Current Cancer Therapy Reviews - Volume 17, Issue 1, 2021

Existing cancer treatments are often accompanied by adverse side effects that can greatly reduce the quality of life of cancer patients; this sets the platform for the development and application of nanocarrier-based platforms for the delivery of anticancer drugs. Among these nanocarriers, liposomes have demonstrated excellent potential in drug delivery applications. Furthermore, the overexpression of certain receptors on cancer cells has led to the development of active targeting approaches where liposome surfaces are decorated with ligands against these receptors. Given the central role that sugars play in cancer biology, more and more researchers are integrating “glycoscience” into their anticancer therapeutic designs. Carbohydrate functionalized liposomes present an attractive drug delivery system due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, low toxicity, and specific cell targeting ability. This review presents an overview of the preparation methods, characterization, evaluation, and applications of carbohydrate functionalized liposomes in cancer therapy.

Aims: Encouraging results have been indicated preclinically and in patients using the bacterial superantigen. This review article intends to summarize the role of the superantigens that have been recently used in the treatment of cancer. In addition, the vector systems, including lentiviral vectors, adeno-associated vector systems and retroviral vectors that are increasingly being used in basic and applied research, were discussed. Most importantly, the new CRISPR technique has also been discussed in this literature review. Discussion: More successful therapies can be achieved by manipulating bacterial vector systems through incorporating genes related to the superantigens and cytokines. The products of SAg and cytokine genes contribute to the strong stimulation of the immune system against tumor cells. They bind to MHC II molecules as well as the V beta regions of TCR and lead to the production of IL2 and other cytokines, the activation of antigen-presenting cells and T lymphocytes. Additionally, superantigens can be used to eradicate tumor cells. Better results in cancer treatment can be achieved by transferring superantigen genes and subsequent strong immune stimulation along with other cancer immunotherapy agents. Conclusion: Superantigens induce the proliferation of T lymphocytes and antigen-presenting cells by binding to MHCII molecules and V beta regions in T cell receptors. Therefore, the presentation of tumor cell antigens is increased. Additionally, the production of important cytokines by T cells and APCs contributes to the stimulation of immune response against tumor cells. The manipulation of bacterial vector systems through incorporating genesrelated to SAgs and other immune response factors is a good strategy for the immune system stimulating and eradicating tumor cells along with other immunotherapy agents.

High grade glioma is one of the severe form of tumour that progresses in the glial cells of the brain and spinal cord. Age, gender, exposure to infections, race, ethnicity, viruses and allergens, environmental carcinogens, diet, head injury or trauma and ionizing radiation may report with increased glioma risk. Headache, seizure mainly generalized tonic-clonic seizure, memory loss and altered sensorium are considered as common symptoms of glioma. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), CT scans, neurological examinations and biopsy are considered as the diagnostic option for glioma. Treatment for glioma mainly depended upon the tumour progression, malignancy, cell type, age, location of tumour growth and anatomic structure. The standard treatment includes surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Temozolomide is usually prescribed at a dosage of 75 mg/m2 and began in combination with radiation therapy and continued daily. The primary indicator of hepatotoxicity is the elevation of the liver profiles, i.e. the changes in any of the liver panels may be considered to be hepatotoxic. Serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), Serum Glutamic Pyruvic Transaminase (SGPT), Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) are rising panels of the liver, which are elevated during toxicity. In some patients, albumin and globulin levels may show variations. Treatment for glioma associated symptoms like seizures, depression anxiety etc. are also mentioned along with supportive care for glioma. New trends in the treatment for glioma are RINTEGA, an experimental immunotherapeutic agent and bevazizumab, a recombinant monoclonal, a humanized antibody against the VEGF ligand [VEGF-A (vascular endothelial growth factor)] in tumor cells.

