Farnesyl dimethyl chromanol targets colon cancer stem cells and prevents colorectal cancer metastasis

AbstractThe activation and growth of tumour-initiating cells with stem-like properties in distant organs characterize colorectal cancer (CRC) growth and metastasis. Thus, inhibition of colon cancer stem cell (CCSC) growth holds promise for CRC growth and metastasis prevention. We and others have shown that farnesyl dimethyl chromanol (FDMC) inhibits cancer cell growth and induces apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. We provide the first demonstration that FDMC inhibits CCSC viability, survival, self-renewal (spheroid formation), pluripotent transcription factors (Nanog, Oct4, and Sox2) expression, organoids formation, and Wnt/β-catenin signalling, as evidenced by comparisons with vehicle-treated controls. In addition, FDMC inhibits CCSC migration, invasion, inflammation (NF-kB), angiogenesis (vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF), and metastasis (MMP9), which are critical tumour metastasis processes. Moreover, FDMC induced apoptosis (TUNEL, Annexin V, cleaved caspase 3, and cleaved PARP) in CCSCs and CCSC-derived spheroids and organoids. Finally, in an orthotopic (cecum-injected CCSCs) xenograft metastasis model, we show that FDMC significantly retards CCSC-derived tumour growth (Ki-67); inhibits inflammation (NF-kB), angiogenesis (VEGF and CD31), and β-catenin signalling; and induces apoptosis (cleaved PARP) in tumour tissues and inhibits liver metastasis. In summary, our results demonstrate that FDMC inhibits the CCSC metastatic phenotype and thereby supports investigating its ability to prevent CRC metastases.

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Targeting sphingosine kinase 2 (SphK2) by ABC294640 inhibits colorectal cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo

Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research ◽

10.1186/s13046-015-0205-y ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 34 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Cai Xun ◽

Min-Bin Chen ◽

Li Qi ◽

Zhang Tie-Ning ◽

Xue Peng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Colorectal Cancer ◽

Cell Growth ◽

Cancer Cell ◽

Sphingosine Kinase ◽

Colorectal Cancer Cell ◽

Cancer Cell Growth ◽

Sphingosine Kinase 2

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lncRNA NORAD Contributes to Colorectal Cancer Progression by Inhibition of miR-202-5p

Oncology Research Featuring Preclinical and Clinical Cancer Therapeutics ◽

10.3727/096504018x15190844870055 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 26 (9) ◽

pp. 1411-1418 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Jie Zhang ◽

Xiao-Yan Li ◽

Ping Hu ◽

Yuan-Sheng Ding

Keyword(s):

Colorectal Cancer ◽

Cancer Progression ◽

Noncoding Rna ◽

Cancer Metastasis ◽

Cellular Proliferation ◽

Inhibitory Effect ◽

Migration And Invasion ◽

Competing Endogenous Rna

Previous study indicates that long noncoding RNA NORAD could serve as a competing endogenous RNA to pancreatic cancer metastasis. However, its role in colorectal cancer (CRC) needs to be investigated. In the present study, we found that the expression of NORAD was significantly upregulated in CRC tissues. Furthermore, the expression of NORAD was positively related with CRC metastasis and patients’ poor prognosis. Knockdown of NORAD markedly inhibited CRC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion but induced cell apoptosis in vitro. In vivo experiments also indicated an inhibitory effect of NORAD on tumor growth. Mechanistically, we found that NORAD served as a competing endogenous RNA for miR-202-5p. We found that there was an inverse relationship between the expression of NORAD and miR-202-5p in CRC tissues. Moreover, overexpression of miR-202-5p in SW480 and HCT116 cells significantly inhibited cellular proliferation, migration, and invasion. Taken together, our study demonstrated that the NORAD/miR-202-5p axis plays a pivotal function on CRC progression.

