title: Inhibitory effect of cucurbitacin E on pancreatic cancer cells growth via STAT3 signaling.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pancreatic cancer has been a serious disease worldwide for its high mortality. Cucurbitacin E is a member of triterpenoid family isolated from plants showing antiproliferative activity on various cancer cells. In this study, we have explored whether cucurbitacin E also has an anti-tumor effect on pancreatic cancer cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human pancreatic cancer cells PANC-1 were used to explore the effect and possible mechanisms of cucurbitacin E on cell cycle progression, apoptosis and proliferation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cucurbitacin E has inhibited the growth of PANC-1 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and has caused accumulation of cells at the G(2)/M phase as well as apoptosis. Western blotting also showed that cucurbitacin E treatment can inhibit STAT3 phosphorylation while upregulate p53 expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggested that cucurbitacin E may be an effective regimen for the chemotherapy of pancreatic cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacology, China Medical University, 92 Bei'er Road, 110001, Shenyang, China.
authors.forename: Chunyan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Meixia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiaolei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.forename: Xueying
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Jiao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yanli
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jesse
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li-Ling
authors.forename: Yihui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Deng
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis; D002453:Cell Cycle; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D010179:Pancreas / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D014315:Triterpenes; C102326:cucurbitacin E