Inhibitory effect of cucurbitacin E on pancreatic cancer cells growth via STAT3 signaling.
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.
Sun
Chunyan
C
Department of Clinical Pharmacology, China Medical University, 92 Bei'er Road, 110001, Shenyang, China.
Zhang
Meixia
M
Shan
Xiaolei
X
Zhou
Xueying
X
Yang
Jiao
J
Wang
Yanli
Y
Li-Ling
Jesse
J
Deng
Yihui
Y
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
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D014315:Triterpenes; C102326:cucurbitacin E