• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.29 no.6
• /
• pp.658-666
• /
• 2021

Podophyllotoxin (PT), a lignan compound from the roots and rhizomes of Podophyllum peltatum, has diverse pharmacological activities including anticancer effect in several types of cancer. The molecular mechanism of the anticancer effects of PT on colorectal cancer cells has not been reported yet. In this study, we sought to evaluate the anticancer effect of PT on human colorectal cancer HCT116 cells and identify the detailed molecular mechanism. PT inhibited the growth of cells and colony formation in a concentration-dependent manner and induced apoptosis as determined by the annexin V/7-aminoactinomycin D double staining assay. PT-induced apoptosis was accompanied by cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase and an increase in the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The effects of PT on the induction of ROS and apoptosis were prevented by pretreatment with N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), indicating that an increase in ROS generation mediates the apoptosis of HCT116 cells induced by PT. Furthermore, Western blot analysis showed that PT upregulated the level of phospho (p)-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). The treatment of SB203580, a p38 inhibitor, strongly prevented the apoptosis induced by PT, suggesting that PT-induced apoptosis involved the p38 MAPK signaling pathway. In addition, PT induced the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and multi-caspase activation. The results suggested that PT induced cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase and apoptosis through the p38 MAPK signaling pathway by upregulating ROS in HCT116 cells.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.14 no.6
• /
• pp.391-397
• /
• 2010

E2F transcription factors and their target genes have been known to play an important role in cell growth control. We found that curcumin, a polyphenolic phytochemical isolated from the plant Curcuma longa, markedly suppressed E2F4 expression in HCT116 colon cancer cells. Hydrogen peroxide was also found to decrease E2F4 protein level, indicating the involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in curucmin-induced downregulation of E2F4 expression. Involvement of ROS in E2F4 downregulation in response to curcumin was confirmed by the result that pretreatment of cells with N-acetylcystein (NAC) before exposure of curcumin almost completely blocked the reduction of E2F4 expression at the protein as well as mRNA level. Anti-proliferative effect of curcumin was also suppressed by NAC which is consistent to previous reports showing curcumin-superoxide production and induction of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage as well as apoptosis. Expression of several genes, cyclin A, p21, and p27, which has been shown to be regulated in E2F4-dependent manner and involved in the cell cycle progression was also affected by curcumin. Moreover, decreased (cyclin A) and increased (p21 and p27) expression of these E2F4 downstream genes by curcumin was restored by pretreatment of cells with NAC and E2F4 overexpression which is induced by doxycycline. In addition, E2F4 overexpression was observed to partially ameliorate curcumin-induced growth inhibition by cell viability assay. Taken together, we found curcumin-induced ROS down-regulation of E2F4 expression and modulation of E2F4 target genes which finally lead to the apoptotic cell death in HCT116 colon cancer cells, suggesting that E2F4 appears to be a novel determinant of curcumin-induced cytotoxicity.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.32 no.5
• /
• pp.568-576
• /
• 2024

Colorectal cancer (CRC) continues to demonstrate high incidence and mortality rates, emphasizing that implementing strategic measures for prevention and treatment is crucial. Recently, the dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2), a G protein-coupled receptor, has been reported to play multiple roles in growth of tumor cells. This study investigated the anticancer potential of domperidone, a dopamine receptor D2 antagonist, in HCT116 human CRC cells. Domperidone demonstrated concentration- and time-dependent reductions in cell viability, thereby inducing apoptosis. The molecular mechanism revealed that domperidone modulated the mitochondrial pathway, decreasing mitochondrial Bcl-2 levels, elevating cytosolic cytochrome C expression, and triggering caspase-3, -7, and -9 cleavage. Domperidone decreased in formation of β-arrestin2/MEK complex, which contributing to inhibition of ERK activation. Additionally, treatment with domperidone diminished JAK2 and STAT3 activation. Treatment of U0126, the MEK inhibitor, resulted in reduced phosphorylation of MEK, ERK, and STAT3 without alteration of JAK2 activation, indicating that domperidone targeted both MEK-ERK-STAT3 and JAK2-STAT3 signaling pathways. Immunoblot analysis revealed that domperidone also downregulated DRD2 expression. Domperidone-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and N-acetylcysteine treatment mitigated ROS levels and restored cell viability. An in vivo xenograft study verified the significant antitumor effects of domperidone. These results emphasize the multifaceted anticancer effects of domperidone, highlighting its potential as a promising therapeutic agent for human CRC.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.6 no.5
• /
• pp.396-404
• /
• 2012

