Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 8, 2025

Author Spotlight: Exploring Salidroside's Molecular Mechanisms in Breast Cancer Treatment
11:13

Author Spotlight: Exploring Salidroside's Molecular Mechanisms in Breast Cancer Treatment

Published on: June 9, 2023

1.4K

The Therapeutic Effects of Bioactive Compounds on Colorectal Cancer via PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling Pathway: A Critical

Kübra Demir1,2, Rana Turgut1, Selcen Şentürk1

  • 1Institute of Graduate Education Istanbul Health and Technology University Istanbul Türkiye.

Food Science & Nutrition
|December 26, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Natural compounds like polyphenols can inhibit mTOR signaling, offering a new strategy against colorectal cancer (CRC) by targeting cancer stem cells and promoting apoptosis. Further research may lead to food supplementation for CRC prevention and treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Persistent activation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway is a key driver in colorectal cancer (CRC) pathogenesis.
  • mTOR signaling promotes CRC stem cell survival, tumorigenesis, metastasis, and resistance to therapies.
  • Targeting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway presents a promising therapeutic strategy for CRC.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the therapeutic potential of natural bioactive compounds, including polyphenols, terpenoids, and alkaloids, against CRC.
  • To examine the molecular mechanisms by which these compounds modulate the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway and its targets.
  • To highlight the potential of these compounds as anticancer agents and for CRC prevention.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies investigating the effects of natural compounds on CRC.
  • Analysis of research focusing on the modulation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway by polyphenols, terpenoids, and alkaloids.
  • Examination of in vitro studies detailing the molecular effects of these compounds on CRC cells.

Main Results:

  • Bioactive compounds inhibit mTOR signaling, leading to reduced CRC stem cell survival, suppressed glycolysis, and cell cycle arrest.
  • These compounds induce apoptosis and autophagy, key processes for eliminating cancer cells.
  • Observed effects include free radical production and disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential in cancer cells.

Conclusions:

  • Natural compounds targeting the mTOR pathway show significant potential for CRC treatment.
  • Phenolic compounds, in particular, warrant further investigation for their anticancer properties.
  • Development of these compounds into food supplements or therapeutic agents, supported by clinical studies, is a promising future direction.
Keywords:
alkaloidscolorectal cancerpolyphenolsterpenoids

More Related Videos

Development and Maintenance of a Preclinical Patient Derived Tumor Xenograft Model for the Investigation of Novel Anti-Cancer Therapies09:29

Development and Maintenance of a Preclinical Patient Derived Tumor Xenograft Model for the Investigation of Novel Anti-Cancer Therapies

Published on: September 30, 2016

13.6K
Network Pharmacology Prediction and Experimental Validation of Trichosanthes-Fritillaria thunbergii Action Mechanism Against Lung Adenocarcinoma13:18

Network Pharmacology Prediction and Experimental Validation of Trichosanthes-Fritillaria thunbergii Action Mechanism Against Lung Adenocarcinoma

Published on: March 3, 2023

1.1K

Related Concept Videos

PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway01:22

PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway

The mammalian target of rapamycin  (mTOR) is a serine/threonine kinase that regulates growth, proliferation, and cell survival in response to hormones, growth factors, or nutrient availability. This kinase exists in two structurally and functionally distinct forms: mTOR complex 1  (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2  (mTORC2). The first form (mTORC1) is composed of a rapamycin-sensitive Raptor and proline-rich Akt substrate, PRAS40. In contrast,  mTORC2 consists of a...
3.3K
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
3.6K
Drugs that Stabilize Microtubules01:15

Drugs that Stabilize Microtubules

Microtubules are dynamic structures that undergo cycles of catastrophe and rescue. The microtubules play a central role in cell division by forming the spindle apparatus for segregating the chromosomes. This makes them ideal targets for regulating dividing cells in tumors and malignant cancer cells. Microtubule stabilizing drugs help stabilize the microtubule formation and promote its polymerization. Paclitaxel was the first microtubule stabilizing agent used as anticancer drug in chemotherapy...
1.9K
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
7.4K
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways01:19

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways

Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
6.1K
Inhibition of Cdk Activity02:34

Inhibition of Cdk Activity

The orderly progression of the cell cycle depends on the activation of Cdk protein by binding to its cyclin partner. However, the cell cycle must be restricted when undergoing abnormal changes. Most cancers correlate to the deregulated cell cycle, and since Cdks are a central component of the cell cycle, Cdk inhibitors are extensively studied to develop anticancer agents. For instance, cyclin D associates with several Cdks, such as Cdk 4/6, to form an active complex. The cyclin D-Cdk4/6 complex...
4.5K