Citrus unshiu peel extract alleviates cancer-induced weight loss in mice bearing CT-26 adenocarcinoma

Sci Rep. 2016 Apr 11:6:24214. doi: 10.1038/srep24214.

Abstract

Skeletal muscle atrophy is a critical feature of cancer-induced cachexia, caused by pro-cachectic factors secreted by host cells and tumor cells. Therefore, blockade of these factors has considered a reasonable target for pharmacological and nutritional interventions to prevent skeletal muscle loss under cancer-induced cachexia. Citrus unshiu peel (CUP) has been used for treating the common cold, dyspepsia, and bronchial discomfort and reported to have pharmacological activities against inflammation, allergy, diabetes, and viral infection. In the present study, we observed that daily oral administration of water extract of CUP (WCUP) to male BALB/c mice bearing CT-26 adenocarcinoma remarkably reduced the losses in final body weight, carcass weight, gastrocnemius muscle, epididymal adipose tissue, and hemoglobin (Hb), compared with saline treatment. The levels of serum IL-6 and muscle-specific E3 ligases elevated by tumor burden were also considerably reduced by WCUP administration. In an in vitro experiment, WCUP efficiently suppressed the production of pro-cachectic cytokines in immune cells as well as cancer cells. In addition, WCUP treatment attenuated C2C12 skeletal muscle cell atrophy caused by cancer cells. These findings collectively suggest that WCUP is beneficial as a nutritional supplement for the management of cancer patients with severe weight loss.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / metabolism
  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology
  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Survival
  • Citrus / chemistry*
  • Citrus / metabolism
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Hemoglobins / analysis
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-6 / blood
  • Lipopolysaccharides / toxicity
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Muscle Proteins / genetics
  • Muscle Proteins / metabolism
  • Muscle, Skeletal / metabolism
  • Muscle, Skeletal / pathology
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / metabolism
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • SKP Cullin F-Box Protein Ligases / genetics
  • SKP Cullin F-Box Protein Ligases / metabolism
  • Transplantation, Heterologous
  • Tripartite Motif Proteins / genetics
  • Tripartite Motif Proteins / metabolism
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / genetics
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / metabolism
  • Weight Loss / drug effects*

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Hemoglobins
  • Interleukin-6
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Muscle Proteins
  • Plant Extracts
  • Tripartite Motif Proteins
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
  • Fbxo32 protein, mouse
  • SKP Cullin F-Box Protein Ligases
  • Trim63 protein, mouse
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases