Honokiol / HO-1 Cancer Research Results

HNK, Honokiol: Click to Expand ⟱
Features:
Honokiol is a Lignan isolated from bark, seed cones and leaves of trees of Magnolia species. Honokiol was traditionally used for anxiety and stroke treatment, as well as the alleviation of flu symptoms.
-considered to have antioxidant properties
-low oral bioavailability and difficulty in intravenous administration
-the development of various formulations of honokiol, including microemulsion, liposomes, nanoparticles and micelle copolymers have successfully solved the problem of low water solubility.

Pathways:
-Inhibit NF-κB activation
-Downregulate STAT3 signalin
-Inhibiting the PI3K/Akt pathway,
-Inhibition of mTOR
-Influences various MAPK cascades—including ERK, JNK, and p38
-Inhibition of EGFR
-Inhibiting Notch pathway (CSCs)
-GPx4 inhibit
-Can induce ER stress in cancer cells, which contributes to the activation of unfolded protein response (UPR) pathways
-Disrupt the mitochondrial membrane potential in cancer cells.
-Reported to increase ROS production in cancer cells
-Can exhibit antioxidant properties in normal cells. - has some inhibitor activity but Not classified as HDAC inhibitor as weaker and may work more indirectly.
- is well-known in the research community for its role in activating SIRT3

-Note half-life 40–60 minutes
BioAv
Pathways:
- induce ROS production in cancer cells, and typically lowers ROS in normal cells
- ROS↑ related: MMP↓(ΔΨm), ER Stress↑, GRP78↑, Ca+2↑, Cyt‑c↑, Caspases↑, DNA damage↑, cl-PARP↑, HSP↓ Prx
- Raises AntiOxidant defense in Normal Cells: ROS↓, NRF2↑, SOD↑, GSH↑, Catalase↑,
- lowers Inflammation : NF-kB↓, COX2↓, Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines : IL-1β↓, TNF-α↓, IL-6↓,
- inhibit Growth/Metastases : TumMeta↓, TumCG↓, EMT↓, MMPs↓, MMP2↓, MMP9↓, VEGF↓, ROCK1↓, RhoA↓, NF-κB↓, CXCR4↓, ERK↓
- reactivate genes thereby inhibiting cancer cell growth : HDAC↓, EZH2↓, P53↑, HSP↓,
- cause Cell cycle arrest : TumCCA↑, cyclin D1↓, cyclin E↓, CDK2↓, CDK4↓, CDK6↓,
- inhibits Migration/Invasion : TumCMig↓, TumCI↓, ERK↓, EMT↓,
- inhibits glycolysis and ATP depletion : HIF-1α↓, cMyc↓, GLUT1↓, LDH↓, LDHA↓, HK2↓, PDKs↓, ECAR↓, OXPHOS↓, GRP78↑, GlucoseCon↓
- inhibits angiogenesis↓ : VEGF↓, HIF-1α↓, Notch↓, EGFR↓,
- inhibits Cancer Stem Cells : CSC↓, CD133↓, β-catenin↓, sox2↓, nestin↓, OCT4↓,
- Others: PI3K↓, AKT↓, JAK↓, STAT↓, Wnt↓, β-catenin↓, AMPK, ERK↓, JNK, TrxR**, - Shown to modulate the nuclear translocation of SREBP-2 (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 Mitochondrial integrity / intrinsic apoptosis ↓ ΔΨm; ↑ cytochrome-c release; ↑ caspases ↔ largely preserved Driver Mitochondria-directed cytotoxicity Honokiol directly accumulates in mitochondria and initiates intrinsic apoptosis in cancer cells
2 Reactive oxygen species (ROS) ↑ ROS (secondary, stress-amplifying) ↔ buffered Secondary Mitochondrial stress amplification ROS elevation follows mitochondrial perturbation rather than acting as the initiating trigger
3 STAT3 signaling ↓ STAT3 activation ↔ minimal Driver Loss of survival and stemness signaling STAT3 suppression contributes to apoptosis, CSC targeting, and reduced proliferation
4 PI3K → AKT → mTOR axis ↓ AKT / ↓ mTOR ↔ adaptive suppression Secondary Growth and anabolic inhibition AKT/mTOR inhibition reinforces mitochondrial and apoptotic stress
5 NF-κB signaling ↓ NF-κB activation ↓ inflammatory NF-κB tone Secondary Suppression of survival transcription NF-κB inhibition contributes to chemosensitization and anti-inflammatory effects
6 Cell cycle regulation ↑ G0/G1 or G2/M arrest ↔ spared Phenotypic Cytostatic growth control Cell-cycle arrest reflects upstream signaling disruption
7 Autophagy ↑ autophagy (context-dependent) ↑ adaptive autophagy Adaptive Stress response vs death cooperation Autophagy may precede apoptosis or act as a transient survival response