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Exosomal lncRNA PVT1/VEGFA Axis Promotes Colon Cancer Metastasis and Stemness by Downregulation of Tumor Suppressor miR-152-3p

Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity ◽

10.1155/2021/9959807 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-19

Author(s):

Shiue-Wei Lai ◽

Ming-Yao Chen ◽

Oluwaseun Adebayo Bamodu ◽

Ming-Shou Hsieh ◽

Ting-Yi Huang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Colon Cancer ◽

Growth Factor ◽

Cell Lines ◽

Distant Metastasis ◽

Cancer Metastasis ◽

Lovo Cell ◽

Promoting Effect ◽

Colon Cancer Metastasis

Background. Treating advanced colon cancer remains challenging in clinical settings because of the development of drug resistance and distant metastasis. Mechanisms underlying the metastasis of colon cancer are complex and unclear. Methods. Computational analysis was performed to determine genes associated with the exosomal long noncoding (lncRNA) plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1)/vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) axis in patients with colon cancer. The biological importance of the exosomal lncRNA PVT1/VEGFA axis was examined in vitro by using HCT116 and LoVo cell lines and in vivo by using a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) mouse model through knockdown (by silencing of PVT1) and overexpression (by adding serum exosomes isolated from patients with distant metastasis (M-exo)). Results. The in silico analysis demonstrated that PVT1 overexpression was associated with poor prognosis and increased expression of metastatic markers such as VEGFA and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). This finding was further validated in a small cohort of patients with colon cancer in whom increased PVT1 expression was correlated with colon cancer incidence, disease recurrence, and distant metastasis. M-exo were enriched with PVT1 and VEGFA, and both migratory and invasive abilities of colon cancer cell lines increased when they were cocultured with M-exo. The metastasis-promoting effect was accompanied by increased expression of Twist1, vimentin, and MMP2. M-exo promoted metastasis in PDX mice. In vitro silencing of PVT1 reduced colon tumorigenic properties including migratory, invasive, colony forming, and tumorsphere generation abilities. Further analysis revealed that PVT1, VEGFA, and EGFR interact with and are regulated by miR-152-3p. Increased miR-152-3p expression reduced tumorigenesis, where increased tumorigenesis was observed when miR-152-3p expression was downregulated. Conclusion. Exosomal PVT1 promotes colon cancer metastasis through its association with EGFR and VEGFA expression. miR-152-3p targets both PVT1 and VEGFA, and this regulatory pathway can be explored for drug development and as a prognostic biomarker.

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Schisandrin B Attenuates Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer through SIRT1 Linked SMURF2 Signaling

The American Journal of Chinese Medicine ◽

10.1142/s0192415x21500841 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-17

Author(s):

Zhichen Pu ◽

Weiwei Zhang ◽

Minhui Wang ◽

Maodi Xu ◽

Haitang Xie ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Colorectal Cancer ◽

Colon Cancer ◽

Cell Growth ◽

Protein Expression ◽

Hct116 Cell ◽

Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽

Schisandrin B ◽

In Vivo Models

Colon cancer, a common type of malignant tumor, seriously endangers human health. However, due to the relatively slow progress in diagnosis and treatment, the clinical therapeutic technology of colon cancer has not been substantially improved in the past three decades. The present study was designed to investigate the effects and involved mechanisms of schisandrin B in cell growth and metastasis of colon cancer. C57BL/6 mice received AOM and dextran sulfate sodium. Mice in treatment groups were gavaged with 3.75–30 mg/kg/day of schisandrin B. Transwell chamber migration, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Western blot analysis, immunoprecipitation (IP) and immunofluorescence were conducted, and HCT116 cell line was employed in this study. Data showed that schisandrin B inhibited tumor number and tumor size in the AOD+DSS-induced colon cancer mouse model. Schisandrin B also inhibited cell proliferation and metastasis of colon cancer cells. We observed that schisandrin B induced SMURF2 protein expression and affected SIRT1 in vitro and in vivo. SMURF2 interacted with SIRT1 protein, and there was a negative correlation between SIRT1 and SMURF2 expressions in human colorectal cancer. The regulation of SMURF2 was involved in the anticancer effects of schisandrin B in both in vitro and in vivo models. In conclusion, the present study revealed that schisandrin B suppressed SIRT1 protein expression, and SIRT1 is negatively correlated with the induction of SMURF2, which inhibited cell growth and metastasis of colon cancer. Schisandrin B could be a leading compound, which will contribute to finding novel potential agents and therapeutic targets for colon cancer.

