This research aims to study the effect of magnetic nanoparticles of Fe3O4 (MNP Fe3O4) containing gambogic acid (GA-MNP Fe3O4) on colorectal cancer (CRC). MNP Fe3O4 enhanced the antitumor effect of GA by inhibiting the malignant behavior of CRC cells. RORB was a target of GA, and GA activated RORB expression to inhibit metastasis of CRC. Knockdown of RORB impaired the effect of GA-MNP Fe3O4 on CRC metastasis. EMILIN1 was a target of RORB, and RORB promoted transcription of EMILIN1. Overexpression of EMILIN1 reversed the effect of knockdown of RORB on GA-MNP Fe3O4 and inhibited metastasis in CRC. These findings revealed that MNP Fe3O4 enhanced the antitumor effect of GA and activated RORB to promote EMILIN1 transcription and inhibit CRC metastasis.
Keywords: Colorectal cancer; RORB; gambogenic acid; liver metastasis; magnetic nanoparticle.