Lycopene / APAF1 Cancer Research Results

Lyco, Lycopene: Click to Expand ⟱

Features:

Lycopene is a naturally occurring carotenoid found predominantly in tomatoes and other red fruits and vegetables.

Antioxidant Properties:
-Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant. It helps neutralize free radicals, which can reduce oxidative stress—a factor implicated in cancer development. Possible concern about interfering with chemotherapy and radiation therapy. However this review disagrees.
Inflammation Reduction:
-Some studies suggest that lycopene may help lower levels of inflammation, another process linked to cancer progression

At supraphysiological or extremely high concentrations, lycopene may have the potential to switch from an antioxidant to a prooxidant role
-The prooxidant effect of lycopene has been observed under conditions of high oxygen tension. In vitro studies have suggested that in environments with elevated oxygen levels, lycopene might promote rather than neutralize the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS).
-The presence of metal ions (such as iron or copper) in the environment can catalyze reactions where antioxidants, including lycopene, contribute to oxidative processes. These metals can interact with lycopene, potentially leading to the formation of radicals.

The mevalonate pathway produces cholesterol and a variety of isoprenoids, which are important for maintaining cell membrane integrity, protein prenylation, and other essential cellular functions.
-One of the primary enzymes in this pathway is HMG-CoA reductase (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase), which is the target of statin drugs used for lowering cholesterol. Some studies suggest that lycopene might downregulate the activity of HMG-CoA reductase or other enzymes in the mevalonate pathway. By doing so, lycopene could potentially reduce the synthesis of cholesterol and isoprenoids that are necessary for rapid cell proliferation—an especially relevant aspect in cancer cells.

Lycopene typically used in a 100mg/day range for cancer (inhibition of the the Melavonate Pathway)
-also has antiplatelet aggregation capability.

-Note half-life 16–20 days.
BioAv Heat processing, especially when combined with a small amount of fat, significantly enhances lycopene’s bioaccessibility and absorption. (20% under optimal conditions)
Pathways:
- ROS usually goes down, but may go up or down depending on dose and environment. Lycopene may also be modified to be a "oxdiative product" which may change the behaviour.
- Raises AntiOxidant defense in Normal Cells: ROS↓, NRF2↑, SOD↑, GSH↑, Catalase↑,
- lowers Inflammation : NF-kB↓, COX2↓, p38↓, Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines : NLRP3↓, IL-1β↓, TNF-α↓, IL-6↓, IL-8↓
- inhibit Growth/Metastases : EMT↓, MMPs↓, MMP9↓, IGF-1↓, uPA↓, VEGF↓, ROCK1↓, FAK↓, RhoA↓, NF-κB↓, ERK↓
- reactivate genes thereby inhibiting cancer cell growth : EZH2↓, P53↑, Sp proteins↓,
- cause Cell cycle arrest : TumCCA↑, cyclin D1↓, cyclin E↓, CDK2↓, CDK4↓,
- inhibits Migration/Invasion : TumCMig↓, TumCI↓, TNF-α↓, FAK↓, ERK↓, EMT↓,
- inhibits angiogenesis↓ : VEGF↓, HIF-1α↓, Integrins↓,
- Others: PI3K↓, AKT↓, JAK↓, STAT↓, Wnt↓, β-catenin↓, AMPK, ERK↓, JNK, - SREBP (related to cholesterol).
- Synergies: chemo-sensitization, chemoProtective, RadioSensitizer, RadioProtective, Others(review target notes), Neuroprotective, Cognitive, Renoprotection, Hepatoprotective, CardioProtective,

- Selectivity: Cancer Cells vs Normal Cells

Rank	Pathway / Axis	Cancer Cells	Normal Cells	Label	Primary Interpretation	Notes
1	Reactive oxygen species (ROS)	↓ ROS	↓ ROS	Driver	Potent antioxidant activity	Lycopene is a strong singlet-oxygen quencher with antioxidant dominance
2	IGF-1 / PI3K → AKT signaling	↓ IGF-1 signaling; ↓ AKT	↔ minimal	Secondary	Growth factor signaling attenuation	Reduced IGF-1–driven proliferation is a key cancer-relevant effect
3	Cell cycle regulation	↑ G0/G1 arrest	↔ spared	Phenotypic	Cytostatic growth control	Cell-cycle effects reflect growth factor modulation
4	Gap junction communication (connexins)	↑ gap junction signaling	↑ gap junction signaling	Secondary	Normalization of cell–cell communication	Enhanced gap junctions are associated with reduced tumor progression
5	NF-κB / inflammatory signaling	↓ inflammatory signaling	↓ inflammatory tone	Secondary	Anti-inflammatory environment	Inflammation reduction contributes to chemopreventive effects

APAF1, Apoptotic Protease Activating Factor 1: Click to Expand ⟱

Source:

Type: protein

APAF1 (Apoptotic Protease Activating Factor 1) is a protein that plays a crucial role in the regulation of apoptosis, or programmed cell death. APAF1 is a key component of the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis, which is activated in response to cellular stress or damage.
Downregulated in: breast, lung, prostate, colon (with poor prognosis)
APAF1 activators have been developed and are being tested in preclinical and clinical studies.

Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱

3263-

Lyco,

Lycopene protects against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury by inhibiting mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening

in-vitro,

Nor,

H9c2

in-vitro,

Stroke,

*Apoptosis↓, *MMP↑, *Cyt‑c↓, *APAF1↓, *cl‑Casp9↓, *cl‑Casp3↓, *Bcl-2↑, *BAX↓, cardioP↑,

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:

Functional Outcomes ⓘ

cardioP↑, 1,
Total Targets: 1

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:

Mitochondria & Bioenergetics ⓘ

MMP↑, 1,

Cell Death ⓘ

APAF1↓, 1, Apoptosis↓, 1, BAX↓, 1, Bcl-2↑, 1, cl‑Casp3↓, 1, cl‑Casp9↓, 1, Cyt‑c↓, 1,
Total Targets: 8

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: APAF1, Apoptotic Protease Activating Factor 1

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