Quercetin / H2O2 Cancer Research Results

QC, Quercetin: Click to Expand ⟱
Features:
Plant pigment (flavonoid) found in red wine, onions, green tea, apples and berries.
Quercetin is thought to contribute to anticancer effects through several mechanisms:
-Antioxidant Activity:
-Induction of Apoptosis:modify Bax:Bcl-2 ratio
-Anti-inflammatory Effects:
-Cell Cycle Arrest:
-Inhibition of Angiogenesis and Metastasis: (VEGF)

Cellular Pathways:
-PI3K/Akt/mTOR Pathway: central to cell proliferation, survival, and metabolism.
-MAPK/ERK Pathway: influencing cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis.
-NF-κB Pathway: downregulate NF-κB
-JAK/STAT Pathway: interfere with the activation of STAT3
-Apoptotic Pathways: intrinsic (mitochondrial) and extrinsic (death receptor-mediated) pathways

Quercetin has been used at doses around 500–1000 mg per day
Quercetin’s bioavailability from foods or standard supplements can be low.

-Note half-life 11 to 28 hours.
BioAv low 1-10%, poor water-solubility, consuming with fat may improve bioavialability. also piperine or VitC.
Pathways:
- induce ROS production in cancer cells (higher dose). Typicallys Lowers ROS in normal cells(unless it is high dose?)or depends on Redox status?. "quercetin paradox"
- ROS↑ related: MMP↓(ΔΨm), ER Stress↑, UPR↑, GRP78↑, Ca+2↑, Cyt‑c↑, Caspases↑, DNA damage↑, cl-PARP↑, HSP↓, Prx,
- Confusing info about Lowering AntiOxidant defense in Cancer Cells: NRF2↓(some contrary), TrxR↓**, SOD↓(contrary), GSH↓ Catalase↓(contrary), HO1↓(some contrary), GPx↓(some contrary)
- Raises AntiOxidant defense in Normal Cells: ROS↓, NRF2↑, SOD↑, GSH↑, Catalase↑,
- lowers Inflammation : NF-kB↓, COX2↓, p38↓, Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines : NLRP3↓, IL-1β↓, TNF-α↓, IL-6↓, IL-8↓
- inhibit Growth/Metastases : TumMeta↓, TumCG↓, EMT↓, MMPs↓, MMP2↓, MMP9↓, TIMP2, IGF-1↓, uPA↓, VEGF↓, ROCK1↓, FAK↓, NF-κB↓, CXCR4↓, SDF1↓, TGF-β↓, α-SMA↓, ERK↓
- reactivate genes thereby inhibiting cancer cell growth : HDAC↓, DNMTs↓, EZH2↓, P53↑, HSP↓, Sp proteins↓, TET↑
- cause Cell cycle arrest : TumCCA↑, cyclin D1↓, cyclin E↓, CDK2↓, CDK4↓, CDK6↓,
- inhibits Migration/Invasion : TumCMig↓, TumCI↓, TNF-α↓, FAK↓, ERK↓, EMT↓, TOP1↓, TET1,
- inhibits glycolysis and ATP depletion : HIF-1α↓, PKM2↓, cMyc↓, GLUT1↓, LDH↓, LDHA↓, HK2↓, PFKs↓, PDKs↓, ECAR↓, OXPHOS↓, GRP78↑, GlucoseCon↓
- inhibits angiogenesis↓ : VEGF↓, HIF-1α↓, Notch↓, FGF↓, PDGF↓, EGFR↓,
- some indication of inhibiting Cancer Stem Cells : CSC↓, CK2↓, Hh↓, CD24↓, β-catenin↓, Notch2↓,
- Others: PI3K↓, AKT↓, JAK↓, STAT↓, Wnt↓, β-catenin↓, AMPK, α↓, ERK↓, JNK, - SREBP (related to cholesterol).
- Synergies: chemo-sensitization, chemoProtective, RadioSensitizer, RadioProtective, Others(review target notes), Neuroprotective, Cognitive, Renoprotection, Hepatoprotective, CardioProtective,

