Molecules (Feb 2024)

Involucrasin B Inhibits the Proliferation of Caco-2 Cells by Regulating the TGFβ/SMAD2-3-4 Pathway

  • Zi Wang,
  • Wanjun Lin,
  • Meina Shi,
  • Yu Hou,
  • Jiachen Liu,
  • Zifeng Huang,
  • Xuening Zhang,
  • Yanchao Yang,
  • Beijia Liu,
  • Zhuya Yang,
  • Wenzhe Ma

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29030686
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 29, no. 3
p. 686

Abstract

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(1) Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common malignant tumor worldwide and the second most common cause of cancer death. However, effective anti-CRC drugs are still lacking in clinical settings. This article investigated the anti-proliferative effect of involucrasin B on CRC Caco-2 cells. (2) Methods: This study employed a sulforhodamine B (SRB) method, colony formation experiments, flow cytometry, FastFUCCI assay, dual luciferase assay, and Western blot analysis for the investigation. (3) Results: The SRB method and colony formation experiments showed that involucrasin B exhibited an inhibitory effect on the Caco-2 cells cultured in vitro. Subsequently, the flow cytometry, FastFUCCI assay, and Western blotting results showed that involucrasin B induced cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase dose-dependently. Involucrasin B significantly enhanced the TGFβ RII protein level and SMAD3 phosphorylation, thus inhibiting the expression of CDK4 and cyclin D1 and causing G1 cell cycle arrest. (4) Conclusion: This study shows that involucrasin B exerts its anti-proliferative effect by regulating the TGFβ/SMAD2-3-4 pathway to cause G1 cycle arrest in Caco-2 cells.

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