title: Norcantharidin Suppresses Colon Cancer Cell Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition by Inhibiting the αvβ6-ERK-Ets1 Signaling Pathway.
abstract: Norcantharidin (NCTD) is an efficacious anti-cancer drug that has been used in China for many years, but its underlying mechanism of action is still not fully understood. In the present study, we found that NCTD could induce morphological changes in colon cancer cells, causing a transition from a spindle-shaped morphology to a typical round or oval shape, which was indicative of a mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) process. Next, we investigated the mechanism by which NCTD induced the MET process. Using a transwell assay, we found that NCTD could suppress the migratory and invasive ability of colon cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, NCTD suppressed the expression of integrin αvβ6, MMP-3, and MMP-9 as well as the polymerization of F-actin, further supporting its suppressive effect on migratory and invasive ability. Furthermore, the expression of αvβ6, N-cadherin, vimentin and phosphorylated ERK was decreased, while the expression of E-cadherin was up-regulated. We verified that phosphorylated Ets1 was down-regulated substantially after treatment with NCTD. Taken together, our data demonstrated that NCTD could inhibit the EMT process of colon cancer cells by inhibiting the αvβ6-ERK-Ets1 signaling pathway. This study revealed part of the mechanism through which NCTD could reverse the EMT process in colon cancer.
authors: Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors: Cheng
authors: C
authors: Peng
authors: Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors: Zequn
authors: Z
authors: Li
authors: Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors: Zhengchuan
authors: Z
authors: Niu
authors: Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Niu
authors: Department of Hepatic Oncology, Jiangxi Provincial Cancer Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China.
authors: Zongquan
authors: Z
authors: Xu
authors: Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors: Huijie
authors: H
authors: Gao
authors: Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors: Weibo
authors: W
authors: Niu
authors: Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors: JiaYong
authors: J
authors: Wang
authors: Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors: Zhaobin
authors: Z
authors: He
authors: Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors: Chao
authors: C
authors: Gao
authors: Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors: Pengfei
authors: P
authors: Lin
authors: Newcastle Bowel Cancer Research Collaborative, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Agrez
authors: Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors: Zongli
authors: Z
authors: Zhang
authors: Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Niu
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / Q000187:drug effects*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D019073:HT29 Cells; D006801:Humans; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects*; D050784:Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; C494041:ETS1 protein, human; D050784:Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-1; C069741:norcantharidin