Asparagus officinalis L. extract exhibits anti-proliferative and anti-invasive effects in endometrial cancer cells and a transgenic mouse model of endometrial cancer

• Published in: Frontiers in pharmacology 2024, Vol.15, p.1507042
• Main Authors: Fang, Ziwei, Kong, Weimin, Zhao, Ziyi, Sun, Wenchuan, Xu, Guangxu, Clark, Leslie H, Sullivan, Stephanie A, Tran, Arthur-Quan, Zhou, Chang-Sheng, Sun, Delin, Zhao, Luyu, Wang, Jiandong, Zhou, Chunxiao, Bae-Jump, Victoria L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: apoptosis; Asparagus officinalis; endometrial cancer; invasion; Pharmacology; synergy; tumor growth
• ISSN: 1663-9812; 1663-9812
• DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1507042

Endometrial cancer is the most common malignancy of the female reproductive system in the United States. is a versatile, nutrient-dense, low-calorie vegetable that contains various bioactive metabolites that have shown a variety of biologic functions beneficial to health. The metabolites from extracts or extracts exhibit significant anti-tumorigenic activity in some pre-clinical models of cancer. Endometrial cancer cells were used to study the effects of on anti-proliferation, anti-invasion and increased sensitivity to cisplatin, and obese and lean mouse model of endometrial cancer was used to study the role of asparagus officinalis in tumor growth. Treatment with increasing concentrations of extracts significantly inhibited cell proliferation, reduced glycolytic activity, induced cellular stress and apoptosis, caused cell cycle G1 arrest, increased the sensitivity of cells to cisplatin, reduced cell adhesion and invasion, and activation of AMPK and inhibition of the AKT/mTOR and MAPK signaling pathways in endometrial cancer cells. Moreover, extracts suppressed cell adhesion and invasion through the modulation of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition process. extract treatment for 4 weeks resulted in a significant reduction in tumor growth in mice under both obese and lean conditions, with a decrease in Ki-67 and vascular endothelial growth factor expression and an increase in Bip expression in endometrial tumors. These findings provide strong preclinical evidence for the potential therapeutic benefit of extract as a novel dietary strategy in the treatment of endometrial cancer. Further clinical trials of dietary intervention of or combination with cisplatin in patients with endometrial cancer are warranted.