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Published on: March 18, 2014
Natural products reshape osteosarcoma cell fate: promoting cell death
Binghan Yan1,2, Junli Chang1,2, Peng Zhao1,2
1Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Frontiers in Pharmacology
|July 3, 2026
Summary
Natural products show promise in treating osteosarcoma by regulating programmed cell death (PCD) pathways. This review explores how these natural compounds can inhibit tumor development for better patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Osteosarcoma is a primary bone cancer in children and adolescents with poor survival rates for metastatic or recurrent cases.
- Programmed cell death (PCD) is crucial for cell fate, and its dysregulation drives osteosarcoma progression by allowing cancer cells to evade death signals.
- Current treatments for osteosarcoma have limitations, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the subtypes of programmed cell death (PCD) in osteosarcoma.
- To elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which natural products regulate PCD in osteosarcoma.
- To explore the potential of natural products as a therapeutic approach for osteosarcoma.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature review of programmed cell death (PCD) in osteosarcoma.
- Analysis of molecular mechanisms of natural products affecting PCD pathways.
- Synthesis of current knowledge on natural product-based therapies for osteosarcoma.
Main Results:
- PCD dysregulation is a key factor in osteosarcoma development and progression.
- Natural products from medicinal plants and dietary sources can modulate various PCD pathways (apoptosis, autophagy, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, necroptosis).
- Natural products offer a promising, low-cost, and safe therapeutic avenue for osteosarcoma treatment.
Conclusions:
- Targeting PCD pathways with natural products presents a viable strategy to inhibit osteosarcoma growth.
- Further research into natural products could lead to improved therapeutic interventions and clinical outcomes for osteosarcoma patients.
- Natural products offer a translational research opportunity for developing novel osteosarcoma treatments with minimal side effects.
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