Spirulina phycocyanin extract and its active components suppress epithelial-mesenchymal transition process in endometrial cancer via targeting TGF-beta1/SMAD4 signaling pathway

Hsin-Yuan Chen; Yi-Fen Chiang; Chun-Yung Huang; Tzong-Ming Shieh; Chieh Kao; Fu-Kuei Chang; Tsui-Chin Huang; Mohamed Ali; Hsin-Yi Chang; Yong-Han Hong; Shih-Min Hsia

Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy (Aug 2022)

Spirulina phycocyanin extract and its active components suppress epithelial-mesenchymal transition process in endometrial cancer via targeting TGF-beta1/SMAD4 signaling pathway

Hsin-Yuan Chen,
Yi-Fen Chiang,
Chun-Yung Huang,
Tzong-Ming Shieh,
Chieh Kao,
Fu-Kuei Chang,
Tsui-Chin Huang,
Mohamed Ali,
Hsin-Yi Chang,
Yong-Han Hong,
Shih-Min Hsia

Affiliations

Hsin-Yuan Chen: School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, College of Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; Department of Nutrition, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan
Yi-Fen Chiang: School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, College of Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
Chun-Yung Huang: Department of Seafood Science, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung 81157, Taiwan
Tzong-Ming Shieh: School of Dentistry, College of Dentistry, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
Chieh Kao: School of Medicine for International Students, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 82445, Taiwan
Fu-Kuei Chang: Department of Health Management, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 82445, Taiwan
Tsui-Chin Huang: Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
Mohamed Ali: Clinical Pharmacy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, 11566 Cairo, Egypt
Hsin-Yi Chang: Graduate Institute of Medical Science, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan
Yong-Han Hong: Department of Nutrition, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan; Corresponding author.
Shih-Min Hsia: School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, College of Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; School of Food and Safety, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; Nutrition Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Metabolism and Obesity Sciences, College of Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; Corresponding author at: School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, College of Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 152
p. 113219

Abstract

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Metastasis is a major challenge in aggressive endometrial cancer treatment accounting for the high recurrence risk and poor prognosis of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), regulated by the transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) signaling pathway, facilitates tumor metastasis. Spirulina phycocyanin extract (SPE) and its purified products allophycocyanin (APC) and C-phycocyanin (C-PC), derived from Spirulina platensis, can be considered a nutraceutical compound with the ability to inhibit tumor growth and metastasis. Current study aims to investigate the anti-metastatic potential of SPE, and its purified products APC, and C-PC on endometrial cancer both in vitro and in vivo. Firstly, human endometrial cancer cell lines (HEC-1A and Ishikawa) as an in vitro model. Secondly, HEC-1A cells transfected with luminescence gene were implanted into female nude mice as a xenograft model. MTT assay, transwell migration assay, immunoblotting assay, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assay, and IVIS XRMS analysis techniques were used. The in vitro results showed that SPE and its purified products APC and C-PC inhibited cell migration, and altered the expression of EMT-related phenotypes by reversing the TGFβ/SMADs signaling pathway. The in vivo results indicated that SPE repressed the metastasis of HEC-1A-LUC cells through modulating EMT-related markers expression. Overall, SPE and its efficient components APC and C-PC reversed the EMT through targeting the TGFβ/SMADs signaling pathway, suggesting an effective therapeutic strategy for metastatic endometrial cancer.

Published in Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy

ISSN: 0753-3322 (Print); 1950-6007 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: France
LCC subjects: Medicine: Therapeutics. Pharmacology
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/biomedicine-and-pharmacotherapy

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