Study on the mechanism of gracillin inhibiting the of lung cancer NCI-H1299 cells based on MAPK signaling pathway.

In this study, we investigated the potential of gracillin, a steroidal saponin compound, as an anticancer agent against non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and explored its impact on autophagy mechanisms. Gracillin significantly inhibited NCI-H1299 cell proliferation and induced autophagic cell death. Mechanistically, gracillin activated the MAPK signaling pathway, evidenced by increased p-ERK and decreased p-JNK levels, suggesting their roles in mediating autophagy induction. Additionally, gracillin upregulated WIPI1 expression, a key autophagy-related protein potentially downstream of the ERK pathway. Evaluation in a xenograft mouse model demonstrated robust anticancer efficacy of gracillin with no significant adverse effects observed. These findings highlight gracillin as a promising candidate for NSCLC therapy, leveraging its ability to induce autophagy through MAPK pathway modulation. Our study provides valuable insights into the therapeutic potential of gracillin and supports its further development as a safe and effective treatment option for NSCLC.