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Sheng YN, Luo YH, Liu SB, Xu WT, Zhang Y, Zhang T, Xue H, Zuo WB, Li YN, Wang CY, Jin CH. Zeaxanthin Induces Apoptosis via ROS-Regulated MAPK and AKT Signaling Pathway in Human Gastric Cancer Cells. Onco Targets Ther 2020; 13:10995-11006. [PMID: 33149614 PMCID: PMC7605660 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s272514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Zeaxanthin, a carotenoid commonly found in plants, has a variety of biological functions including anti-cancer activity. PURPOSE This study aimed to investigate the potential mechanisms of zeaxanthin in human gastric cancer cells. METHODS CCK-8 assay was used to examine the cytotoxic effect of zeaxanthin on human gastric cancer cells. Flow cytometry was used to analyse AGS cell cycle distribution and apoptosis status. Western blot analysis was used to detect the expression levels of cycle-related proteins (Cyclin A, Cyclin B1, CDK1/2, p21, and p27), apoptosis-related proteins (Bcl-2, Bad, caspase-3, PARP), MAPK, AKT, STAT3, and NF-κB. RESULTS CCK-8 assay showed that zeaxanthin has obvious cytotoxic effects on 12 types of human gastric cancer cells, but no obvious toxic effect on normal cells. In addition, flow cytometry and Western blotting results showed that zeaxanthin induces apoptosis by reducing mitochondrial membrane potential; increasing Cytochrome C, Bax, cleaved-caspase-3 (cle-cas-3), and cleaved-PARP (cle-PARP) expression levels; and decreasing Bcl-2, pro-caspase-3 (pro-cas-3), and pro-PARP expression levels. Additionally, zeaxanthin caused cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase by increasing the levels of p21 and p27 and reduced the levels of AKT, Cyclin A, Cyclin B1, and Cyclin-dependent kinase 1/2 (CDK1/2). Furthermore, after zeaxanthin treatment, the expression levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), p-JNK, p-p38, and I-κB increased, and the expression levels of p-ERK, p-AKT, STAT3, and NF-κB decreased. However, the ROS scavenger N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and MAPK inhibitors inhibited zeaxanthin-induced apoptosis, and under the action of zeaxanthin, MAPK regulated NF-κB and STAT3, and reduced their protein expression levels. CONCLUSION Zeaxanthin has a potential effect against gastric cancer cells through the ROS-mediated MAPK, AKT, NF-κB, and STAT3 signaling pathways, and it is expected to become a new drug for the treatment of human gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Nan Sheng
- Department of Food Science and Engineering, College of Food Science, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing163319, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ying-Hua Luo
- Department of Grass Science, College of Animal Science & Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing163319, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shao-Bin Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Science & Technology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing163319, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wan-Ting Xu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Science & Technology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing163319, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Science & Technology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing163319, People’s Republic of China
| | - Tong Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Science & Technology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing163319, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hui Xue
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Science & Technology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing163319, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wen-Bo Zuo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Science & Technology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing163319, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yan-Nan Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Science & Technology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing163319, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chang-Yuan Wang
- Department of Food Science and Engineering, College of Food Science, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing163319, People’s Republic of China
- National Coarse Cereals Engineering Research Center, Daqing163319, People’s Republic of China
| | - Cheng-Hao Jin
- Department of Food Science and Engineering, College of Food Science, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing163319, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Science & Technology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing163319, People’s Republic of China
- National Coarse Cereals Engineering Research Center, Daqing163319, People’s Republic of China
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