Role of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in the Anticancer Activity of Natural Compounds

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Cancer is a major global health challenge with increasing incidence and mortality.
• Drug resistance in cancer cells frequently leads to treatment failure, necessitating novel therapeutic agents.
• Natural compounds offer a rich source of bioactive molecules with potential anticancer properties, though their mechanisms are often unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review plant-derived natural compounds that exhibit anticancer activity.
• To explore the role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and the unfolded protein response (UPR) in mediating the cytotoxicity of these compounds.
• To highlight specific compounds like curcumin, resveratrol, and green tea polyphenols.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies investigating natural compounds and their anticancer effects.
• Analysis of research focusing on ER stress pathways (PERK, IRE1, ATF6) and their involvement in cancer cell death.
• Synthesis of evidence linking ER stress modulation to the anticancer activity of various plant-derived molecules.

Main Results:

• Several natural compounds, including curcumin, resveratrol, green tea polyphenols, tocotrienols, and garcinia derivatives, demonstrate anticancer effects.
• These compounds modulate ER homeostasis, inducing ER stress and the UPR.
• Persistent ER stress triggered by these natural compounds can lead to apoptosis in cancer cells.

Conclusions:

• Natural compounds represent a promising avenue for developing new anticancer drugs.
• Modulation of ER stress and UPR is a key mechanism underlying the anticancer activity of many plant-derived compounds.
• Targeting ER stress pathways offers a potential strategy to overcome drug resistance and enhance cancer treatment efficacy.