Diabetes and breast cancer are pathophysiologically similar and clinically established diseases that co-exist with a wider complex similar molecular signalling and having a similar set of risk factors. Insulin plays a pivotal role in the invasion and migration of breast cancer cells. Several ethnopharmacological evidences shed light on the concomitant anti-diabetic and anti-cancer activity of medicinal plant and phytochemicals against breast tumors of patients with diabetes. This present article reviewed the findings on medicinal plants and phytochemicals with concomitant antidiabetic and anti-cancer effects reported in scientific literature to facilitate the development of dual- acting therapies against diabetes and breast cancer. The schematic tabular form of published literature on medicinal plants (63 plants belongs to 45 families) concluded the dynamics of phytochemicals against diabetes and breast tumors that could be explored further for the discovery of therapies for controlling of breast cancer cell invasion and migration in patients with diabetes.

Background: The development and progression of hepatitis B (HBV)-related disease can lead to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (LC and HCC, respectively). Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) DQ polymorphism has been reported in other recent studies to deal with the association between HBV and liver disease. Our study on the Egyptian population was introduced to assess the strong association between HLA-DQ polymorphism and HBV infection in addition to the progression of HCC. Aim: The aim of this work was to estimate HLA-DQ gene polymorphisms in HBV and HCC. Methods: HLA-DQ genotype polymorphism was assayed by using the ABI Taq Man allelic discrimination assay in different groups in this study. According to the relevant HLA Class II single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) literature, one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) was selected as the candidate site; it was an HLA-DQ, which showed minor allele frequencies AA, GA, and GG. Results: Haplotype analysis was performed on all the subjects in the study; AA haplotype was the most frequent haplotype in HCC cases (18%) in comparison with HBV and healthy individuals (3%). The haplotype GA was more frequent in the HCC group and slightly more frequent in LC when compared to HBV only cases and also when compared to the control group. In contrast, the GG haplotype was recorded less frequently in HCC individuals, but the HBV and LC groups showed more frequency of this haplotype compared with the HCC group. There was a correlation between AFP serum levels and the frequency of GA and AA polymorphism in HCC cases. Conclusion: We found that AA and GA haplotype was significantly most frequent in HCC. Our findings suggest that HLA-DQ AA and GG polymorphism might serve as a novel potential predictive marker for HCC and may function in tumorigenesis of HBV.

Background: Paris polyphylla is a member of the family of Melanthiaceae (earlier Trilliaceae or Liliaceae). It is known as love apple in English. This traditional herbaceous medicinal plant is found mostly in South East Asia. Objective: To investigate the anti-proliferative and apoptosis induction activity of crude extracts of P. polyphylla on SAS oral cancer cell lines. Methods: The crude extracts (CE) of P. polyphylla (PP) collected from Rambrai (R), Meghalaya (Northeast India) were prepared by using 70% ethanol (E) and 70% methanol (M) solvents and named as PPR-ECE and PPR-MCE. The anti-proliferative effects of PPR-ECE and PPR-MCE were tested using the MTT assay. The apoptosis was examined by Annexin V-FITC/PI doublestaining assay. Results: PPR-ECE significantly (p≤ 0.05) decreased the proliferation of SAS cells up to 3.12% with an IC50 value of 25.84 μg/ml. Whereas, PPR-MCE decreased the survival rate of SAS cells up to 24.67% (p≤ 0.05) with an IC50 value of 425 μg/ml. PPR-ECE demonstrated higher cytotoxicity than PPR-MCE against SAS cells. When SAS cells were treated with PPR-ECE and PPR-MCE for 72 h, the apoptotic cells increased from 0.1% (control) to 28.35% and 34% at 500μg/ml respectively. Conclusion: The present study revealed that P. polyphylla collected from Meghalaya has an anti-proliferative capacity to inhibit the multiplication of the SAS cells. In comparison to PPRMCE extract, PPR-ECE was found to be more effective against SAS proliferation. Though the anticancer property of the herb is well documented, this investigation is the first report on the effects of P. polyphylla extracts against SAS oral cancer cells.