The Role of Ferulic Acid in Selected Malignant Neoplasms
Ferulic acid (FA) is a polyphenol that is found in plants and fruits. It has a wide range of anticancer properties, including participating in cell apoptosis, inhibiting invasion and angiogenesis, and acting synergistically with standard cytostatic agents in malignant tumors. A range of molecular me...
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MDPI AG
2025-02-01
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| author | Anna Markowska Janina Markowska Joanna Stanisławiak-Rudowicz Katarzyna Kozak Otton Krzysztof Roubinek Magdalena Jasińska |
| author_facet | Anna Markowska Janina Markowska Joanna Stanisławiak-Rudowicz Katarzyna Kozak Otton Krzysztof Roubinek Magdalena Jasińska |
| author_sort | Anna Markowska |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ferulic acid (FA) is a polyphenol that is found in plants and fruits. It has a wide range of anticancer properties, including participating in cell apoptosis, inhibiting invasion and angiogenesis, and acting synergistically with standard cytostatic agents in malignant tumors. A range of molecular mechanisms are involved in anticancer activity and include the following ones: activation of cell-cycle-related proteins and enzymes such as p53, p21, Bax, and pro-caspases 3 and 9, reduction of cyclin D1 and E, proapoptotic Bcl-2, MMP-9, and NF-kV, which decrease VEGF, leading to cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase and death of cancer cells. Other mechanisms inhibit several pathways: PI3K/AKT/mTOR, Notch, and Wnt, which are associated with downregulation of proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis. FA can induce activation of ROS, leading to DNA damage in cancer cells. In vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated the significant antitumor activity of FA in breast cancer, particularly when used in combination with cytostatic agents. In vitro studies on cervical cancer cell lines have reported similar anticancer activity of FA. This includes inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis by downregulating antiapoptotic proteins. A case-control study conducted in Italy found that men with histologically confirmed prostate cancer had notably lower levels of FA compared to controls. Molecular in vitro studies have suggested that FA may have various effects on the signaling pathways linked to a reduction in the risk of prostate cancer, and it may act in synergy with δ-tocotrienol, which is a derivative of vitamin E. In vivo and in vitro studies on colorectal cancer have demonstrated the effects of FA on the early development of this cancer—inhibition of abnormal crypt foci (ACF-aberrant crypt foci), as well as the reduction in cancer cell viability and apoptosis through molecular changes, mainly a decrease in EGFR expression. The poor water solubility of FA makes it an attractive candidate for use as nanoparticles. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ffc516f04b664989944d08abbbac4757 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1420-3049 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Molecules |
| spelling | doaj-art-ffc516f04b664989944d08abbbac47572025-08-20T02:53:22ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492025-02-01305101810.3390/molecules30051018The Role of Ferulic Acid in Selected Malignant NeoplasmsAnna Markowska0Janina Markowska1Joanna Stanisławiak-Rudowicz2Katarzyna Kozak3Otton Krzysztof Roubinek4Magdalena Jasińska5Department of Perinatology, Poznań University of Medical Science, 60-535 Poznań, PolandGynecologic Oncology Center Poznań, Poznańska 58A, 60-850 Poznań, PolandDepartment of Gynecologic Oncology, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Szamarzewskiego 84, 60-514 Poznań, PolandŁukasiewicz Research Network—Industrial Chemistry Institute, Rydygiera 8, 01-793 Warszawa, PolandŁukasiewicz Research Network—Industrial Chemistry Institute, Rydygiera 8, 01-793 Warszawa, PolandFaculty of Chemical and Process Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Waryńskiego 1, 00-645 Warszawa, PolandFerulic acid (FA) is a polyphenol that is found in plants and fruits. It has a wide range of anticancer properties, including participating in cell apoptosis, inhibiting invasion and angiogenesis, and acting synergistically with standard cytostatic agents in malignant tumors. A range of molecular mechanisms are involved in anticancer activity and include the following ones: activation of cell-cycle-related proteins and enzymes such as p53, p21, Bax, and pro-caspases 3 and 9, reduction of cyclin D1 and E, proapoptotic Bcl-2, MMP-9, and NF-kV, which decrease VEGF, leading to cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase and death of cancer cells. Other mechanisms inhibit several pathways: PI3K/AKT/mTOR, Notch, and Wnt, which are associated with downregulation of proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis. FA can induce activation of ROS, leading to DNA damage in cancer cells. In vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated the significant antitumor activity of FA in breast cancer, particularly when used in combination with cytostatic agents. In vitro studies on cervical cancer cell lines have reported similar anticancer activity of FA. This includes inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis by downregulating antiapoptotic proteins. A case-control study conducted in Italy found that men with histologically confirmed prostate cancer had notably lower levels of FA compared to controls. Molecular in vitro studies have suggested that FA may have various effects on the signaling pathways linked to a reduction in the risk of prostate cancer, and it may act in synergy with δ-tocotrienol, which is a derivative of vitamin E. In vivo and in vitro studies on colorectal cancer have demonstrated the effects of FA on the early development of this cancer—inhibition of abnormal crypt foci (ACF-aberrant crypt foci), as well as the reduction in cancer cell viability and apoptosis through molecular changes, mainly a decrease in EGFR expression. The poor water solubility of FA makes it an attractive candidate for use as nanoparticles.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/5/1018ferulic acid (FA)flavonoidsanticancer activitybreast cancercervical cancerprostate cancer |
| spellingShingle | Anna Markowska Janina Markowska Joanna Stanisławiak-Rudowicz Katarzyna Kozak Otton Krzysztof Roubinek Magdalena Jasińska The Role of Ferulic Acid in Selected Malignant Neoplasms Molecules ferulic acid (FA) flavonoids anticancer activity breast cancer cervical cancer prostate cancer |
| title | The Role of Ferulic Acid in Selected Malignant Neoplasms |
| title_full | The Role of Ferulic Acid in Selected Malignant Neoplasms |
| title_fullStr | The Role of Ferulic Acid in Selected Malignant Neoplasms |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Role of Ferulic Acid in Selected Malignant Neoplasms |
| title_short | The Role of Ferulic Acid in Selected Malignant Neoplasms |
| title_sort | role of ferulic acid in selected malignant neoplasms |
| topic | ferulic acid (FA) flavonoids anticancer activity breast cancer cervical cancer prostate cancer |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/5/1018 |
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