Inhibitory effects of polyphyllins I and VII on human cisplatin-resistant NSCLC via p53 upregulation and CIP2A/AKT/mTOR signaling axis inhibition

Chin J Nat Med. 2019 Oct;17(10):768-777. doi: 10.1016/S1875-5364(19)30093-7.

Abstract

Cancerous inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A (CIP2A) is a human oncoprotein that is overexpressed in multiple kinds of cancers including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). CIP2A plays an 'oncogenic nexus' to participate in the tumorigenesis and chemoresistance in several cancer types. AKT and mTORC1 overactivation are detected in NSCLC and many other cancers. Previous studies found that the CIP2A/AKT/mTOR pathway controls cell growth, apoptosis, autophagy process. Polyphyllin I (PPI) and polyphyllin VII (PPVII) are natural components extracted from Paris polyphylla that display anti-cancer properties. In the present study, we investigated whether PPI and PPVII can be used in the cisplatin (DDP)-resistant human NSCLC cell line A549/DDP. Results demonstrated that PPI and PPVII treatment significantly suppressed A549/DDP cell proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT, induced apoptosis and autophagy. Further examination of the mechanism revealed that the PPI and PPVII significantly upregulated the p53, induced caspase-dependent apoptosis and suppressed the CIP2A/AKT/mTOR pathway. The activation of autophagy was mediated through PPI and PPVII induced inhibition of mTOR. We propose that PPI and PPVII might be developed as candidate drugs for DDP-resistant NSCLC.

Keywords: Cancerous inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A; Cisplatin-resistance; Non-small cell lung cancer; Polyphyllin I; Polyphyllin VII; p53.

MeSH terms

  • A549 Cells
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / drug therapy
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / genetics
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / metabolism*
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / physiopathology
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cisplatin / pharmacology
  • Diosgenin / analogs & derivatives*
  • Diosgenin / pharmacology
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm* / drug effects
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / pharmacology*
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Lung Neoplasms / genetics
  • Lung Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Lung Neoplasms / physiopathology
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • Saponins / pharmacology*
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects*
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / genetics
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / metabolism
  • Up-Regulation / drug effects

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal
  • Saponins
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
  • polyphyllin I
  • polyphyllin VII
  • MTOR protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Diosgenin
  • Cisplatin