5-Azacytidine suppresses the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Genet Mol Res. 2014 Jul 4;13(3):5064-72. doi: 10.4238/2014.July.4.22.

Abstract

5-Azacytidine has been shown to be an effective anti-pancreatic cancer drug, but the mechanism remains unknown. In the current study, we explored the effect of 5-azacytidine on abnormal activation of the Wnt-β-catenin signaling pathway in pancreatic cancer cells. The human pancreatic cancer cell line Bxpc-3 was treated with different concentrations of 5-azacytidine for various times. The proliferation and early apoptosis of the cells were evaluated using the CCK8 method and flow cytometry, respectively. mRNA and protein expression of β-catenin, c-myc, and cyclinD1 were detected using real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis, respectively. The proliferation of Bxpc-3 cells was suppressed by 5-azacytidine. The early apoptosis of the cells was significantly enhanced over time and with increasing drug concentrations. The expression of β-catenin, c-myc, and cyclinD1 were down-regulated, showing significant differences between different concentrations and treatment times (P < 0.05). 5-Azacytidine suppressed the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, particularly the expression of β-catenin, c-myc, and cyclinD1. This study may provide a new potential strategy for diagnosing and treating pancreatic cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / pharmacology*
  • Azacitidine / pharmacology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects*
  • Cyclin D1 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Cyclin D1 / genetics
  • Cyclin D1 / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Humans
  • Pancreas / drug effects*
  • Pancreas / metabolism
  • Pancreas / pathology
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • beta Catenin / antagonists & inhibitors
  • beta Catenin / genetics*
  • beta Catenin / metabolism

Substances

  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic
  • CCND1 protein, human
  • CTNNB1 protein, human
  • MYC protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc
  • beta Catenin
  • Cyclin D1
  • Azacitidine