Naturally occurring triterpene Lupane exerts anticancer effects on colorectal cancer cells via induction of apoptosis and autophagy and suppresses cell migration and invasion by targeting MMP-9.

PURPOSE

This study was undertaken with a purpose to examine the anticancer effects of Lupane against human colorectal cancer.

METHODS

The SW48 colorectal cell line and CDD18Co normal colon cell line were used in this study. The CCK8 assay was used to determine cell proliferation while acridine orange (AO)/ethidium bromide (EB) and DAPI staining assays were used to detect apoptosis. Wound healing and transwell assays were used to detect the cell migration and invasion. Western blotting was used to determine protein expression.

RESULTS

Lupane inhibited the proliferation of colorectal cancer cells and the level of inhibition followed dose-dependent pattern. The antiproliferative role of Lupane was exerted via induction of apoptotic cell death. Western blot showed that the expression of Bcl-2 was decreased and that of Bax was increaced. Lupane also prompted the autophagy of the SW48 colorectal cancer cells and enhanced the expression of LC3-II. However, the expression of p62 was depleted. The treatment of Lupane also resulted to inhibition of the migratory potential of cancer cells as revealed by the wound healing assay. The invasion of SW48 cancer cells was also suppressed and was associated with suppression of metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate the anticancer potential of Lupane against the colorectal cancer growth and propagation. The study envisages the importance of natural compounds for their usage against human cancers.