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Identification of protocatechuic acid as a novel blocker of epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition in lung tumor cells
Author(s) -
Yang Min Hee,
Baek Seung Ho,
Chinnathambi Arunachalam,
Alharbi Sulaiman Ali,
Ahn Kwang Seok
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
phytotherapy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.019
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1573
pISSN - 0951-418X
DOI - 10.1002/ptr.6938
Subject(s) - epithelial–mesenchymal transition , vimentin , cancer research , occludin , mesenchymal stem cell , metastasis , fibronectin , pi3k/akt/mtor pathway , protein kinase b , biology , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , signal transduction , cancer , tight junction , immunology , immunohistochemistry , extracellular matrix , genetics
Protocatechuic acid (PA) is widely distributed and commonly occurring natural compound that can exert antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, as well as anti‐cancer effects. Epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) is important cellular process that can control tumor invasion and metastasis. Here, we investigated whether PA can modulate the EMT process in basal and transforming growth factorβ‐induced A549 and H1299 cells. We found that PA suppressed expression of mesenchymal markers (Fibronectin, Vimentin, and N‐cadherin), MMP‐9, MMP‐2, twist, and snail but stimulated the levels of epithelial markers (E‐cadherin and Occludin). In addition, PA can affect TGFβ‐induced expression of both mesenchymal and epithelial markers. Moreover, PA abrogated migratory and invasive potential of tumor cells by reversing the EMT process. Furthermore, we found that PA suppressed EMT process by abrogating the activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling cascade in lung cancer cells.