Quercetin / Cyt‑c Cancer Research Results

QC, Quercetin: Click to Expand ⟱
Features:
Plant pigment (flavonoid) found in red wine, onions, green tea, apples and berries.
Quercetin is thought to contribute to anticancer effects through several mechanisms:
-Antioxidant Activity:
-Induction of Apoptosis:modify Bax:Bcl-2 ratio
-Anti-inflammatory Effects:
-Cell Cycle Arrest:
-Inhibition of Angiogenesis and Metastasis: (VEGF)

Cellular Pathways:
-PI3K/Akt/mTOR Pathway: central to cell proliferation, survival, and metabolism.
-MAPK/ERK Pathway: influencing cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis.
-NF-κB Pathway: downregulate NF-κB
-JAK/STAT Pathway: interfere with the activation of STAT3
-Apoptotic Pathways: intrinsic (mitochondrial) and extrinsic (death receptor-mediated) pathways

Quercetin has been used at doses around 500–1000 mg per day
Quercetin’s bioavailability from foods or standard supplements can be low.

-Note half-life 11 to 28 hours.
BioAv low 1-10%, poor water-solubility, consuming with fat may improve bioavialability. also piperine or VitC.
Pathways:
- induce ROS production in cancer cells (higher dose). Typicallys Lowers ROS in normal cells(unless it is high dose?)or depends on Redox status?. "quercetin paradox"
- ROS↑ related: MMP↓(ΔΨm), ER Stress↑, UPR↑, GRP78↑, Ca+2↑, Cyt‑c↑, Caspases↑, DNA damage↑, cl-PARP↑, HSP↓, Prx,
- Confusing info about Lowering AntiOxidant defense in Cancer Cells: NRF2↓(some contrary), TrxR↓**, SOD↓(contrary), GSH↓ Catalase↓(contrary), HO1↓(some contrary), GPx↓(some contrary)
- 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 : TumMeta↓, TumCG↓, EMT↓, MMPs↓, MMP2↓, MMP9↓, TIMP2, IGF-1↓, uPA↓, VEGF↓, ROCK1↓, FAK↓, NF-κB↓, CXCR4↓, SDF1↓, TGF-β↓, α-SMA↓, ERK↓
- reactivate genes thereby inhibiting cancer cell growth : HDAC↓, DNMTs↓, EZH2↓, P53↑, HSP↓, Sp proteins↓, TET↑
- cause Cell cycle arrest : TumCCA↑, cyclin D1↓, cyclin E↓, CDK2↓, CDK4↓, CDK6↓,
- inhibits Migration/Invasion : TumCMig↓, TumCI↓, TNF-α↓, FAK↓, ERK↓, EMT↓, TOP1↓, TET1,
- inhibits glycolysis and ATP depletion : HIF-1α↓, PKM2↓, cMyc↓, GLUT1↓, LDH↓, LDHA↓, HK2↓, PFKs↓, PDKs↓, ECAR↓, OXPHOS↓, GRP78↑, GlucoseCon↓
- inhibits angiogenesis↓ : VEGF↓, HIF-1α↓, Notch↓, FGF↓, PDGF↓, EGFR↓,
- some indication of inhibiting Cancer Stem Cells : CSC↓, CK2↓, Hh↓, CD24↓, β-catenin↓, Notch2↓,
- Others: PI3K↓, AKT↓, JAK↓, STAT↓, Wnt↓, β-catenin↓, AMPK, α↓, 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 (dose-, metal-, context-dependent) ↓ ROS Conditional Driver Biphasic redox modulation Quercetin exhibits pro-oxidant behavior in cancer cells while protecting normal cells
2 Mitochondrial integrity / intrinsic apoptosis ↓ ΔΨm; ↑ caspase activation ↔ preserved Driver Execution of intrinsic apoptosis Mitochondrial dysfunction is a central apoptosis route in cancer cells
3 PI3K → AKT → mTOR axis ↓ AKT / ↓ mTOR ↔ adaptive suppression Driver Growth and survival inhibition AKT/mTOR suppression is a consistently reported upstream effect in cancer models
4 NF-κB signaling ↓ NF-κB activation ↓ inflammatory NF-κB tone Secondary Reduced survival and inflammatory transcription NF-κB inhibition contributes to chemosensitization and apoptosis susceptibility
5 MAPK signaling (JNK / p38) ↑ JNK / ↑ p38 ↔ minimal Secondary Stress-mediated apoptosis signaling MAPK activation supports apoptosis downstream of redox stress
6 Cell cycle regulation ↑ G1/S or G2/M arrest ↔ largely spared Phenotypic Cytostatic growth control Cell-cycle arrest reflects disruption of growth signaling
7 HIF-1α hypoxia signaling ↓ HIF-1α ↔ minimal Secondary Reduced hypoxia tolerance Quercetin interferes with hypoxia-driven transcriptional programs
8 NRF2 antioxidant response ↑ NRF2 (adaptive, context-dependent) ↑ NRF2 (protective) Adaptive Stress compensation NRF2 induction reflects redox buffering rather than primary cytotoxicity


