Piperlongumine / NRF2 Cancer Research Results

PL, Piperlongumine: Click to Expand ⟱
Features:
Piperlongumine (also called Piplartine), an alkaloid from long pepper fruit
-Piperlongumine is a bioactive alkaloid derived from the long pepper (Piper longum)
– Piperlongumine has been shown to selectively increase ROS levels in cancer cells.
-NLRP3 inhibitor?
-TrxR inhibitor (major antioxidant system) to increase ROS in cancer cells
-ic50 cancer cells maybe 2-10uM, normal cells maybe exceeding 20uM.

Available from mcsformulas.com
-(Long Pepper, 500mg/Capsule)- 1 capsule 3 times daily with food
-Piperlongumine Pro Liposomal, 40 mg-take 1 capsule daily with plenty of water, after a meal

-Note half-life 30–60 minutes
BioAv poor aqueous solubility and bioavailability
Pathways:
- induce ROS production in cancer cells likely at any dose. Effect on normal cells is inconclusive.
- ROS↑ related: MMP↓(ΔΨm), ER Stress↑, UPR↑, Cyt‑c↑, Caspases↑, DNA damage↑, cl-PARP↑, Prx,
- Lowers some AntiOxidant markers/ defense in Cancer Cells: NRF2"> but mostly raises NRF2 (raises antiO defense), TrxR↓(*important), GSH↓ Catalase↓ HO1↓ GPx↓
- Very little indication of raising AntiOxidant defense in Normal Cells: GSH↑,
- lowers Inflammation : NF-kB↓, COX2↓, conversely p38↑, Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines : NLRP3↓, IL-1β↓, TNF-α↓, IL-6↓, IL-8↓
- inhibit Growth/Metastases : TumMeta↓, TumCG↓, EMT↓, MMP2↓, MMP9↓, VEGF↓, NF-κB↓, CXCR4↓, ERK↓
- reactivate genes thereby inhibiting cancer cell growth : HDAC↓(few reports), DNMT1↓, DNMT3A↓, EZH2↓, P53↑, HSP↓, Sp proteins↓,
- cause Cell cycle arrest : TumCCA↑, cyclin D1↓, CDK2↓, CDK4↓, CDK6↓,
- inhibits Migration/Invasion : TumCMig↓, TumCI↓, ERK↓, EMT↓,
- small indication of inhibiting glycolysis : HIF-1α↓, cMyc↓, LDH↓, HK2↓,
- inhibits angiogenesis↓ : VEGF↓, HIF-1α↓, EGFR↓,
- Others: PI3K↓, AKT↓, JAK↓, STAT↓, β-catenin↓, ERK↓, JNK,
- Synergies: chemo-sensitization, RadioSensitizer, Others(review target notes), Neuroprotective, Cognitive, Hepatoprotective, CardioProtective,

- Selectivity: Cancer Cells vs Normal Cells
Rank Pathway / Target Axis Direction Primary Effect Notes / Cancer Relevance Ref
1 Transformation-linked oxidative stress dependence ↑ ROS Cancer-selective stress overload Landmark study: piperlongumine selectively kills cells with a cancer genotype by elevating ROS; antioxidant rescue blocks killing (ref)
2 GSTP1 redox buffering (glutathione S-transferase π) ↓ GSTP1 function / ↑ ROS Disables antioxidant buffering Biochemical/structural work describing GSTP1 as a piperlongumine target and linking PL exposure to increased ROS and decreased GSH (ref)
3 ER stress / UPR via PRDX4 (Peroxiredoxin 4) ↓ PRDX4 activity / ↑ ER stress Proteotoxic stress, preferential glioma killing Piperlongumine inactivates PRDX4, exacerbates ER stress, increases ROS, and preferentially kills high-grade glioma cells (ref)
4 Mitochondrial disruption + stress MAPK (JNK) ↓ ΔΨm / ↑ JNK Mitochondrial apoptosis signaling Example mechanistic paper: piperlongumine induces ROS-mediated mitochondrial disruption and activates JNK associated with apoptosis (ref)
5 DNA damage response ↑ DNA damage Checkpoint activation, death signaling Piperlongumine elevates ROS and causes DNA damage in pancreatic cancer models; antioxidant reverses DNA damage and killing (ref)
6 STAT3 signaling ↓ STAT3 activity (↓ pSTAT3 / ↓ STAT3 function) Reduced survival & stem-like growth Drug-repositioning study identifies piperlongumine as a direct STAT3 inhibitor; shows reduced STAT3 activation and mammosphere inhibition (ref)
7 NF-κB signaling ↓ NF-κB DNA binding / ↓ nuclear translocation Reduced inflammatory & anti-apoptotic transcription Piperlongumine down-regulates NF-κB DNA-binding activity and decreases nuclear translocation of p50/p65 in prostate cancer cells (ref)
8 PI3K–AKT–mTOR pathway ↓ PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling Growth suppression; promotes apoptosis/autophagy Paper explicitly reporting piperlongumine induces apoptosis and autophagy through inhibition of PI3K/Akt/mTOR in lung cancer cells (ref)
9 p38 signaling (stress kinase) ↑ p38 signaling Stress response; autophagy involvement Mechanistic study showing piperlongumine induces autophagy by targeting p38 signaling (ref)
10 Cell cycle regulation ↑ G2/M arrest Proliferation block Demonstrates piperlongumine induces G2/M cell-cycle arrest in MCF-7 cells (cell cycle distribution shift shown) (ref)
11 EMT / migration / invasion ↓ EMT / ↓ migration & invasion Anti-metastatic phenotype Reports piperlongumine inhibits TGF-β–induced EMT and reduces migration/invasion in cancer cells (ref)
12 Ferroptosis (iron-dependent oxidative death) ↑ ferroptosis Non-apoptotic killing modality Shows piperlongumine-induced cancer cell death is inhibited by ferroptosis inhibitors and iron chelation, supporting ferroptosis involvement (ref)


