title: β-Carotene Induces Apoptosis in Human Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell Lines via the Cav-1/AKT/NF-κB Signaling Pathway.
abstract: β-carotene, a type of terpenoid, has many metabolic and physiological functions. In particular, β-carotene has an antitumor effect. However, the efficacy of β-carotene against esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unclear. In our study, β-carotene inhibited the growth of ESCC cells and downregulated expression of the Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) protein. Cav-1 protein was expressed only in ESCC cells, not in Het-1A cells. Moreover, β-carotene triggered apoptosis, induced cell cycle G0⁄G1 phase arrest, and inhibited cell migration. To explore the mechanism involved in these processes, we further examined the effect of β-carotene on the Cav-1-mediated AKT/NF-κB pathway. The results showed that the level of AKT and NF-κB phosphorylation was dramatically inhibited, which led to an increase in the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Correspondingly, the activity of Caspase-3 was also enhanced. These data suggest that β-carotene has an antiproliferative role in ESCC cells and may be a promising chemotherapeutic agent for use against ESCC cells.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, People's Republic of China. guanfangxia@126.com.
authors.forename: Xiangzhan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yanting
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qinghua
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, People's Republic of China.|The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Nannan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shanshan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jishi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, People's Republic of China.|The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Fangxia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guan
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D051242:Caveolin 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: C495540:CAV1 protein, human; D051242:Caveolin 1; D016328:NF-kappa B; D019207:beta Carotene; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
keywords: AKT/NF-κB; Apoptosis; Caveolin-1; Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Proliferation; β-Carotene