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⟱
2080- HNK,    Honokiol Induces Ferroptosis by Upregulating HMOX1 in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells
- in-vitro, AML, THP1 - in-vitro, AML, U937 - in-vitro, AML, SK-HEP-1
tumCV↓, TumCCA↑, Ferroptosis↑, lipid-P↑, HO-1↑, GPx4∅,
2873- HNK,    Honokiol Alleviates Oxidative Stress-Induced Neurotoxicity via Activation of Nrf2
- in-vitro, Nor, PC12
*neuroP↑, *GSH↑, *HO-1↑, *NADPH↑, *Trx1↑, *TrxR1↑, *NRF2↑, *ROS↓, *antiOx↑, *BBB↑, Dose↓,
2871- HNK,    Antihyperalgesic Properties of Honokiol in Inflammatory Pain Models by Targeting of NF-κB and Nrf2 Signaling
- in-vivo, Nor, NA
*TNF-α↓, *IL1β↓, *IL6↓, *VEGF↓, *NRF2↑, *SOD2↑, *HO-1↑, *Inflam↓, *Pain↓, *NO↓, toxicity↓,
2870- HNK,    Honokiol attenuates oxidative stress and vascular calcification via the upregulation of heme oxygenase-1 in chronic kidney disease
- in-vitro, CKD, NA
*HO-1↑, *ROS↓,
2868- HNK,    Honokiol: A review of its pharmacological potential and therapeutic insights
- Review, Var, NA - Review, Sepsis, NA
*P-gp↓, *ROS↓, *TNF-α↓, *IL10↓, *IL6↓, eIF2α↑, CHOP↑, GRP78/BiP↑, BAX↑, cl‑Casp9↑, p‑PERK↑, ER Stress↑, Apoptosis↑, MMPs↓, cFLIP↓, CXCR4↓, Twist↓, HDAC↓, BMPs↑, p‑STAT3↓, mTOR↓, EGFR↓, NF-kB↓, Shh↓, VEGF↓, tumCV↓, TumCMig↓, TumCI↓, ERK↓, Akt↓, Bcl-2↓, Nestin↓, CD133↓, p‑cMET↑, RAS↑, chemoP↑, *NRF2↑, *NADPH↓, *p‑Rac1↓, *ROS↓, *IKKα↑, *NF-kB↓, *COX2↓, *PGE2↓, *Casp3↓, *hepatoP↑, *antiOx↑, *GSH↑, *Catalase↑, *RenoP↑, *ALP↓, *AST↓, *ALAT↓, *neuroP↑, *cardioP↑, *HO-1↑, *Inflam↓,

Showing Research Papers: 1 to 5 of 5

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 5

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress ⓘ

Ferroptosis↑, 1,   GPx4∅, 1,   HO-1↑, 1,   lipid-P↑, 1,  

Cell Death ⓘ

Akt↓, 1,   Apoptosis↑, 1,   BAX↑, 1,   Bcl-2↓, 1,   cl‑Casp9↑, 1,   cFLIP↓, 1,   Ferroptosis↑, 1,  

Transcription & Epigenetics ⓘ

tumCV↓, 2,  

Protein Folding & ER Stress ⓘ

CHOP↑, 1,   eIF2α↑, 1,   ER Stress↑, 1,   GRP78/BiP↑, 1,   p‑PERK↑, 1,  

Cell Cycle & Senescence ⓘ

TumCCA↑, 1,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State ⓘ

CD133↓, 1,   p‑cMET↑, 1,   ERK↓, 1,   HDAC↓, 1,   mTOR↓, 1,   Nestin↓, 1,   RAS↑, 1,   Shh↓, 1,   p‑STAT3↓, 1,  

Migration ⓘ

MMPs↓, 1,   TumCI↓, 1,   TumCMig↓, 1,   Twist↓, 1,  

Angiogenesis & Vasculature ⓘ

EGFR↓, 1,   VEGF↓, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling ⓘ

CXCR4↓, 1,   NF-kB↓, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance ⓘ

Dose↓, 1,  

Clinical Biomarkers ⓘ

BMPs↑, 1,   EGFR↓, 1,  

Functional Outcomes ⓘ

chemoP↑, 1,   toxicity↓, 1,  
Total Targets: 40

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress ⓘ

antiOx↑, 2,   Catalase↑, 1,   GSH↑, 2,   HO-1↑, 4,   NRF2↑, 3,   ROS↓, 4,   SOD2↑, 1,   Trx1↑, 1,   TrxR1↑, 1,  

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis ⓘ

ALAT↓, 1,   NADPH↓, 1,   NADPH↑, 1,  

Cell Death ⓘ

Casp3↓, 1,  

Migration ⓘ

p‑Rac1↓, 1,  

Angiogenesis & Vasculature ⓘ

NO↓, 1,   VEGF↓, 1,  

Barriers & Transport ⓘ

BBB↑, 1,   P-gp↓, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling ⓘ

COX2↓, 1,   IKKα↑, 1,   IL10↓, 1,   IL1β↓, 1,   IL6↓, 2,   Inflam↓, 2,   NF-kB↓, 1,   PGE2↓, 1,   TNF-α↓, 2,  

Clinical Biomarkers ⓘ

ALAT↓, 1,   ALP↓, 1,   AST↓, 1,   IL6↓, 2,  

Functional Outcomes ⓘ

cardioP↑, 1,   hepatoP↑, 1,   neuroP↑, 2,   Pain↓, 1,   RenoP↑, 1,  
Total Targets: 36

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: HO-1, HMOX1
5 Honokiol
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#:2
  wNotes=0  sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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