title: JNK signaling pathway is involved in piperlongumine-mediated apoptosis in human colorectal cancer HCT116 cells.
abstract: Piperlongumine (PPLGM), an alkaloid isolated from the long pepper (Piper longumL.), can selectively trigger cancer cell death in colorectal cancer cells. The present study investigated whether the c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway is involved in PPLGM-induced apoptosis in the human colorectal cancer HCT116 cell line. The results demonstrated that PPLGM reduced the cell viability and induced cell apoptosis in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, without a significant effect on cell cycle distribution. Meanwhile, treatment with 10 µM PPLGM resulted in JNK activation within 1 h, and a marked and sustained increase in c-Jun phosphorylation in the HCT116 cells. In addition, SP600125, a general inhibitor of JNK, inhibited PPLGM-induced apoptosis in the HCT116 cells by inhibiting PPLGM-induced c-Jun phosphorylation. Altogether, it can be concluded that the JNK signaling pathway, at least in part, is involved in PPLGM-mediated apoptosis in HCT116 cells.
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology and The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510655, P.R. China ; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510655, P.R. China ; Institute of Human Virology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China ; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 511436, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology and The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510655, P.R. China ; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510655, P.R. China ; Institute of Human Virology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chuangyu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Haiyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology and The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510655, P.R. China ; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510655, P.R. China ; Institute of Human Virology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology and The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510655, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaoli
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology and The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510655, P.R. China ; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510655, P.R. China ; Institute of Human Virology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Lanlan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology and The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510655, P.R. China ; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510655, P.R. China ; Institute of Human Virology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiangling
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Advanced Clinical Research Center, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan.
authors.forename: Aikichi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iwamoto
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology and The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510655, P.R. China ; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510655, P.R. China ; Institute of Human Virology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Huanliang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
keywords: SP600125; apoptosis; c-Jun NH2-terminal kinases; colorectal cancer; phosphorylation; piperlongumine