Due to transition in the journal platform, the previously submitted articles, which are under process can be re-submitted here for quick process, kindly co-operate

Biomedicine

Volume: 44 Issue: 1

  • Open Access
  • Review Article

Thymoquinone: A novel treatment option for triple negative breast cancer

Vani Mamillapalli1, Vinuthna Rallapalli1, Zyba Mohammed1, Dharani Motukuru 1, SRG Sowgandhika Kosuri3, Padmalatha Kantamaneni

1Dept. of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Phytochemistry,

2Dept. of Pharmacology, Vijaya Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences for Women, Enikepadu, Vijayawada, 521108, Andhra Pradesh, India 

3Dept. of Anesthesia, School of Health Sciences, NIMS University, Jugalapura, Jaipur, 332708, Rajasthan, India 

 

 Corresponding author: SRG Sowgandhika Kosuri. Email: [email protected] 

Year: 2024, Page: 13-20, Doi: https://doi.org/10.51248/.v44i1.4155

Received: Nov. 22, 2022 Accepted: Oct. 12, 2023 Published: April 24, 2024

Abstract

The most common treatment modes of cancer include chemotherapies along with other modes of treatment. But often resistance is developed and gruels towards the discovery of new modes of treatment for cancer. Natural products are used for ages in the treatment. One such component is thymoquinone (TQ). It has been extensively studied against cancer, especially in treating breast cancer. The review article updates its status on research against breast cancer and triple negative breast cancer. The paper describes various breast cancer (BC) treatment options in combination with TQ or alone such as heat shock 70-kDa protein 6 (HSPA6) situated on human chromosome in inhibition of BC growth, MMP-9 and MMP-2 as biomarkers in BC, use of cancer stem cells in vascular formation in solid tumor by VM (vascular mimicry) via MMP-2 and MT1-MMP genes upregulation, use of exosomes extracted from adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cells, cancer immunotherapy or immuno-oncology where natural killer lymphocyte cells are used to enhance innate immune response against tumors and pathogens, use of (TRAIL) tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand agonists, drugs with synergistic activity, identifying targeted genes IL17RD, and diet having natural molecules that can act potentially against cancer. The article also updates on research associated with TQ in overcoming hindrances related to its poor bioavailability making it an effective clinically acting drug molecule. Recent research indicates that TQ can be a successful candidate to eradicate cancer through its clinical interventions followed by drug design studies. 

 

Keywords: Thymoquinone; triple negative breast cancer; therapy.

References

  1. Harwansh, R.K., Deshmukh, R. Breast cancer: An insight into its inflammatory, molecular, pathological and targeted facets with update on investigational drugs. Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology. 2020; 154:103070. 
  2. Jain, V., Kumar, H., Anod, H.V., Chand, P., Gupta, N.V., Dey, S., et al., A review of nanotechnology-based approaches for breast cancer and triple-negative breast cancer. Journal of Controlled Release. 2020; 326:628-647. 
  3. Chopra, S., Davies, E.L. Breast cancer. Medicine. 2019; 48: 113-118. 
  4. Bray, F., Ferlay, J., Soerjomataram, I., Siegel, R.L., Torre, L.A., Jemal, A. Global cancer statistics 2018: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries, CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 2018; 68(6):394-424. 
  5. Zubair, M., Wang, S., Ali, N. Advanced approaches to breast cancer classification and diagnosis. Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2021; 11:632079. 
  6. Siegel, R.L., Miller, K.D., Fuchs, H.E., Jemal, A. Cancer statistics. 2022. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 2022; 72:7-33. 
  7. American Cancer Society. How common is breast cancer? 2022. (accessed on 22 September 2022). Available online: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/ breastcancer/about/how-common-is-breast-cancer.html
  8. Prakash, O., Hossain, F., Danos, D., Lassak, A., Scribner, R., Miele, L. Racial disparities in triple negative breast cancer: A review of the role of biologic and non-biologic factors. Frontiers in. Public Health. 2020; 8:576964.
  9. Salerno, D., Sofou, S. Growth inhibition of triple-negative breast cancer: The role of spatiotemporal delivery of neoadjuvant doxorubicin and cisplatin. Pharmaceuticals. 2021; 14:1035.
  10. Hill, D.P., Harper, A., Malcolm, J., McAndrews, M.S., Mockus, S.M., Patterson, S.E., et al., Cisplatin-resistant triple-negative breast cancer subtypes: Multiple mechanisms of resistance. BMC Cancer. 2019; 19:1039.
  11. Maroufi, N.F., Amiri, M., Dizaji, B.F., Vahedian, V., Akbarzadeh, M., Roshanravan, N., et al., Inhibitory effect of melatonin on hypoxia induced vasculogenic mimicry via suppressing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in breast cancer stem cells. European Journal of Pharmacology. 2020; 881:173282
  12. Wang, L., Hou, J., Wang, J., Zhu, Z., Zhang, W., Zhang, X., et al., Regulatory roles of HSPA6 in Actinidia Chinensis Planch. root extract (acRoots)-inhibited lung cancer proliferation. Clinical and Translational Medicine 2020;10(2):e46
  13. Hahm, E.R., Kim, S.H., Singh, K.B., Singh, S.V. RNA-Seq reveals novel cancer-selective and disease subtype-independent mechanistic targets of withaferin A in human breast cancer cells. Molecular carcinogenesis. 2021; 60(1): 3-14
  14. Solanki, S., Menka, S. Diagnostic importance of MATRIX metalloproteinase 2 and 9 as additional biomarkers in the sera of breast cancer patients. International Journal of Advanced Research. 2019; 7(9):167-177.
  15. Haiaty, S., Rashidi, M.R., Akbarzadeh, M., Maroufi, N.F., Yousefi, B., Nouri, M. Targeting vasculogenic mimicry by phytochemicals: A potential opportunity for cancer therapy. IUBMB Life. 2020;72(5):825-841.
  16. Gomathinayagam, R., Ha, J.H., Jayaraman, M., Song, Y. S., Isidoro, C., Dhanasekaran, D.N. Chemopreventive and anticancer effects of Thymoquinone: Cellular and molecular targets. Journal of Cancer Prevention. 2020;25(3):136-151. 
  17. Mohsen, E., El-Far, A.H., Godugu, K., Elsayed, F., Mousa, S.A., Younis, I.Y. SPME and solvent-based GC–MS metabolite profiling of Egyptian marketed Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipsch. concerning its anticancer activity. Phytomedicine Plus. 2022; 2:100209. 

