Blockade of the SRC/STAT3/BCL-2 Signaling Axis Sustains the Cytotoxicity in Human Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines Induced by Dehydroxyhispolon Methyl Ether

Bibliographic Details
Title: Blockade of the SRC/STAT3/BCL-2 Signaling Axis Sustains the Cytotoxicity in Human Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines Induced by Dehydroxyhispolon Methyl Ether
Authors: Ya-Chu Hsieh, Yuan-Chang Dai, Kur-Ta Cheng, Wei-Ting Yang, Modukuri V. Ramani, Gottumukkala V. Subbaraju, Yi-Ju Chen, Chia-Che Chang
Source: Biomedicines, Vol 11, Iss 9, p 2530 (2023)
Publisher Information: MDPI AG, 2023.
Publication Year: 2023
Collection: LCC:Biology (General)
Subject Terms: dehydroxyhispolon methyl ether, hispolon, STAT3, SRC, BCL-2, apoptosis, Biology (General), QH301-705.5
More Details: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most prevalent human cancer globally. 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU)-based systemic chemotherapy is the primary strategy for advanced CRC treatment, yet is limited by poor response rate. Deregulated activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is fundamental to driving CRC malignant transformation and a poor prognostic marker for CRC, underscoring STAT3 as a promising CRC drug target. Dehydroxyhispolon methyl ether (DHME) is an analog of Hispolon, an anticancer polyphenol abundant in the medicinal mushroom Phellinus linteus. Previously, we have established DHME’s cytotoxic effect on human CRC cell lines by eliciting apoptosis through the blockade of WNT/β-catenin signaling, a preeminent CRC oncogenic pathway. Herein, we unraveled that compared with 5-FU, DHME is a more potent killer of CRC cells while being much less toxic to normal colon epithelial cells. DHME suppressed both constitutive and interleukin 6 (IL-6)-induced STAT3 activation represented by tyrosine 705 phosphorylation of STAT3 (p-STAT3 (Y705)); notably, DHME-induced CRC apoptosis and clonogenicity limitation were abrogated by ectopic expression of STAT3-C, a dominant-active STAT3 mutant. Additionally, we proved that BCL-2 downregulation caused by DHME-mediated STAT3 blockage is responsible for DHME-induced CRC cell apoptosis. Lastly, DHME inhibited SRC activation, and v-src overexpression restored p-STAT3 (Y705) levels along with lowering the levels of apoptosis in DHME-treated CRC cells. We conclude DHME provokes CRC cell apoptosis by blocking the SRC/STAT3/BCL-2 axis besides thwarting WNT/β-catenin signaling. The notion that DHME targets two fundamental CRC signaling pathways underpins the potential of DHME as a CRC chemotherapy agent.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2227-9059
Relation: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/11/9/2530; https://doaj.org/toc/2227-9059
DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11092530
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/837fd3bae600408d8177bb413beafb5a
Accession Number: edsdoj.837fd3bae600408d8177bb413beafb5a
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:22279059
DOI:10.3390/biomedicines11092530
Published in:Biomedicines
Language:English