Emodin inhibits invasion and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via regulating autophagy-mediated degradation of snail and β-catenin
Abstract Background Previous studies reported that emodin extracted from Rheum palmatum L. exerts antiproliferation and antimetastatic effects in a variety of human cancer types. However, the role of emodin in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unknown. Methods EdU and colony formation assays wer...
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
BMC
2022-06-01
|
Series: | BMC Cancer |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-022-09684-0 |
_version_ | 1811343626570039296 |
---|---|
author | Binyu Qin Zhili Zeng Jianliang Xu Jing Shangwen Zeng Jie Ye Shutang Wang Yanheng Wu Gongfeng Peng Qi Wang Wenyi Gu Ying Tang |
author_facet | Binyu Qin Zhili Zeng Jianliang Xu Jing Shangwen Zeng Jie Ye Shutang Wang Yanheng Wu Gongfeng Peng Qi Wang Wenyi Gu Ying Tang |
author_sort | Binyu Qin |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Abstract Background Previous studies reported that emodin extracted from Rheum palmatum L. exerts antiproliferation and antimetastatic effects in a variety of human cancer types. However, the role of emodin in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unknown. Methods EdU and colony formation assays were performed to evaluate the effects of emodin on proliferation. The mobility capacities of HCC treated with emodin were evaluated using wound healing assay. Transwell invasion and migration assays were performed to evaluate anti-migratory and anti-invasive effects of emodin on HCC. Annexin V-FITC/PI was performed to analyze the apoptosis. PI stain was performed to analyze cell cycle. RNA sequencing technology was used to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) induced by emodin in HCC. The impact of emodin on autophagic flux in HepG2 cells was examined by mCherry-GFP-LC3 analysis. Western blot was used to assess the protein expressions of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), autophagy, PI3K/AKT/mTOR and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Results We found that emodin inhibited the growth of HepG2 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In addition, emodin inhibited cell proliferation, induced S and G2/M phases arrest, and promoted apoptosis in HepG2 cells. The migration and invasion of HepG2 cells were also suppressed by emodin. Enrichment analysis revealed that DEGs involved in cell adhesion, cancer metastasis and cell cycle arrest. Moreover, western bolt results show that emodin-induced autophagy promotes Snail and β-catenin degradation. We also found that blocking autophagic flux after emodin treatment caused EMT reversal. Furthermore, the PI3K agonist Y-P 740 significantly reversed the phosphorylation levels of GSK3β and mTOR. These results indicated that emodin induced autophagy and inhibited the EMT in part through suppression of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and Wnt/β-catenin pathways. Conclusion Our study indicated that emodin inhibited cell metastasis in HCC via the crosstalk between autophagy and EMT. |
first_indexed | 2024-04-13T19:32:15Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-44a99bfcf56d477db881d2be575980a8 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 1471-2407 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-04-13T19:32:15Z |
publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
publisher | BMC |
record_format | Article |
series | BMC Cancer |
spelling | doaj.art-44a99bfcf56d477db881d2be575980a82022-12-22T02:33:08ZengBMCBMC Cancer1471-24072022-06-0122111710.1186/s12885-022-09684-0Emodin inhibits invasion and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via regulating autophagy-mediated degradation of snail and β-cateninBinyu Qin0Zhili Zeng1Jianliang Xu2Jing Shangwen3Zeng Jie Ye4Shutang Wang5Yanheng Wu6Gongfeng Peng7Qi Wang8Wenyi Gu9Ying Tang10Institute of Tumor, Guangzhou University of Chinese MedicineInstitute of Tumor, Guangzhou University of Chinese MedicineHepatobilliary Surgery Department, The Third affiliated Hospital of Su Yat-sen UniversityScience and Technology Innovation Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese MedicineGuangzhou University of Chinese MedicineDepartment of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese MedicineGillion ITM Research Institute, Guangzhou HongkeyuanGillion ITM Research Institute, Guangzhou HongkeyuanScience and Technology Innovation Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese MedicineGillion ITM Research Institute, Guangzhou HongkeyuanInstitute of Tumor, Guangzhou University of Chinese MedicineAbstract Background Previous studies reported that emodin extracted from Rheum palmatum L. exerts antiproliferation and antimetastatic effects in a variety of human cancer types. However, the role of emodin in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unknown. Methods EdU and colony formation assays were performed to evaluate the effects of emodin on