- Selectivity: Cancer Cells vs Normal Cells

Rank Pathway / Axis Cancer Cells Normal Cells Label Primary Interpretation Notes
1 Reactive oxygen species (ROS) ↑ ROS (dose-, metal-, context-dependent) ↓ ROS Conditional Driver Biphasic redox modulation Quercetin exhibits pro-oxidant behavior in cancer cells while protecting normal cells
2 Mitochondrial integrity / intrinsic apoptosis ↓ ΔΨm; ↑ caspase activation ↔ preserved Driver Execution of intrinsic apoptosis Mitochondrial dysfunction is a central apoptosis route in cancer cells
3 PI3K → AKT → mTOR axis ↓ AKT / ↓ mTOR ↔ adaptive suppression Driver Growth and survival inhibition AKT/mTOR suppression is a consistently reported upstream effect in cancer models
4 NF-κB signaling ↓ NF-κB activation ↓ inflammatory NF-κB tone Secondary Reduced survival and inflammatory transcription NF-κB inhibition contributes to chemosensitization and apoptosis susceptibility
5 MAPK signaling (JNK / p38) ↑ JNK / ↑ p38 ↔ minimal Secondary Stress-mediated apoptosis signaling MAPK activation supports apoptosis downstream of redox stress
6 Cell cycle regulation ↑ G1/S or G2/M arrest ↔ largely spared Phenotypic Cytostatic growth control Cell-cycle arrest reflects disruption of growth signaling
7 HIF-1α hypoxia signaling ↓ HIF-1α ↔ minimal Secondary Reduced hypoxia tolerance Quercetin interferes with hypoxia-driven transcriptional programs
8 NRF2 antioxidant response ↑ NRF2 (adaptive, context-dependent) ↑ NRF2 (protective) Adaptive Stress compensation NRF2 induction reflects redox buffering rather than primary cytotoxicity


H2O2, Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2): Click to Expand ⟱
Source:
Type:
H2O2 is a reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can induce oxidative stress in cells. While low levels of ROS can promote cell signaling and proliferation, high levels can lead to DNA damage, apoptosis (programmed cell death), and other cellular dysfunctions. This dual role means that H2O2 can contribute to cancer development and progression, as oxidative stress can lead to mutations and genomic instability.
H2O2 can enhance the effectiveness of certain chemotherapeutic agents by increasing oxidative stress in cancer cells. Additionally, localized delivery of H2O2 has been explored as a means to selectively target and kill cancer cells while sparing normal cells.
Cancer cells often exhibit altered metabolism, leading to increased production of reactive oxygen species, including H2O2. This can result from enhanced mitochondrial activity, increased glycolysis, or other metabolic adaptations that are characteristic of cancer.


Reported H2O2 concentrations for representative compounds.
   Prooxidant          Dose                   Cell Line            H2O2 Produced
EGCG50 µMJurkat~1 µM
EGCG10 µMHCT116 and HT291.5 µM
EGCG100 µMJurkat20 µM
Quercetin70 µMHT292 µM
Menadione10 µMJurkat20 µM
Plumbagin4 µMSiHA and HeLa1 mM
β-Lap1 µMHL-6070 µM
Doxorubicin1 µMPC338 pM
Ascorbic Acid 1 mMHL-60161 µM
Ascorbic Acid0.2–2.0 mMLymphoma20–120 µM
Ascorbic Acidi.v. 0.5 mg/gRats0–20 µM
Ascorbic Acidi.p. 4.0 g/kgMice tumor> 125 µM
TiO210 µg/mLHepG2150 nmol/mL
Paclitaxel100 nMMCF7600 nM
Paclitaxel100 nMHL-601100 nM

Note: many products at lower concentrations act as antioxidants, instead of Prooxidants.

Generally, increased hydrogen peroxide and oxidative stress are associated with poor outcomes, while the specific context and cellular environment can modulate its effects.


Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
68- QC,  BaP,    Differential protein expression of peroxiredoxin I and II by benzo(a)pyrene and quercetin treatment in 22Rv1 and PrEC prostate cell lines
- in-vitro, Pca, 22Rv1 - in-vitro, Pca, PrEC
PrxI∅, PrxII∅, *toxicity↓, ROS↓, ROS↑, ROS∅, chemoP↑, PrxII↑, i-H2O2↓,
79- QC,    Chemopreventive Effect of Quercetin in MNU and Testosterone Induced Prostate Cancer of Sprague-Dawley Rats
- in-vivo, Pca, NA
GSH↑, SOD↑, Catalase↑, GPx↑, GSR↑, IGF-1R↓, Akt↓, AR↓, TumCP↓, lipid-P↓, H2O2↓, Raf↓, p‑MEK↓, Bcl-2↑, Bcl-xL↑, Casp3↑, Casp8↑, Casp9↑,
3341- QC,    Antioxidant Activities of Quercetin and Its Complexes for Medicinal Application
- Review, Var, NA - Review, Stroke, NA
*antiOx↑, *BioAv↑, *GSH↑, *AChE↓, *BChE↓, *H2O2↓, *lipid-P↓, *SOD↑, *SOD2↑, *Catalase↑, *GPx↑, *neuroP↑, *HO-1↑, *cardioP↑, *MDA↓, *NF-kB↓, *IKKα↓, *ROS↓, *PI3K↑, *Akt↑, *hepatoP↑, P53↑, BAX↑, IGF-1R↓, Akt↓, AR↓, TumCP↓, GSH↑, SOD↑, Catalase↑, lipid-P↓, *TNF-α↓, *Ca+2↓,

Showing Research Papers: 1 to 3 of 3

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 3

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress

Catalase↑, 2,   GPx↑, 1,   GSH↑, 2,   GSR↑, 1,   H2O2↓, 1,   i-H2O2↓, 1,   lipid-P↓, 2,   PrxI∅, 1,   PrxII↑, 1,   PrxII∅, 1,   ROS↓, 1,   ROS↑, 1,   ROS∅, 1,   SOD↑, 2,  

Mitochondria & Bioenergetics

p‑MEK↓, 1,   Raf↓, 1,  

Cell Death

Akt↓, 2,   BAX↑, 1,   Bcl-2↑, 1,   Bcl-xL↑, 1,   Casp3↑, 1,   Casp8↑, 1,   Casp9↑, 1,  

DNA Damage & Repair

P53↑, 1,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State

IGF-1R↓, 2,  

Migration

TumCP↓, 2,  

Hormonal & Nuclear Receptors

AR↓, 2,  

Clinical Biomarkers

AR↓, 2,  

Functional Outcomes

chemoP↑, 1,  
Total Targets: 29

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress

antiOx↑, 1,   Catalase↑, 1,   GPx↑, 1,   GSH↑, 1,   H2O2↓, 1,   HO-1↑, 1,   lipid-P↓, 1,   MDA↓, 1,   ROS↓, 1,   SOD↑, 1,   SOD2↑, 1,  

Cell Death

Akt↑, 1,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State

PI3K↑, 1,  

Migration

Ca+2↓, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling

IKKα↓, 1,   NF-kB↓, 1,   TNF-α↓, 1,  

Synaptic & Neurotransmission

AChE↓, 1,   BChE↓, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance

BioAv↑, 1,  

Functional Outcomes

cardioP↑, 1,   hepatoP↑, 1,   neuroP↑, 1,   toxicity↓, 1,  
Total Targets: 24

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: H2O2, Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)
3 Quercetin
1 benzo(a)pyrene
Query results interpretion may depend on "conditions" listed in the research papers.
Such Conditions may include : 
  -low or high Dose
  -format for product, such as nano of lipid formations
  -different cell line effects
  -synergies with other products 
  -if effect was for normal or cancerous cells
Filter Conditions: Pro/AntiFlg:%  IllCat:%  CanType:%  Cells:%  prod#:140  Target#:138  State#:%  Dir#:1
wNotes=0 sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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