Cyt‑c, cyt-c Release into Cytosol: Click to Expand ⟱
Source:
Type:
Cytochrome c
** The term "release of cytochrome c" ** an increase in level for the cytosol.
Small hemeprotein found loosely associated with the inner membrane of the mitochondrion where it plays a critical role in cellular respiration. Cytochrome c is highly water-soluble, unlike other cytochromes. It is capable of undergoing oxidation and reduction as its iron atom converts between the ferrous and ferric forms, but does not bind oxygen. It also plays a major role in cell apoptosis.

The term "release of cytochrome c" refers to a critical step in the process of programmed cell death, also known as apoptosis.
In its new location—the cytosol—cytochrome c participates in the apoptotic signaling pathway by helping to form the apoptosome, which activates caspases that execute cell death.
Cytochrome c is a small protein normally located in the mitochondrial intermembrane space. Its primary role in healthy cells is to participate in the electron transport chain, a process that helps produce energy (ATP) through oxidative phosphorylation.
Mitochondrial outer membrane permeability leads to the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria into the cytosol.
The release of cytochrome c is a pivotal event in apoptosis where cytochrome c moves from the mitochondria to the cytosol, initiating a chain reaction that leads to programmed cell death.

On the one hand, cytochrome c can promote cancer cell survival and proliferation by regulating the activity of various signaling pathways, such as the PI3K/AKT pathway. This can lead to increased cell growth and resistance to apoptosis, which are hallmarks of cancer.
On the other hand, cytochrome c can also induce apoptosis in cancer cells by interacting with other proteins, such as Apaf-1 and caspase-9. This can lead to the activation of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway, which can result in the death of cancer cells.
Overexpressed in Breast, Lung, Colon, and Prostrate.
Underexpressed in Ovarian, and Pancreatic.
Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
55- QC,    Quercetin inhibits the growth of human gastric cancer stem cells by inducing mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis through the inhibition of PI3K/Akt signaling
- in-vitro, GC, GCSCs
Bcl-2↓, BAX↑, Cyt‑c↑, MMP↓, PI3K/Akt↓, Casp3↑, Casp9↑, TumCG↓, Apoptosis↑, CSCs↓,
64- QC,    Quercetin enhances TRAIL-mediated apoptosis in colon cancer cells by inducing the accumulation of death receptors in lipid rafts
- in-vitro, Colon, HT-29 - in-vitro, Colon, SW-620 - in-vitro, Colon, Caco-2
Cyt‑c↑, BAX↑, Casp3↑, DR4↑, DR5↑,
86- QC,  PacT,    Quercetin regulates insulin like growth factor signaling and induces intrinsic and extrinsic pathway mediated apoptosis in androgen independent prostate cancer cells (PC-3)
- vitro+vivo, Pca, PC3
BAD↑, IGFBP3↑, Cyt‑c↑, cl‑Casp9↑, Casp10↑, cl‑PARP↑, Casp3↑, IGF-1R↓, PI3K↓, p‑Akt↓, cycD1/CCND1↓, IGF-1↓, IGF-2↓, IGF-1R↓, MMP↓, Apoptosis↑, NA?,
71- QC,    Role of Bax in quercetin-induced apoptosis in human prostate cancer cells
- in-vitro, Pca, LNCaP - in-vitro, Pca, PrEC - in-vitro, Pca, YPEN-1 - in-vitro, Pca, HCT116
Casp8↑, Casp9↑, PARP↑, BAD↓, BAX↑, PI3K/Akt↓, Cyt‑c↑, selectivity↑,
4827- QC,  CUR,    Synthetic Pathways and the Therapeutic Potential of Quercetin and Curcumin
- Review, Var, NA
*AntiCan↑, *Inflam↓, *Bacteria↓, *AntiDiabetic↑, *ROS↓, *SOD↑, *Catalase↑, *GSH↑, *NRF2↑, *Trx↑, *IronCh↑, *MDA↑, cycD1/CCND1↓, PI3K↓, Casp3↑, BAX↑, ChemoSen↑, ROS↑, eff↑, MMP↓, Cyt‑c↑, Akt↓, ERK↓,
3353- QC,    Quercetin triggers cell apoptosis-associated ROS-mediated cell death and induces S and G2/M-phase cell cycle arrest in KON oral cancer cells
- in-vitro, Oral, KON - in-vitro, Nor, MRC-5
tumCV↓, selectivity↑, TumCCA↑, TumCMig↓, TumCI↓, Apoptosis↑, TumMeta↓, Bcl-2↓, BAX↑, TIMP1↑, MMP2↓, MMP9↓, *Inflam↓, *neuroP↑, *cardioP↑, p38↓, MAPK↓, Twist↓, P21↓, cycD1/CCND1↓, Casp3↑, Casp9↑, p‑Akt↓, p‑ERK↓, CD44↓, CD24↓, ChemoSen↑, MMP↓, Cyt‑c↑, AIF↑, ROS↑, Ca+2↑, Hif1a↓, VEGF↓,
3350- QC,    Quercetin and the mitochondria: A mechanistic view
- Review, NA, NA
*antiOx↑, *Inflam↓, *NRF2↑, ROS⇅, *NRF2↑, *HO-1↑, *PPARα↑, *PGC-1α↑, *SIRT1↑, *ATP↑, ATP↓, ERK↓, cl‑PARP↑, Casp9↑, Casp8↑, BAX↑, MMP↓, Cyt‑c↑, Casp3↑, HSP27↓, HSP72↓, RAS↓, Raf↓,
3343- QC,    Quercetin, a Flavonoid with Great Pharmacological Capacity
- Review, Var, NA - Review, AD, NA - Review, Arthritis, NA
*antiOx↑, *ROS↓, *angioG↓, *Inflam↓, *BioAv↓, *Half-Life↑, *GSH↑, *SOD↑, *Catalase↑, *Nrf1↑, *BP↓, *cardioP↑, *IL10↓, *TNF-α↓, *Aβ↓, *GSK‐3β↓, *tau↓, *neuroP↑, *Pain↓, *COX2↓, *NRF2↑, *HO-1↑, *IL1β↓, *IL17↓, *MCP1↓, PKCδ↓, ERK↓, BAX↓, cMyc↓, KRAS↓, ROS↓, selectivity↑, tumCV↓, Apoptosis↑, TumCCA↑, eff↑, P-gp↓, eff↑, eff↑, eff↑, eff↑, CycB/CCNB1↓, CDK1↓, CDK4↓, CDK2↓, TOP2↓, Cyt‑c↑, cl‑PARP↑, MMP↓, HSP70/HSPA5↓, HSP90↓, MDM2↓, RAS↓, eff↑,