The aim of the study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of calcium against intestinal cancer in vitro and in vivo. We first investigated the effects of calcium treatment in HCT116 and HT29 human colon cancer cells. At the concentration range of 0.8-2.4 mM, calcium significantly inhibited cell growth (by 9-29%), attachment (by 12-26%), invasion (by 15-31%), and migration (by 19-61%). An immunofluorescence microscope analysis showed that the treatment with calcium (1.6 mM) for 24 h increased plasma membrane ${\beta}$-catenin but decreased nuclear ${\beta}$-catenin levels in HT29 cells. We then investigated the effect of dietary calcium on intestinal tumorigenesis in $Apc^{Min/+}$ mice. Mice received dietary treatment starting at 6 weeks of age for the consecutive 8 weeks. The basal control diet contained high-fat (20% mixed lipids by weight) and low-calcium (1.4 mg/g diet) to mimic the average Western diet, while the treatment diet contained an enriched level of calcium (5.2 mg calcium/g diet). The dietary calcium treatment decreased the total number of small intestinal tumors (by 31.4%; P < 0.05). The largest decrease was in tumors which were ${\geq}$ 2 mm in diameter, showing a 75.6% inhibition in the small intestinal tumor multiplicity (P < 0.001). Immunohistochemical analysis showed significantly reduced nuclear staining of ${\beta}$-catenin (expressed as nuclear positivity), but increased plasma membrane staining of ${\beta}$-catenin, in the adenomas from the calcium-treated groups in comparison to those from the control group (P < 0.001). These results demonstrate intestinal cancer inhibitory effects of calcium both in human colon cancer cells and $Apc^{Min/+}$ mice. The decreased ${\beta}$-catenin nuclear localization caused by the calcium treatment may contribute to the inhibitory action.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.44 no.4
• /
• pp.635-640
• /
• 2015

Various medicinal plants were collected, air-dried, and subjected to extraction with ethanol. Ethanol extracts were screened for their efficacies as antioxidative and antiproliferative agents against cancer cells. Among the 15 species, extract of Lindera glauca Blume stem with a total polyphenolic content of $70.99{\pm}1.88{\mu}g/TAE\;{\mu}g$, was found to possess high DPPH radical scavenging ($IC_{50}=30.54{\pm}0.62{\mu}g/mL$), nitrite scavenging ($IC_{50}=787.94{\pm}89.28{\mu}g/mL$), and reducing power activities ($595.76{\pm}1.90{\mu}g/mL$). The antiproliferative activities of plant extracts were determined using MTT assay in human colorectal cancer cells. Extracts of stems and roots from L. glauca Blume were found to possess high anti-proliferative activities in HT-29 and HCT116 cells ($IC_{50}=711.52{\pm}40.27{\mu}g/mL$ and $IC_{50}=85.07{\pm}4.06{\mu}g/mL$, respectively). These results suggest that L. glauca Blume extract could be a useful natural antioxidant and anticancer resource.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.11
• /
• pp.4781-4786
• /
• 2015

Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) is used primarily as an adaptogen herb and also for its immune stimulant properties in Western herbal medicine. Another closely related species used in East Asian medicine systems i.e. Kampo, TCM (Manchuria, Korea, Japan and Ainu of Hokkaido) and also called Siberian ginseng (Acanthopanax senticosus) also displays immune-stimulant and anti-cancer properties. These may affect tumour growth and also provide an anti-fatigue effect for cancer patients, in particular for those suffering from lung cancer. There is some evidence that a carbohydrate in Siberian ginseng may possess not only immune stimulatory but also anti-tumour effects and also display other various anti-cancer properties. Our study aimed to determine the inhibitory and also proliferative effects of a methanol plant extract of Siberan ginseng (E. senticosus) on various cancer and normal cell lines including: A-549 (small cell lung cancer), XWLC-05 (Yunnan lung cancer cell line), CNE (human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line), HCT-116 (human colon cancer) and Beas-2b (human lung epithelial). These cell lines were treated with an extract from E. senticosus that was evaporated and reconstituted in DMSO. Treatment of A-549 (small cell lung cancer) cells with E. senticosus methanolic extract showed a concentration-dependent inhibitory trend from $12.5-50{\mu}g/mL$, and then a plateau, whereas at 12.5 and $25{\mu}g/mL$, there is a slight growth suppression in QBC-939 cells, but then a steady suppression from 50, 100 and $200{\mu}g/mL$. Further, in XWLC-05 (Yunnan lung cancer cell line), E. senticosus methanolic extract displayed an inhibitory effect which plateaued with increasing dosage. Next, in CNE (human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line) there was a dose dependent proliferative response, whereas in Beas-2 (human lung epithelial cell line), an inhibitory effect. Finally in colon cancer cell line (HCT-116) we observed an initially weak inhibitory effect and then plateau.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.41 no.1
• /
• pp.26-32
• /
• 2012

Purified salt and several different types of sea salts showed comutagenicity in the presence of MNNG (N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine). However, the salts exhibited anti-cancer effects in HCT-116 human colon carcinoma cells and AGS human gastric adenocarcinoma cells. Sea salt showed less comutagenicity effects than purified salt. French sea salt (Salines de Guerande) and Korean sea salt I, which contained higher levels of minerals, showed less comutagenicity. In MTT assay, when HCT-116 and AGS cancer cells were treated with the salts, French sea salt (36% and 34%) and Korean sea salt I (35% and 33%) showed higher anticancer activities than Spanish sea salt (33% and 31%), Italian sea salt (29% and 27%), Korean sea salt II (22% and 22%), or purified salt (18% and 15%) at a salt concentration of 1%. French sea salt and Korean sea salt I also showed better anticancer activities than the other salt samples at a low concentration of 0.5% (p<0.05). Apoptosis related genes of Bax and Bcl-2 were regulated by the treatment of the salt in the colon cancer cells. French sea salt and Korean sea salt I especially increased Bax mRNA expression, but decreased Bcl-2 expression, indicating that they can induce apoptosis of the cancer cells. From the experimental results, sea salt showed better health functional effects than the purified salt, and French sea salt and Korean sea salt I which contained high levels of Ca, K, and Mg showed better effects.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.24 no.12
• /
• pp.1654-1663
• /
• 2014

To examine the effect of tumor suppressor protein p53 on the antitumor activity of 2-methoxyestradiol (2-MeO-$E_2$), 2-MeO-$E_2$-induced cell cycle changes and apoptotic events were compared between the human colon carcinoma cell lines HCT116 ($p53^{+/+}$) and HCT116 ($p53^{-/-}$). When both cell types were exposed to 2-MeO-$E_2$, a reduction in the cell viability and an enhancement in the proportions of $G_2/M$ cells and apoptotic sub-$G_1$ cells commonly occurred dose-dependently. These 2-MeO-$E_2$-induced cellular changes, except for $G_2/M$ arrest, appeared to be more apparent in the presence of p53. Immunofluorescence microscopic analysis using anti-${\alpha}$-tubulin and anti-lamin B2 antibodies revealed that after 2-MeO-$E_2$ treatment, impaired mitotic spindle network and prometaphase arrest occurred similarly in both cell types. Following 2-MeO-$E_2$ treatment, only HCT116 ($p53^{+/+}$) cells exhibited an enhancement in the levels of p53, p-p53 (Ser-15), $p21^{WAF1/CIP1}$, and Bax; however, the Bak level remained relatively constant in both cell types, and the Bcl-2 level decreased only in HCT116 ($p53^{+/+}$) cells. Additionally, mitochondrial apoptotic events, including the activation of Bak and Bax, loss of ${\Delta}{\psi}m$, activation of caspase-9 and -3, and cleavage of lamin A/C, were more dominantly induced in the presence of p53. The Bak-specific and Bax-specific siRNA approaches confirmed the necessity of both Bak and Bax activations for the 2-MeO-$E_2$-induced apoptosis in HCT116 cells. These results show that among 2-MeO-$E_2$-induced apoptotic events, including prometaphase arrest, up-regulation of Bax level, down-regulation of Bcl-2 level, activation of both Bak and Bax, and mitochondria-dependent caspase activation, the modulation of Bax and Bcl-2 levels is the target of the pro-apoptotic action of p53.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.1947-1959
• /
• 2016

