Phytochemicals attenuating aberrant activation of β-catenin in cancer cells

PLoS One. 2012;7(12):e50508. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050508. Epub 2012 Dec 3.

Abstract

Phytochemicals are a rich source of chemoprevention agents but their effects on modulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway have remained largely uninvestigated. Aberrantly activated Wnt signaling can result in the abnormal stabilization of β-catenin, a key causative step in a broad spectrum of cancers. Here we report the modulation of lithium chloride-activated canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling by phytochemicals that have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory or chemopreventive properties. The compounds were first screened with a cervical cancer-derived stable Wnt signaling reporter HeLa cell line. Positive hits were subsequently evaluated for β-catenin degradation, suppression of β-catenin nuclear localization and down-regulation of downstream oncogenic targets of Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Our study shows a novel degradation path of β-catenin protein in HeLa cells by Avenanthramide 2p (a polyphenol) and Triptolide (a diterpene triepoxide), respectively from oats and a Chinese medicinal plant. The findings present Avenanthramide 2p as a potential chemopreventive dietary compound that merits further study using in vivo models of cancers; they also provide a new perspective on the mechanism of action of Triptolide.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Blotting, Western
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Neoplasms / pathology
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Signal Transduction
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Wnt Proteins / genetics
  • Wnt Proteins / metabolism
  • beta Catenin / metabolism*

Substances

  • Plant Extracts
  • Wnt Proteins
  • beta Catenin