Table 3.

Changes in expression patterns of cancer-related genes post administration of plant latex extracts or its compounds in vitro or in vivo.

Plant species	Effect in cancer-related gene expression along with corresponding proteins and pathways	Tested biological extract or compound	Model	Reference
Asclepias curassavica	Activation of caspase 3/8/9, p38 and JNK MAPK pathways involved in the induction of apoptosis Downregulation of antiapoptotic proteins XIAP, survivin, Bcl-2 and Mcl-1	Ethyl acetate extract	In vitro (NIC-H1975); in vivo (NIC-H1975 tumors in BALB/c-nu/nu mouse)	(Zheng et al., 2019).
Chelidonium majus	Decreased levels of mitotic-slippage-associated proteins Increase in phosphorylation of histone H3 involved in the structure of chromatin in eukaryotic cells Increase of p53 and p21 protein levels, which induce cleavage of caspase-3 through the GADD45a and p53 pathways Upregulation of p53 tumor suppressor	Chelidonine	In vitro (MIA PaCa-2)	(Qu et al., 2016; Jang et al., 2021)
Calotropis procera	Increased citrate synthase (CS), pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (PDK4) and AMPK pathway activity involved in metabolic oxidative pathways Increased levels of proteins in mitochondrial complexes I, III and V Reduced lactate and intracellular ROS levels	Latex proteins (CpPII)	In vitro (HepG2)	(Oliveira et al., 2021)
	Increased expression of beclin-1 and LC3 autophagy markers	UNBS1450, a hemi-synthetic derivative of 2’-Oxovuruscharin	In vitro glioblastoma lines (GBM clinical samples, normal brain tissue, human GBM cell line)	(Lefranc et al., 2008)
	Decrease of cdc34 levels- an enzyme connected to IκB α ubiquitination Downregulation of Hsp70, which is responsible for lysosomal membrane permeabilization and cell death through autophagy	UNBS1450	In vitro (A549 NSCLC)	(Mijatovic et al., 2006; Juncker et al., 2009)
	Increase of cytokines (IL-6, IL-1-β,TNF-α) and iNOs enzyme levels	Chitinases (LPp1-P1-P6)	In vitro (SF295, OVCAR-8, HVCT-116)	(Viana et al., 2017)
Euphorbia helioscopia L.	Downregulation of MMP-9 expression involved in cancer cell migration, invasion and degradation of the extracellular matrix	Ethyl acetate extract	In vitro (SW480, SGC-7901, SMMC-7721, HepG2 and BEL-740)	(Wang et al., 2012)
	Increase of the nm23-H1 protein Reduction of Bcl-2, CyclinD1 and MMP-9 proteins classified as anti-apoptotic factors Upregulation of bax pro-apoptotic factor and caspase-3 involved in several apoptosis signaling transduction pathways		In vivo (nude mice hepatocellular carcinoma xenografts)	(Cheng et al., 2015)
Euphorbia tirucalli	Downregulation of antiapoptotic proteins including XIAP, BCL-X, BAX, Trail R1/DR4, BAX and Trail R1/DR5 Increased levels of Thioredoxin-1, P21 CIP1 and SOD2 Reduced expression of Bcl-2 and NF-kB1 Slight upregulation of P52 (S15) and P53 (S46)	Euphol	In vitro, glioma cell lines (GAMG, SF188, RES259, SW1783, UW479, RES186)	(Silva et al., 2019)
	Decrease of GPx4 and MnSOD expression Increase in expression of antioxidant-related genes (CAT)	Aqueous extract	In vitro (human peripheral blood leukocytes)	(Waczuk et al., 2015)
Ficus carica	Downregulation of CREB, GSK-2α/β,	Leaf latex	In vitro (MDA-MB-231)	(AlGhalban et al., 2021).
	Downregulation of HPV oncoproteins (E6 and E7) Increased expression of p53 and Rb tumor suppressors Misplacement of ki67 proliferation marker protein	Crude latex	In vitro (HeLa, CaSki)	(Ghanbari et al., 2019)
	Upregulation of ADPRTL1 expression, engaged in the base excision repair pathway	Fig fruit latex	In vitro (SMMC-7721,U251,L02)	(Wang et al., 2008)
Ficus salicifolia	Upregulation of CREB, GSK-2 α/β, AMPka, ERK involved in cell proliferation and cell attachment	Leaf latex	In vitro (MDA-MB-231)	(AlGhalban et al., 2021).
Ficus religiosa	Downregulation of Bcl-2, Nrf2 Downregulation of p53 expression (HCT-116) Upregulation of caspase-3 gene and Rel A (P65) Upregulation of p53 expression (IMR 32)	Extract containing flavonols (quercetin and myricetin) and phyrosterols (stigmasterol and β-sitosterol)	In vitro (IMR 32, HCT-116, MDA MB 231)	(Saida et al., 2021)