1. Academic Validation
  2. The Cuban Propolis Component Nemorosone Inhibits Proliferation and Metastatic Properties of Human Colorectal Cancer Cells

The Cuban Propolis Component Nemorosone Inhibits Proliferation and Metastatic Properties of Human Colorectal Cancer Cells

  • Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Mar 6;21(5):1827. doi: 10.3390/ijms21051827.
Yahima Frión-Herrera 1 Daniela Gabbia 1 Michela Scaffidi 1 Letizia Zagni 1 Osmany Cuesta-Rubio 2 Sara De Martin 1 Maria Carrara 1
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, L.go Meneghetti 2, 35131 Padova, Italy.
  • 2 Chemistry and Health Faculty, Technical University of Machala, Ave. Panamericana Vía a Pasaje Km. 5 1/2, Machala 070101, Ecuador.
Abstract

The majority of deaths related to colorectal Cancer (CRC) are associated with the metastatic process. Alternative therapeutic strategies, such as traditional folk remedies, deserve attention for their potential ability to attenuate the invasiveness of CRC cells. The aim of this study is to investigate the biological activity of brown Cuban propolis (CP) and its main component nemorosone (NEM) and to describe the molecular mechanism(s) by which they inhibit proliferation and metastatic potential of 2 CRC cell lines, i.e., HT-29 and LoVo. Our results show that CP and NEM significantly decreased cell viability and inhibited clonogenic capacity of CRC cells in a dose and time-dependent manner, by arresting the cell cycle in the G0/G1 phase and inducing Apoptosis. Furthermore, CP and NEM downregulated BCL2 gene expression and upregulated the expression of the proapoptotic genes TP53 and Bax, with a consequent activation of Caspase 3/7. They also attenuated cell migration and invasion by inhibiting MMP9 activity, increasing E-cadherin and decreasing β-catenin and vimentin expression, proteins involved in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). In conclusion NEM, besides displaying antiproliferative activity on CRC cells, is able to decrease their metastatic potential by modulating EMT-related molecules. These finding provide new insight about the mechanism(s) of the antitumoral properties of CP, due to NEM content.

Keywords

apoptosis cell death; colorectal cancer; epithelial–mesenchymal transition; nemorosone; propolis.

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