Usnic acid / STAT3 Cancer Research Results

UsA, Usnic acid: Click to Expand ⟱
Features:

Usnic Acid

Recommended Abbreviation: UA

Type: Natural product / lichen secondary metabolite / dibenzofuran derivative

Source: Usnic acid is a secondary metabolite produced by several lichen genera, including Usnea, Cladonia, Lecanora, and related species. It occurs naturally as (+)- and (-)-usnic acid enantiomers.

Function: Usnic acid exhibits antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, antiparasitic, photoprotective, and experimental anticancer activities. Its biological effects involve mitochondrial function, oxidative stress, apoptosis, inflammatory signaling, and cellular metabolism.

Cancer: Usnic acid has demonstrated preclinical anticancer activity in multiple cancer models, including proliferation ↓, tumor-cell viability ↓, apoptosis ↑, mitochondrial dysfunction ↑, and modulation of oxidative-stress and survival pathways. Its anticancer activity remains predominantly experimental, and toxicity may limit systemic therapeutic use.

Neuroprotection: Experimental studies indicate antioxidant and neuroprotective activity, including Nrf2-associated cytoprotective responses and protection against oxidative and ischemic neuronal injury. Direct evidence for Alzheimer's disease is not sufficiently established to assign a specific Alzheimer's disease direction.

Safety: Usnic acid has a significant hepatotoxicity concern, particularly with systemic or oral exposure at higher doses. Human cases of severe liver injury, including acute liver failure requiring transplantation, have been reported with usnic-acid-containing weight-loss supplements. Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress are important mechanisms implicated in its hepatotoxicity.
STAT3, Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3: Click to Expand ⟱
Source:
Type: Oncogene
Stat3 (Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3) is a transcription factor that plays a crucial role in various cellular processes, including cell growth, survival, differentiation, and immune response.
Stat3 is frequently found to be constitutively activated in many types of cancers, including breast, prostate, lung, and head and neck cancers. (associated with poor prognosis and reduced survival.)

-STAT3 is typically activated by cytokines (such as IL-6) and growth factors binding to their respective receptors.
-Activated STAT3 upregulates the expression of genes that promote cell cycle progression (e.g., cyclin D1) and anti-apoptotic proteins (e.g., Bcl-2, Bcl-xL).
Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
8159- UsA,    Usnic acid suppresses cervical cancer cell proliferation by inhibiting PD-L1 expression and enhancing T-lymphocyte tumor-killing activity
- in-vitro, Cerv, HeLa
STAT3↓, RAS↓, mTOR↓, PD-L1↓, TumCP↓, angioG↓, TumCMig↓, TumCI↓, TumCG↓,

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:


Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State(tgid=12) ⓘ

mTOR↓, 1,   RAS↓, 1,   STAT3↓, 1,   TumCG↓, 1,  

Migration(tgid=13) ⓘ

TumCI↓, 1,   TumCMig↓, 1,   TumCP↓, 1,  

Angiogenesis & Vasculature(tgid=14) ⓘ

angioG↓, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling(tgid=16) ⓘ

PD-L1↓, 1,  

Clinical Biomarkers(tgid=22) ⓘ

PD-L1↓, 1,  
Total Targets: 10

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Total Targets: 0

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: STAT3, Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3
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#:481  Target#:373  State#:%  Dir#:%
  wNotes=0  sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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