Thymoquinone / MCP1 Cancer Research Results

TQ, Thymoquinone: Click to Expand ⟱
Features: Anti-oxidant, anti-tumor
Thymoquinone is a bioactive compound found in the seeds of Nigella sativa, commonly known as black seed or black cumin.
Pathways:
-Cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction, ROS generation in cancer cells
-inhibit the activation of NF-κB, Suppress the PI3K/Akt signaling cascade
-Inhibit angiogenic factors such as VEGF, MMPs
-Inhibit HDACs, UHRF1, and DNMTs

-Note half-life 3-6hrs.
BioAv low oral bioavailability due to its lipophilic nature. Note refridgeration of Black seed oil improves the stability of TQ.
DIY: ~1 part lecithin : 2–3 parts black seed oil : 4–5 parts warm water. (chat ai)
Pathways:
- usually induce ROS production in Cancer cells, and lowers ROS in normal cells
- ROS↑ related: MMP↓(ΔΨm), ER Stress↑, GRP78↑, Cyt‑c↑, Caspases↑, DNA damage↑, cl-PARP↑, HSP↓, Prx,
- May Low AntiOxidant defense in Cancer Cells: NRF2↓(usually contrary), GSH↓ HO1↓(contrary), GPx↓
- 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↓, VEGF↓, FAK↓, NF-κB↓, CXCR4↓, TGF-β↓, 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↓,
- inhibits glycolysis /Warburg Effect and ATP depletion : HIF-1α↓, PKM2↓, cMyc↓, GLUT1↓, LDH↓, LDHA↓, HK2↓, PDKs↓, GRP78↑, GlucoseCon↓
- inhibits angiogenesis↓ : VEGF↓, HIF-1α↓, Notch↓, EGFR↓, Integrins↓,
- Others: PI3K↓, AKT↓, JAK↓, STAT↓, Wnt↓, β-catenin↓, AMPK, α↓, ERK↓, JNK,
- Synergies: chemo-sensitization, chemoProtective, RadioSensitizer, RadioProtective, Others(review target notes), Neuroprotective, Cognitive, Renoprotection, Hepatoprotective, CardioProtective,

- Selectivity: Cancer Cells vs Normal Cells

Rank Pathway / Target Axis Direction Label Primary Effect Notes / Cancer Relevance Ref
1 Reactive oxygen species (ROS) ↑ ROS Driver Upstream cytotoxic trigger Primary studies show TQ rapidly increases ROS; antioxidant/ROS modulation attenuates downstream effects, supporting ROS as an initiating mechanism in multiple cancer contexts (ref)
2 Glutathione (GSH) redox buffering ↓ GSH Driver Redox-collapse amplification Same prostate cancer study reports early GSH depletion alongside ROS rise; together these form a redox “one-two punch” that helps explain selective stress in tumor cells (ref)
3 Mitochondrial integrity (ΔΨm) ↓ ΔΨm Driver Mitochondrial dysfunction (MOMP axis) Primary leukemia/cancer study reports disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential after TQ exposure (mitochondrial events central to TQ-mediated death) (ref)
4 Intrinsic apoptosis (caspase-9 → caspase-3; PARP) ↑ caspases / ↑ apoptosis Driver Execution-phase cell death Same primary paper reports activation of caspases (8/9/3) with mitochondrial involvement—core evidence for apoptosis as the major outcome pathway (ref)
5 NF-κB signaling ↓ NF-κB activity Secondary Reduced pro-survival / inflammatory transcription Colon cancer work: TQ induces cell death and chemosensitizes cells by inhibiting NF-κB signaling (explicit pathway-direction support) (ref)
6 STAT3 signaling ↓ p-STAT3 / ↓ STAT3 activation Secondary Reduced survival/proliferation signaling Gastric cancer study explicitly reports TQ suppresses constitutive STAT3 activation and related signaling readouts (ref)
7 NRF2 antioxidant-response axis (NRF2/HO-1 program) ↑ NRF2 pathway (often as stress-response) Adaptive Cellular antioxidant counter-response In TNBC context, a primary study reports TQ upregulates NRF2 (and evaluates downstream immune/checkpoint consequences), consistent with NRF2 acting as an adaptive response to redox stress (ref)
8 HIF-1α hypoxia signaling ↓ HIF-1α protein / ↓ HIF-1α program Adaptive Loss of hypoxia survival signaling Renal cancer hypoxia paper identifies TQ as suppressing HIF-1α and links this to selective killing under hypoxia (ref)
9 Glycolysis / Warburg output (hypoxia-linked) ↓ glycolysis (↓ HIF-1α–mediated glycolytic genes; ↓ glycolytic metabolism) Phenotypic Metabolic suppression In hypoxic renal cancer, TQ suppresses HIF-1α–mediated glycolysis; in CRC, TQ inhibits glycolytic metabolism alongside tumor growth limitation (ref)  |  (ref)


MCP1, CCL2,monocyte chemotactic protein-1: Click to Expand ⟱
Source:
Type:
MCP-1 (Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1, also known as CCL2)
MCP-1/CCL2 is a chemokine involved in recruiting monocytes, memory T cells, and dendritic cells to sites of inflammation.
– It plays a key role in mediating immune cell trafficking, inflammation, and tissue remodeling. MCP-1 is pivotal in inflammatory responses and can modulate immune cell infiltration into tissues.
– It also influences the polarization of macrophages, which may adopt pro-inflammatory (M1) or anti-inflammatory/pro-tumoral (M2) roles.

