{"title":"Euxanthone Inhibits Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression by Targeting the miR-199a-5p/E2F3 Regulatory Axis.","authors":"Ahmed Abdullah Al Awadh","doi":"10.2174/0118715206392043250805112033","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths on a global scale. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of euxanthone on the proliferation of HCC cell lines and elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>HCC cell lines (HepG2, Huh-7, SNU-398, SK-HEP-1, Hep3B) and the normal liver cell line THLE-2 were cultured and treated with euxanthone at concentrations between 0 and 100 μM. Cell viability was evaluated using the MTT assay, while phase contrast microscopy and cell cycle analysis were performed to evaluate morphological changes and cell cycle distribution. qRT-PCR was utilized to measure miRNA and mRNA expression levels, while a dual luciferase reporter assay validated the interaction between miR-199a-5p and E2F3.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Euxanthone significantly (P < 0.05) inhibited cell proliferation in all HCC cell lines, with IC₂⁽ values between 6.25 and 25 μM. HepG2 cells exhibited pronounced sensitivity, with an IC₂⁽ of 6.25 μM. Euxanthone induced a G1 phase arrest, characterized by decreased expression of Cyclin D1 and E, and increased levels of p21. Additionally, it upregulated miR-199a-5p, which was identified as a mediator of the antiproliferative effects by targeting E2F3. Euxanthone treatment also significantly (P < 0.05) inhibited HepG2 cell migration in a wound healing assay.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Taken together, euxanthone exerts antiproliferative effects on HCC cells via the miR-199a-5p-E2F3 axis and inhibits cell migration. These findings support its potential as a therapeutic agent for HCC, highlighting the need for further investigation into its clinical applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":7934,"journal":{"name":"Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0000,"publicationDate":"2025-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.2174/0118715206392043250805112033","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, MEDICINAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths on a global scale. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of euxanthone on the proliferation of HCC cell lines and elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms.
Methods: HCC cell lines (HepG2, Huh-7, SNU-398, SK-HEP-1, Hep3B) and the normal liver cell line THLE-2 were cultured and treated with euxanthone at concentrations between 0 and 100 μM. Cell viability was evaluated using the MTT assay, while phase contrast microscopy and cell cycle analysis were performed to evaluate morphological changes and cell cycle distribution. qRT-PCR was utilized to measure miRNA and mRNA expression levels, while a dual luciferase reporter assay validated the interaction between miR-199a-5p and E2F3.
Results: Euxanthone significantly (P < 0.05) inhibited cell proliferation in all HCC cell lines, with IC₂⁽ values between 6.25 and 25 μM. HepG2 cells exhibited pronounced sensitivity, with an IC₂⁽ of 6.25 μM. Euxanthone induced a G1 phase arrest, characterized by decreased expression of Cyclin D1 and E, and increased levels of p21. Additionally, it upregulated miR-199a-5p, which was identified as a mediator of the antiproliferative effects by targeting E2F3. Euxanthone treatment also significantly (P < 0.05) inhibited HepG2 cell migration in a wound healing assay.
Conclusion: Taken together, euxanthone exerts antiproliferative effects on HCC cells via the miR-199a-5p-E2F3 axis and inhibits cell migration. These findings support its potential as a therapeutic agent for HCC, highlighting the need for further investigation into its clinical applications.
期刊介绍:
Formerly: Current Medicinal Chemistry - Anti-Cancer Agents.
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry aims to cover all the latest and outstanding developments in medicinal chemistry and rational drug design for the discovery of anti-cancer agents.
Each issue contains a series of timely in-depth reviews and guest edited issues written by leaders in the field covering a range of current topics in cancer medicinal chemistry. The journal only considers high quality research papers for publication.
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry is an essential journal for every medicinal chemist who wishes to be kept informed and up-to-date with the latest and most important developments in cancer drug discovery.