HO-1, HMOX1: Click to Expand ⟱
Source:
Type:
(Also known as Hsp32 and HMOX1)
HO-1 is the common abbreviation for the protein (heme oxygenase‑1) produced by the HMOX1 gene.
HO-1 is an enzyme that plays a crucial role in various cellular processes, including the breakdown of heme, a toxic molecule. Research has shown that HO-1 is involved in the development and progression of cancer.
-widely regarded as having antioxidant and cytoprotective effects
-The overall activity of HO‑1 helps to reduce the pro‐oxidant load (by degrading free heme, a pro‑oxidant) and to generate molecules (like bilirubin) that can protect cells from oxidative damage

Studies have found that HO-1 is overexpressed in various types of cancer, including lung, breast, colon, and prostate cancer. The overexpression of HO-1 in cancer cells can contribute to their survival and proliferation by:
  Reducing oxidative stress and inflammation
  Promoting angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels)
  Inhibiting apoptosis (programmed cell death)
  Enhancing cell migration and invasion
When HO-1 is at a normal level, it mainly exerts an antioxidant effect, and when it is excessively elevated, it causes an accumulation of iron ions.

A proper cellular level of HMOX1 plays an antioxidative function to protect cells from ROS toxicity. However, its overexpression has pro-oxidant effects to induce ferroptosis of cells, which is dependent on intracellular iron accumulation and increased ROS content upon excessive activation of HMOX1.

-Curcumin   Activates the Nrf2 pathway leading to HO‑1 induction; known for its anti‑inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
-Resveratrol  Induces HO‑1 via activation of SIRT1/Nrf2 signaling; exhibits antioxidant and cardioprotective properties.
-Quercetin   Activates Nrf2 and related antioxidant pathways; contributes to anti‑oxidative and anti‑inflammatory responses.
-EGCG     Promotes HO‑1 expression through activation of the Nrf2/ARE pathway; also exhibits anti‑inflammatory and anticancer properties.
-Sulforaphane One of the most potent natural HO‑1 inducers; triggers Nrf2 nuclear translocation and upregulates a battery of phase II detoxifying enzymes.
-Luteolin    Induces HO‑1 via Nrf2 activation; may also exert anti‑inflammatory and neuroprotective effects in various cell models.
-Apigenin   Has been reported to induce HO‑1 expression partly via the MAPK and Nrf2 pathways; also known for anti‑inflammatory and anticancer activities.


Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
2894- HNK,    Pharmacological features, health benefits and clinical implications of honokiol
- Review, Var, NA - Review, AD, NA
*BioAv↓, *neuroP↑, *BBB↑, *ROS↓, *Keap1↑, *NRF2↑, *Casp3↓, *SIRT3↑, *Rho↓, *ERK↓, *NF-kB↓, angioG↓, RAS↓, PI3K↓, Akt↓, mTOR↓, *memory↑, *Aβ↓, *PPARγ↑, *PGC-1α↑, NF-kB↓, Hif1a↓, VEGF↓, HO-1↓, FOXM1↓, p27↑, P21↑, CDK2↓, CDK4↓, CDK6↓, cycD1/CCND1↓, Twist↓, MMP2↓, Rho↑, ROCK1↑, TumCMig↓, cFLIP↓, BMPs↑, OCR↑, ECAR↓, *AntiAg↑, *cardioP↑, *antiOx↑, *ROS↓, P-gp↓,

Showing Research Papers: 1 to 1 of 1

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 1

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress

HO-1↓, 1,  

Mitochondria & Bioenergetics

OCR↑, 1,  

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis

ECAR↓, 1,  

Cell Death

Akt↓, 1,   cFLIP↓, 1,   p27↑, 1,  

Cell Cycle & Senescence

CDK2↓, 1,   CDK4↓, 1,   cycD1/CCND1↓, 1,   P21↑, 1,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State

FOXM1↓, 1,   mTOR↓, 1,   PI3K↓, 1,   RAS↓, 1,  

Migration

MMP2↓, 1,   Rho↑, 1,   ROCK1↑, 1,   TumCMig↓, 1,   Twist↓, 1,  

Angiogenesis & Vasculature

angioG↓, 1,   Hif1a↓, 1,   VEGF↓, 1,  

Barriers & Transport

P-gp↓, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling

NF-kB↓, 1,  

Hormonal & Nuclear Receptors

CDK6↓, 1,  

Clinical Biomarkers

BMPs↑, 1,   FOXM1↓, 1,  
Total Targets: 27

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress

antiOx↑, 1,   Keap1↑, 1,   NRF2↑, 1,   ROS↓, 2,   SIRT3↑, 1,  

Mitochondria & Bioenergetics

PGC-1α↑, 1,  

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis

PPARγ↑, 1,  

Cell Death

Casp3↓, 1,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State

ERK↓, 1,  

Migration

AntiAg↑, 1,   Rho↓, 1,  

Barriers & Transport

BBB↑, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling

NF-kB↓, 1,  

Protein Aggregation

Aβ↓, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance

BioAv↓, 1,  

Functional Outcomes

cardioP↑, 1,   memory↑, 1,   neuroP↑, 1,  
Total Targets: 18

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: HO-1, HMOX1
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#:94  Target#:597  State#:%  Dir#:1
wNotes=0 sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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