How vitamin E and its derivatives regulate tumour cells via the MAPK signalling pathway?

• Published in: Gene 2022-01, Vol.808, p.145998-145998, Article 145998
• Main Authors: Yu, Zhen-Qi, Wang, Lan-Min, Yang, Wan-Xi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Apoptosis; Apoptosis - drug effects; Cell Cycle - drug effects; Cell Differentiation - drug effects; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Humans; MAP Kinase Signaling System - drug effects; MAPK; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; Neoplasms - drug therapy; Neoplasms - metabolism; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - metabolism; Signal Transduction - drug effects; Tumour; Vitamin E; Vitamin E - metabolism; Vitamin E - pharmacology; Vitamin E - physiology; Vitamin E derivatives
• ISSN: 0378-1119; 1879-0038
• DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2021.145998

•VE regulates tumor cell physiological activity through MAPK pathway.•VE regulate ERK inducing apoptosis, differentiation, cell cycle arrest.•VE regulates JNK inducing apoptosis and inhibiting the expression of AR.•VE regulates p38MAPK inducing apoptosis and autophagy. In tumour cells, vitamin E and its derivatives play a critical role in the regulation of multiple signalling pathways through their oxidative and nonoxidative functions. To date, there are 8 known natural vitamin E forms and many kinds of derivatives, among which VES and α-TEA have excellent anticancer activities. The MAPK pathway consists of a complex cascade of proteins that control the proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of tumour cells. The MAPK pathway includes four subfamilies, ERK1/2, JNK1/2, p38 MAPK, and ERK5. Most of the proteins in these subfamilies interact with each other in a complex manner. The anticancer function of vitamin E and its derivatives is closely related to the MAPK cascade. Studies have shown that in tumour cells, α-T/γ-T/γ-T3/δ-T3/VES/α-TEA regulated ERK1/2, prevent tumorigenesis, inhibit tumour cell growth and metastasis and induce cell differentiation, apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest; γ-T3/δ-T3/VES/α-TEA regulates JNK1/2, induce apoptosis, reduce ceramide synthesis and inhibit proliferation; and γ-T3/δ-T3/VES regulate p38 MAPK and induce apoptosis. This paper reviews the role of vitamin E and its derivatives in the MAPK cascade, and tumour cells are used as a model in an attempt to explore the mechanism of their interactions.