proliferation. The mobility capacities of HCC treated with emodin were evaluated using wound healing assay. Transwell invasion and migration assays were performed to evaluate anti-migratory and anti-invasive effects of emodin on HCC. Annexin V-FITC/PI was performed to analyze the apoptosis. PI stain was performed to analyze cell cycle. RNA sequencing technology was used to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) induced by emodin in HCC. The impact of emodin on autophagic flux in HepG2 cells was examined by mCherry-GFP-LC3 analysis. Western blot was used to assess the protein expressions of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), autophagy, PI3K/AKT/mTOR and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Results We found that emodin inhibited the growth of HepG2 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In addition, emodin inhibited cell proliferation, induced S and G2/M phases arrest, and promoted apoptosis in HepG2 cells. The migration and invasion of HepG2 cells were also suppressed by emodin. Enrichment analysis revealed that DEGs involved in cell adhesion, cancer metastasis and cell cycle arrest. Moreover, western bolt results show that emodin-induced autophagy promotes Snail and β-catenin degradation. We also found that blocking autophagic flux after emodin treatment caused EMT reversal. Furthermore, the PI3K agonist Y-P 740 significantly reversed the phosphorylation levels of GSK3β and mTOR. These results indicated that emodin induced autophagy and inhibited the EMT in part through suppression of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and Wnt/β-catenin pathways. Conclusion Our study indicated that emodin inhibited cell metastasis in HCC via the crosstalk between autophagy and EMT.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-022-09684-0EmodinHepatocellular carcinomaAutophagyEpithelial-mesenchymal transitionPI3K/AKT/mTORWnt/β-catenin |
spellingShingle | Binyu Qin Zhili Zeng Jianliang Xu Jing Shangwen Zeng Jie Ye Shutang Wang Yanheng Wu Gongfeng Peng Qi Wang Wenyi Gu Ying Tang Emodin inhibits invasion and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via regulating autophagy-mediated degradation of snail and β-catenin BMC Cancer Emodin Hepatocellular carcinoma Autophagy Epithelial-mesenchymal transition PI3K/AKT/mTOR Wnt/β-catenin |
title | Emodin inhibits invasion and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via regulating autophagy-mediated degradation of snail and β-catenin |
title_full | Emodin inhibits invasion and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via regulating autophagy-mediated degradation of snail and β-catenin |
title_fullStr | Emodin inhibits invasion and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via regulating autophagy-mediated degradation of snail and β-catenin |
title_full_unstemmed | Emodin inhibits invasion and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via regulating autophagy-mediated degradation of snail and β-catenin |
title_short | Emodin inhibits invasion and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via regulating autophagy-mediated degradation of snail and β-catenin |
title_sort | emodin inhibits invasion and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via regulating autophagy mediated degradation of snail and β catenin |
topic | Emodin Hepatocellular carcinoma Autophagy Epithelial-mesenchymal transition PI3K/AKT/mTOR Wnt/β-catenin |
url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-022-09684-0 |
work_keys_str_mv | AT binyuqin emodininhibitsinvasionandmigrationofhepatocellularcarcinomacellsviaregulatingautophagymediateddegradationofsnailandbcatenin AT zhilizeng emodininhibitsinvasionandmigrationofhepatocellularcarcinomacellsviaregulatingautophagymediateddegradationofsnailandbcatenin AT jianliangxu emodininhibitsinvasionandmigrationofhepatocellularcarcinomacellsviaregulatingautophagymediateddegradationofsnailandbcatenin AT jingshangwen emodininhibitsinvasionandmigrationofhepatocellularcarcinomacellsviaregulatingautophagymediateddegradationofsnailandbcatenin AT zengjieye emodininhibitsinvasionandmigrationofhepatocellularcarcinomacellsviaregulatingautophagymediateddegradationofsnailandbcatenin AT shutangwang emodininhibitsinvasionandmigrationofhepatocellularcarcinomacellsviaregulatingautophagymediateddegradationofsnailandbcatenin AT yanhengwu emodininhibitsinvasionandmigrationofhepatocellularcarcinomacellsviaregulatingautophagymediateddegradationofsnailandbcatenin AT gongfengpeng emodininhibitsinvasionandmigrationofhepatocellularcarcinomacellsviaregulatingautophagymediateddegradationofsnailandbcatenin AT qiwang emodininhibitsinvasionandmigrationofhepatocellularcarcinomacellsviaregulatingautophagymediateddegradationofsnailandbcatenin AT wenyigu emodininhibitsinvasionandmigrationofhepatocellularcarcinomacellsviaregulatingautophagymediateddegradationofsnailandbcatenin AT yingtang emodininhibitsinvasionandmigrationofhepatocellularcarcinomacellsviaregulatingautophagymediateddegradationofsnailandbcatenin |