Tubeimoside-2 Triggers Methuosis in Hepatocarcinoma Cells through the MKK4–p38α Axis

Autor: Yichao Gan, Chen Wang, Yunyun Chen, Linxin Hua, Hui Fang, Shu Li, Shoujie Chai, Yang Xu, Jiawei Zhang, Ying Gu
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2023
Předmět:
Zdroj: Pharmaceutics, Vol 15, Iss 4, p 1093 (2023)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 15041093
1999-4923
DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15041093
Popis: Liver cancer, consisting mainly of hepatocellular carcinoma, is the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Despite advances in targeted therapies, these approaches remain insufficient in meeting the pressing clinical demands. Here, we present a novel alternative that calls for a non-apoptotic program to solve the current dilemma. Specifically, we identified that tubeimoside 2 (TBM-2) could induce methuosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells, a recently recognized mode of cell death characterized by pronounced vacuolization, necrosis-like membrane disruption, and no response to caspase inhibitors. Further proteomic analysis revealed that TBM-2-driven methuosis is facilitated by the hyperactivation of the MKK4–p38α axis and the boosted lipid metabolism, especially cholesterol biosynthesis. Pharmacological interventions targeting either the MKK4–p38α axis or cholesterol biosynthesis effectively suppress TBM-2-induced methuosis, highlighting the pivotal role of these mechanisms in TBM-2-mediated cell death. Moreover, TBM-2 treatment effectively suppressed tumor growth by inducing methuosis in a xenograft mouse model of hepatocellular carcinoma. Taken together, our findings provide compelling evidence of TBM-2’s remarkable tumor-killing effects by inducing methuosis, both in vitro and in vivo. TBM-2 represents a promising avenue for the development of innovative and effective therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma, one that may ultimately offer significant clinical benefits for patients with this devastating disease.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals
Externí odkaz:
Nepřihlášeným uživatelům se plný text nezobrazuje