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Review
. 2023 Sep 15:14:1254236.
doi: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1254236. eCollection 2023.

Sulforaphane and bladder cancer: a potential novel antitumor compound

Affiliations
Review

Sulforaphane and bladder cancer: a potential novel antitumor compound

Mingshun Zuo et al. Front Pharmacol. .

Abstract

Bladder cancer (BC) is a common form of urinary tract tumor, and its incidence is increasing annually. Unfortunately, an increasing number of newly diagnosed BC patients are found to have advanced or metastatic BC. Although current treatment options for BC are diverse and standardized, it is still challenging to achieve ideal curative results. However, Sulforaphane, an isothiocyanate present in cruciferous plants, has emerged as a promising anticancer agent that has shown significant efficacy against various cancers, including bladder cancer. Recent studies have demonstrated that Sulforaphane not only induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in BC cells, but also inhibits the growth, invasion, and metastasis of BC cells. Additionally, it can inhibit BC gluconeogenesis and demonstrate definite effects when combined with chemotherapeutic drugs/carcinogens. Sulforaphane has also been found to exert anticancer activity and inhibit bladder cancer stem cells by mediating multiple pathways in BC, including phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2), zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1)/beta-catenin (β-Catenin), miR-124/cytokines interleukin-6 receptor (IL-6R)/transcription 3 (STAT3). This article provides a comprehensive review of the current evidence and molecular mechanisms of Sulforaphane against BC. Furthermore, we explore the effects of Sulforaphane on potential risk factors for BC, such as bladder outlet obstruction, and investigate the possible targets of Sulforaphane against BC using network pharmacological analysis. This review is expected to provide a new theoretical basis for future research and the development of new drugs to treat BC.

Keywords: MAPK; NF-κB; bladder cancer; bladder outlet obstruction; sulforaphane.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Chemical structure of sulforaphane.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Chemical structure of two main sulforaphane enantiomers.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Structures of natural analogs of sulforaphane. (A) sulforaphane (SFN), (B) iberin, (C) alyssin, (D) iberverin, (E) erucin (ER), (F) berteroin, (G) cheirolin, (H) erysolin, (I) sulforaphene.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Sulforaphane inhibits the molecular process of bladder cancer (induced by sulforaphane are noted by using →, while the inhibition represented by ⊣ symbol). The occurrence of bladder cancer is closely related to (A) apoptosis, (B) cell cycle, (C) glucose metabolism and (D) progression.
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5
Venny of sulforaphane and bladder cancer.
FIGURE 6
FIGURE 6
Protein network of sulforaphane and bladder cancer. (A) Protein interaction network, (B)Protein network analysis.
FIGURE 7
FIGURE 7
Enrichment analysis of sulforaphane and bladder cancer. (A) GO enrichment analysis, (B) KEGG enrichment analysis.
FIGURE 8
FIGURE 8
Effect of sulforaphane on MAPK and NF-κB (induced by sulforaphane are noted by using →, while the inhibition represented by ⊣ symbol). MAPK signal pathway is correlated with NF-κB. Sulforaphane can block the occurrence, development, invasion and migration of bladder cancer cells by inhibiting common upstream and downstream molecules, multiple receptors and ligands.

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Grants and funding

This study was supported by National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (Grant No. 81860524).