Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Involvement of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in the inhibition of invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in ovarian cancer cells

Belikiz Ekem¹, Wei Gong¹, Lu Han¹, Xinmei Wang¹, Na Liu¹, Li Wan¹, Qin Guo²

¹Department of Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region 830000; ²Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510080, China.

For correspondence:- Qin Guo Email: SDFWE87er@163.com

Accepted: 25 June 2020 Published: 31 July 2020

Citation: Ekem B, Gong W, Han L, Wang X, Liu N, Wan L, et al. Involvement of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in the inhibition of invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in ovarian cancer cells. Trop J Pharm Res 2020; 19(7):1365-1370 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v19i7.4

© 2020 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the effects of zerumbone on cell invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the potential signaling pathway involved in ovarian cancer cells.

Methods: Caov-3 cell proliferation was assessed using 3-(4,5)-dimethylthiahiazo (-z-y1)-3,5-di- phenytetrazoliumromide (MTT) assay. Wound healing assay was used to determine Caov-3 cell migration while cell invasion was evaluated using Transwell assay. Protein expression was determined by western blot.

Results: Cell viability was reduced by 5, 10, 20, and 50 µM zerumbone (p < 0.05) in a concentration-dependent manner while cell migration and invasion were inhibited by 10 and 20 µM zerumbone (p < 0.05). Protein expression levels of E-cadherin and cytoplasm β-catenin were upregulated by zerumbone (p < 0.05) in a concentration-dependent manner. On the other hand, protein expression levels of N-cadherin, vimentin, ZEB1, nuclear β-catenin, and c-Myc were suppressed by zerumbone (p < 0.05) also in a concentration-dependent manner.

Conclusion: The results demonstrate that zerumbone inhibits cell proliferation, migration and invasion, but represses the EMT process via inactivation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Keywords: Zerumbone, Ovarian cancer, Wnt/β-catenin pathway, Epithelial-mesenchymal transition