Bernhard Biersack

Publications (36) View all

• Article: New oxazole-bridged combretastatin A-4 analogues as potential vascular-disrupting agents.

  Katharina Mahal, Bernhard Biersack, Rainer Schobert
  International journal of clinical pharmacology and therapeutics 01/2013; 51(1):41-43. · 1.18 Impact Factor
• Article: Synergistic "gold effects" of anti-vascular 4,5-diarylimidazol-2-ylidene gold(I) carbene complexes.

  Julienne Münzner, Bernhard Biersack, Leonard Kaps, Katharina Mahal, Rainer Schobert, Florenz Sasse
  International journal of clinical pharmacology and therapeutics 01/2013; 51(1):44-46. · 1.18 Impact Factor
• Article: Targeted Regulation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR/NF-κB Signaling by Indole Compounds and their Derivatives: Mechanistic Details and Biological Implications for Cancer Therapy.

  Aamir Ahmad, Bernhard Biersack, Yiwei Li, Dejuan Kong, Bin Bao, Rainer Schobert, Subhash B Padhye, Fazlul H Sarkar
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  ABSTRACT: Indole compounds, found in cruciferous vegetables, are potent anti-cancer agents. Studies with indole-3-carbinol (I3C) and its dimeric product, 3,3'-diindolylmethane (DIM) suggest that these compounds have the ability to deregulate multiple cellular signaling pathways, including PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. These natural compounds are also effective modulators of downstream transcription factor NF-κB signaling which might help explain their ability to inhibit invasion and angiogenesis, and the reversal of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype and drug resistance. Signaling through PI3K/Akt/mTOR and NF-κB pathway is increasingly being realized to play important role in EMT through the regulation of novel miRNAs which further validates the importance of this signaling network and its regulations by indole compounds. Here we will review the available literature on the modulation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR/NF-κB signaling by both parental I3C and DIM, as well as their analogs/derivatives, in an attempt to catalog their anticancer activity.
  Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry 12/2012;
• Article: Deregulation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling Pathways by Isoflavones and its Implication in Cancer Treatment.

  Aamir Ahmad, Bernhard Biersack, Yiwei Li, Bin Bao, Dejuan Kong, Rainer Schobert, Subhash B Padhye, Fazlul H Sarkar
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  ABSTRACT: Cancer remains a difficult disease to manage because of the deregulation of numerous signaling pathways that are associated with its development and progression. One such pathway is the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) - protein kinase B (Akt) - mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling network, which is known to be associated with poor prognosis in many human cancers. Targeted inhibition of this signaling network in vitro, in vivo and in clinics has suggested this to be an effective strategy for the inhibition of cancer cells proliferation and metastases. Towards this end, the use of natural agents for therapeutic intervention has attracted renewed interest because of their non-toxic effects as well as their ability to modulate multiple pathways. Investigations involving isoflavones have suggested a potent anticancer activity of these compounds against multiple factors in the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. In addition to their use as therapeutic agents against various cancers, there is evidence to support the role of isoflavones in potentiation of radiation therapy as well as the anticancer action of other conventional therapeutic drugs. In this review article, we discuss our current understanding of the regulation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathways by isoflavones, which could be responsible for their observed in vitro and in vivo activity against human cancers.
  Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry 12/2012;
• Article: Indole Compounds against Breast Cancer: Recent Developments.

  Bernhard Biersack, Rainer Schobert
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  ABSTRACT: Breast cancer is still the leading cause of cancer deaths among women worldwide and new therapies and drugs are continuously being conceived and explored to better control or even cure this disease. Among the most efficacious low-molecular drugs for the treatment of breast cancer are indole derivatives such as 3,3'-diindolylmethane (DIM), the structurally complex antimitotic vinca alkaloids, and the synthetic receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib. This review is to give an insight into the latest developments in the field of indole based drugs against breast cancers with a focus on those derived from natural products and on their targets and modes of action. Pertinent literature is covered from 2007 up to 2012.
  Current drug targets 11/2012; · 3.93 Impact Factor