Apigenin and treating bladder cancer: a mini-review of the current literature

Bladder cancer (BC) is a significant global public health concern, affecting a large number of people worldwide. Therefore, discovering effective strategies for its prevention and treatment is crucial to minimise its impact. Apigenin is a flavonoid found in fruits and vegetables. Studies have shown its effectiveness in treating various types of cancer. This review summarises the mechanisms of action and therapeutic effects of apigenin in treating BC. According to our findings, apigenin affects various signalling pathways and numerous protein families, including p53, caspase, PARP, cytochrome c, Bcl-2, PI3K/Akt, ERK1/2, JNK, AP-1, NF-κB, MAPK, MEKK1, and TRAIL, leading to cell death and inhibition of proliferation and migration in cancer cells. Thus, apigenin may represent a promising therapeutic approach for BC. However, the encouraging preclinical data should be evaluated in clinical settings through further studies, with appropriate methods and enhanced drug delivery systems.

膀胱癌（Bladder Cancer，BC）是一项重大的全球公共卫生关切议题，在全球范围内影响着大量人群。因此，探索有效的防治策略以最大限度减轻其危害至关重要。芹菜素是一种广泛存在于水果与蔬菜中的黄酮类化合物。多项研究已证实其对多种癌症均具有治疗效果。本综述总结了芹菜素在膀胱癌治疗中的作用机制与治疗效应。本研究结果显示，芹菜素可调控多条信号通路及诸多蛋白家族，涵盖p53、caspase、PARP、cytochrome c、Bcl-2、PI3K/Akt、ERK1/2、JNK、AP-1、NF-κB、MAPK、MEKK1及TRAIL，可诱导癌细胞死亡，并抑制癌细胞的增殖与迁移能力。由此可见，芹菜素或可成为膀胱癌极具潜力的治疗方案。然而，这些令人鼓舞的临床前研究数据仍需通过后续研究在临床环境中开展验证，并需采用合适的研究方法与优化的药物递送系统。