Database Query Results : Alpha-Lipoic-Acid, , TGF-β

ALA, Alpha-Lipoic-Acid: Click to Expand ⟱
Features: antioxidant, energy production in cell mitochondria
Alpha-Lipoic-Acid: also known as lipoic acid or thioctic acid (reduced form is dihydrolipoic acid).
"Universal antioxidant" because it is both water- and fat-soluble and can neutralize free radicals.
-Treatment sometimes as ALA/N (alpha-lipoic acid/low-dose naltresone)
-Also done in IV
-Decreases ROS production, but also has pro-oxidant role.
Normal adult can take 300 milligrams twice a day with food, but they should always take a B-complex vitamin with it. Because B complex vitamins, especially thiamine, and biotin, and riboflavin, are depleted during this metabolic process.
α-Lipoic acid acts as a chelating agent for metal ions, a quenching agent for reactive oxygen species, and a reducing agent for the oxidized form of glutathione and vitamins C and E.
-It seems a paradox that LA functions as both antioxidant and prooxidant. LA functions the pro-oxidant only in special cancer cells, such as A549 and PC9 cells which should show high-level NRF2 expression and high glycolytic level. Through inhibiting PDK1 to further prohibit NRF2; LA functions as anticancer prooxidant.

α-lipoic acid possesses excellent silver chelating properties.

ALA → ROS ↑ (cancer cells; high dose / stressed mitochondria)
ALA → ROS ↓ (normal cells; low–moderate dose)
same pattern seen with: Vitamin C, Menadione, Quercetin, EGCG, Resveratrol
- ALA acts as pro-Oxidant only in cancer cells:#278 - Pro-Oxidant Dose margin >100uM:#304

- Bioavailability: 80-90%, but conversion to EPA/DHA is 5-10% (and takes longer time).
- AI (Adequate Intake): 1.1-1.6g/day.
- human studies have shown that ALA levels decline significantly with age
- 1g of ALA might achieve 500uM in the blood.
- ALA is poorly soluble, lecithin has been used as an amphiphilic matrix to enhance its bioavailability.
- Pilot studies or observational interventions have used flaxseed supplementation (rich in ALA) in doses providing roughly 3–4 g of ALA daily.
- Flaxseed oil is even more concentrated in ALA – typical 50–60% ALA by weight.
- single walnut may contain 300mg of ALA
- chia oil contains 55-65% ALA.
- α-LA can also be obtained from the diet through the consumption of dark green leafy vegetables and meats
- ALA is more stable in chia seeds, (2grams of ALA per tablespoon)
- ALA degrades when exposed to heat, light, and air. (prone to oxidation)

-Note half-life 1-2 hrs.
BioAv 30-40% from walnuts, 60-80% from supplements. Co-ingestion with fat improves absorption. Both fat and water soluble
Pathways:
- induce ROS production
- ROS↑ related: MMP↓(ΔΨm), ER Stress↑, UPR↑, GRP78↑, Cyt‑c↑, Caspases↑, DNA damage↑,
- Lowers AntiOxidant defense in Cancer Cells: NRF2↓, SOD↓, GSH↓ Catalase↓ HO1↓ GPx↓
- 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↓, IL-8↓
- inhibit Growth/Metastases : TumMeta↓, TumCG↓, EMT↓, MMPs↓, MMP2↓, MMP9↓, IGF-1↓, VEGF↓, FAK↓, NF-κB↓, TGF-β, α-SMA↓, ERK↓
- cause Cell cycle arrest : TumCCA↑, cyclin D1↓,
- inhibits Migration/Invasion : TumCMig↓, TumCI↓, TNF-α↓, FAK↓, ERK↓, EMT↓,
- inhibits glycolysis and ATP depletion : HIF-1α↓, PKM2↓, GLUT1↓, LDHA↓, HK2↓, PFKs↓, PDKs↓, ECAR↓, OXPHOS↓, GRP78↑, Glucose↓, GlucoseCon↓
- inhibits angiogenesis↓ : VEGF↓, HIF-1α↓, EGFR↓, Integrins↓,
- small indication of inhibiting Cancer Stem Cells : CSC↓, CD24↓, β-catenin↓,
- Others: PI3K↓, AKT↓, JAK↓, STAT↓, β-catenin↓, AMPK, ERK↓, JNK,
- Synergies: chemo-sensitization, chemoProtective, RadioSensitizer, RadioProtective, Others(review target notes), Neuroprotective, Cognitive, Renoprotection, Hepatoprotective, CardioProtective,

