Frontiers in Pharmacology (May 2023)

ANO1-downregulation induced by schisandrathera D: a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of prostate and oral cancers

  • SeonJu Park,
  • Raju Das,
  • Nguyen Xuan Nhiem,
  • Nguyen Xuan Nhiem,
  • Sung Baek Jeong,
  • Minuk Kim,
  • Dongguk Kim,
  • Hye In Oh,
  • Su-Hyeon Cho,
  • Oh-Bin Kwon,
  • Jae-Hyeog Choi,
  • Chul Soon Park,
  • Song-Rae Kim,
  • Uk Yeol Moon,
  • Boksik Cha,
  • Dong Kyu Choi,
  • Sungwoo Lee,
  • Wan Namkung,
  • Joohan Woo,
  • Joohan Woo,
  • Yohan Seo

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2023.1163970
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14

Abstract

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Anoctamin 1 (ANO1), a drug target for various cancers, including prostate and oral cancers, is an intracellular calcium-activated chloride ion channel that plays various physiopathological roles, especially in the induction of cancer growth and metastasis. In this study, we tested a novel compound isolated from Schisandra sphenanthera, known as schisandrathera D, for its inhibitory effect on ANO1. Schisandrathera D dose-dependently suppressed the ANO1 activation-mediated decrease in fluorescence of yellow fluorescent protein; however, it did not affect the adenosine triphosphate-induced increase in the intracellular calcium concentration or forskolin-induced cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator activity. Specifically, schisandrathera D gradually decreased the levels of ANO1 protein and significantly reduced the cell viability in ANO1-expressing cells when compared to those in ANO1-knockout cells. These effects could be attributed to the fact that schisandrathera D displayed better binding capacity to ANO1 protein than the previously known ANO1 inhibitor, Ani9. Finally, schisandrathera D increased the levels of caspase-3 and cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1, thereby indicating that its anticancer effect is mediated through apoptosis. Thus, this study highlights that schisandrathera D, which reduces ANO1 protein levels, has apoptosis-mediated anticancer effects in prostate and oral cancers, and thus, can be further developed into an anticancer agent.

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