Bromelain inhibits the ability of colorectal cancer cells to proliferate via activation of ROS production and autophagy.

Advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) survival rates are still low despite advances in cytotoxic and targeted therapies. The development of new effective or alternative therapies is therefore urgently needed. Bromelain, an extract of pineapple, was shown to have anticancer effects, but its mechanisms in...

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Main Authors: Tung-Cheng Chang, Po-Li Wei, Precious Takondwa Makondi, Wei-Ting Chen, Chien-Yu Huang, Yu-Jia Chang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2019-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0210274
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author Tung-Cheng Chang
Po-Li Wei
Precious Takondwa Makondi
Wei-Ting Chen
Chien-Yu Huang
Yu-Jia Chang
author_facet Tung-Cheng Chang
Po-Li Wei
Precious Takondwa Makondi
Wei-Ting Chen
Chien-Yu Huang
Yu-Jia Chang
author_sort Tung-Cheng Chang
collection DOAJ
description Advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) survival rates are still low despite advances in cytotoxic and targeted therapies. The development of new effective or alternative therapies is therefore urgently needed. Bromelain, an extract of pineapple, was shown to have anticancer effects, but its mechanisms in CRC have not been fully explored. Therefore, the roles of bromelain in CRC progression were investigated using different CRC cell lines, a zebrafish model, and a xenograft mouse model. The anticancer mechanisms were explored by assessing the role of bromelain in inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide, autophagosomes, and lysosomes. The role of bromelain in the induction of apoptosis was also assessed. It was found that bromelain inhibited CRC cell growth in cell lines and tumor growth in the zebrafish and xenograft mouse models. It also induced high levels of ROS and superoxide, plus autophagosome and lysosome formation. High levels of apoptosis were also induced, which were associated with elevated amounts of apoptotic proteins like apoptotic induction factor, Endo G, and caspases-3, -8, and -9 according to a qPCR analysis. In a Western blot analysis, increases in levels of ATG5/12, beclin, p62, and LC3 conversion rates were found after bromelain treatment. Levels of cleaved caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9, and poly(ADP ribose) polymerase (PARP)-1 increased after bromelain exposure. This study explored the role of bromelain in CRC while giving insights into its mechanisms of action. This compound can offer a cheap alternative to current therapies.
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spelling doaj.art-214ef65d524a4fb49a23b533b0e0b02a2022-12-21T22:36:29ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032019-01-01141e021027410.1371/journal.pone.0210274Bromelain inhibits the ability of colorectal cancer cells to proliferate via activation of ROS production and autophagy.Tung-Cheng ChangPo-Li WeiPrecious Takondwa MakondiWei-Ting ChenChien-Yu HuangYu-Jia ChangAdvanced colorectal cancer (CRC) survival rates are still low despite advances in cytotoxic and targeted therapies. The development of new effective or alternative therapies is therefore urgently needed. Bromelain, an extract of pineapple, was shown to have anticancer effects, but its mechanisms in CRC have not been fully explored. Therefore, the roles of bromelain in CRC progression were investigated using different CRC cell lines, a zebrafish model, and a xenograft mouse model. The anticancer mechanisms were explored by assessing the role of bromelain in inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide, autophagosomes, and lysosomes. The role of bromelain in the induction of apoptosis was also assessed. It was found that bromelain inhibited CRC cell growth in cell lines and tumor growth in the zebrafish and xenograft mouse models. It also induced high levels of ROS and superoxide, plus autophagosome and lysosome formation. High levels of apoptosis were also induced, which were associated with elevated amounts of apoptotic proteins like apoptotic induction factor, Endo G, and caspases-3, -8, and -9 according to a qPCR analysis. In a Western blot analysis, increases in levels of ATG5/12, beclin, p62, and LC3 conversion rates were found after bromelain treatment. Levels of cleaved caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9, and poly(ADP ribose) polymerase (PARP)-1 increased after bromelain exposure. This study explored the role of bromelain in CRC while giving insights into its mechanisms of action. This compound can offer a cheap alternative to current therapies.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0210274
spellingShingle Tung-Cheng Chang
Po-Li Wei
Precious Takondwa Makondi
Wei-Ting Chen
Chien-Yu Huang
Yu-Jia Chang
Bromelain inhibits the ability of colorectal cancer cells to proliferate via activation of ROS production and autophagy.
PLoS ONE
title Bromelain inhibits the ability of colorectal cancer cells to proliferate via activation of ROS production and autophagy.
title_full Bromelain inhibits the ability of colorectal cancer cells to proliferate via activation of ROS production and autophagy.
title_fullStr Bromelain inhibits the ability of colorectal cancer cells to proliferate via activation of ROS production and autophagy.
title_full_unstemmed Bromelain inhibits the ability of colorectal cancer cells to proliferate via activation of ROS production and autophagy.
title_short Bromelain inhibits the ability of colorectal cancer cells to proliferate via activation of ROS production and autophagy.
title_sort bromelain inhibits the ability of colorectal cancer cells to proliferate via activation of ros production and autophagy
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0210274
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