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Thymoquinone induces cytotoxicity and reprogramming of EMT in gastric cancer cells by targeting PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway

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Abstract

Gastric cancer is one of the lethal causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The incidence and mortality rates of this disease is comparatively higher in China. In the current study, we evaluated the anticancer effects of Thymoquinone (TQ) against gastric cancer cells (MGC80-3 and SGC-7901) and normal noncancerous GES-1 cells and attempted to investigate the underlying mechanism. Our results indicated that TQ exhibited significant growth inhibitory effects on gastric cancer cells (MGC80-3 and SGC-7901). However, lower cytotoxicity was observed against normal GES-1 cells. Moreover, TQ could inhibit the colony formation potential of MGC80-3 and SGC-7901 cells in a dose-dependent manner. TQ also inhibited cell migration ability of the gastric cancer cells and down-regulated the expression of the mesenchymal genes such as N-cadherin, Vimentin, and TWIST. However, the epithelial markers such as E-cadherin and cytokeratin-19 were distinctly up-regulated in TQ-treated gastric cancer cells. Since PI3K/Akt/ mTOR plays an important role in progression and tumorigenesis, we also investigated the effect of TQ on PI3K/Akt/mTOR signalling pathway in gastric cancer cells. It was observed that TQ down-regulated the expression of some of the key proteins of this pathway. Taken together, we conclude that TQ may prove lead molecule for the treatment of gastric cancer.

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Author notes

  1. Li-Min Feng and Xue-Feng Wang have contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastroenterology, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai, 264000, Shandong, China

    Li-Min Feng

  2. Department of General Surgery, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai, 264000, Shandong, China

    Xue-Feng Wang & Qing-Xian Huang

Authors
  1. Li-Min Feng
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  2. Xue-Feng Wang
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  3. Qing-Xian Huang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Qing-Xian Huang.

Additional information

Communicated by SORAB DALAL.

Corresponding editor: Sorab Dalal

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Feng, LM., Wang, XF. & Huang, QX. Thymoquinone induces cytotoxicity and reprogramming of EMT in gastric cancer cells by targeting PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. J Biosci 42, 547–554 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12038-017-9708-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12038-017-9708-3

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