3374- QC,    Therapeutic effects of quercetin in oral cancer therapy: a systematic review of preclinical evidence focused on oxidative damage, apoptosis and anti-metastasis
- Review, Oral, NA - Review, AD, NA
α-SMA↓, α-SMA↑, TumCP↓, tumCV↓, TumVol↓, TumCI↓, TumMeta↓, TumCMig↓, ROS↑, Apoptosis↑, BioAv↓, *neuroP↑, *antiOx↑, *Inflam↓, *Aβ↓, *cardioP↑, MMP↓, Cyt‑c↑, MMP2↓, MMP9↓, EMT↓, MMPs↓, Twist↓, Slug↓, Ca+2↑, AIF↑, Endon↑, P-gp↓, LDH↑, HK2↓, PKA↓, Glycolysis↓, GlucoseCon↓, lactateProd↓, GRP78/BiP↑, Casp12↑, CHOP↑,
3372- QC,  FIS,  KaempF,    Anticancer Potential of Selected Flavonols: Fisetin, Kaempferol, and Quercetin on Head and Neck Cancers
- Review, HNSCC, NA
ROCK1↑, TumCCA↓, HSPs↓, RAS↓, ROS↑, Ca+2↑, MMP↓, Cyt‑c↑, Endon↑, MMP9↓, MMP2↓, MMP7↓, MMP-10↓, VEGF↓, NF-kB↓, p65↓, iNOS↓, COX2↓, uPA↓, PI3K↓, FAK↓, MEK↓, ERK↓, JNK↓, p38↓, cJun↓, FOXO3↑,
3369- QC,    Pharmacological basis and new insights of quercetin action in respect to its anti-cancer effects
- Review, Pca, NA
FAK↓, TumCCA↑, p‑pRB↓, CDK2↑, CycB/CCNB1↓, CDK1↓, EMT↓, PI3K↓, MAPK↓, Wnt↓, ROS↑, miR-21↑, Akt↓, NF-kB↓, FasL↑, Bak↑, BAX↑, Bcl-2↓, Casp3↓, Casp9↑, P53↑, p38↑, MAPK↑, Cyt‑c↑, PARP↓, CHOP↑, ROS↓, LDH↑, GRP78/BiP↑, ERK↑, MDA↓, SOD↑, GSH↑, NRF2↑, VEGF↓, PDGF↓, EGF↓, FGF↓, TNF-α↓, TGF-β↓, VEGFR2↓, EGFR↓, FGFR1↓, mTOR↓, cMyc↓, MMPs↓, LC3B-II↑, Beclin-1↑, IL1β↓, CRP↓, IL10↓, COX2↓, IL6↓, TLR4↓, Shh↓, HER2/EBBR2↓, NOTCH↓, DR5↑, HSP70/HSPA5↓, CSCs↓, angioG↓, MMP2↓, MMP9↓, IGFBP3↑, uPA↓, uPAR↓, RAS↓, Raf↓, TSP-1↑,
3368- QC,    The potential anti-cancer effects of quercetin on blood, prostate and lung cancers: An update
- Review, Var, NA
*Inflam↓, *antiOx↑, *AntiCan↑, Casp3↓, p‑Akt↓, p‑mTOR↓, p‑ERK↓, β-catenin/ZEB1↓, Hif1a↓, AntiAg↓, VEGFR2↓, EMT↓, EGFR↓, MMP2↓, MMP↓, TumMeta↓, MMPs↓, Akt↓, Snail↓, N-cadherin↓, Vim↓, E-cadherin↑, STAT3↓, TGF-β↓, ROS↓, P53↑, BAX↑, PKCδ↓, PI3K↓, COX2↓, cFLIP↓, cycD1/CCND1↓, cMyc↓, IL6↓, IL10↓, Cyt‑c↑, TumCCA↑, DNMTs↓, HDAC↓, ac‑H3↑, ac‑H4↑, Diablo↑, Casp3↑, Casp9↑, PARP1↑, eff↑, PTEN↑, VEGF↓, NO↓, iNOS↓, ChemoSen↑, eff↑, eff↑, eff↑, uPA↓, CXCR4↓, CXCL12↓, CLDN2↓, CDK6↓, MMP9↓, TSP-1↑, Ki-67↓, PCNA↓, ROS↑, ER Stress↑,

