Kahweol Induces Apoptosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Inhibiting the Src/mTOR/STAT3 Signaling Pathway
Hye‐Young Seo, So Hee Lee, Ji Ha Lee, Jae‐Ho Lee, Byoung Kuk Jang, Mi Kyung Kim
Abstract
Kahweol, a coffee-specific diterpene, induces apoptosis in human cancer cells, and some targets of kahweol-mediated apoptosis have been identified. However, the specific apoptotic effects and mechanism of action of kahweol in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells are unknown. This study was performed to investigate the molecular mechanism by which kahweol induces apoptosis in HCC cells. The Src pathway is associated with apoptosis in cancer. In this study, we found that kahweol induces apoptosis by inhibiting phosphorylation of Src, and also inhibiting p-mTOR and p-STAT3. Therefore, we suggest that kahweol is a potent inhibitor of HCC cell growth.
Topics & Concepts
ApoptosisPI3K/AKT/mTOR pathwayHepatocellular carcinomaCancer researchSignal transductionSTAT3PhosphorylationChemistryProto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase SrcBiologyBiochemistryCytokine Signaling Pathways and InteractionsImmune Cell Function and InteractionCancer-related Molecular Pathways