Ellagic acid induces apoptosis and autophagy in colon cancer through the AMPK/mTOR pathway

• Published in: Tissue & cell 2023-04, Vol.81, p.102032-102032, Article 102032
• Main Authors: Ni, Xiong, Shang, Fu-Sheng, Wang, Ting-Feng, Wu, De-Jun, Chen, Da-Gui, Zhuang, Biao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: AMP-Activated Protein Kinases - metabolism; AMPK/mTOR; Apoptosis; Autophagy; Colon cancer; Colonic Neoplasms - drug therapy; Ellagic acid; Ellagic Acid - pharmacology; Ellagic Acid - therapeutic use; Humans; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases - metabolism
• ISSN: 0040-8166; 1532-3072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tice.2023.102032

Ellagic acid (EA), found in fruits and foods, has been shown to be effective in the treatment of breast, colon and bladder cancer. However, due to the complexity of colon cancer, the therapeutic mechanism of EA for colon cancer is still unclear. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay were employed to investigate the cell proliferation. Western blotting and flow cytometry assays were utilized to investigate apoptosis and autophagy in CRC cells (HCT116), respectively. Moreover, western blotting and luciferase reporter assays were evaluated the effect of EA on AMPK/mTOR pathway. Through flow cytometry analysis, EA could promote the apoptosis of HCT116 cells. In addition, EA can reduce the phosphorylation of mTOR, promoted phosphorylation of AMPK, and induced autophagy in HCT116 cells. Also, Dorsomorphin pretreatment can reduce the expression of autophagy protein, which indicates that EA induces autophagy through AMPK/mTOR pathway. These results suggest that EA inhibits the growth of colon cancer through AMPK/mTOR pathway and induces apoptosis and protective autophagy. •EA inhibited tumor growth in vivo.•Ellagic acid inhibited the growth and promoted apoptosis of HCT116 cells.•Ellagic acid induced autophagy through the AMPK/mTOR pathway.•Ellagic acid inhibited the growth of colon cancer and induced apoptosis and protective autophagy through the AMPK/mTOR pathway.