Showing Research Papers: 1 to 12 of 12

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 12

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


NA, unassigned ⓘ

NA?, 1,  

Redox & Oxidative Stress ⓘ

GSH↑, 1,   MDA↓, 1,   NRF2↑, 1,   ROS↓, 3,   ROS↑, 6,   ROS⇅, 1,   SOD↑, 1,  

Mitochondria & Bioenergetics ⓘ

AIF↑, 2,   ATP↓, 1,   EGF↓, 1,   FGFR1↓, 1,   MEK↓, 1,   MMP↓, 9,   Raf↓, 2,  

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis ⓘ

cMyc↓, 3,   GlucoseCon↓, 1,   Glycolysis↓, 1,   HK2↓, 1,   lactateProd↓, 1,   LDH↑, 2,   PI3K/Akt↓, 2,  

Cell Death ⓘ

Akt↓, 3,   p‑Akt↓, 3,   Apoptosis↑, 5,   BAD↓, 1,   BAD↑, 1,   Bak↑, 1,   BAX↓, 1,   BAX↑, 8,   Bcl-2↓, 3,   Casp10↑, 1,   Casp12↑, 1,   Casp3↓, 2,   Casp3↑, 7,   Casp8↑, 2,   Casp9↑, 6,   cl‑Casp9↑, 1,   cFLIP↓, 1,   Cyt‑c↑, 12,   Diablo↑, 1,   DR4↑, 1,   DR5↑, 2,   Endon↑, 2,   FasL↑, 1,   iNOS↓, 2,   JNK↓, 1,   MAPK↓, 2,   MAPK↑, 1,   MDM2↓, 1,   p38↓, 2,   p38↑, 1,  

Kinase & Signal Transduction ⓘ

HER2/EBBR2↓, 1,  

Transcription & Epigenetics ⓘ

cJun↓, 1,   ac‑H3↑, 1,   ac‑H4↑, 1,   miR-21↑, 1,   p‑pRB↓, 1,   tumCV↓, 3,  

Protein Folding & ER Stress ⓘ

CHOP↑, 2,   ER Stress↑, 1,   GRP78/BiP↑, 2,   HSP27↓, 1,   HSP70/HSPA5↓, 2,   HSP72↓, 1,   HSP90↓, 1,   HSPs↓, 1,  

Autophagy & Lysosomes ⓘ

Beclin-1↑, 1,   LC3B-II↑, 1,  

DNA Damage & Repair ⓘ

DNMTs↓, 1,   P53↑, 2,   PARP↓, 1,   PARP↑, 1,   cl‑PARP↑, 3,   PARP1↑, 1,   PCNA↓, 1,  

Cell Cycle & Senescence ⓘ

CDK1↓, 2,   CDK2↓, 1,   CDK2↑, 1,   CDK4↓, 1,   CycB/CCNB1↓, 2,   cycD1/CCND1↓, 4,   P21↓, 1,   TumCCA↓, 1,   TumCCA↑, 4,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State ⓘ

CD24↓, 1,   CD44↓, 1,   CSCs↓, 2,   EMT↓, 3,   ERK↓, 4,   ERK↑, 1,   p‑ERK↓, 2,   FGF↓, 1,   FOXO3↑, 1,   HDAC↓, 1,   IGF-1↓, 1,   IGF-1R↓, 2,   IGF-2↓, 1,   IGFBP3↑, 2,   mTOR↓, 1,   p‑mTOR↓, 1,   NOTCH↓, 1,   PI3K↓, 5,   PTEN↑, 1,   RAS↓, 4,   Shh↓, 1,   STAT3↓, 1,   TOP2↓, 1,   TumCG↓, 1,   Wnt↓, 1,  

