Abstract
Kahweol, a coffee-specific diterpene, induces apoptosis in human cancer cells, and some targets of kahweol-mediated apoptosis have been identified. However, the specific apoptotic effects and mechanism of action of kahweol in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells are unknown. This study was performed to investigate the molecular mechanism by which kahweol induces apoptosis in HCC cells. The Src pathway is associated with apoptosis in cancer. In this study, we found that kahweol induces apoptosis by inhibiting phosphorylation of Src, and also inhibiting p-mTOR and p-STAT3. Therefore, we suggest that kahweol is a potent inhibitor of HCC cell growth.
Keywords:
HCC; Src kinase; apoptosis; kahweol.
MeSH terms
-
Animals
-
Apoptosis / drug effects*
-
Apoptosis / genetics
-
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / genetics
-
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / metabolism*
-
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / pathology
-
Cell Line, Tumor
-
Cell Proliferation / drug effects
-
Cell Proliferation / genetics
-
Diterpenes / pharmacology*
-
Gene Expression Profiling / methods
-
Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
-
Humans
-
Liver Neoplasms / genetics
-
Liver Neoplasms / metabolism*
-
Liver Neoplasms / pathology
-
Phosphorylation / drug effects
-
RNA-Seq / methods
-
STAT3 Transcription Factor / genetics
-
STAT3 Transcription Factor / metabolism*
-
Signal Transduction / drug effects*
-
Signal Transduction / genetics
-
Survival Analysis
-
TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics
-
TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism*
-
src-Family Kinases / genetics
-
src-Family Kinases / metabolism*
Substances
-
Diterpenes
-
STAT3 Transcription Factor
-
STAT3 protein, human
-
kahweol
-
MTOR protein, human
-
src-Family Kinases
-
TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases