title: Quercetin Regulates Sestrin 2-AMPK-mTOR Signaling Pathway and Induces Apoptosis via Increased Intracellular ROS in HCT116 Colon Cancer Cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The suppression of abnormal cell proliferation is therapeutic strategies for the treatment of cancer. In this study, we investigated the regulatory mechanism of quercetin-induced apoptosis through regulation of Sestrin 2 and AMPK signaling pathway.
  
  
  METHODS
  After treatment of quercetin to colon cancer cells, intracellular ROS was detected using by DCFH-DA. To examine how quercetin and H2O2 induced apoptosis, we analyzed the change of Sestrin 2, p53 expression and p-AMPKα1, p-mTOR levels by Western blotting. To evaluate the effect of intracellular ROS generated by quercetin on colon cancer cells, NAC, anti-oxidative agent, was co-treated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Quercetin increased apoptotic cell death though generating intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and it was responsible for Sestrin 2 expression. Increased Sestrin 2 expression was accompanied by AMPK activation. Interestingly, mTOR activity by Sestirn 2 expression was dependent on AMPK phosphorylation. On the other hand, the expression of Sestrin 2 by quercetin-generated intracellular ROS was independent of p53.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggested that quercetin-induced apoptosis involved Sestrin 2/AMPK/mTOR pathway, which was regulated by increased intracellular ROS by quercetin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, College of Life Science and Nano Technology, Hannam University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Guen Tae
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, College of Life Science and Nano Technology, Hannam University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Se Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, College of Life Science and Nano Technology, Hannam University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: AMPK; Quercetin; ROS; Sestrin2; p53