Cell death is a fundamental process that needs to be maintained to balance cellular functions and prevent disease. There are several cell death pathways; however, apoptosis and parthanatos are the most prominent and have important roles in cancer biology. As an extremely well-regulated process, apoptosis removes damaged or abnormal cells via caspase activation and mitochondrial involvement. Unlike in the healthy cells, the loss of ability to induce apoptosis in cancer permits tumor cells to survive and multiply out of control and contribute to tumor progression and therapy resistance. On the contrary, parthanatos is a caspase-independent metabolic collapse driven by poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) overactivation, translocation of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF), and complete DNA damage. Several cancer models are involved with parthanatos. Deoxypodophyllotoxin (DPT) induces parthanatos in glioma cells by excessive ROS generation, PARP1 upregulation, and AIF nuclear translocation. Like in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the cannabinoid derivative WIN-55 triggers parthanatos, and the effects can be reversed by PARP inhibitors such as olaparib. Developing cancer treatment strategies involving advanced cancer treatment strategies relies on the interplay between apoptosis and parthanatos. However, such apoptosis-based cancer therapies tend to develop resistance, so there is an urgent need to look into alternative pathways like parthanatos, which may not always trigger apoptosis. In overcoming apoptosis resistance, there is evidence that combining apoptosis-inducing agents, such as BH3 mimetics, with PARP inhibitors synergistically enhances cell death. Oxidative stress modulators have been found to promote the execution of parthanatic and apoptotic pathways and allow treatment. In this review, apoptosis and parthanatos are thoroughly compared at the molecular level, and their roles in cancer pathogenesis as related to cancer therapeutic potential are discussed. We incorporate recent findings to demonstrate that not only can parthanatos be used to manage therapy resistance and enhance cancer treatment via the combination of parthanatos and apoptosis but also that immunity and bone deposition can feasibly be employed against long-circulating cancer stem cells to treat diverse forms of metastatic cancers.
The NOD‑like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is a key molecular complex that amplifies inflammatory cascades by maturing interleukin‑1 beta (IL-1β) and interleukin‑18 (IL-18) and inducing pyroptosis. It serves as a major driver and co-driver of numerous diseases associated with chronic inflammation. Dysregulated NLRP3 activation contributes to the progression of disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, neurodegenerative diseases and atherosclerosis. Curcumin, a natural polyphenol derived from Curcuma longa, offers a promising approach to inhibit NLRP3-induced inflammation owing to its multi-targeted actions and excellent safety profile. Preclinical models have demonstrated that curcumin inhibits nuclear factor kappa‑light‑chain‑enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) signaling, reduces mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and suppresses caspase-1 activation and apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC) assembly, thereby inhibiting inflammasome activation. Curcumin has successfully prevented IL-1β-induced biological effects, tissue damage, and clinical manifestations in models of arthritis, colitis, and Alzheimer's disease (AD). In addition, advanced nanoformulations and structural analogs have enhanced their bioavailability and therapeutic reach. Here, we present a mechanistically focused, curcumin-oriented review synthesizing current knowledge on the NLRP3 inflammasome and its role in chronic inflammatory diseases. We also critically evaluated nanoformulations, curcumin analogs, and combination therapies and integrated evidence from rheumatologic, gastrointestinal, neurodegenerative, metabolic, and cardiovascular models. Furthermore, we explored the molecular mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of curcumin and highlighted the challenges of its clinical translation, offering insights for designing precision anti-inflammasome strategies to advance inflammation therapeutics.