title: Chemoprevention of Low-Molecular-Weight Citrus Pectin (LCP) in Gastrointestinal Cancer Cells.
abstract: Low-molecular-weight citrus pectin (LCP) is a complex polysaccharide that displays abundant galactosyl (i.e., sugar carbohydrate) residues. In this study, we evaluated the anti-tumor properties of LCP that lead to Bcl-xL -mediated dampening of apoptosis in gastrointestinal cancer cells.
  
  
  
  We used AGS gastric cancer and SW-480 colorectal cancer cells to elucidate the effects of LCP on cell viability, cell cycle and apoptosis in cultured cells and tumor xenografts.
  
  
  
  Significantly decreased cell viabilities were observed in LCP treated AGS and SW-480 cells (P<0.05). Cell cycle-related protein expression, such as Cyclin B1, was also decreased in LCP treated groups as compared to the untreated group. The AGS or SW-480 cell-line tumor xenografts were significantly smaller in the LCP treated group as compared the untreated group (P<0.05). LCP treatment decreased Galectin-3 (GAL-3) expression levels, which is an important gene in cancer metastasis that results in reversion of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and increased suppression of Bcl-xL and Survivin to promote apoptosis. Moreover, results demonstrated synergistic tumor suppressor activity of LCP and 5-FU against gastrointestinal cancer cells both in vivo and in vitro.
  
  
  
  LCP effectively inhibits the growth and metastasis of gastrointestinal cancer cells, and does so in part by down-regulating Bcl-xL and Cyclin B to promote apoptosis, and suppress EMT. Thus, LCP alone or in combination with other treatments has a high potential as a novel therapeutic strategy to improve the clinical therapy of gastrointestinal cancer.
authors.affiliation: 1. Zhejiang Cancer Research Institute, Zhejiang Province Cancer Hospital, Zhejiang Cancer Center, No.38 Guangji Rd., Banshanqiao District, Hangzhou 310022, P.R.China.; 2. Department of Digestive Endoscopy, Zhejiang Province Cancer Hospital, Zhejiang Cancer Center, No.38 Guangji Rd., Banshanqiao District, Hangzhou 310022, P.R.China.
authors.forename: Shi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: 3. Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
authors.forename: Pei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: 4. Institute of Food Science, Zhejiang Academy of Agriculture Science, No. 298 Desheng Rd., Hangzhou 310021, P.R.China.
authors.forename: Sheng-Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: 1. Zhejiang Cancer Research Institute, Zhejiang Province Cancer Hospital, Zhejiang Cancer Center, No.38 Guangji Rd., Banshanqiao District, Hangzhou 310022, P.R.China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Qiang
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Ling
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / Q000187:drug effects; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D010368:Pectins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D051020:bcl-X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D037502:Galectin 3; D051020:bcl-X Protein; C586814:citrus pectin; D010368:Pectins
keywords: Low-molecular-weight citrus pectin (LCP); apoptosis; caspases; epithelial- mesenchymal transition (EMT).; gastrointestinal cancer cells