Raghu Babu Pothireddy’s research while affiliated with GERMI Research, Innovation and Incubation Center and other places

Cancer is recognized as a leading cause of death globally, imposing significant health burdens. Traditional cancer treatments encompass chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy. Chemotherapy employs cytotoxic chemicals either alone or in combination. However, these therapies can adversely affect normal cells and are hindered by drug resistance. Exploration of alternative therapeutic approaches such as use of antidiabetic drugs for cancer treatment to rule out challenges in current therapy is much needed. Antidiabetic medications like sulfonylureas, biguanides, and thiazolidinediones have demonstrated beneficial effects and are being repurposed for cancer management. The review discusses mechanisms underlying their anticancer properties linked to metabolic factors common to both diseases, including hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, inflammation, oxidative stress, and obesity. Nevertheless, certain antidiabetic drugs may pose risks for developing cancer, particularly pancreatic cancer. Despite the concerns, the overall beneficial impact of these agents in cancer treatment outweighs their potential drawbacks. The review highlights the metabolic connections between cancer and diabetes, as well as the mechanistic actions of antidiabetic drugs on cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is on the rise, with existing treatment modules showing little therapeutic success. Earlier studies have shown that the alteration of the tumor microenvironment was made possible by the secretory factors of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) which include extracellular vesicles (EVs), certain chemokines, cytokines, and other metabolites. MSC-EVs tend to mimic their parental cells, which possess characteristics like pro-tumor and anti-tumor effects. As conventional cancer treatments have shown adverse effects like anticancer drug resistance, the need for the use of natural products is a recent topic of interest. Eugenol, an active component of S. aromaticum, is known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. This study focuses on the priming of Eugenol with the human umbilical cord tissue (hUCT) MSC derived EVs as an alternate therapeutic option to treat colorectal cancer, followed by EVs characterization. Finally, the anti-cancer activity of the formulated EVs was assessed by in vitro studies on colon cancer cells. The in vitro anticancer assay showed a significant reduction in the proliferation of cells when treated with Eugenol primed EVs. Thus, the anti-cancer potential of the Eugenol primed EVs was validated, which can be looked upon as a suitable alternative to a cell-free therapeutic option for treating CRC.

Numerous genetic and environmental factors contribute to neurodegenerative diseases characterized by damage to the DNA and changes in the chromatin structure. Many studies have shown that DNA damage and chromatin organization are closely linked, but more research is needed to fully understand this connection, especially in neurodegenerative diseases. Important proteins implicated in neurodegenerative disorders have been linked to chromatin reconfiguration and DNA damage, according to recent research. Epigenetic interventions such as HDAC inhibitors approved for cancer therapy, can be repurposed for neurodegenerative diseases. Furthermore, microRNAs, often dysregulated in neurodegenerative conditions, could be targeted to restore normal gene regulation. Exploring these strategies could lead to more effective treatments by addressing the fundamental epigenetic and chromatin-related mechanisms involved in neurodegeneration. This review discusses the relationship between the contributing proteins and various neurodegenerative diseases, with particular attention to key proteins like tau, which is associated with microtubules, superoxide dismutase 1, huntingtin, α-synuclein, β-amyloid precursor protein and TAR DNA/RNA binding protein 43 and their role in DNA protection and damage repair.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is on the rise, with existing treatment modules showing little therapeutic success. Earlier studies have shown that the alteration of the tumor microenvironment was made possible by the secretory factors of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) which include extracellular vesicles (EVs), certain chemokines, cytokines, and other metabolites. MSC-EVs tend to mimic their parental cells, which possess characteristics like pro-tumor and anti-tumor effects. As conventional cancer treatments have shown adverse effects like anticancer drug resistance, the need for the use of natural products is a recent topic of interest. Eugenol, an active component of S. aromaticum, is known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. This study focuses on the priming of Eugenol with the human umbilical cord tissue (hUCT) MSC derived EVs as an alternate therapeutic option to treat colorectal cancer, followed by EVs characterization. Finally, the anti-cancer activity of the formulated EVs was assessed by in vitro studies on colon cancer cells. The in vitro anticancer assay showed a significant reduction in the proliferation of cells when treated with Eugenol primed EVs. Thus, the anti-cancer potential of the Eugenol primed EVs was validated, which can be looked upon as a suitable alternative to a cell-free therapeutic option for treating CRC.

Control of diabetic complications including diabetic retinopathy involves suppression of multiple factors; hence the need for multi-target drugs is appreciable. Anti-inflammatory agents could have a dual effect on cancers, one by suppressing cancer mediating pathways, and by inhibiting aldose reductase enzyme (ALR2), proceeding with ALR2 inhibition related changes in curing cancers. 3D quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) model was built based on the steric fields, hydrophobic and electrostatic fields using Field-Based QSAR which was used to predict the ALR2 inhibiting property of the phytocompounds, Eupalitin-3-O-galactoside, Picroside II, Agnuside and 7-O-Methylwogonin. All anti-inflammatory compounds had IC50 values in nanomolar concentrations, similar to the drug Epalrestat, indicating their capability to be used as multi target drugs in the future.

Today, there are over 2,000 different biomaterials used for various medical applications, but none of these biomaterials are 100% compatible with all human beings. Coconut fiber is widely available but has not been tested as a safe natural alternative for sutures. Immature coconut fiber is nonabsorbable and is effective for cuts and open wounds when used in combination with dehydrated human amnion membrane (dHAM). Immature coconut fiber, tamarind seed polysaccharide (TSP), and dHAM were prepared to test their combinational effect on wound healing in rats. TSP enhanced cell viability, proliferation, and migration in human skin cells and cured wounds both individually and in combination with dHAM. An antibiotic-free combination of the human amniotic membrane with intact epithelium, tamarind seed polysaccharide, and immature coconut fiber provided faster wound healing. Significantly higher wound healing was seen on the 11th day based on an initial 10 mm biopsy punch surgery in Wistar rats compared to control groups. Histological studies revealed thickened dermis edges with more neutrophil infiltration. Collagen deposition in the dermis was homogeneous across the excised skin tissue in the test group, again attesting to the utility of this procedure. This research signifies the use of TSP gel together with the amnion membrane representing a “smart patch” with wound healing potential, which would encourage further research on the smart patch made using a combination of plant and animal biological materials.