of the cancer cells, leading to cellular damage and death
-Parthenolide can interfere with STAT3 signaling, inhibiting the transcription of genes that favor tumor growth and resistance to apoptosis.
-Modulation of the MAPK/ERK Pathway:
-Impact on the JNK Pathway:
-Parthenolide has been shown to target cancer stem cells

Rank Pathway / Target Axis Direction Primary Effect Notes / Cancer Relevance Ref
1 NF-κB DNA-binding (p65/RelA Cys38 alkylation) ↓ NF-κB DNA binding Suppresses pro-survival transcription Direct mechanism: parthenolide inhibits NF-κB most likely by alkylating p65 at Cys38, reducing DNA binding (ref)
2 Thioredoxin reductase (TrxR1 / TrxR2) ↓ TrxR activity Redox buffering collapse Parthenolide directly targets TrxR1/TrxR2 (selenocysteine-containing enzymes) and inhibits function (ref)
3 ROS accumulation (superoxide / oxidative stress) ↑ ROS Upstream cytotoxic trigger Same TrxR-targeting study shows TrxR inhibition shifts redox state and drives ROS accumulation leading to apoptosis (ref)
4 Mitochondrial integrity (ΔΨm) ↓ ΔΨm Mitochondrial dysfunction Parthenolide increases ROS and is reported with a combined ΔΨm reduction accompanying apoptosis across cancer cell lines (ref)
5 Intrinsic apoptosis (caspase-3 activation) ↑ caspase-3 Programmed cell death Parthenolide treatment associated with mitochondrial membrane depolarization and caspase-3 activation in cancer cells (ref)
6 STAT3 signaling (via JAK2 covalent inhibition) ↓ STAT3 phosphorylation/signaling Reduced survival / migration programs Parthenolide covalently modifies JAK2 cysteines, suppressing kinase activity and inhibiting STAT3 signaling (ref)
7 AML stem cell targeting (LSC vulnerability; regimen context) ↓ AML stem cell survival Stem/progenitor depletion Parthenolide-based regimen (parthenolide + 2DG + temsirolimus) demonstrates potent targeting of AML stem cells (ref)
8 In vivo anti-tumor effect (xenograft; parthenolide analog evidence) ↓ tumor growth Demonstrated efficacy (derivative) Note: this is for an orally bioavailable parthenolide analog (DMAPT), not native parthenolide (ref)


Ca+2, Calcium Ion Ca+2: Click to Expand ⟱
Source:
Type:
In all eukaryotic cells, intracellular Ca2+ levels are maintained at low resting concentrations (approximately 100 nM) by the activity of the major Ca2+ extrusion system, the plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase (PMCA), which exchanges extracellular protons (H+) for cytosolic Ca2+.
Indeed, sustained elevation of [Ca2+]C in the form of overload, saturating all Ca2+-dependent effectors, prolonged decrease in [Ca2+]ER, causing ER stress response, and high [Ca2+]M, inducing mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT), are considered to be pro-death factors.
In cancer the Ca2+-handling toolkit undergoes profound remodelling (figure 1) to favour activation of Ca2+-dependent transcription factors, such as the nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT), c-Myc, c-Jun, c-Fos that promote hypertrophic growth via induction of the expression of the G1 and G1/S phase transition cyclins (D and E) and associated cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK4 and CDK2).
Thus, cancer cells may evade apoptosis through decreasing calcium influx into the cytoplasm. This can be achieved by either downregulation of the expression of plasma membrane Ca2+-permeable ion channels or by reducing the effectiveness of the signalling pathways that activate these channels. Such protective measures would largely diminish the possibility of Ca2+ overload in response to pro-apoptotic stimuli, thereby impairing the effectiveness of mitochondrial and cytoplasmic apoptotic pathways.
Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels (VGCCs): Overexpression of VGCCs has been associated with increased tumor growth and metastasis in various cancers, including breast and prostate cancer.
Store-Operated Calcium Entry (SOCE): SOCE mechanisms, such as STIM1 and ORAI1, are often upregulated in cancer cells, contributing to enhanced cell survival and proliferation.
High intracellular calcium levels are associated with increased cell proliferation and migration, leading to a poorer prognosis. Calcium signaling can also influence hormone receptor status, affecting treatment responses.
Increased Ca²⁺ signaling is associated with advanced disease and metastasis. Patients with higher CaSR expression may have a worse prognosis due to enhanced tumor growth and resistance to apoptosis. -Ca2+ is an important regulator of the electric charge distribution of bio-membranes.


Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
1996- PTL,    Critical roles of intracellular thiols and calcium in parthenolide-induced apoptosis in human colorectal cancer cells
- in-vitro, CRC, COLO205
Apoptosis↑, GSH↓, ROS↑, Ca+2↑, GRP78/BiP↑, ER Stress↑, eff↓, eff↑, Thiols↓,

Showing Research Papers: 1 to 1 of 1

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 1

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress

GSH↓, 1,   ROS↑, 1,   Thiols↓, 1,  

Cell Death

Apoptosis↑, 1,  

Protein Folding & ER Stress

ER Stress↑, 1,   GRP78/BiP↑, 1,  

Migration

Ca+2↑, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance

eff↓, 1,   eff↑, 1,  
Total Targets: 9

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Total Targets: 0

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: Ca+2, Calcium Ion Ca+2
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#:8  Target#:38  State#:%  Dir#:2
wNotes=0 sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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