Cucurmosin induces apoptosis of BxPC-3 human pancreatic cancer cells via inactivation of the EGFR signaling pathway

  • Authors:
    • Baoming Zhang
    • Heguang Huang
    • Jieming Xie
    • Chunsen Xu
    • Minghuang Chen
    • Congfei Wang
    • Aiqin Yang
    • Qiang Yin
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: December 1, 2011     https://doi.org/10.3892/or.2011.1573
  • Pages: 891-897
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Abstract

Pancreatic cancer remains the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death in the United States. Potent therapeutic strategies are urgently needed for pancreatic cancer. Cucurmosin is a novel type 1 ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP) isolated from the sarcocarp of Cucurbita moschata (pumpkin). Due to its cytotoxicity, cucurmosin can inhibit tumor cell proliferation through induction of apoptosis on tumor cells, but the specific mechanism is still unclear. We explored the function of cucurmosin in BxPC-3 pancreatic cancer cells using multiple cellular and molecular approaches such as 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, flow cytometry, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blotting and transmission electron microscopy for observing typical changes and formation of apoptotic bodies. We found that cucurmosin inhibited the proliferation of BxPC-3 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner, and increased the cell population in the G0-G1 phase. With increasing concentration of cucurmosin, the expression of EGFR, p-PI3K, Akt, p-Akt, mTOR, p-mTOR, P70S6K-α, p-P70S6K-α, 4E-BP1 and p-4E-BP1 at the protein level was decreased, whereas the expression of p-Bad and caspase-9 was elevated. However, the mRNA expression of EGFR did not change. These findings suggest that cucurmosin can down-regulate the expression of EGFR by targeting. Cucurmosin induces the apoptosis of BxPC-3 pancreatic cancer cells via the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.

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March 2012
Volume 27 Issue 3

Print ISSN: 1021-335X
Online ISSN:1791-2431

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Spandidos Publications style
Zhang B, Huang H, Xie J, Xu C, Chen M, Wang C, Yang A and Yin Q: Cucurmosin induces apoptosis of BxPC-3 human pancreatic cancer cells via inactivation of the EGFR signaling pathway. Oncol Rep 27: 891-897, 2012
APA
Zhang, B., Huang, H., Xie, J., Xu, C., Chen, M., Wang, C. ... Yin, Q. (2012). Cucurmosin induces apoptosis of BxPC-3 human pancreatic cancer cells via inactivation of the EGFR signaling pathway. Oncology Reports, 27, 891-897. https://doi.org/10.3892/or.2011.1573
MLA
Zhang, B., Huang, H., Xie, J., Xu, C., Chen, M., Wang, C., Yang, A., Yin, Q."Cucurmosin induces apoptosis of BxPC-3 human pancreatic cancer cells via inactivation of the EGFR signaling pathway". Oncology Reports 27.3 (2012): 891-897.
Chicago
Zhang, B., Huang, H., Xie, J., Xu, C., Chen, M., Wang, C., Yang, A., Yin, Q."Cucurmosin induces apoptosis of BxPC-3 human pancreatic cancer cells via inactivation of the EGFR signaling pathway". Oncology Reports 27, no. 3 (2012): 891-897. https://doi.org/10.3892/or.2011.1573