  18. El-Far, A.H., Darwish, N.H.E., Mousa, S.A. Senescent colon and breast cancer cells induced by doxorubicin exhibit enhanced sensitivity to curcumin, caffeine, and thymoquinone. Integrative Cancer Therapies. 2020; 19:1534735419901160. 

  19. Wong, S.C., Kamarudin, M.N.A., Naidu, R. Anticancer mechanism of curcumin on human glioblastoma. Nutrients. 2021;13:950. 

  20. Farghadani, R., Naidu, R. Curcumin as an enhancer of therapeutic efficiency of chemotherapy drugs in breast cancer. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2022;23:2144. 

  21.  Joshi, P., Joshi, S., Semwal, D., Bisht, A., Paliwal, S., Dwivedi, J., et al., Curcumin: an insight into molecular pathways involved in anticancer activity. Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry. 2021; 21:2420-2457. 

  22.  Salehi, B., Stojanovic-Radic, Z., Matejic, J., Sharifi-Rad, M., Anil Kumar, N.V., Martins, N., et al., The therapeutic potential of curcumin: A review of clinical trials. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 2019; 163:527-545. 

  23.  Ahmad, A., Mishra, R.K., Vyawahare, A., Kumar, A., Rehman, M.U., Qamar, W., et al., Thymoquinone (2-Isopropyl-5-methyl-1, 4-benzoquinone) as a chemopreventive/anticancer agent: Chemistry and biological effects. Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal. 2019;27:1113-1126. 

  24.  Hannan, M.A., Rahman, M.A., Sohag, A.A.M., Uddin, M.J., Dash, R., Sikder, M.H., et al., Black Cumin (Nigella sativa L.): A comprehensive review on phytochemistry, health benefits, molecular pharmacology, and safety. Nutrients. 2021;13:1784. 

  25. Samarghandian, S., Azimi-Nezhad, M., Farkhondeh, T. Thymoquinone-induced antitumor and apoptosis in human lung adenocarcinoma cells. Journal of Cellular Physiology. 2019;234:10421-10431. 

  26. Adinew, G.M., Taka, E., Mendonca, P., Messeha, S.S., Soliman, K.F.A. The anticancer effects of flavonoids through miRNAs modulations in triple-negative breast cancer. Nutrients. 2021;13:1212. 

  27. Yimer, E.M., Tuem, K.B., Karim, A., Ur-Rehman, N., Anwar, F. Nigella sativa L. (Black Cumin): A promising natural remedy for a wide range of illnesses. Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2019; 6:1-16. 

  28. Alhmied, F., Alammar, A., Alsultan, B., Alshehri, M., Pottoo, F.H. Molecular mechanisms of thymoquinone as anticancer agents. Combinatorial Chemistry and High Throughput Screening. 2021; 24:1644-1653. 

  29. Phua, C.Y.H., Teoh, Z.L., Goh, B.H., Yap, W.H., Tang, Y.Q. Triangulating the pharmacological properties of thymoquinone in regulating reactive oxygen species, inflammation, and cancer: Therapeutic applications and mechanistic pathways. Life Sciences. 2021; 287:120120 

  30. Almajali, B., Al-Jamal, H.A.N., Taib, W.R.W., Ismail, I., Johan, M.F., Doolaanea, A. A., et al., Thymoquinone, as a novel therapeutic candidate of cancers. Pharmaceuticals. 2021; 14:369. 

