Published in Archives of Toxicology
Metastases destroy the function of infested organs and are the main reason of cancer-related mortality. Heteronemin, a natural product derived from a marine sponge, was tested in vitro regarding its properties to prevent tumour cell intravasation through the lymph-endothelial barrier. In three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures consisting of MCF-7 brea...
Published in Molecules
Cancer continues to be a major public health problem despite the efforts that have been made in the search for novel drugs and treatments. The current sources sought for the discovery of new molecules are plants, animals and minerals. During the past decade, the search for anticancer agents of marine origin to fight chemo-resistance has increased g...
Published in Cell Proliferation
Chromatin texture patterns of tumour cell nuclei can serve as cancer biomarkers, either to define diagnostic classifications or to obtain relevant prognostic information, in a large number of human tumours. Epigenetic mechanisms, mainly DNA methylation and histone post-translational modification, have been shown to influence chromatin packing state...
Published in International Journal of Cell Biology
It is well admitted that the link between chronic inflammation and cancer involves cytokines and mediators of inflammatory pathways, which act during the different steps of tumorigenesis. The cyclooxygenases (COXs) are a family of enzymes, which catalyze the rate-limiting step of prostaglandin biosynthesis. This family contains three members: ubiqu...
Published in Biochemical Pharmacology
Since centuries, natural compounds from plants, animals and microorganisms were used in medicinal traditions to treat various diseases without a solid scientific basis. Recent studies have shown that plants that were used or are still used in the medieval European medicine are able to provide relieve for many diseases including cancer. Here we summ...
Published in Analytical Biochemistry
The cell division cycle 25 phosphatases (CDC25s) are key regulators of the physiological cell cycle progression. Their overexpression has been reported in a significant number of cancers, and their inhibition appears to be an interesting strategy for treatments. We propose here a rapid screening test allowing the detection of reversible and irrever...
Published in Biochemical Pharmacology
Traditional pharmacopeia is strongly involved in the continuous search for the well being of African populations. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 80% of the population of developing countries relies on traditional medicine for their primary care needs. Medicinal plants are the major resource of this folk medicine where several sp...
Published in Biochimie
Epigenetic alterations are involved in every step of carcinogenesis. The development of chromatin- modifying agents (CMAs) has provided the ability to fight cancer by reversing these alterations. Currently, four CMAs have been approved for cancer treatment; two DNA demethylating agents and two deacetylase inhibitors. A number of promising CMAs are ...
Published in Cell Cycle
Comment on: Pietrocola, et al. Cell Cycle 2012; 11:3851-60.
Published in Natural compounds as inducers of cell death
Cancer still remains a most important killer and even though synthetic chemotherapeutic agents are currently used, they are cost-intensive and do not always meet the expectations. In parallel, there is increasing evidence for the potential of nature-derived compounds on the inhibition of different steps of cancer initiation, promotion and progressi...
