Wnt/β-catenin pathway mediates (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) inhibition of lung cancer stem cells.
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play essential role in the progression of many tumors. Wnt/β-catenin pathway is crucial in maintaining the stemness of CSCs. (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the major bioactive component in green tea, has been shown to possess anti-cancer activity. To date, the interventional effect of EGCG on lung CSCs has not been elucidated yet. In the present study, tumorsphere formation assay was used to enrich lung CSCs from A549 and H1299 cells. We revealed that Wnt/β-catenin pathway was activated in lung CSCs, and downregulation of β-catenin, abolished lung CSCs traits. Our study further illustrated that EGCG effectively diminished lung CSCs activity by inhibiting tumorsphere formation, decreasing lung CSCs markers, suppressing proliferation and inducing apoptosis. Moreover, We showed that EGCG downregulated Wnt/β-catenin activation, while upregulation of Wnt/β-catenin dampened the inhibitory effects of EGCG on lung CSCs. Taken together, these results demonstrated the role of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in regulating lung CSCs traits and EGCG intervention of lung CSCs. Findings from this study could provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of lung CSCs intervention.
Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.
Jianyun
J
Zhu
Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.
Ye
Y
Jiang
Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.
Xue
X
Yang
Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.
Shijia
S
Wang
Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; The Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.
Chunfeng
C
Xie
Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; The Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.
Xiaoting
X
Li
Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.
Yuan
Y
Li
Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.
Yue
Y
Chen
Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.
Xiaoqian
X
Wang
Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.
Yu
Y
Meng
Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.
Mingming
M
Zhu
Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.
Rui
R
Wu
Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.
Cong
C
Huang
Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.
Xiao
X
Ma
Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; The Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.
Shanshan
S
Geng
Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; The Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.
Jieshu
J
Wu
Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; The Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China. Electronic address: cyzhong@njmu.edu.cn.
Caiyun
C
Zhong
D000072283:A549 Cells; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002392:Catechin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D060449:Wnt Signaling Pathway / Q000187:drug effects*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D002392:Catechin; C045651:epigallocatechin gallate
EGCG; Inhibition; Lung cancer stem cells; Wnt/β-catenin pathway