Cepharanthine suppresses APC-mutant colorectal cancers by down-regulating the expression of β-catenin

doi:10.1007/s13659-024-00443-1

Natural Products and Bioprospecting ›› 2024, Vol. 14 ›› Issue (2): 6-6.DOI: 10.1007/s13659-024-00443-1

• ORIGINAL ARTICLES • Previous Articles Next Articles

Cepharanthine suppresses APC-mutant colorectal cancers by down-regulating the expression of β-catenin

Guifeng Su^1,2,3, Dan Wang², Qianqing Yang², Lingmei Kong², Xiaoman Ju^1,3, Qihong Yang^1,3, Yiying Zhu², Shaohua Zhang², Yan Li²

1. State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, People's Republic of China;
2. Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Research and Development for Natural Products, School of Pharmacy, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, People's Republic of China;
3. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China

Received:2024-02-19 Online:2024-05-16 Published:2024-04-24
Contact: Yan Li,E-mail:yan.li@ynu.edu.cn
Supported by:
This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 32260159, 82360725), the Applied Basic Research Foundation of Yunnan Provincet (202301AS070022), Yunnan University (start-up grant to Y.L. and L.K.), the Yunnan Young & Elite Talents Project (YNWR-QNBJ-2020-084), the Central Guidance on Local Science and Technology Development Fund of Yunnan Province (202207AB110002), National Key R&D Program of China (2019YFE0109200), the central government guides local science and technology development fund (202207AA110007).

Cepharanthine suppresses APC-mutant colorectal cancers by down-regulating the expression of β-catenin

Guifeng Su^1,2,3, Dan Wang², Qianqing Yang², Lingmei Kong², Xiaoman Ju^1,3, Qihong Yang^1,3, Yiying Zhu², Shaohua Zhang², Yan Li²

1. State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, People's Republic of China;
2. Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Research and Development for Natural Products, School of Pharmacy, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, People's Republic of China;
3. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China

通讯作者: Yan Li,E-mail:yan.li@ynu.edu.cn
基金资助:
This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 32260159, 82360725), the Applied Basic Research Foundation of Yunnan Provincet (202301AS070022), Yunnan University (start-up grant to Y.L. and L.K.), the Yunnan Young & Elite Talents Project (YNWR-QNBJ-2020-084), the Central Guidance on Local Science and Technology Development Fund of Yunnan Province (202207AB110002), National Key R&D Program of China (2019YFE0109200), the central government guides local science and technology development fund (202207AA110007).

Abstract

Abstract: The aberrant activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is closely associated with the development of various carcinomas, especially colorectal cancers (CRCs), where adenomatous colorectal polyposis (APC) mutations are the most frequently observed, which limits the anti-tumor efficiency of inhibitors targeting the upstream of Wnt/β-catenin pathway. The anti-tumor activity of the naturally occurring alkaloid cepharanthine (CEP) extracted from the plant Stephania cepharantha Hayata has been reported in various types of tumors. We previously observed that its derivatives inhibited the Wnt/β-catenin signaling in liver cancer; however, the specific mechanism remains unknown. In this study, we confirmed CEP can effectively inhibit APC-mutant CRC cell lines (SW480, SW620, LoVo) through disturbing of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling and elucidated the underlying mechanisms. Here, we demonstrate that CEP attenuates the Wnt/β-catenin signaling by decreasing the β-catenin, subsequently impeding the proliferation of APC-mutant CRCs. Moreover, CEP induced β-catenin transcription inhibition rather than the instability of β-catenin protein and mRNA contributes to reduction of β-catenin. Taken together, our findings identify CEP as the first β-catenin transcriptional inhibitor in the modulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling and indicate CEP as a potential therapeutic option for the treatment of APC-mutated CRCs.

Key words: Colorectal cancer, Wnt/β-catenin, APC, CEP, Transcriptional inhibitor

摘要： The aberrant activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is closely associated with the development of various carcinomas, especially colorectal cancers (CRCs), where adenomatous colorectal polyposis (APC) mutations are the most frequently observed, which limits the anti-tumor efficiency of inhibitors targeting the upstream of Wnt/β-catenin pathway. The anti-tumor activity of the naturally occurring alkaloid cepharanthine (CEP) extracted from the plant Stephania cepharantha Hayata has been reported in various types of tumors. We previously observed that its derivatives inhibited the Wnt/β-catenin signaling in liver cancer; however, the specific mechanism remains unknown. In this study, we confirmed CEP can effectively inhibit APC-mutant CRC cell lines (SW480, SW620, LoVo) through disturbing of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling and elucidated the underlying mechanisms. Here, we demonstrate that CEP attenuates the Wnt/β-catenin signaling by decreasing the β-catenin, subsequently impeding the proliferation of APC-mutant CRCs. Moreover, CEP induced β-catenin transcription inhibition rather than the instability of β-catenin protein and mRNA contributes to reduction of β-catenin. Taken together, our findings identify CEP as the first β-catenin transcriptional inhibitor in the modulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling and indicate CEP as a potential therapeutic option for the treatment of APC-mutated CRCs.

关键词: Colorectal cancer, Wnt/β-catenin, APC, CEP, Transcriptional inhibitor

Guifeng Su, Dan Wang, Qianqing Yang, Lingmei Kong, Xiaoman Ju, Qihong Yang, Yiying Zhu, Shaohua Zhang, Yan Li. Cepharanthine suppresses APC-mutant colorectal cancers by down-regulating the expression of β-catenin[J]. Natural Products and Bioprospecting, 2024, 14(2): 6-6.

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Cepharanthine suppresses APC-mutant colorectal cancers by down-regulating the expression of β-catenin

Cepharanthine suppresses APC-mutant colorectal cancers by down-regulating the expression of β-catenin

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