Migration ⓘ

AntiAg↓, 1,   Ca+2↑, 3,   CLDN2↓, 1,   CXCL12↓, 1,   E-cadherin↑, 1,   FAK↓, 2,   Ki-67↓, 1,   KRAS↓, 1,   MMP-10↓, 1,   MMP2↓, 5,   MMP7↓, 1,   MMP9↓, 5,   MMPs↓, 3,   N-cadherin↓, 1,   PDGF↓, 1,   PKA↓, 1,   PKCδ↓, 2,   ROCK1↑, 1,   Slug↓, 1,   Snail↓, 1,   TGF-β↓, 2,   TIMP1↑, 1,   TSP-1↑, 2,   TumCI↓, 2,   TumCMig↓, 2,   TumCP↓, 1,   TumMeta↓, 3,   Twist↓, 2,   uPA↓, 3,   uPAR↓, 1,   Vim↓, 1,   α-SMA↓, 1,   α-SMA↑, 1,   β-catenin/ZEB1↓, 1,  

Angiogenesis & Vasculature ⓘ

angioG↓, 1,   EGFR↓, 2,   Hif1a↓, 2,   NO↓, 1,   VEGF↓, 4,   VEGFR2↓, 2,  

Barriers & Transport ⓘ

P-gp↓, 2,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling ⓘ

COX2↓, 3,   CRP↓, 1,   CXCR4↓, 1,   IL10↓, 2,   IL1β↓, 1,   IL6↓, 2,   NF-kB↓, 2,   p65↓, 1,   TLR4↓, 1,   TNF-α↓, 1,  

Hormonal & Nuclear Receptors ⓘ

CDK6↓, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance ⓘ

BioAv↓, 1,   ChemoSen↑, 3,   eff↑, 11,   selectivity↑, 3,  

Clinical Biomarkers ⓘ

CRP↓, 1,   EGFR↓, 2,   HER2/EBBR2↓, 1,   IL6↓, 2,   Ki-67↓, 1,   KRAS↓, 1,   LDH↑, 2,  

Functional Outcomes ⓘ

TumVol↓, 1,  
Total Targets: 174

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress ⓘ

antiOx↑, 4,   Catalase↑, 2,   GSH↑, 2,   HO-1↑, 2,   MDA↑, 1,   Nrf1↑, 1,   NRF2↑, 4,   ROS↓, 2,   SOD↑, 2,   Trx↑, 1,  

Metal & Cofactor Biology ⓘ

IronCh↑, 1,  

Mitochondria & Bioenergetics ⓘ

ATP↑, 1,   PGC-1α↑, 1,  

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis ⓘ

PPARα↑, 1,   SIRT1↑, 1,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State ⓘ

GSK‐3β↓, 1,  

Angiogenesis & Vasculature ⓘ

angioG↓, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling ⓘ

COX2↓, 1,   IL10↓, 1,   IL17↓, 1,   IL1β↓, 1,   Inflam↓, 6,   MCP1↓, 1,   TNF-α↓, 1,  

Synaptic & Neurotransmission ⓘ

tau↓, 1,  

Protein Aggregation ⓘ

Aβ↓, 2,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance ⓘ

BioAv↓, 1,   Half-Life↑, 1,  

Clinical Biomarkers ⓘ

BP↓, 1,  

Functional Outcomes ⓘ

AntiCan↑, 2,   AntiDiabetic↑, 1,   cardioP↑, 3,   neuroP↑, 3,   Pain↓, 1,  

Infection & Microbiome ⓘ

Bacteria↓, 1,  
Total Targets: 35

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: Cyt‑c, cyt-c Release into Cytosol
12 Quercetin
1 Paclitaxel
1 Curcumin
1 Fisetin
1 Kaempferol
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#:140  Target#:77  State#:%  Dir#:%
  wNotes=0  sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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