The Inhibition of Gastric Cancer Cells’ Progression by 23,24-Dihydrocucurbitacin E through Disruption of the Ras/Raf/ERK/MMP9 Signaling Pathway
Gastric cancer is considered to be one of the most common causes of cancer death worldwide due to its high recurrence and metastasis rates. The molecule 23,24-Dihydrocucurbitacin E (DHCE) is a cucurbitacin-derived tetracyclic triterpenoid compound that has anti-tumor activity, but the exact mechanis...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Molecules |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/27/9/2697 |
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| author | Huiping Liu Huijuan Wang Aijun Dong Xiaoshuang Huo Huaxiang Wang Junchi Wang Jianyong Si |
| author_facet | Huiping Liu Huijuan Wang Aijun Dong Xiaoshuang Huo Huaxiang Wang Junchi Wang Jianyong Si |
| author_sort | Huiping Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Gastric cancer is considered to be one of the most common causes of cancer death worldwide due to its high recurrence and metastasis rates. The molecule 23,24-Dihydrocucurbitacin E (DHCE) is a cucurbitacin-derived tetracyclic triterpenoid compound that has anti-tumor activity, but the exact mechanism remains to be elucidated. This research aimed to explore the effects of DHCE on human gastric cancer cells and the possible mechanisms. The results showed that DHCE suppressed proliferation, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells, as well as induced apoptosis and G2/M phase arrest. Mechanistically, the potential targets and pathways of DHCE were predicted using database screening and verified using a molecular docking study, fluorescence staining, and Western blot. The results indicated that DHCE obviously inhibited the kinase activity of ERK2 via targeting its ATP-binding domain, destroyed F-actin microfilament, and reduced the expression levels of Ras, p-c-Raf, ERK, p-ERK, and MMP9 proteins. Collectively, our study demonstrated that DHCE suppressed gastric cancer cells’ proliferation, migration, and invasion through targeting ERK2 and disrupting the Ras/Raf/ERK/MMP9 signaling pathway. These properties make DHCE a promising candidate drug for the further design and development of novel and effective Ras/Raf/ERK/MMP9 pathway inhibitors for treating gastric cancer. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:54:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-359f78f91234405dadf1b3d213910276 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1420-3049 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:54:26Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecules |
| spelling | doaj.art-359f78f91234405dadf1b3d2139102762023-11-23T08:48:17ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492022-04-01279269710.3390/molecules27092697The Inhibition of Gastric Cancer Cells’ Progression by 23,24-Dihydrocucurbitacin E through Disruption of the Ras/Raf/ERK/MMP9 Signaling PathwayHuiping Liu0Huijuan Wang1Aijun Dong2Xiaoshuang Huo3Huaxiang Wang4Junchi Wang5Jianyong Si6The Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, ChinaThe Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, ChinaThe Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, ChinaThe Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, ChinaThe Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, ChinaThe Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, ChinaThe Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, ChinaGastric cancer is considered to be one of the most common causes of cancer death worldwide due to its high recurrence and metastasis rates. The molecule 23,24-Dihydrocucurbitacin E (DHCE) is a cucurbitacin-derived tetracyclic triterpenoid compound that has anti-tumor activity, but the exact mechanism remains to be elucidated. This research aimed to explore the effects of DHCE on human gastric cancer cells and the possible mechanisms. The results showed that DHCE suppressed proliferation, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells, as well as induced apoptosis and G2/M phase arrest. Mechanistically, the potential targets and pathways of DHCE were predicted using database screening and verified using a molecular docking study, fluorescence staining, and Western blot. The results indicated that DHCE obviously inhibited the kinase activity of ERK2 via targeting its ATP-binding domain, destroyed F-actin microfilament, and reduced the expression levels of Ras, p-c-Raf, ERK, p-ERK, and MMP9 proteins. Collectively, our study demonstrated that DHCE suppressed gastric cancer cells’ proliferation, migration, and invasion through targeting ERK2 and disrupting the Ras/Raf/ERK/MMP9 signaling pathway. These properties make DHCE a promising candidate drug for the further design and development of novel and effective Ras/Raf/ERK/MMP9 pathway inhibitors for treating gastric cancer.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/27/9/269723,24-Dihydrocucurbitacin Egastric cancerERK2migrationinvasion |
| spellingShingle | Huiping Liu Huijuan Wang Aijun Dong Xiaoshuang Huo Huaxiang Wang Junchi Wang Jianyong Si The Inhibition of Gastric Cancer Cells’ Progression by 23,24-Dihydrocucurbitacin E through Disruption of the Ras/Raf/ERK/MMP9 Signaling Pathway Molecules 23,24-Dihydrocucurbitacin E gastric cancer ERK2 migration invasion |
| title | The Inhibition of Gastric Cancer Cells’ Progression by 23,24-Dihydrocucurbitacin E through Disruption of the Ras/Raf/ERK/MMP9 Signaling Pathway |
| title_full | The Inhibition of Gastric Cancer Cells’ Progression by 23,24-Dihydrocucurbitacin E through Disruption of the Ras/Raf/ERK/MMP9 Signaling Pathway |
| title_fullStr | The Inhibition of Gastric Cancer Cells’ Progression by 23,24-Dihydrocucurbitacin E through Disruption of the Ras/Raf/ERK/MMP9 Signaling Pathway |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Inhibition of Gastric Cancer Cells’ Progression by 23,24-Dihydrocucurbitacin E through Disruption of the Ras/Raf/ERK/MMP9 Signaling Pathway |
| title_short | The Inhibition of Gastric Cancer Cells’ Progression by 23,24-Dihydrocucurbitacin E through Disruption of the Ras/Raf/ERK/MMP9 Signaling Pathway |
| title_sort | inhibition of gastric cancer cells progression by 23 24 dihydrocucurbitacin e through disruption of the ras raf erk mmp9 signaling pathway |
| topic | 23,24-Dihydrocucurbitacin E gastric cancer ERK2 migration invasion |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/27/9/2697 |
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