Apigenin and treating bladder cancer: a mini-review of the current literature

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Natural Products Chemistry

Background:

• Bladder cancer (BC) poses a significant global health challenge, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.
• Flavonoids, like apigenin found in fruits and vegetables, exhibit anti-cancer properties.
• Apigenin has demonstrated efficacy across various cancer types.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the mechanisms of action of apigenin in bladder cancer treatment.
• To summarize the therapeutic effects of apigenin on bladder cancer cells.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of preclinical studies on apigenin and bladder cancer.
• Analysis of apigenin's effects on signaling pathways and protein families involved in cancer progression.

Main Results:

• Apigenin modulates critical signaling pathways including PI3K/Akt, MAPK, and NF-κB.
• It influences key proteins such as p53, caspase, PARP, and Bcl-2.
• Apigenin induces apoptosis and inhibits proliferation and migration in bladder cancer cells.

Conclusions:

• Apigenin exhibits significant preclinical therapeutic potential for bladder cancer.
• Further clinical investigation with optimized drug delivery is warranted to validate these findings.