Many cancers (such as breast, prostate, ovarian, lung, and colon cancers) exhibit increased levels of MCP-1.
– Both tumor cells and associated stromal cells (e.g., cancer-associated fibroblasts, infiltrating immune cells) can produce MCP-1, contributing to an inflammatory milieu.

• Inducers of MCP-1:
– Hypoxia, oncogenic pathways, and cytokine-rich environments (e.g., IL-1β, TNF-α) can drive increased MCP-1 expression.
– This upregulation often correlates with an ongoing inflammatory response in the tumor microenvironment.
Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
3410- TQ,    Anti-inflammatory effects of thymoquinone and its protective effects against several diseases
- Review, Arthritis, NA
*Inflam↓, *antiOx↑, *COX2↓, *NRF2↑, *HO-1↑, *IL1β↓, *IL6↓, *TNF-α↓, *IFN-γ↓, *PGE2↓, *cardioP↑, *Catalase↑, *SOD↑, *Thiols↑, *neuroP↑, *IL12↓, *MCP1↓, *CXCc↓, *ROS↓,
3404- TQ,    The Neuroprotective Effects of Thymoquinone: A Review
- Review, Var, NA - Review, AD, NA - Review, Park, NA - Review, Stroke, NA
*Inflam↓, AntiCan↑, *TNF-α↓, *IL6↓, *IL1β↓, *NF-kB↓, *iNOS↓, *NRF2↑, *neuroP↑, *MMP↑, *ROS↓, *MDA↓, *GSH↑, *Catalase↑, *SOD↑, *IL12↓, *MCP1↓, *IP-10/CXCL-10↓, *PGE2↓,
3425- TQ,    Advances in research on the relationship between thymoquinone and pancreatic cancer
Apoptosis↑, TumCP↓, TumCI↓, TumMeta↓, ChemoSen↑, angioG↓, Inflam↓, NF-kB↓, PI3K↓, Akt↓, TGF-β↓, Jun↓, p38↑, MAPK↑, MMP9↓, PKM2↓, ROS↑, JNK↑, MUC4↓, TGF-β↑, Dose↝, FAK↓, NOTCH↓, PTEN↑, mTOR↓, Warburg↓, XIAP↓, COX2↓, Casp9↑, Ki-67↓, CD34↓, VEGF↓, MCP1↓, survivin↓, Cyt‑c↑, Casp3↑, H4↑, HDAC↓,
2103- TQ,    Anti-inflammatory effects of the Nigella sativa seed extract, thymoquinone, in pancreatic cancer cells
- in-vitro, PC, Hs766t - in-vitro, PC, MIA PaCa-2
MCP1↓, TNF-α↓, IL1β↓, COX2↓, NF-kB↓, HDAC↓, P21↑,

Showing Research Papers: 1 to 4 of 4

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 4

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress ⓘ

ROS↑, 1,  

Mitochondria & Bioenergetics ⓘ

XIAP↓, 1,  

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis ⓘ

PKM2↓, 1,   Warburg↓, 1,  

Cell Death ⓘ

Akt↓, 1,   Apoptosis↑, 1,   Casp3↑, 1,   Casp9↑, 1,   Cyt‑c↑, 1,   JNK↑, 1,   MAPK↑, 1,   p38↑, 1,   survivin↓, 1,  

Transcription & Epigenetics ⓘ

H4↑, 1,  

Cell Cycle & Senescence ⓘ

P21↑, 1,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State ⓘ

CD34↓, 1,   HDAC↓, 2,   Jun↓, 1,   mTOR↓, 1,   NOTCH↓, 1,   PI3K↓, 1,   PTEN↑, 1,  

Migration ⓘ

FAK↓, 1,   Ki-67↓, 1,   MMP9↓, 1,   MUC4↓, 1,   TGF-β↓, 1,   TGF-β↑, 1,   TumCI↓, 1,   TumCP↓, 1,   TumMeta↓, 1,  

Angiogenesis & Vasculature ⓘ

angioG↓, 1,   VEGF↓, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling ⓘ

COX2↓, 2,   IL1β↓, 1,   Inflam↓, 1,   MCP1↓, 2,   NF-kB↓, 2,   TNF-α↓, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance ⓘ

ChemoSen↑, 1,   Dose↝, 1,  

Clinical Biomarkers ⓘ

Ki-67↓, 1,  

Functional Outcomes ⓘ

AntiCan↑, 1,  
Total Targets: 43

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress ⓘ

antiOx↑, 1,   Catalase↑, 2,   GSH↑, 1,   HO-1↑, 1,   MDA↓, 1,   NRF2↑, 2,   ROS↓, 2,   SOD↑, 2,   Thiols↑, 1,  

Mitochondria & Bioenergetics ⓘ

MMP↑, 1,  

Cell Death ⓘ

iNOS↓, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling ⓘ

COX2↓, 1,   CXCc↓, 1,   IFN-γ↓, 1,   IL12↓, 2,   IL1β↓, 2,   IL6↓, 2,   Inflam↓, 2,   IP-10/CXCL-10↓, 1,   MCP1↓, 2,   NF-kB↓, 1,   PGE2↓, 2,   TNF-α↓, 2,  

Clinical Biomarkers ⓘ

IL6↓, 2,  

Functional Outcomes ⓘ

cardioP↑, 1,   neuroP↑, 2,  
Total Targets: 26

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: MCP1, CCL2,monocyte chemotactic protein-1
4 Thymoquinone
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#:162  Target#:990  State#:%  Dir#:%
  wNotes=0  sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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