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Taurine Attenuates Carcinogenicity in Ulcerative Colitis-Colorectal Cancer Mouse Model

Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity ◽

10.1155/2020/7935917 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Guifeng Wang ◽

Ning Ma ◽

Feng He ◽

Shosuke Kawanishi ◽

Hatasu Kobayashi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Colon Cancer ◽

Drinking Water ◽

Mouse Model ◽

Histopathological Examination ◽

Tumor Formation ◽

Water Model ◽

Control Group ◽

Ki 67

Taurine (2-aminoethane-sulfonic acid) is a type of amino acids and has numerous physiological and therapeutic functions, including anti-inflammation. However, there are few studies on the anticancer action of taurine. Our previous studies have demonstrated that taurine exhibits an apoptosis-inducing effect on human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells in vitro. In this study, we have investigated whether taurine has an anticancer effect, using azoxymethane (AOM)/sulfate sodium (DSS)- induced mouse model for colon carcinogenesis. All mice, except those in control group, received a single intraperitoneal injection of AOM and DSS in the drinking water for 7 days twice, with 1-week interval. After the first DSS treatment, mice were given distilled water (model group) or taurine in the drinking water (taurine group) ad libitum. No tumor was observed in the control group. Taurine significantly suppressed AOM+DSS-induced tumor formation. Histopathological examination revealed AOM/DSS treatment induced colon cancer in all mice (8/8, 100%), and taurine significantly inhibited the progression of colon cancer (4/9, 44.4%). Taurine significantly attenuated cell proliferation in cancer tissues detected by Ki-67 staining. Taurine significantly increased the levels of an apoptosis marker cleaved caspase-9 and tumor suppressor protein PTEN. This is the first study that demonstrated that taurine significantly reduced carcinogenicity in vivo using AOM/DSS-induced colon cancer mouse model.

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RNA interference of osteopontin inhibits in vitro and in vivo colon cancer metastasis

Journal of Surgical Research ◽

10.1016/j.jss.2004.07.109 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 121 (2) ◽

pp. 300

Author(s):

P.Y. Wai ◽

Z. Mi ◽

H. Guo ◽

S. Sarraf-Yazdi ◽

B. Clary ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Colon Cancer ◽

Rna Interference ◽

Cancer Metastasis ◽

Colon Cancer Metastasis

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MeCP2 Promotes Colorectal Cancer Metastasis by Modulating ZEB1 Transcription

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers12030758 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 758

Author(s):

Dan Luo ◽

Wei Ge

Keyword(s):

Colorectal Cancer ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Cancer Metastasis ◽

The Cancer Genome Atlas ◽

Mobility Shift ◽

Migration Ability ◽

Invasion And Migration ◽

Distant Organ Metastasis

Background: Recurrence and distant organ metastasis is a major cause of death in colorectal cancer (CRC); however, the underlying molecular mechanisms regulating this phenomenon are poorly understood. MeCP2 is a key epigenetic regulator and is amplified in many types of cancer. Its role in CRC and the molecular mechanisms underlying its action remain unknown. Methods: We used western blot and immunohistochemistry to detect MeCP2 expression in CRC tissues, and then investigated its biological functions in vitro and in vivo. Chromatin immunoprecipitation, co-immunoprecipitation, and electrophoretic mobility shift assays were used to detect the associations among MeCP2 (Methyl-CpG binding protein 2), SPI1 (Spi-1 Proto-Oncogene), and ZEB1 (Zinc Finger E-Box Binding Homeobox 1). Results: Using the Cancer Genome Atlas and Oncomine databases, we found MeCP2 expression was upregulated in CRC tissues and this upregulation was related to poor prognosis. Meanwhile, MeCP2 depletion (KO/KD) in CRC cells significantly inhibited stem cell frequency, and invasion and migration ability in vitro, and suppressed CRC metastasis in vivo. Mechanistically, we show MeCP2 binds to the transcription factor SPI1, and aids its recruitment to the ZEB1 promoter. SPI1 then facilitates ZEB1 expression at the transcription level. In turn, ZEB1 induces the expression of MMP14, CD133, and SOX2, thereby maintaining CRC stemness and metastasis. Conclusions: MeCP2 is a novel regulator of CRC metastasis. MeCP2 suppression may be a promising therapeutic strategy in CRC.

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