- Selectivity: Cancer Cells vs Normal Cells

Cancer-Relevant Pathways
Rank Pathway / Axis Cancer Cells Normal Cells Label Interpretation Notes
1 Reactive oxygen species (ROS) ↑ ROS (dose- & stress-dependent) ↓ ROS Conditional Driver Biphasic redox behavior ALA/DHLA redox cycling can push already stressed cancer mitochondria past tolerance while buffering ROS in normal cells
2 Glutathione (GSH) system ↓ functional buffering ↑ GSH regeneration Secondary Redox amplification vs protection In cancer cells, GSH consumption accompanies ROS escalation; in normal cells DHLA supports GSH recycling
3 Mitochondrial function (ΔΨm) ↓ ΔΨm (stress-induced) ↔ stabilized Secondary Mitochondrial selectivity Cancer cells with unstable ETC show depolarization; normal cells tolerate or benefit metabolically
4 NF-κB signaling ↓ survival signaling ↓ inflammatory tone Secondary Redox-sensitive transcription NF-κB suppression reduces cancer cell survival programs but is anti-inflammatory in normal tissue
5 Cell proliferation ↓ proliferation ↔ spared Phenotypic Cytostatic selectivity ALA slows cancer cell cycling without universal apoptosis
6 Apoptosis ↑ apoptosis (conditional) ↓ apoptosis Phenotypic Threshold-dependent death Occurs in cancer cells when redox stress exceeds buffering capacity
7 NRF2 antioxidant response ↑ NRF2 (adaptive, often insufficient) ↑ NRF2 (protective) Adaptive Stress compensation NRF2 reflects attempted redox recovery; not a kill mechanism


TGF-β, transforming growth factor-beta: Click to Expand ⟱
Source: HalifaxProj(inhibit) CGL-CS TCGA
Type:
Human malignancies frequently exhibit mutations in the TGF-β pathway, and overactivation of this system is linked to tumor growth by promoting angiogenesis and inhibiting the innate and adaptive antitumor immune responses.
Anti-inflammatory cytokine.
In normal tissues, TGF-β plays an essential role in cell cycle regulation, immune function, and tissue remodeling.
- In early carcinogenesis, TGF-β typically acts as a tumor suppressor by inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis.

In advanced cancers, cells frequently become resistant to the growth-inhibitory effects of TGF-β.
- TGF-β then switches roles and promotes tumor progression by stimulating epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), cell invasion, metastasis, and immune evasion.

Non-canonical (Smad-independent) pathways, such as MAPK, PI3K/Akt, and Rho signaling, also contribute to TGF-β-mediated responses.

Elevated levels of TGF-β have been detected in many advanced-stage cancers, including breast, lung, colorectal, pancreatic, and prostate cancers.
 - The switch from a tumor-suppressive to a tumor-promoting role is often associated with increased TGF-β production and activation in the tumor microenvironment.

High TGF-β expression or signaling activity is frequently correlated with aggressive disease features, resistance to therapy, increased metastasis, and poorer overall survival in many cancer types.


Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
1124- ALA,    Alpha lipoic acid inhibits proliferation and epithelial mesenchymal transition of thyroid cancer cells
- in-vitro, Thyroid, BCPAP - in-vitro, Thyroid, HTH-83 - in-vitro, Thyroid, CAL-62 - in-vitro, Thyroid, FTC-133 - in-vivo, NA, NA
TumCP↓,
AMPK↑,
mTOR↓,
TumCMig↓,
TumCI↓,
EMT↓,
E-cadherin↑,
β-catenin/ZEB1↓,
Vim↓,
Snail↓,
Twist↓,
TGF-β↓,
p‑SMAD2↓,
TumCG↓, mouse model


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

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


Core Metabolism/Glycolysis

AMPK↑, 1,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State

EMT↓, 1,   mTOR↓, 1,   TumCG↓, 1,  

Migration

E-cadherin↑, 1,   p‑SMAD2↓, 1,   Snail↓, 1,   TGF-β↓, 1,   TumCI↓, 1,   TumCMig↓, 1,   TumCP↓, 1,   Twist↓, 1,   Vim↓, 1,   β-catenin/ZEB1↓, 1,  
Total Targets: 14

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Total Targets: 0

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: TGF-β, transforming growth factor-beta
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#:29  Target#:304  State#:%  Dir#:%
wNotes=on sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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