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, being the second most common type of cancer worldwide in both men and women. It accounts yearly for approximately 9% of all new cases of cancers. Furthermore, the current chemotherapeutic regimens seem unsatisfactory, so that exploration of novel therapeutic modalities is needed. The present study was undertaken to investigate the inhibitory effects of a crude alkaloid extract (CAERS) of a medicinal herb, Rhazya stricta, on proliferation of CRC HCT116 cells and to elucidate mechanisms of action. To achieve these aims, we utilized MTT, comet, DNA laddering and gene reporter assays, along with Western blot and RT-PCR analyses. Results: We found that CAERS inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptotic cell death in HCT116 cells. Hallmarks of morphological and biochemical signs of apoptosis were clearly evident. CAERS down-regulated DNA-binding and transcriptional activities of NF-${\kappa}B$ and AP-1 proteins, while up-regulating expression of the Nrf-2 protein. It also down-regulated expression levels of the ERK MAPK, Bcl-2, cyclin D1, CDK-4, survivin and VEGF and up-regulated levels of Bax, caspase-3/7 and -9, p53, p21, Nrf-2. Markedly, it promoted mRNA expression levels of cytoprotective genes including the hemeoxygenase-1, NAD(P)H quinine oxidoreductase 1 and UDP-glucuronyltransferase. Conclusions: These findings indicate that CAERS exerts antiproliferative action on CRC cells through induction of apoptotic mechanisms, and suggest CAERS could be a promising agent for studying and developing novel chemotherapeutic agents aimed at novel molecular targets for the treatment of CRC.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.57 no.1
• /
• pp.41-45
• /
• 2014

In the present study, red ginseng extracts were fermented by Paecilomyces tenuipes and the protopanaxdiol-type ginsenosides in the extracts were bio-transformed to F2, Rg3, Rg5, Rk1, Rh2, and CK determined by a high-pressure liquid chromatography analysis. It indicates that P. tenuipes is a microorganism to biotransform protopanaxdiol-type ginsenosides to their less glucosidic metabolites. Other biotransformed metabolites during fermentation were also analyzed using a GC-MS and identified as 2-methyl-benzaldehyde, 4-vinyl-2-methylphenol, palmitic acid, and linoleic acid. Antiulcerogenic activity of the fermented red ginseng extract (FRGE) on gastric mucosal damage induced by 0.15 M HCl in ethanol in rats was evaluated. FRGE was shown to have a potent protective effect on gastritis with 60.5% of inhibition rate at the dose of 40 mg/kg when compared to 54.5% of the inhibition rate at the same dose for stillen, the currently used medicine for treating gastritis. Linoleic acid showed a strong inhibition on gastritis with 79.3% of inhibition rate at the dose of 40.0 mg/kg. FRGE exhibited a distinct anticancer activity including growth inhibition of the two human colon cancer cells HT29 and HCT116. HT29 cells were less susceptible to FRGE in comparison with HCT116 cells. Taken together, fungal fermentation of the red ginseng extract induced hydrolysis of some ginsenosides and FRGE exhibited potent antiulcerogenic and anticancer activities. These results refer to use FRGE as a new source for treating human diseases.