  31. Salam, N.M.A., Rabou, A.A.A., Sharada, H.M., Samea, G.G.A.E., Abdalla, M.S. Combination therapy of TRAIL and thymoquinone induce breast cancer cell cytotoxicity-mediated apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention. 2021;22 (5):1513-1521. 

  32.  Adinew, G.M., Samia, S., Messeha, Taka, E., Ramesh, B., et al., Thymoquinone alterations of the apoptotic gene expressions and cell cycle arrest in genetically distinct triple-negative breast cancer Cells. Nutrients. 2022; 14, 2120. 34. Khan, M. A., Meiling, Z., Fu, J. Tania, M., Li, J., Fu, J. Thymoquinone upregulates IL17RD in controlling the growth and metastasis of triple negative breast cancer cells in vitro. BMC Cancer. 2022; 22:707. 

  33.  Wei, S.S.C., and Junjiang, Fu. RNA-Sequencing reveals heat shock 70-kDa Protein 6 (HSPA6) as a novel thymoquinone-upregulated gene that inhibits growth, migration, and invasion of triple-negative breast cancer cells. Frontiers in Oncology. 2021; 11:667995. 

  34.  Alshaibi, H. F., Aldarmahi, N. A., Alkhattabi, N. A., Alsufiani, H. M., Tarbiah, N. I. Studying the anticancer effects of thymoquinone on breast cancer cells through natural killer cell activity. BioMed Research International. 2022; 9218640. 

  35.  Haiaty, S., Rashidi, M. R., Akbarzadeh, M., Bazmany, A., Mostafazadeh, M., Nikanfar, S., et al., Thymoquinone inhibited vasculogenic capacity and promoted mesenchymal epithelial transition of human breast cancer stem cells. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies. 2021; 21:83. 

  36.  Saddiq, A.A., El-Fa, A.H., Mohamed, S.A., Almaghrabi, O.A., Mousa, S.A. Curcumin and thymoquinone combination attenuates breast cancer cell lines’ progression. Integrative Cancer Therapies. 2022;21:1-14. 

  37.  Moubarak, M.M., Chanouha, N.A.I.N., Khalife, H., Gali-Muhtasib, H. Thymoquinone anticancer activity is enhanced when combined with royal jelly in human breast cancer. World Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2021;12(5): 342-354. 

  38.  Bhattacharya, S., Ghosh, A., Maiti, S., Ahir, M., Debnath, G.H., Gupta, P., et al., Delivery of thymoquinone through hyaluronic acid-decorated mixed Pluronic(R) nanoparticles to attenuate angiogenesis and metastasis of triple-negative breast cancer. Journal of Controlled Release. 2020; 322:357-374. 

  39. Bashmail, H.A., Alamoudi, A.A., Noorwali, A., Hegazy, G.A., Ajabnoor, G.M., Al-Abd, A.M., et al., Thymoquinone enhances paclitaxel anti-breast cancer activity via inhibiting tumor-associated stem cells despite apparent mathematical antagonism. Molecules. 2020; 25:426. 
  40. Yimer, E.M., Tuem, K.B., Karim, A., Ur-Rehman, N., Anwar, F. Nigella sativa L. (black cumin): A promising natural remedy for wide range of illnesses. Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2019; 1528635-1528650. 
  41. Ebrahimian, M., Hashemi, M., Etemad, L., Salmasi, Z. Thymoquinone-loaded mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosome as an efficient nano-system against breast cancer cells. Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences. 2022;25: 723-731. 
  42. Mehannam, M.M., Sarieddine, R., Alwattar, J.K., Chouaib, R., Muhtasib, H.G. Anticancer activity of thymoquinone cubic phase nanoparticles against human breast cancer: Formulation, cytotoxicity and subcellular localization. International Journal of Nanomedicine. 2020;15: 9557-9570. 
  43. Imam, S.S., Gilani, S.J., Bin Jumah, M.N., Rizwanullah, M., Zafar, A., Ahmed, M.M., et al., Harnessing lipid polymer hybrid nanoparticles for enhanced oral bioavailability of thymoquinone: In vitro and in vivo assessments. Polymers. 2022;14:3705. 

Cite this article

 Vani Mamillapalli, Vinuthna Rallapalli, Zyba Mohammed, Dharani Motukuru, SRG Sowgandhika Kosuri, Padmalatha Kantamaneni.      Thymoquinone: A novel treatment option for triple negative breast cancer. Biomedicine: 2024; 44(1): 13-20 

Views
3204
Downloads
350
Citations