NRF2, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2: Click to Expand ⟱
Source: TCGA
Type: Antiapoptotic
Nrf2 is responsible for regulating an extensive panel of antioxidant enzymes involved in the detoxification and elimination of oxidative stress. Thought of as "Master Regulator" of antioxidant response.
-One way to estimate Nrf2 induction is through the expression of NQO1.
NQO1, the most potent inducer:
SFN 0.2 μM,
quercetin (2.5 μM),
curcumin (2.7 μM),
Silymarin (3.6 μM),
tamoxifen (5.9 μM),
genistein (6.2 μM ),
beta-carotene (7.2μM),
lutein (17 μM),
resveratrol (21 μM),
indol-3-carbinol (50 μM),
chlorophyll (250 μM),
alpha-cryptoxanthin (1.8 mM),
and zeaxanthin (2.2 mM)

1. Raising Nrf2 enhances the cell's antioxidant defenses and ↓ROS. This strategy is used to decrease chemo-radio side effects.
2. Downregulating Nrf2 lowers antioxidant defenses and ↑ROS. In cancer cells this leads to DNA damage, and cell death.
3. However there are some cases where increasing Nrf2 paradoxically causes an increase in ROS (cancer cells). Such as cases of Mitochondial overload, signal crosstalk, reductive stress

-In some cases, Nrf2 is overexpressed in cancer cells, which can lead to the activation of genes involved in cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis. This can contribute to the development of resistance to chemotherapy and targeted therapies.
-Increased Nrf2 expression: Lung, Breast, Colorectal, Prostrate.
Decreased Nrf2 expression: Skine, Liver, Pancreatic.
-Nrf2 is a cytoprotective transcription factor which demonstrated both a negative effect as well as a positive effect on cancer
- "promotes Nrf2 translocation from the cytoplasm to the nucleus," means facilitates the movement of Nrf2 into the nucleus, thereby enhancing the cell's antioxidant and cytoprotective responses. -Major regulator of Nrf2 activity in cells is the cytosolic inhibitor Keap1.

Nrf2 Inhibitors and Activators
Nrf2 Inhibitors: Brusatol, Luteolin, Trigonelline, VitC, Retinoic acid, Chrysin
Nrf2 Activators: SFN, OPZ EGCG, Resveratrol, DATS, CUR, CDDO, Api
- potent Nrf2 inducers from plants include sulforaphane, curcumin, EGCG, resveratrol, caffeic acid phenethyl ester, wasabi, cafestol and kahweol (coffee), cinnamon, ginger, garlic, lycopene, rosemany

Nrf2 plays dual roles in that it can protect normal tissues against oxidative damage and can act as an oncogenic protein in tumor tissue.
– In healthy tissues, NRF2 activation helps protect cells from oxidative damage and maintains cellular homeostasis.
– In many cancers, constitutive activation of NRF2 (often through mutations in NRF2 itself or loss-of-function mutations in KEAP1) leads to an enhanced antioxidant capacity.
– This upregulation can promote tumor cell survival by enabling cancer cells to thrive under oxidative stress, resist chemotherapeutic agents, and sustain metabolic reprogramming.
– Elevated NRF2 levels have been implicated in promoting tumor growth, metastasis, and resistance to therapy in various malignancies.
– High or sustained NRF2 activity is frequently associated with aggressive tumor phenotypes, poorer prognosis, and decreased overall survival in several cancer types.
– While its activation is essential for protecting normal cells from oxidative stress, aberrant or sustained NRF2 activation in tumor cells can lead to enhanced survival, therapeutic resistance, and tumor progression.

NRF2 inhibitors: (to decrease antioxidant defenses and increase cell death from ROS).
-Brusatol: most cited natural inhibitors of Nrf2.
-Luteolin: luteolin can reduce Nrf2 activity in specific cancer models and may enhance cell sensitivity to chemotherapy. However, luteolin is also known as an antioxidant, and its influence on Nrf2 can sometimes be context dependent.
-Apigenin: certain studies to down‑regulate Nrf2 in cancer cells: Dose and context dependent .
-Oridonin:
-Wogonin: although its effects might be cell‑ and dose‑specific.
- Withaferin A

Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
2962- PL,    Synthesis of Piperlongumine Analogues and Discovery of Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2‑Related Factor 2 (Nrf2) Activators as Potential Neuroprotective Agents
- in-vitro, Nor, PC12
*GSH↑, *NQO1↑, *Trx↑, *TrxR↑, *NRF2↑, *NRF2⇅, *eff↑, *BioAv↑, *ROS↓,

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:


Total Targets: 0

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress ⓘ

GSH↑, 1,   NQO1↑, 1,   NRF2↑, 1,   NRF2⇅, 1,   ROS↓, 1,   Trx↑, 1,   TrxR↑, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance ⓘ

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

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: NRF2, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 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#:134  Target#:226  State#:%  Dir#:3
  wNotes=0  sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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