Astaxanthin Inhibits Proliferation and Induces Apoptosis of Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells via Inhibition of Nf-Κb P65 and Wnt/Β-Catenin in Vitro

Jingjing Li; Weiqi Dai; Yujing Xia; Kan Chen; Sainan Li; Tong Liu; Rong Zhang; Jianrong Wang; Wenxia Lu; Yuqing Zhou; Qin Yin; Huerxidan Abudumijiti; Rongxia Chen; Yuanyuan Zheng; Fan Wang; Jie Lu; Yingqun Zhou; Chuanyong Guo

doi:10.3390/md13106064

Astaxanthin Inhibits Proliferation and Induces Apoptosis of Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells via Inhibition of Nf-Κb P65 and Wnt/Β-Catenin in Vitro

Mar Drugs. 2015 Sep 24;13(10):6064-81. doi: 10.3390/md13106064.

Authors

Jingjing Li¹, Weiqi Dai², Yujing Xia³, Kan Chen⁴, Sainan Li⁵, Tong Liu⁶, Rong Zhang^{7

8}, Jianrong Wang^{9

10}, Wenxia Lu^{11

12}, Yuqing Zhou^{13

14}, Qin Yin^{15

16}, Huerxidan Abudumijiti¹⁷, Rongxia Chen¹⁸, Yuanyuan Zheng¹⁹, Fan Wang²⁰, Jie Lu¹, Yingqun Zhou²¹, Chuanyong Guo²²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China. [email protected].
² Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China. [email protected].
³ Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China. [email protected].
⁴ Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China. [email protected].
⁵ Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China. [email protected].
⁶ Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China. [email protected].
⁷ Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China. [email protected].
⁸ The First Clinical Medical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China. [email protected].
⁹ Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China. [email protected].
¹⁰ The First Clinical Medical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China. [email protected].
¹¹ Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China. [email protected].
¹² The First Clinical Medical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China. [email protected].
¹³ Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China. [email protected].
¹⁴ The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China. [email protected].
¹⁵ Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China. [email protected].
¹⁶ The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China. [email protected].
¹⁷ Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China. [email protected].
¹⁸ Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China. [email protected].
¹⁹ Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China. [email protected].
²⁰ Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China. [email protected].
²¹ Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China. [email protected].
²² Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China. [email protected].

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant tumor that can cause systemic invasion; however, the exact etiology and molecular mechanism are unknown. Astaxanthin (ASX), a powerful antioxidant, has efficient anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and other activities, and has great research prospects in cancer therapy. We selected the human hepatoma cell lines, LM3 and SMMC-7721, to study the anti-tumor effect and related mechanisms of ASX. The cell lines were treated with different concentrations of ASX, and its solvent DMSO as a control, for different time periods and the results were determined using CCK8, qRT-PCR, WB, apoptotic staining, and flow cytometry. ASX induced significant apoptosis of HCC cells, and its effect may have been caused by NF-κB p65 and Wnt/β-catenin down-regulation via negative activation of PI3K/Akt and ERK. Antitumor research on ASX has provided us with a potential therapy for patients with hepatomas.

Keywords: apoptosis; astaxanthin; hepatocellular carcinoma.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage
Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
Apoptosis / drug effects
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / drug therapy*
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / pathology
Cell Line, Tumor
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Down-Regulation / drug effects
Flow Cytometry
Humans
Liver Neoplasms / drug therapy*
Liver Neoplasms / pathology
Transcription Factor RelA / genetics
Wnt Proteins / genetics
Xanthophylls / administration & dosage
Xanthophylls / pharmacology
beta Catenin / genetics

Substances

Antineoplastic Agents
Transcription Factor RelA
Wnt Proteins
Xanthophylls
beta Catenin
astaxanthine