Parthenolide Induces Oxidative Stress and Impedes Cell Migration by Suppressing Wnt Pathway and Epithelial-Mesenchymal-Transition (EMT) in HCT-116 Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Cells

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a vital cause of cancer morbidity and mortality. 50% of CRC patients suffer from an aggressive metastatic disease which ultimately fallout in death. In metastatic cancer, tumour cells migrate, invade, and finally colonise to the distant organ by degrading their attachments with the extracellular matrix. Parthenolide (PTL) is a secondary metabolite of feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) plant. It shows its cytotoxic effect towards cancer cells via different cellular signalling pathways like inhibition of NF-κB, STAT3, MAPK, JNK pathways, activation of p53 etc. In the present study, we have assessed anti-cancer and anti-metastatic potential of PTL against human HCT-116 metastatic colorectal cancer cells. Analysis of cellular oxidative status (GSH/GSSG) of PTL treated HCT-116 cells showed a significant decrease (p<0.05) in GSH level while GSSG level was increased significantly (p<0.05) on PTL treatment. PTL also increased the amount of intracellular reactive oxygen species. The qRT-PCR analysis revealed that PTL down-regulates c-fos, c-jun and N-cadherin expression and up-regulates E-cadherin expression indicating inhibition of cell migration and metastasis by EMT pathway. PTL inhibited the MMP-9 expression in a dose-dependent fashion and inhibited cancer cell migration by regulating Wnt/β-catenin signalling through the up-regulation of DKK-1 protein expression indicating PTL has a promising anti-cancer potential against HCT-116 metastatic colorectal carcinoma cells.